(_How the steam engine come about._)
_Vier, Aïr, E'th, Water_, wer a-meäde
Good workers, each o'm in his treäde,
An' _Aïr_ an' _Water_, wer a-match
Vor woone another in a mill;
The giant _Water_ at a hatch,
An' _Aïr_ on the windmill hill.
Zoo then, when _Water_ had a-meäde
Zome money, _Äir_ begrudg'd his treäde,
An' come by, unaweäres woone night,
An' vound en at his own mill-head,
An' cast upon en, iron-tight,
An icy cwoat so stiff as lead.
An' there he wer so good as dead
Vor grindèn any corn vor bread.
Then _Water_ cried to _Vier_, "Alack!
Look, here be I, so stiff's a log,
Thik fellor _Aïr_ do keep me back
Vrom grindèn. I can't wag a cog.
If I, dear _Vier_, did ever souse
Your nimble body on a house,
When you wer on your merry pranks
Wi' thatch or refters, beams or planks,
Vorgi'e me, do, in pity's neäme,
Vor 'twerden I that wer to bleäme,
I never wagg'd, though I be'nt cringèn,
Till men did dreve me wi' their engine.
Do zet me free vrom theäse cwold jacket,
Vor I myzelf shall never crack it."
"Well come," cried _Vier_, "My vo'k ha' meäde
An engine that 'ull work your treäde.
If _E'th_ is only in the mood,
While I do work, to gi'e me food,
I'll help ye, an' I'll meäke your skill
A match vor Mister _Aïr's_ wold mill."
"What food," cried _E'th_, "'ull suit your bwoard?"
"Oh! trust me, I ben't over nice,"
Cried _Vier_, "an' I can eat a slice
Ov any thing you can avword."
"I've lots," cried _E'th_, "ov coal an' wood."
"Ah! that's the stuff," cried _Vier_, "that's good."
Zoo _Vier_ at woonce to _Water_ cried,
"Here, _Water_, here, you get inside
O' theäse girt bwoiler. Then I'll show
How I can help ye down below,
An' when my work shall woonce begin
You'll be a thousand times so strong,
An' be a thousand times so long
An' big as when you vu'st got in.
An' I wull meäke, as sure as death,
Thik fellor _Aïr_ to vind me breath,
An' you shall grind, an' pull, an' dreve,
An' zaw, an' drash, an' pump, an' heave,
An' get vrom _Aïr_, in time, I'll lay
A pound, the drevèn ships at sea."
An' zoo 'tis good to zee that might
Wull help a man a-wrong'd, to right.