oat-cake at every house; while some rattle at the door the rest sing—
"One for Peter; two for Paul;
Three for Christ, who made us all.
Up with your kettle—down with your pon;
Give us some oat cake, and we will begone."
At Christmas they are more jealous of one another, and are desirous of securing all the presents individually. Hence, each boy or girl visits the houses alone; and both early in the morning and late at night we may hear a feeble voice at our doors plaintively calling—
"I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy New Year;
Your pocket full of money,
Your cellar full of beer.
The road is very dirty,
But my shoes [or clogs] are very clean;
I've got a little pocket,
To put a penny in.
I knock at the knocker,
I ring the little bell;—
Please give me then a penny,
For singing this so well."
As will have been seen in the early portions of this work, several of our local legends turn upon the stratagems by which the devil has been outwitted. This is a portion of our folk-lore which we hold in common with many different races of people; and has probably been imported into our country by some of our earlier colonists. At Hothersall Hall, near Ribchester, a demon is supposed to be "laid" under a laurel tree until he can spin a rope from the sands of the River Ribble, which runs near the house. The same stratagem occurred to a schoolmaster resident at Cockerham, near Lancaster, on
