SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 618 Title : Dipper: 06 - The Byllies Author(s): Dr James A Begg Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg Text Dedicated to all the Doon Byllies with whom I spent many exciting and often hilarious nights patrolling the river and staking out pools. The great decline in poaching, and the subsequent recovery of the River Doon as a fine salmon river is due in large measure to their efforts. J.A.B. They're niver whaur they're wantit When the nets gang throu a dub, An the siller fish are poued ashore, Syne skelpit wi a club; Then hidden weel aneath a bush T' await the dawn o day, When a wee broun caur comes doun the road An speerits them away. They're niver whaur they're wantit When the Deil's Ain dae their waurst, An tuim in their evil potions – (May they be for ever curst!) As saumon thresh aboot the puil, Then faa tae graspin haun, While future stocks o fry an paur Lie deein on the saun. They're niver whaur they're wantit When the howkers' gear they ply, An treble heuks an big leid wechts Gae fleein throu the sky; Syne fricht the wits o fish an fishers, An pit them in a dither, For gin they dinnae heuk the yin, They're shuir tae heuk the tither! They're niver whaur they're wantit When the fish are in the burn, An hauf the toun wi licht an cleek Are queuin for their turn, Wi'oot a thocht that these puir fish, Last o their generation, Shuid be laed alane tae consummate Their tryst o procreation. Whaur they're at they're niver wantit By a certain class o chiel, Wha niver buys a ticket - - Ye ken the type gey weel - They mooch aboot in twas an threes, Wi treble heuks an gaff, An sweir an curse an threiten When the byllies pit them aff. Whaur they're at they're niver wantit, By the puil at deid o nicht, When the lichts gae on, an Poacher John Near draps doun died o fricht; Syne draps his gear in mortal fear As his cronies rin an scatter, Leavin nets an claes ahint, As they soum across the watter. The Byllies gether nets an claes, Wi the thocht they've won the day, But hopin mebbe neist time They'll get the poachers tae! Then up the brae an throu the wid, Leanin weary on their sticks, Hame tae bed at hauf-past three - An up for wark at six! Sae mark this weel aa fishermen, Wha greit an girn an moan, An haud back information That wad help trap Poacher John. The Byllies aa are workin lads, Daein a thenkless job for free; An wad raither juist be fishin - The same as you an me! ___ dub/slow-moving pool tuim/empty paur/young salmon parr howker/poacher who foul-hooks fish using large hooks treble heuk/three-barbed hook leid wechts/lead weights tither/the other licht an cleek/torch and gaff neist/next wid/wood girn/whine This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1981 Word count: 498 General description: Anthology of prizewinning and other Scots poems, and short stories in Ayrshire Scots. Text medium Book: Radio: Other: Audiocassette Text publication details Published: Publisher: Luath Press Publication year: 1991 Place of publication: Barr, Ayrshire ISBN/ISSN: 0946487227 Edition: First Part of larger text: Contained in: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils: Tales and Poems in Ayrshire Scots Editor: Authors: Dr. J. A. Begg and J. Reid Page numbers: 8-9 Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 623 Title: Dr Forenames: James Initials: A Surname: Begg Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Medical Practitioner Place of birth: New Cumnock Region of birth: S Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Ayr Region of residence: S Ayr Residence CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Clerical Officer, NCB Father's place of birth: Sandbank Father's region of birth: Argyll Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Arg Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Primary Teacher Mother's place of birth: New Cumnock Mother's region of birth: S Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: Danish Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Holidaying in France Language: Norwegian Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work