Devil in Scotland

‘Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick or Clootie
Wha in yon cavern grim and sootie
Closed under hatches
Spairges about the brunstane cootie
To scaud poor wretches.’
But though Burns could not take seriously the Devil
of the Scottish peasantry, his witches found him a hard
enough Master at times. His rages could be terrible.
When he convened his folk he demanded of them what
evil they had been up to since the last meeting. Those
who had been criminally busy were praised, but woe
betide backsliders from wickedness! And of course
pious sentiments were abhorrent to his Majesty. When
he was enquiring from the sorcerers at North Berwick
how they were getting on in their scheme against King
James, Grey Meill, ‘ane auld sely pure plowman,5 who
kept the door for them, observed that cnathing ailit the
King yet, God be thankit.5 At which the Devil bounded
out of the pulpit and belaboured him. The Auldearn
Devil would not tolerate his women-folk gossiping be¬
hind his back, as they did, and calling him ‘Black
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