Page:Wonderful exploits of wise Willie & witty Eppie, the ale wife.pdf/23

( 23 ) d it was Tardy Tiby's goodman riding on maukin. Tibb tald the frightſome ſtory, d many ran to ſee the poor man (a cadger d his aſs) riding on the auld mauken. The ers look on all maukins to be devils and ches; and if they ſee a fight of a dead uken, it fits them a-trembling. The fiſher es look with diſdain on farmers' daug ters, d all country laſſes; they call them muck- yres, an ſharny-tail d jades.

The bucky lad and laſſ s, when they go gather bait, tell ſtrange ſtories of ghoſts, ches, willi wi' the wiſp, and the kelpy, ies, maukens, and bogies of all for s They think willie an the wiſp is a fiery il. that leads people ff their road, in er to get them drown'd in the ſea

They call Kelpya ſhe devil, becauſe he rs before a lots at ſea, and frights folk. Their Stories about Fairies are very di- ting. They ſay that they dance round s; oups and rins through the houſes haunt, and play many wonderful tricks. at they lift new-born bairns from their hers; and that none of then are safe to with their mothers for a night or two r they are born, unleſs the mother get air of men's breeches under their head, the firſt three nights atter their delivery. y ſay, tha' when the fairies are frighted, carry off the child, and leave a old k of wood in its ſtead. They ſay, that n one tried to burn one of thele old ſtocks