Glencairn Folk PaDDLES. 117 



Aus., A magpie. I need scarcely observe that a mill " shillin " is 

 no longer a familiar object, and in most districts the magpie is now 

 one of the rarest of bii'ds. 



What is't that Stan's oot o' the wud and eats in it ? Ans., A 

 sow eating out of its trough. This possesses an antiquarian value 

 also, for it indicates that such articles were commonly made of 

 wood, and not of stone or fire-clay, as at present. 



We come now to an important class — the domestic. Here 1 

 am able to supplement my previous gleanings with a number of 

 additions. The crooks, a half-forgotten fireside adjunct, figures 

 in several of these. Thus we have : — W^hat'.s a' holes and carries 

 water ? Ans., The crooks. In another example we have the 

 crooks, together with a three-legged pot, described as follows : — 



The sma' lean faither, 

 The big bag-git mither, 

 And the three sma' bairns. 



A little pot with wooden lid presents rather a grotesque 



figure : — 



Hoddy-poddy, wee black body, 

 Three legs and a timmer hat. 



What scatters a' day 

 And rows at e'en ? 

 Ans., A peat fire. 



Faither and mither, sister and brither, 



A' lie in ae bed, and never touch ane anither. 



Ans., The bars of the grate. 



Here is a quaint description of the once familiar '' grey- 

 beard " :— 



As roon as a riddle. 

 As black as a coal, 

 A lang neck, and a pumping hole. 

 This is finer : — 



Hip-chip-cherry, a' the men in 'Derry 

 Couldna climb (like) hip-chip-cherry. 



Ans., The reek. I am indebted to Mr John Crinean, registrar, 

 Moniaive, for what is perhaps one of the best examples of this 

 class. He learned it from his mother, and in all probability it is 

 much older : — 



