Page:Traditional Tales of the English and Scottish Peasantry - 1887.djvu/230

226 bonnie lands of Lochwood, which your forefathers lost. No, no, Mary Halliday, take a bonnie Annanwater lad, and let the Southron gang."

This old rude rhyme was sung with considerable archness and effect: the songstress then came towards the place where we stood, not with a regular direct step, but a sidelong hop and skip, waving, as she came, her bonnet and feathers from side to side, accompanying every motion with a line of an old song. Old Prudence Caird seemed scandalized at the extravagant demeanour of the poor girl, and, advancing towards her, waving her hands to be gone, exclaimed:

"In the name of all aboon, what are ye skipping and skirling there for, ye born gowk and sworn gomeral? Ye'll fall belly-flaught, breadth and length, on the lily-white linen that has cost such a cleansing. Away to the woods like another gowk, away, else I'se kirsen ye with a cupful of scalding water, my sooth shall I;" and, partly suiting the action to the word, she came forward with a cupful of water in her hand.

The singular person to whom these bitter words were