15
enemy too, and bites his hand till the blood follwed, the whole of the tykes comes a' on poor John, till down he goes in the dirt amongst their feet, and one of the dogs runs off with the flesh, so John went hame both dirty and bloody and without his flesh, told Girzy how it happened, who applied her old plaister, her Tangs and Tongue, made John to curse the very minister that married them, and wished he might ne'er do a better turn.
MISFORTUNE III.
Next morning, John was sent to the well with the great stoup to bring in
water for breakfast; and as he was pulling the stoup out of the well, in he tumbles and his head down, the well being narrow, he could na win out: some people passing by chance, heard the slunge, cried, and ran to his relief, haul'd him out half dead, and helping him into the house; and after getting a dry sark, he was comforted with the old plaister, her tongue and her tangs.
