there were three tailors sitting on a big bench. When they saw the wee
bannock come in, they jumped up, and got behind the goodwife, that was
carding tow by the fire. "Hout," quoth she, "be no afeard; it's but a
wee bannock. Grip it, and I'll give ye a sup of milk with it." Up she
gets with the tow-cards and the tailor with the goose, and the two
'prentices, the one with the big shears, and the other with the lawbrod;
but it dodged them, and ran round about the fire; and one of the
'prentices, thinking to snap it with the shears, fell into the ashes.
The tailor cast the goose, and the goodwife the tow-cards; but it
wouldn't do. The bannock ran away, and ran till it came to a wee house
at the roadside; and in it runs and there was a weaver sitting at the
loom, and the wife winding a clue of yarn.

"Tibby," quoth he, "what's that?"

"Oh," quoth she, "it's a wee bannock."

"It's well come," quoth he, "for our porrage were but thin to-day. Grip
it, my woman; grip it."

"Ay," quoth she; "what recks! That's a clever bannock. Catch it, Willie;
catch it, man."

"Hout," quoth Willie, "cast the clue at it."

But the bannock dodged round about, and off it went, and over the hill,
like a new-tarred sheep or a mad cow. And forward it runs to the
neat-house, to the fireside; and there was the goodwife churning.

"Come away, wee bannock," quoth she; "I'll have cream and bread to-day."