de’il ſeeking here, he’ll be wanting to tak a’ the auld wives and cats to mak witches o’ them; I true when my grandmither heard that, ſhe gat up and ran ben to the ſpence, and crap in the bear-meal barrel to hide her-ſel frae the de’il, and curr’d there till the kirk ſkail’d, a deed ſhe was ſae fear’d, ſhe made her burn in the barrel: and what was’t true ye after a’, but a tupe and a ewe of the highland gaits, it the laird had gotten to gie the lady milk, but mony a day we leugh at the twa de’ils.
Mag.) But dear woman, what an a body is that de’il it every body is ſae fear’d for him, is’t na him they ca’ Auld Nick, what fore do they ca’ him Auld Nick?
Jan.) A deed woman I dinna ken what like o’ body he is, but they ſay he’s a black, and they ca him Auld Nick, because he’s aulder nor Adam, and Adam was the firſt man in the warld, and they ſay the de’il will never die, nor yet be ſick, nor yet tak fair een.
Mag.) A wow Janet but ye’re-a witty creature, but can ye tell me what way the blackamoors is made, ſome fouk says they’re a’ dipped in cat’s blood and burnt bear-ſtrae, but I’m ay thinking the litſier douks them in amang the broe that they lit the black claith wi’, and then ſells them to the lairds and gentle fouks to flee their bairns wi’, or dis the gentle fouks eat them when they’re dead think ye.
