SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 624 Title : Dipper: 12 - The Auld Yowe Author(s): Dr James A Begg Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg Text The auld yowe lay as I gaed by, Speldert on the saun, She didnae rise an rin awa, She widnae even staun. Tentless o man an win an rain, Fou laich on the river bank, Frae oot her auld black grizzlt heid Her een stared dim an blank. Her droukit fleece ris up an doun Wi shalla souchin braith, An I thocht the puir forfochen beast Wis gey near untae daith. Syne my hert gied a lift whan I luikit back An saw her on her feet, - Awa ye go, ye daft auld yowe, An hae a bite tae eat! - But gin anither oor had passed, My grief I scarce cuid hide, Whan I fand the auld beast stiff an cauld, Cowpt ower on her side. Alane she de'ed by the watter's edge, Founert wi June's fell rains, An niver a blink o simmer sun Tae warm her tired banes. The auld yowe nou bereft o life Lay sprauchlt on the grun, Her edders fou o mither's milk, Tho her mither's wark wis dune - - For oot on the holm, twa hafflin lambs Thegither crappt the grass, Wi ne'er a thocht in their wee horned heids On whit had come tae pass. ___ speldert/stretched out laich/low droukit/soaked souchin/sighing forfochen/exhausted founert/chilled to the bone sprauchlt/sprawled edders/udders hafflin/half-grown 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: 1983 Word count: 231 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: 25-27 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