Read Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales from Burns to Buchan (Penguin Classics) Online
Authors: Gordon Jarvie
corp
, body.
dadding
, bouncing.
broucht
, brought.
Rin
, Run.
at ither
, at each other.
whilly-wha
, coax.
Sawtan
, Satan.
ower muckle
, too much.
won
, reached.
speiring for
, asking after.
ilka
, each.
I kenna for that
, I don’t know about that.
I wanted but to gang
, I wanted only to go.
take
, catch of fish.
quo
, said, quoth.
yett
, prison-gate.
press bed
, box-bed.
crap
, crept.
gless
, telescope.
smack
, small fishing boat.
crunkle
, fold.
a wee below
, just below.
chaipel
, chapel.
aw by his lee lane
, all by himself.
lowped
, leapt.
flang
, flung.
daft quean
, silly lass.
waddin’
, wedding.
warlock
, male witch.
a wee thing set ajee
, slightly disturbed.
bide
, stay.
Thon
, That.
crack
, word, chat.
clum
, climbed.
best of the employ
, best of the action.
siller tester
, silver sixpence.
leid draps
, lead shot.
bogles
, evil spirits.
ae
, one.
wanchancy
, dangerous, scary.
span like a teetotum
, spun like a top.
skelloch
, screech, cry.
elbock
, elbow.
dinnling and stending
, tingling and throbbing.
creishy
, flabby.
fa’n
, fallen.
duddy
, ragged.
wrunkl’t
, wrinkled.
forgie
, forgive.
at the hinder end
, in due course, later.
yirk
, jerk.
that dispensation
, that outcome.
grawn
, adult, grown-up.
severals
, several (people).
ae dreidfu’ skelloch
, one dreadful shriek.
hinderlands
, backside.
wab
, web.
puddock
, frog.
thole
, tolerate.
braeside
, hillside.
∗
‘We drove our own cattle home, and perhaps some others that were not ours. And we took all the goods out of the hall at Hardriding, and a pretty load of tapestries, and rugs, and other things we have to show for our ride.’
speering
, asking.
bogle
, ghost, spectre.
Whuppity Stoorie
, the name of a witch or bad fairy in Border folklore.
mavises
, song-thrushes.
loon
, rascal.
bannocks
, oatcakes.
tint
, lost.
Debatable Land
, a no-man’s land at the head of the Solway Firth, between England and Scotland.
smoored
, smothered.
pulses
, lentils.
kin-cough
, whooping cough.
ayont
, beyond
sweir
, scared
aa
,
kelpie
, water horse;
fit
, foot, bottom
whiles
, sometimes
gin
, when;
na
, no;
manes
, moans
arn-tree
, alder
licht
, light
claes
, clothes;
lugs
, ears
nicht
, night
fell
, fierce, cruel
schule
, school
daurna
, dare not
fa’s
, falls;
buss
, bush
Martinmas
, II November
crusie
, oil-lamp
abune
, above
douce
, good, pleasant
fechtiní
, fighting
dominie
, teacher;
pawmies
, canings
mony
, many;
Sawbath
, Sabbath
a’body
, everybody
Dod
, God
hae to gang
, have to go
sic-like
, suchlike
Afore
, Before
guid
, good;
couthie
, biddable, agreeable
leein’
, lying
ken
, know
fowk maun dree
, folk must dread
no like to shift
, unlikely to move
Sae
,
So
;
gin
, if
deith
, death
kye
, cattle
breith
, breath
oot-by
, outside
mind
, remember;
lang
, long
een
, eyes
fleggit
, terrified;
wean
, child
whaup
, curlew
dee
, die
fitstep
, footstep
airm
, arm
a’thing
, everything
blast
, gale
dreid
, dread;
daurna
, dare not
shilpit
, feeble, unreliable
fa‘in’
, falling
all joco
, all jovial (jocose) and pleased with oneself.
m’eudail
, my dear (Gaelic, a term of endearment).
jinking
, dodging, ducking.
eachd uisge
, water horse (Gaelic). This was a beast with magic powers, a sprite or kelpie. Given the chance, kelpies were said to drag their victims under the water and drown them.
snood ribbon
, worn by young, unmarried women, bound around the brow and tied at the back under the hair.
carriage and pair
, carriage driven by two horses.
peat-hag
, ledge of peat, cut for fuel (often from a bog).