SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 797 Title : Dipper: 62 - The Three Wee Deils Author(s): John Reid Copyright holder(s): John Reid Audio transcription M738: The Three Wee Deils Ae day in the benmaist neuk o Hell The Deil was minded tae rest himsel He had juist won back frae his wark on earth, Oot sawin temptation for aa his worth, Gaun up an doun that trauchled sphere Walin the sinners frae faur an near. An nou, safe hame, wi fauldit pinions He tuik his ease, while twa-three minions Were thrang at their darg in the earth abune, For the deil's wark rests for sun nor mune. But Hell hauds neither peace nor rest, Sic things are only for the blest. He'd scarce lain doun by a weelgaun bleeze Whan the Deil was yerkit frae his ease Tae pass new entrants, needin clearance - An he cursed them weel for the interference! Syne back again ower the het flagstanes He settled doun tae rest his banes, Whan a canny wee chappin at the door Steered him again, an he grained an swore. But the eident Deil turns nane awa, The door swung open at his caa, An three wee deils cluit-fuited in Tae their faither's howff in the Halls o Sin. Their sire luikit doun wi a pridefu ee, For gey gleg deils they were like tae be. 'Whit brings ye here?' he kindly speired (They pleased him sae, his froun had cleared). 'Weel, Faither,' said ane, as ye maun ken, 'We're deevilish keen tae be lowsed on men. We'd like tae gang tae the earth abune Tae keep the sinners birlin in.' The Deil, though fu o paternal pride, Poued his lug for a wee ere he replied: 'Ye're hotchin tae gang, I see that fine, - 'Deed, else ye wadna be sons o mine - But deevilocks maun be weel prepared Before they delve my earthly yaird. These days, deil kens, there's rowth at caa Tae keep Hell fou - nae lack ava! Ye'd think tae sin aa men aspire - Feth, whiles I think I could retire! 'But sittin birds are sune gey stawin, Ye'll grow quick tired o easy mawin, An want tae feel that grand elation Whan ane faas victim tae temptation Wha's kept awa frae fun an gemms An thocht he had the Deil in hemms. For sic-like, ye maun be gey slee Tae mak him tak the cup an pree, Sae ilka ane juist tell me plain Hou ye hae planned your great campaign.' Up piped the first: 'Sen me abroad - I'll tell mankind that there's nae God!' Wi a grue at the Name, the Deil frouned sairly. 'My lad, I doot ye'll fare but puirly Gin that's your heaviest ammunition. Caa't, if ye like, juist intuition, Or scannin, whiles the staurs an mune - Man kens fou weel there's Ane abune.' 'Then let me gang,' the second cried, 'Tae wark your will on the warld wide. A better plan I've gien mysel, I'll tell mankind that there's nae Hell!' Nick shuik his heid wi plain distaste. 'Na, na, my son, facts maun be faced. Men still ken if they're daein wrang Whan burnin conscience drives its stang. They ken it's a taste o the life doun here Gin sinfu weys they dinna forsweir.' The third imp stuid gey quate an slee, An the Deil saw himsel in the wee red ee. 'Let me rin lowse, an dinna worry - I'll juist tell men that there's nae hurry.' The Deil sprang up frae his sate by the swee An his een were alowe wi a hellish glee. 'Gang furth, my son, wi aa your speed For you hae the Deevil's word indeed. Gin men heed you, we'll bucht them in. Procrastination's the deidly sin!' 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: Audio Audio audience General public: For gender: Mixed Audience size: 1000+ Audio awareness & spontaneity Speaker awareness: Aware Degree of spontaneity: Fully scripted Audio footage information Original title: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils Year of recording: 1993 Recording person id: 752 Size (min): 5 Size (mb): 18 Audio footage publication details Published: Publisher/Broadcaster: Scotsoun Publication/Broadcast date: 1993-01-01 Place of publication/broadcast: Glasgow Audio medium Radio/audio: Audio setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Audio relationship between recorder/interviewer and speakers Friend: Speakers knew each other: Yes Audio speaker relationships Friend: Other: Co-authors of book from which recording was made Audio transcription information Title of original: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils Transcriber id: 689 Year of transcription: 2005 Year material recorded: 1993 Word count: 628 Audio transcription publication details Published: Publisher/Broadcaster: Luath Press Publication/Broadcast date: 1991-01-01 Place of publication/broadcast: Barr, Ayrshire ISBN/ISSN: 0946487227 Audio type Poetry reading/song/ballad performance: General description: From a recording of a selection of short stories and prize winning poems (Scottish National Open Poetry Competition) Author Author details Author id: 738 Forenames: John Surname: Reid Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1910 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Retired Head Teacher Place of birth: Dalry Region of birth: N Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Lockerbie Region of residence: Dumfries and Galloway Residence CSD dialect area: Dmf Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Commmercial Traveller Father's place of birth: Dalry Father's region of birth: N Ayr Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Beith Mother's region of birth: N Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: As necessary Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially Participant Participant details Participant id: 738 Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1910 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Retired Head Teacher Place of birth: Dalry Region of birth: N Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Lockerbie Region of residence: Dumfries and Galloway Residence CSD dialect area: Dmf Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Commmercial Traveller Father's place of birth: Dalry Father's region of birth: N Ayr Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Beith Mother's region of birth: N Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: As necessary Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially