“Why, Meary, what dun yo want it for.  Are yo freetened o’ t’boggards?”

“Awst nooan be freetened o’ thee if tha wor a boggard,” shoo sed, “but has ta getten one?”

“Well, aw dooant know, but aw’ve a pair o’ donkey shooin here, if tha thinks they’ll fit yor Sammy tha can have’ em an’ welcome.”

“Aw think they’d be a deeal moor likely to fit thee, judgin bi t’length o’ thi ears,” shoo sed; “but aw want a horseshoe if tha’s getten one, an’ if tha hasn’t say soa, an’ dooant keep me waitin here.”

He hunted abaat till he rooited one aght, an’ he gave it her, an’ shoo put it in her pocket an’ went off withaat iver stoppin to thank him for it.  When Sammy had getten his supper shoo sent him to bed, an’ tell’d him to leave her his waistcoit, as shoo wanted to do summat at it.  As sooin as shoo wor bi hersen shoo pool’d t’horseshoe aght ov her pocket an’ began to plan hah shoo could fasten it to t’back ov his waistcoit, for shoo thowt that wod be t’best place for it, an’ although it wor a nasty thing to hug up an daan, yet it wor a deeal better nor havin to live under t’influence ov a evil eye.  It tuk her a bit o’ seheamin befoor shoo gate it stitched on to her fancy, but patience won t’battle, an’ when shoo went to bed she felt easier in her mind.

T’next mornin shoo’d a deal o’ trouble to get Sammy to put it on, for he couldn’t tell t’meanin on it, but his mother lukt soa serious abaat it ’at he didn’t like to say he wodn’t wear it.

He went to his wark, but his jacket didn’t fit quite as well as usual, an’ as for keep in his waistcoat i’ ony-bit-like shape, he couldn’t do it, for t’weight behind wor soa heavy wol it pool’d t’buttons ommost up to his chin, an’ when he sat on his stooil i’ t’front o’ t’desk, he felt as if somdy wor tryin’ to upset him backards.  When he went to his dinner, he felt as if he wor huggin a pack, an’ he begged hard ov his mother to let him goa withaat it, but shoo sed shoo darn’t trust him aght ov her seet if he hadn’t it on, for it wor to shield him.  “It’s a queer place for a shield,” he sed, “but awl try it this afternooin, an’ if it doesn’t feel easier awst niver put it on agean.”

When he coom hooam at neet, he wor booath tired an’ cross; an’ after his Supper he gat a slate an’ pencil an’ sat daan to write, lukkin’ varry glum.  His mother watched him varry anxiously for a while, an’ then shoo sed quietly, “Tha doesn’t look varry weel to-neet, Sammy, does ta think tha’rt goin’ to have a spell o’ sickness?” “Noa, but awm sick o’ spellin’, for t’gaffer’s allus agate on me becoss aw connot spell ‘which.’  Aw’ve spell’d it wich-whitch-witch-an’ which-du’ awl goa to hummer if aw can tell which is which even nah.  Aw wish ther worn’t a which.”

“Which witch does ta mean, Sammy?”

“Aw can’t tell which which, aw wish aw could.”

“A’a Sammy,” shoo sed, an shoo threw her arms raand his neck, “tha’s taen a load offmy mind!”