Tatties an' Herreen' by Castlegreen.


Tatties an' herreen'! By faigs, 'ats a feed
'At ye'll no fin' id easy till beit!
'At's aye been ma fav'rit denner, indeed,
Since iver A kent how till eit.


Man, fan A wis yowng an' ma aikles aal 'ere
A could gollop them up le a dowg,
An' till 'iss very day A can manage ma share,
Bit 'e bon's are a fair howmbowg !


We aye hed a barrelie, roon' at 'e back,
Stan'an in steit lek a gainer;
No matter fit ither proveesions we'd lack
We niver need want for a denner!


Ma mither wid bile them both in 'e wan pot
Till 'e smell wid cerry till Dinnad!
'E table-cloth! Hid wis a fowld o' 'e 'Grot'
An' id niver hed better stuff in id!


We got no knife an' fork, no' even a pleite,
An' a napkin ! We niver heared tell o'd!
Wan fing'erbowl did for a femly o' eicht
Bit hid held 'e fill o' a skellad.


Yur thoom an' yur corrag did most o' e' wurk,
Till yur nev wis aal in a smyagger,
No winder, till chudge by 'e bon's an' 'e mawk,
'At rose fae 'e boord wi' a swagger!


An' ma faither wad say 'Fan 'e Keeng wants men
Till fecht for 'im, brave an darin',
Ye'll nottice he sen's for 'e North chiels then
'At wis fed on 'e tatties an herreen.'


Bit 'at brave times hev gone ower wur heid,
An' 'e day id's a different story,
'E yowng chiels wid raither hev tea an lof-breid
Than fillan' thur bowgs wi glory!


Lekly them in 'e sooth 'll be findan' 'e same
Wi' aal 'iss up-till-deite farin'
Bit A'll warran' there's hantle 'ats thinkan' o' hom
An' longan' for tatties an' herreen.'


Fan A get a knichthood, for ma coat o' airms
A'm hevan a couple of matties
Stan'an' oot bowld wi' scales o' pure gowld
On an ashad o' black-herted tatties!
~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~


Well, I've certainly been thinking about such culinary delights
since my Caithness freend told me the Long Blues were in the shops !