the assistance of Trimmy, it was impossible; so he was obliged to go home and endeavour to persuade her again out to the hill, by telling her tha

ith himself, and occasionally with Mumps, who paid very little attention to what he said. He now and then testified his sense of the honour intended to him, by giving two or three soft indolent strokes with hi

t them, an' smelt their noses, an' kissed them, an' cockit up my tail on my rigging wi' the best o' them; but instead o' that, to tak the pet an' rin away far outbye, an' there sit turnin up

Mumps really run away in a panic w

gaun to keep on at bletherin' English? Tell me, y

h a thing as English and Scotch languages; the one is mer

Scot that isna a fool wad ever let that sound, atio

y much; only, ere I begin, tell me seriously, Does your dog rea

? D'ye think Mumps sic a fool as n

mean to insin

e-What'

ou talk of witches? I have some stra

keep a

t is worth

me. I saw the twa white hounds a' the gate, but nae appearance of a deer; an' aye they came nearer an' nearer to me, till at last I saw a bonny, braw, young lady, a' clad i' white, about a hunder paces frae me, an' she was aye looking back an' rinning as gin she wantit to be at the Eildon tree. When she saw the hounds comin on hard behind her, she cried out; but they soon o'ertook her, threw her down, an' tore her, an' worried her; an' I heard her m

me my riddle,'

ove an' I d

ve she ga

o' the deer ma

lay yes

they're to eat an' what they're to drink the night! Can ye tell me,

istill'd, and t

I fear it w

-we are hea

ears, and wae

ere was a fine, plump, bausined roe-deer lying, an' the blude streamin' frae her s

it is too singular and out of the common course of nature for you to have framed it; and

a tree? Ye may either believe i

been feasting upon changed human creatures all this while? There is something in the whole business so revolting to human nature, a man cannot think of it! It seems, too, that there i

e like to be turned into a deer, an' worried an' eaten?-Aigh, man! ye wad like it ill! I think I see how ye wad lay yoursel out for fear-

as you have just now described, that you ca

thing-It's a queer thing speaking!-Mumps, ye can spe

t's to be done-The k

ou to speak, Mumps, as weel as

-she will apprize the abbot, and we shall have the two

for the twa witches, or fairies, or changed fock, or whatever they may be, didna speak that language

e women, and more particularly Pery, who had been the plague of his life; but of late he had heard some exaggerated accounts of the kind sentiments of her heart respecting him, which had wonderfully altered Croudy, although he still kept up as well as he could th

," said she; "how glad I am that I have got you t

" said Croudy, "nor nae w

you, Croudy, at the Old Moss T

, and laid on the ground with his staff; and always now an

woman," said Croudy-"ve

Pery, "and pay you your wager too, provided you have

O, man, ye're an unfarrant beast!-Three kisses at the Moss Thorn!-I wish I had this meeting by!-Mumps, I never saw sic an unfeasible creature as you, man, when ane thinks about a bonny woman-A woman!-What is a woman?-Let me

they were lovely beyond expression, although their eyes manifested a kind of wild instability. Their robes were white as snow, and they had that light, elega

ne, "haste and tell

w us, and heard us speak, will blab the news; and then, think what

s the plot against the king's lif

he other; "and the abbot,

own to me. But do you make all possible haste, and find your way into th

stance from each other; the one very busy biting for fleas, that he supposed had made a lodgment among his rough matted hair, and the other conversing with himself abo

dressed hersel like a princess to come an' speak to me!-An' to think o' me kissing a creature like yon! I maun

tle better himself. At first he supposed that he was in a dream, and stood a long time considering of it, in hopes the fantasy would go off; but on seeing the consternation of Mumps, he looked first to the one side, and then to the other, and perceiving his great bristly sides and limbs, he was seized with indescribable terror, and fled at full speed. It is well known what a ridiculous figure a hog makes at any time when frightened, and exerting itself to escape from the supposed danger-there is not any thing so calculated to make one laugh-his stupid apprehension of some approaching mischief-the way that he fixes his head and listens-gives a grunt like the crack of a musket, and breaks away again. Every one who has witnessed such a scene, will acknowledge, that it is a masterpiece of the ludicrous

he kine soon perceived that there was something super-human about the creature, for even the most dull of animals have much quicker perceptions than mankind in these matters; and in one moment they broke all to the gate as they had been mad, overturning the milk, maidens, and altogether. The boar ran on; so did the kine, cocking their heads and roaring in terror, as if every one of them had been bewitched, or possessed

e that he fell down breathless, and quite exhausted; and thus he lay stretched at full length, panting in a furrow, while all

the beautiful and wicked Pery that had wrought this woful change upon him; therefore he had no hopes of regaining his former shape, save in her returning pity and compassion; and he had strong hopes that she would ere long relent, as he had never wilfully done her any ill. Pery k

withstanding the horrible fright that he had got, for he knew not where else to find his master; and stupid as he was, yet, like all the rest of his species, he lived only in his master's eye. He was somewhat alarmed when he saw the boar coming slowly toward him, and began first to look over the one shoulder, and then over the other, as if meditating an escape; but, seeing that it came grunting in such a peaceable and

or he pitied Mumps more than himself. At length he tried to plow up the earth with his nose, as he remembered of having seen swine do before, but at that he made small progress, doing it very awkwardly, and with great pa

deplorable; but as he still conceived there was one who knew his situation well, he determined to seek her. He went down to Eildon-Hall, with the faithful Mumps walking close by his side-tried to work his way into the laundry, but being repulsed, he waited with patience about the doors for an opportunity to present himself before Pery. She came out

, "you are famishing. What c

n her face, and uttered a most melancholly sound; as much as to say, "You k

ery docile and valuable swine, and one that would soon be ready for the knife. He was astonished at her apparent indifference, as well as moved with grief and vengeance, seeing the abje

e your breakfast for the sake of him you belon

e kicked him, and drove him away, saying, "What does the vile beas

ld not taste them until the boar had first taken his share; after which they went and lay down in the yard together, the dog in the boar's bosom. Thus did they continue for