Part 28

1. Such.

Meeat maks, An' clease shaps, But that is nut t' man; For bonnie is that bonnie diz, Deny it if you can.

The Miller's Thumb

Miller, miller, mooter-poke, Teak a laid an' stale a stroke.(2)

2. Took a load of corn and stole a half-bushel; mooter, or multure, is the toll of meal taken by the miller for grinding the corn: mooter-poke, or multure-pocket, is accordingly a nickname for a miller.

Down i' yon lum(1) we have a mill, If they send more grist we'll grind more still. With her broad arm an' mighty fist Shoo rams it into t' mooter-chist.(2)

1. Wood. 2. The chest in which the toll of meal was kept.

Hob-Trush Hob

"Hob-Trush Hob, wheer is thoo?" "I's tryin' on my left-foot shoe, An' I'll be wi' thee--noo!"

Gin Hob mun hae nowt but a hardin' hamp, He'll co om nae mair nowther to berry nor stamp.(1)

1. The meaning seems to be, If Hob is allowed nothing more than a smock-frock of coarse hemp, he will not come again either to thresh corn or to beat flax.

Nanny Button-Cap

T' moon shines breet, T' stars give leet, An' little Nanny Button-cap Will coom to-morra neet.

The New Moon

A Setterday's mean Cooms yance i' seven year ower sean.

I see t' mean an' t' mean sees me, God bless t' sailors oot on t' sea.

New mean, new mean, I hail thee, This neet my true love for to see. Not iv his best or worst array, Bud iv his apparel for ivery day. That I to-morrow may him ken Frev amang all other men.

Eevein' red an' mornin' gray: Certain signs o' a bonnie day. Evenin' gray an' mornin' red Will send t' shepherd weet to bed.

Souther, wind, souther!(1) An' blaw my father heame to my moother.(2)

1. Veer to the south. 2. This is the lilt of the children of the east-coast fishermen when the boats are at sea.

Friday Unlucky

Dean't o' Friday buy your ring, O' Friday dean't put t' spurrins(1) in; Dean't wed o' Friday. Think on o' this, Nowther blue nor green mun match her driss.

1. Banns

An Omen

Blest is t' bride at t' sun shines on, An' blest is t' deead at t' rain rains on.

A Charm

Tak twea at's red an' yan at's blake,(1) O' poison berries three, Three fresh-cull'd blooms o' devil's glut,(2) An' a sprig o' rosemary.

Tak henbane, bullace, bummlekite,(3) An' t' fluff frev a deead bulrush, Naan berries shak frae t' rowan-tree, An' naan frae t' botterey-bush.(4)