om just bowdly sleev'd(6) her waist
An chuck'd her unner t' chin.
"O' Sunday neet," said he, " I'll wait
To hug(7) thy milk-skeel(8) in.

(A verse is missing)

She bun' aboot her matchless cauf
Four cletchin' streas,(9) did Nan,
Twea wheaten an' twea oaten streas,
Bud niver tell'd her man.
She platted 'em when t' harvest mean
Her colour'd cheek made pale,
For nea lass plats her band for bairns
And then blirts(10) out her tale.

An' t' mean for sham' ahint a clood
Her smaalin' feace did hide;
Sea nea hedge-skulker gat a peep
At Nan's leg when 't were tied.
An' nean i' t' village would have knawn,
At roond her leg, like thack,(11)
She'd bun' a band to gie her bairns,
Bud she tummel'd offen(12) t' stack,

An' deaz'd she ligg'd, her shapely limb
Laid oot for all to see;
An' roond her leg a platted band
Were bun' belaw her knee.
Then up she sprang, an' laughin' said,
"Noo, Tom warn't here to see;
An' nean can say I's scrawmy(13) cauf'd,
An' t' band still guards my knee."

1. Long ago. 2 .Hold. 3, Leap. 4. Thatched roof.
5. Hold thy tongue. 6. Encircled. 7. Carry.
8. Milk-pail. 9. Thatching straws. 10. Blurts.
11. Thatch. 12. Off. 13. Unshapely.

The Witch's Curse(1)

Traditional

Fire coom,
Fire gan,
Curlin' smeak
Keep oot o' t' pan.
Ther's a tead(2) i' t' fire, a frog on t' hob,
Here's t' heart frev a crimson ask(3);
Here's a teath fra t' heead
O' yan at's deead,
At niver gat thruf his task.
Here's prick'd i' blood a maiden's prayer,
At t' ee o' man maunt(4) see;
It's prick'd upon a yet warm mask,(5)
An' lapp'd(6) aboot a breet green ask,
An' it's all fer him an' thee.
It boils,
Thoo'll drink;
He'll speak,
Thoo'll think:
It boils,
Thoo'll see;
He'll speak,
Thoo'll dee.

1 From R. Blakeborough's T' Hunt o' Yatton Brigg, p. 12; see
also the same author's Yorkshire Wit, Character, Folklore, and
Customs, p. 169.
2. Toad. 3. Newt. 4. May not. 5, Brew. 6. Wrapped.

Ridin' t' Stang(1)

(Grassington Version)

Traditional

Hey dilly, how dilly, hey dil