“Thank ye,” says Tom. “Now the devil take the both of ye!”
“Cheat! cheat! cheat!” says Madge. Out came the sow, and followed her home like a dog.
MADAM NOY AND OLD JOAN.
They say that, a long time since, there lived an old witch down by Alsia Mill, called Joan. Everybody feared to offend the old woman, and gave her everything she looked for, except Madam Noy, who lived in Pendrea.
Madam Noy had some beautiful hens of a new sort, with “cops” on their heads.
One morning early, Joan comes up to Pendrea, so as to catch Madam Noy going out into the farmyard, with her basket of corn to feed the poultry, and to collect the eggs.
Joan comes up nodding and curtsying every step. “Good morrow to your honour; how well you are looking, Madam Noy; and, oh, what beautiful hens. I’ve got an old hen that I do want to set; will you sell me a dozen of eggs? Those with the ‘cops’ I’d like to have best.”
Madam turned round half offended, and said, “I have none to sell, neither with the cops nor yet without the cops, whilst I have so many old clucking hens about, and hardly an egg to be found.”
“You surely wouldn’t send me home empty as I came, madam dear?”