A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

310
Wlian he was strnte, twa sturdy chiels,
Be's oxter and be's collar.
Help up frae cowping o' the creels *
The liquid logic scholar.
Whan he came hame, his wife did reel.
And rampage in her choler.
With that he brake the spinning-wheel,
That cost a good rix-dollar
And mair, some say.
Near bed-time now, ilk weary wight
Was gaunting for his rest ;
For some were like to tyne their sight,
Wi' sleep and drinking strest.
But ithers that were stomach-tight,
Cry'd out, " It was nae best
To leave a supper that was dight t
To brownies, ^ or a ghaist.
To eat or day.'*
On whomelt tubs lay twa lang dails.
On them stood mony a goan, §
Some fiird wi' brachan, some wi' kail.
And milk het frae tlie loan.
Of daintiths they had routh and waie.
Of which they were right fon'
* From ttrrning topsy-turvy
"f Made ready
J
Many whimsical stories are handed down to us, by old
women, of these brownies: they teli us, they were a kind of
drudging spirits, who appeared in the shape of rough men,
would have lain famiharly by the fire all night, threshed in
the barn, brought a midwife at a time, and done many such
kind offices : but none of them have been seen in Scotlanel
gince the Reformation, as saith the wise John Brown
§ A wooden dish for meat
;