Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/59

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Lancashire Legends.

"I wish thou wert riding back again to thy quarters, on yonder dun horse, and never able to plague me again, or any other poor wretch whom thou hast gotten into thy clutches!" The demon, with a roar, went away riveted to the back of this dun horse, and the tailor watched his departure almost beside himself for joy. He lived happy to a good old age, leaving behind him at his death good store of this world's gear, which was divided amongst his poorer relatives. One of them, having bought the house where the tailor dwelt, set up the trade of a tapster therein, having for his sign, "The Dule upo' Dun." On it is depicted "Old Hornie," mounted upon a scraggy dun horse, without saddle, bridle, or any sort of equipments whatever—the terrified steed being "off and away" at full gallop from the door, where a small hilarious tailor, with shears and measures, appears to view the departure of him of the cloven foot with anything but grief or disapprobation. The house itself is one of those ancient gabled black-and-white edifices, now fast disappearing under the march of improvement. Many windows of little lozenge-shaped panes set in lead, might be seen here in all the various stages of renovation and decay. Over the door, till lately, swung the old and quaint sign, attesting the truth of the tradition and the excellence of mine host's beer.



THE DUN COW AND THE OLD RIB.

The anonymous writer of "Curious Corners round Preston," states that the "Old Rib" is the name given to an old farm in the township of Whittingham, in the parish of Kirkham, five miles north of Preston. The name, he says, is derived from an extraordinary rib,