in an ecstacy, "that I might see thee as well
as I hear thee!"

"Would ye see me?" says the foul thief. "Put out the candle, and I shall
come but[45] the house among you like fire-balls; I shall let ye see me
indeed."

Alexander Bailie of Dunraget said to the minister, "Let us go ben,[46] and
see if there is any hand to be seen." But the demon exclaimed, "No! let
him (the minister) come ben alone: he is a good honest man: his single
word may be believed." He then abused Mr. Robert Hay, a very honest
gentleman, very ill with his tongue, calling him witch and warlock: and a
little while after, cried out, "A witch! a witch! there's a witch sitting
upon the ruist! take her away." He meant that there was a hen sitting on
one of the rafters. They then went to prayer again, and, when ended, the
devil cried out, "If the good man's son's prayers at the College of
Glasgow did not prevail with God, my father and I had wrought a mischief
here ere now." Ah, Master Tom, did you then know so much of prayer and the
inclining of the counsels of God?

Alexander Bailie said, "Well, I see you acknowledge a God, and that
prayer prevails with him, and therefore we must pray to God, and commit
the event to him." To whom the devil replied, having an evident spite
against Alexander Bailie, "Yea, sir, you speak of prayer, with your
broad-lipped hat" (for the gentleman had lately gotten a hat in the
fashion with broad lips); "I'll bring a pair of shears from my father's
which shall clip the lips of it a little." And Alexander Bailie presently
heard a pair of shears go clipping round his hat, "which he lifted, to see
if the foul thief had meddled with it."

Then the fiend fell to prophesying. "Tom was to be a merchant, Bob a
smith, John a minister, and Hugh a lawyer," all of which came to pass.
Turning to Jennet, the good man's daughter, he cried, "Jennet Campbell,
Jennet Campbell, wilt thou cast me thy belt?"

Quoth she, "What a widdy would thou do with my belt?"

"I would fain," says he, "fasten my loose bones together."

A younger daughter was sitting "busking her puppies" (dressing her
puppets, dolls), as young girls are used to do. He threatens to "ding out
her harns," that is, to brain her; but says she quietly, "No, if God be to
the fore," and so falls to her work again. The good wife having brought
out some bread, was breaking it, so that every one of the company should
have a piece. Cries he, "Grissel Wyllie! Grissel Wyllie! give