Thomas (1) an’ John (2) a-ta’èn o't. talking about it

2. I do veel vor ye, Thomas, vor I be a-feär'd

You've a-lost your wold meäre then, by what I've a-heärd. old horse

1. Ees, my meäre is a-gone, an’ the cart's in the shed yes

Wi’ his wheelbonds a-rustèn, an’ I'm out o’ bread; its

Vor what be my han's vor to eärn me a croust, crust

Wi’ noo meäre's vower legs vor to trample the doust. four, dust

2. Well, how did it happen? He vell vrom the brim

Ov a cliff as the teäle is, an’ broke ev'ry lim’.

1. Why, I gi'ed en his run, an’ he shook his wold meäne, gave him

An’ he rambled a-veedèn in Westergap Leäne; lane

An’ there he must needs goo a-riggèn, an’ crope climbing, crept

Vor a vew bleädes o’ grass up the wo'st o’ the slope; few, worst

Though I should ha’ thought his wold head would ha’ know'd

That vor stiff lags, lik’ his, the best pleäce wer the road.

2. An’ you hadden a-kept en so short, he must clim’, him

Lik’ a gwoat, vor a bleäde, at the risk ov a lim’.

1. Noo, but there, I'm a-twold, he did clim’ an’ did slide,

An’ did screäpe, an’ did slip, on the shelvèn bank-zide, sloping

An’ at langth lost his vootèn, an’ roll'd vrom the top, footing

Down, thump, kick, an’ higgledly, piggledly, flop.

2. Dear me, that is bad! I do veel vor your loss,

Vor a vew years agoo, Thomas, I lost my ho'se. horse

1. How wer't? If I heärd it, I now ha’ vorgot;

Wer the poor thing bewitch'd or a-pweison'd, or what?

2. He wer out, an’ a-meäkèn his way to the brink

O’ the stream at the end o’ Church Leäne, vor to drink; lane

An’ he met wi’ zome yew-twigs the men had a-cast

Vrom the yew-tree, in churchyard, the road that he past.

He wer pweison'd. (1.) O dear, 'tis a hard loss to bear,

Vor a tranter's whole bread is a-lost wi’ his meäre; carrier's, horse

But ov all churches’ yew-trees, I never zet eyes

On a tree that would come up to thik woone vor size. that one

2. Noo, 'tis long years agone, but do linger as clear

In my mind though as if I'd a-heärd it to year.