SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 643 Title : Dipper: 31 - Girnin Beardies Author(s): Dr James A Begg Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg Text On warm simmer days awa frae schule, We played on the banks o the Rocky Puil, Whaur, wearit wi ower much divin an doukin, We'd pou on some claes an skive aboot luikin For the flouer wi uised tae girn Beardies. Few kent it by name, juist kent by sicht, - Wha caad it a Ragwort micht aiblins be richt! We'd grup it an pou it clean oot by the ruits That were lang, thin an white, an nae uise for troots - But they made a grand girn for the Beardies. We'd strip aa the leaves frae tap tae fuit, Syne snip aff aa but the langest ruit - That we'd twist roun aboot in a slidin knot, An 'Boab's yer uncle', whit hae ye got - But a girn for catchin Beardies! The wee specklt troot is baith skeich an smert, Ae splash o a fuit an awa he'll dert, But the puir wee Beardie a-wantin brains, Hauds-in deid still amang the stanes - For that's aye the wey wi Beardies. As he lays in the watter - shammin deid, We draw the girn cannily ower his heid, An set it juist richt, doun ahint his lug, Then a flick o the wrist - we'll gie it a rug - An wi luck we hae girnt a Beardie! ___ skive/roam girn/snare beardie/stone loach 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: 1991 Word count: 230 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: 79 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