We may suppose that, tired of his domestic drudgery, he went in his new
livery to join the fairies.

The last Brownie known in Ettrick Forest resided in Bodsbeck, a wild and
solitary spot, near the head of Moffat Water, where he exercised his
functions undisturbed, till the scrupulous devotion of an old lady
induced her to "hire him away," as it was termed, by placing in his haunt
a porringer of milk and a piece of money. After receiving this hint to
depart, he was heard the whole night to howl and cry, "Farewell to bonnie
Bodsbeck!" which he was compelled to abandon for ever.




MAUNS' STANE.


In the latter end of the autumn of 18--, I set out by myself on an
excursion over the northern part of Scotland, and during that time my
chief amusement was to observe the little changes of manners, language,
etc., in the different districts. After having viewed on my return the
principal curiosities in Buchan, I made a little ale-house, or "public,"
my head-quarters for the night. Having discussed my supper in solitude,
I called up mine host to enable me to discuss my bottle, and to give me a
statistical account of the country around me. Seated in the "blue" end,
and well supplied with the homely but satisfying luxuries which the place
afforded, I was in an excellent mood for enjoying the communicativeness
of my landlord; and, after speaking about the cave of Slaines, the state
of the crops, and the neighbouring franklins, edged him, by degrees, to
speak about the Abbey of Deer, an interesting ruin which I had examined