me a piece
of that haver bread. I have gotten nothing this day but a bit from
Marritt," that is, as they speak in the country, Margaret. The minister
said to them all, "Beware of that! for it is sacrificing to the devil!"
Marritt was then called, and inquired if she had given the foul fiend any
of her haver bread. "No," says she; "but when I was eating my due piece
this morning, something came and clicked it out of my hands."

The evening had now come, and the company prepared to depart; the
minister, and the minister's wife, Alexander Bailie of Dunraget, with his
broad-lipped hat, and the rest. But the devil cried out in a kind of
agony--

"Let not the minister go! I shall burn the house if he goes." Weaver
Campbell, desperately frightened, besought the minister to stay; and he,
not willing to see them come to mischief, at last consented. As he turned
back into the house, the devil gave a great gaff of laughing, saying,
"Now, sir! you have done my bidding!" which was unhandsome of Tom--very.

"Not thine, but in obedience to God, have I returned to bear this man
company whom thou dost afflict," says the minister, nowise discomposed,
and not disdaining to argue matters clearly with the devil.

Then the minister "discharged" all from speaking to the demon, saying,
"that when it spoke to them they must only kneel and pray to God." This
did not suit the demon at all. He roared mightily, and cried, "What! will
ye not speak to me? I shall strike the bairns, and do all manner of
mischief!" No answer was returned; and again the children were slapped and
beaten on their rosy parts--where children are accustomed to be whipped.
After a while this ended too, and then the fiend called out to the
good-wife, "Grissel, put out the candle!"

"Shall I do it?" says she to the minister's wife.

"No," says that discreet person, "for then you shall obey the devil."

Upon which the devil shouted, with a louder voice, "Put out the candle!"
No one obeyed, and the candle continued burning. "Put out the candle, I
say!" cries he, more terribly than before. Grissel, not caring to continue
the uproar, put it out. "And now," says he, "I will trouble you no more
this night." For by this time I should suppose that Master Tom was sleepy,
and tired, and hoarse.

Once again the ministers and gentlemen met for prayer and exorcism; when
it is to be presumed that Tom was not with them, for everything was quiet;
but soon after the stirs began again, a