the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第5节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
carry through the yowes； it will be a' we can do； we maun e'en leave the
lambs to the Black Dwarfs care。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 subjoined the old shepherd （for such he was）； shaking his
head； 〃he'll be unco busy amang the morts this season。〃 〃The Black
Dwarf！〃 said MY LEARNED FRIEND AND PATRON； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； 〃and what sort of a personage may he be？〃
＇We have； in this and other instances； printed in italics （CAPITALS in
14
… Page 15…
THE BLACK DWARF
this etext） some few words which the worthy editor； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； seems to have interpolated upon the text of his deceased
friend； Mr。 Pattieson。 We must observe； once for all； that such liberties
seem only to have been taken by the learned gentleman where his own
character and conduct are concerned； and surely he must be the best judge
of the style in which his own character and conduct should be treated of。＇
〃Hout awa； man；〃 answered the farmer； 〃ye'll hae heard o' Canny
Elshie the Black Dwarf； or I am muckle mistaenA' the warld tells tales
about him； but it's but daft nonsense after a'I dinna believe a word o't
frae beginning to end。〃
〃Your father believed it unco stievely； though；〃 said the old man； to
whom the scepticism of his master gave obvious displeasure。
〃Ay； very true； Bauldie； but that was in the time o' the blackfacesthey
believed a hantle queer things in thae days； that naebody heeds since the
lang sheep cam in。〃
〃The mair's the pity； the mair's the pity；〃 said the old man。 〃Your father；
and sae I have aften tell'd ye； maister； wad hae been sair vexed to hae seen
the auld peel…house wa's pu'd down to make park dykes； and the bonny
broomy knowe； where he liked sae weel to sit at e'en； wi' his plaid about
him； and look at the kye as they cam down the loaning； ill wad he hae
liked to hae seen that braw sunny knowe a' riven out wi' the pleugh in the
fashion it is at this day。〃
〃Hout； Bauldie；〃 replied the principal； 〃tak ye that dram the landlord's
offering ye； and never fash your head about the changes o' the warld； sae
lang as ye're blithe and bien yoursell。〃
〃Wussing your health； sirs；〃 said the shepherd； and having taken off
his glass； and observed the whisky was the right thing； he continued； 〃It's
no for the like o' us to be judging； to be sure； but it was a bonny knowe
that broomy knowe； and an unco braw shelter for the lambs in a severe
morning like this。〃
〃Ay；〃 said his patron； 〃but ye ken we maun hae turnips for the lang
sheep； billie； and muckle hard wark to get them； baith wi' the pleugh and
the howe； and that wad sort ill wi' sitting on the broomy knowe； and
cracking about Black Dwarfs； and siccan clavers； as was the gate lang
15
… Page 16…
THE BLACK DWARF
syne； when the short sheep were in the fashion。〃
〃Aweel； aweel； maister；〃 said the attendant； 〃short sheep had short
rents； I'm thinking。〃
Here my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron again interposed； and
observed； 〃that he could never perceive any material difference； in point of
longitude； between one sheep and another。〃
This occasioned a loud hoarse laugh on the part of the farmer； and an
astonished stare on the part of the shepherd。
〃It's the woo'； man；it's the woo'； and no the beasts themsells； that
makes them be ca'd lang or short。 I believe if ye were to measure their
backs； the short sheep wad be rather the langer… bodied o' the twa； but it's
the woo' that pays the rent in thae days； and it had muckle need。〃
〃Odd； Bauldie says very true；short sheep did make short rents my
father paid for our steading just threescore punds； and it stands me in three
hundred； plack and bawbee。And that's very trueI hae nae time to be
standing here claveringLandlord； get us our breakfast； and see an' get the
yauds fedI am for doun to Christy Wilson's； to see if him and me can
gree about the luckpenny I am to gie him for his year…aulds。 We had
drank sax mutchkins to the making the bargain at St。 Boswell's fair； and
some gate we canna gree upon the particulars preceesely； for as muckle
time as we took about itI doubt we draw to a pleaBut hear ye；
neighbour；〃 addressing my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron； 〃if ye
want to hear onything about lang or short sheep； I will be back here to my
kail against ane o'clock； or； if ye want ony auld…warld stories about the
Black Dwarf； and sic…like； if ye'll ware a half mutchkin upon Bauldie there；
he'll crack t'ye like a pen…gun。 And I'se gie ye a mutchkin mysell； man； if
I can settle weel wi' Christy Wilson。〃
The farmer returned at the hour appointed； and with him came Christy
Wilson； their difference having been fortunately settled without an appeal
to the gentlemen of the long robe。 My LEARNED AND WORTHY
patron failed not to attend； both on account of the refreshment promised to
the mind and to the body； ALTHOUGH HE IS KNOWN TO PARTAKE
OF THE LATTER IN A VERY MODERATE DEGREE； and the party；
with which my Landlord was associated； continued to sit late in the
16
… Page 17…
THE BLACK DWARF
evening； seasoning their liquor with many choice tales and songs。 The
last incident which I recollect； was my LEARNED AND WORTHY
patron falling from his chair； just as he concluded a long lecture upon
temperance； by reciting； from the 〃Gentle Shepherd；〃 a couplet； which he
RIGHT HAPPILY transferred from the vice of avarice to that of ebriety：
He that has just eneugh may soundly sleep； The owercome only
fashes folk to keep。
In the course of the evening the Black Dwarf had not been forgotten；
and the old shepherd； Bauldie； told so many stories of him； that they
excited a good deal of interest。 It also appeared； though not till the third
punch…bowl was emptied； that much of the farmer's scepticism on the
subject was affected； as evincing a liberality of thinking； and a freedom
from ancient prejudices； becoming a man who paid three hundred pounds
a…year of rent； while； in fact； he had a lurking belief in the traditions of his
forefathers。 After my usual manner； I made farther enquiries of other
persons connected with the wild and pastoral district in which the scene of
the following narrative is placed； and I was fortunate enough to recover
many links of the story； not generally known； and which account； at least
in some degree； for the circumstances of exaggerated marvel with which
superstition has attired it in the more vulgar traditions。
＇The Black Dwarf； now almost forgotten； was once held a formidable
personage by the dalesmen of the Border； where he got the blame of
whatever mischief befell the sheep or cattle。 〃He was；〃 says Dr。 Leyden；
who makes considerable use of him in the ballad called the Cowt of
Keeldar； 〃a fairy of the most malignant orderthe genuine Northern
Duergar。〃 The best and most authentic account of this dangerous and
mysterious being occurs in a tale communicated to the author by that
eminent antiquary； Richard Surtees； Esq。 of Mainsforth； author of the
HISTORY OF THE BISHOPRIC OF DURHAM。
According to this well…attested legend； two young Northumbrians were
out on a shooting party； and had plunged deep among the mountainous
moorlands which border on Cumberland。 They stopped for refreshment
in a little secluded dell by the side of a rivulet。 There； after they had
partaken of such food as they brought with them； one of the party fell
17
… Page 18…
THE BLACK DWARF
