SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 648 Title : Dipper: 36 - Minnons Author(s): Dr James A Begg Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg Text A tuim bleach bottle hained frae the coup, A wee roun hole caad oot its dowp, A string roun its neck an a weel-corkit mou Tae haud in the breid-crumbs - an that is hou The lads aboot here catches minnons. Billy an me gaed doun tae the burn, Ae bottle atween us, we baith tuik a turn At plankin it doun an laein it still On the grevelly bed o a wee shalla puil We kent wis aye hotchin wi minnons. We baith courit doun on the bank nearby, An watched aa the wee fish soumin by, Peenheids an beardies an ance a big troot, Then aicht fish swam in an juist fower swam oot - The trap we had set tae catch minnons. Wull gied a shout, an Ah gied a pou At the string o the bottle an oot it flew, An stottit an shooglt aboot on the gress, While flashin an splashin inside the gless - Were fower dumfounert wee minnons. Ah niver had seen sic bonny wee beasts, Wi siller sides an crimson breists, Soumin aroun luikin nane the waur, Whan Ah tuimt them intae the jeely-jaur - We'd brocht tae haud oor minnons. Fair prood o oorsels, we cairtit them hame, But efter twa days Mither thocht it a shame, They'd lost their rid breists an the glint aff their skin, Sae we gaed tae the watter an pit them back in - For the burn is the place for minnons. ___ hained/saved coup/rubbish tip caad/knocked dowp/bottom shooglt/shook nane the waur/none the worse 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: 1982 Word count: 265 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: 95 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