MICHAEL SCOT AGAIN 261 



muckle man sitting a tap o' the pillar, wi' a flaming 

 brand in the tae hand, and a lang leister in the tither ; 

 he had a hairy cap on his head, made, perhaps, o' 

 the fur o' the tod, or some sic like beastie, and a 

 long gown on, wi' a linnen dress aneath it, SL doon 

 to his knees, tied rund wi' a queer girdle, which 

 was written aboot wi' magic words, and a lang 

 whinger stuck intill it ; we hae Sir Walter's word 

 for it, ye ken. Aweel, the fishermen who war in 

 the boat were sair frightened, and in ganging doon 

 the water, got as far frae him as they cud, and, as 

 they thought, out o' reach o' him ; but he louped 

 frae the pillar intill the boat from an awfu' distance, 

 and doon she went so soon as he set fut or hoof in 

 her; and a' the men war drowned, and left the 

 bonny banks o' the Tweed wi' all their sins on 

 their heads. Then the foul wizard, Michael Scot, 

 was seen by some folks on shore, to rise up and 

 loup on a muckle black horse, that came doon frae 

 the cluds, and he fleed awa on it till he became 

 inveesable. The folk at Darnick pu'd down the 

 pillar ; they did na lave ae stane on anither. Ay, 

 ay, ye may laugh and call this clish-ma-claver if 

 ye please, but it's true what I tell ye ; I have seen 

 auld Michael mysel'." 



" Where, Charlie, where ? " 



"Why, aince on Cowden -knows I seed his 

 wraith, and his torch a tap o' the hill, and his 

 muckle black horse feeding below on the moor, as 

 plain as I see ye the noo ; and though he is not in 

 life at this day, for he war killed by drinking the 

 kail made o' a breme sow, yet his spirit is abraid, 

 ye ken, and it war that which sent our boat to the 



