Ducks_.--A girl said to the author, of a woman with whom she had
been living for a short time as servant, "I'd raather be nibbled
to de{a}d wi' ducks then live with Miss P. She's alus a natterin'."
(_De{a}d_, death; _alus_, always; _natterin'_, nagging.)

_Good mind_, strong intention.--She said she'd a good mind to hing
her-sen, so{a} I ax'd if I mud send for Mr Holgate (the coroner), to
be ready like. (_Hing_, hang; _mud_, might.)

_Jaup_, senseless talk.--Ho'd the jaup wi' th{(e}; dos't ta want
ivery body to knaw how soft thoo is? (_Ho'd_, hold; _soft_,
foolish.)

MIDLAND (Group 2): S.E. LANCASHIRE.

The following poem is from _Poems and Songs_ by Edwin Waugh; 3rd ed.,
London, 1870.

Owd Pinder.

Owd Pinder were a rackless foo,
An' spent his days i' spreein';
At th' end ov every drinkin-do,
He're sure to crack o' deein';
"Go, sell my rags, an' sell my shoon,
Aw's never live to trail 'em;
My ballis-pipes are eawt o' tune,
An' th' wynt begins to fail 'em!

Eawr Matty's very fresh an' yung;--
'T would any mon bewilder;--
Hoo'll wed again afore it's lung,
For th' lass is fond o' childer;
My bit o' brass'll fly--yo'n see--
When th' coffin-lid has screen'd me--
It gwos again my pluck to dee,
An' lev her wick beheend me.

Come, Matty, come, an' cool my yed;
Aw'm finish'd, to my thinkin';"
Hoo happed him nicely up, an' said,
"Thae'st brought it on wi' drinkin'."--
"Nay, nay," said he, "my fuddle's done,
We're partin' tone fro tother;
So promise me that, when aw'm gwon,
Thea'll never wed another!"

"Th' owd tale," said hoo, an' laft her stoo;
"It's rayly past believin';
Thee think o' th' world thea'rt goin' to,
An' lev this world to th' livin';
What use to me can deeod folk be?
Thae's kilt thisel' wi' spreein";
An' iv that's o' thae wants wi' me,
Get forrud wi' thi deein'!"

Notes.--_Owd_, old; _rackless foo_, reckless fool; _spreein'_,
merry-making, drinking; _-do_, bout; _He're_, he would be;
_crack o' deein'_ , hint at dying; _Aw's_, I shall; _trail_,
walk in; _ballis-pipes_, bellows-pipes, lungs; _eawt_, out;
_wynt_, wind.

_Eawr_, our, my; _Hoo_, she; _brass_, money; _yo'n_, you will;
_lev_, leave; _wick_, quick, i.e. alive.

_Yed_, head; _happed_, covered; _fuddle_, drinking-bout;
_tone fro tother_, the one from the other.

_Stoo_,