DAN DWITHEN wer the chap to show

His naïghbours mwore than they did know,

Vor he could zee, wi’ half a thought,

What zome could hardly be a-taught;

An’ he had never any doubt

Whatever 'twer, but he did know't,

An’ had a-reach'd the bottom o't, of it

Or soon could meäke it out.

Wi’ narrow feäce, an’ nose so thin

That light a'most shone drough the skin, through

As he did talk, wi’ his red peäir

O’ lips, an’ his vull eyes did steäre,

What nippy looks friend Daniel wore, clever

An’ how he smiled as he did bring

Such reasons vor to clear a thing,

As dather'd vo'k the mwore! confused folk

When woonce there come along the road once

At night, zome show-vo'k, wi’ a lwoad

Ov half the wild outlandish things

That crawl'd, or went wi’ veet, or wings;

Their elephant, to stratch his knees,

Walk'd up the road-zide turf, an’ left

His tracks a-zunk wi’ all his heft weight

As big's a vinny cheese. blue vinny (made from skimmed milk)

An’ zoo next mornèn zome vo'k vound so

The girt round tracks upon the ground, great

An’ view'd em all wi’ stedvast eyes,

An’ wi’ their vingers spann'd their size,

An’ took their depth below the brink:

An’ whether they mid be the tracks might

O’ things wi’ witches on their backs,

Or what, they coulden think.

At last friend Dan come up, an’ brought

His wit to help their dizzy thought,

An’ lookèn on an’ off the ea'th, earth

He cried, a-drawèn a vull breath,

“Why, I do know; what, can't ye zee 't?

I'll bet a shillèn 'twer a deer

Broke out o’ park, an’ sprung on here,

Wi’ quoits upon his veet.””