EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 143 



people, more honoured and more valued as time 

 goes on, whilst Leigh Hunt is already almost 

 forgotten, or only remembered in the narrow 

 circles of dilettante literature. 



THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF A YELLOW- 

 HAMMER 



I told the following story in the Spectator 

 some time ago, and I think it is of sufficient 

 interest to include in this chapter of miscel- 

 lanies : 



Everybody knows the yellow-hammer. One 

 cannot walk along a turnpike road, or on 

 a common among gorse-bushes, or through 

 narrow lanes without being reminded that if 

 we behave ourselves we shall be rewarded with 



"A little bit o' bread and no cheese," 

 or, as the Scotch boys have it, 



"Whetel-te, whetel-te whee ! 

 Harry my nest, and the de'il tak' ye." 



They call him, also, the Devil bird^ for the 

 Devil is said to supply him with three drops 

 of his blood every May morning : 



' { Half a puddock, half a toad, 



Half a yellow yorling, 

 Drinks a drap o' the de'il's bluid 

 Every May morning." 



