MICHAEL SCOTT 195 



at one scoop a quantity sufficient to form one of 

 the hills, which he deposited where he was com- 

 manded, and in two more journeys formed the 

 other two hiUs, just as we see them now, only that 

 they were bare of verdure. In his passage a part 

 fell out of the shovel, which is now called Rubers- 

 law, which slovenly slip accounts for the inequality 

 in point of size of the Eildons. At this slip 

 Michael was exceeding wrath, and pursued his imp 

 towards Tweedside to punish him. The imp had 

 a good start, and Michael lay rather out of his 

 ground : when the evil spirit came to Old Melrose, 

 he saw a brave company of monks in the haugh, 

 who had made a kettle offish, 1 and were carousing 

 with goodly flagons of ale. It is said Thomas the 

 Rhymer of Ercildoune was with them, and that 

 the prior, who threw a long line, had been very 

 successful with it that morning, having had good 

 sport in the Gateheugh streams, and caught two 

 clean fish in the Holy- wheel, now called the Hally- 

 wheel, a stream which he himself tabooed upon the 

 same principle that the Italians write " Rispetto " 

 on the walls, namely, to keep off intruders. 



At the sight of so many pious men, the little 

 imp skulked behind a tree, and Michael himself 

 was taken aback, and ran cunning, making a cross 

 cut over the peninsula, in order to come in upon 

 the imp below ; the latter being hardly pressed, 

 made for the river, well knowing that his task- 

 master was not only a bad boatman, but that no 



1 It is still a custom to make parties and dress the salmon on the 

 spot immediately after their capture, which is called having a kettle 

 offish. 



