Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 02
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 02
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
And, chanting this stanza of a well-known Scottish ditty, at the top of
his voice, Donald bounced into the first open door he could find, still
followed by his tail. These having taken their seats around a table
which stood in the centre of the apartment, he next commenced a series
of thundering raps on the board with the hilt of his dirk, accompanied
by stentorian shouts of, "Hoy, lassie! House, here! Hoy, hoy, hoy!" a
summons which was eventually answered by the landlord in person, the
girl's report of Donald's appearance and salutation to herself having
deterred any other of the household from obeying the call of so wild and
noisy a customer.
"Well, honest man," said Donald, on the entrance of his host, "will you
pe bringing us two half mutchkins of your pest whisky. Here's some
honest lads I want to treat to a tram."
The landlord, as might be expected, stared at this strange guest, in
utter unconsciousness of the purport of his demand. Recollecting
himself, however, after a moment, his professional politeness returned,
and he began bowing and simpering his inability to comprehend what had
been addressed to him.
"What for you'll boo, boo, and scrape, scrape there, you tam ass!"
exclaimed Donald, furiously. "Co and pring us the whisky. Two half
mutchkins, I say."
Again the polite landlord of the Golden Eagle, which was the name of the
inn, bowed his non-comprehension of what was said to him.
"Cot's mercy! can you'll not spoke English, either?" shouted Donald,
despairingly, on his second rebuff, and at the same time striking the
table impatiently with his clenched fist. "Can you'll spoke Gaelic,
then?" he added; and, without waiting for a reply, he repeated his
demand in that language. The experiment was unsuccessful. Mine host of
the Golden Eagle understood neither Gaelic nor English. Finding this,
Donald had once more recourse to the dumb show of raising his hand to
his mouth, as if in the act of drinking; and once more he found the sign
perfectly intelligible. On its being made, the landlord instantly
retired, and in a minute after returned with a couple of bottles in
hand, and two very large-sized glasses, which he placed on the table.
Eyeing the bottles contemptuously:--"It's no porter; it's whisky I'll
order," exclaimed Donald, angrily, conceiving that it was the former
beverage that had been brought him. "Porter's drink for hocs, and not
for human podies." Finding it wholly impossible, however, to make this
sentiment understood, Donald was compelled to content himself with the
liquor which had been brought him. Under this conviction, he seized one
of the bottles, filled up a glass to the brim, muttering the while "that
it was tam white, strange-looking porter," started to his feet, and,
holding the glass extended in his hand, shouted the health of his ragged
company, in Gaelic, and bolted the contents. But the effect of this
proceeding was curious. The moment the liquor, which was some of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account