Yorksher Puddin': A Collection of the Most Popular Dialect Stories from the Pen of John HartleyHartley, John
General
Yorksher Puddin': A Collection of the Most Popular Dialect Stories from the Pen of John Hartley
Hartley, John
English language -- Dialects -- England -- Yorkshire; Yorkshire (England) -- Fiction
At th' grave side stood a fine young chap, who dropt monny a tear as th'
coffin wor lowered. He wor sed to be verry like that strange sailor 'at
had once before visited th' village. When Burt passed him he gave him a
purse, sayin' "for a gravestone," and went away noabody knew whear. Some
sed it was Sally's brother, but noabody seems to know.
Anybody 'at likes to tak a walk an' call at that little graveyard can
see a plain stoan 'at says
SALLY BRAY,
AN'
BURT'S BABBY.
Mak th' best on't.
They say it taks nine tailors to mak a man. Weel, all aw have to say
abaat it is, 'at aw've known some men i' mi time, 'at it ud tak nineteen
to mak a tailor. Why some simpletons seem to think 'at they've a right
to mak fun ova chap becoss he's a tailor, aw can't see. They're
generally praad enuff o' ther clooas--then why not be praad o' th' fowk
'at mak 'em. Ther's a deal o' fowk 'at wodn't be as weel off as they are
if it worn't for th' tailors. But it's noa use tawkin, for ther's some
'at couldn't live if they didn't find summat to say a word agean.
A little word 'at's easy sed,
Sometimes may heal a smart;
A cruel word or luk instead,
May help to braik a heart.
Men hang together like a chain,
Tho' varied be ther plan;
Each link hangs by another link,
Man hangs to brother man.
But a gooid word throo some is as scarce as a white crow. They're
iverlastingly lukking aght for faults an' failins, an' gooid words an'
gooid deeds are things they niver think are due to onnybody but thersen.
Life's pathway could oft be made pleasant,
If fowk wor to foller this plan;
Throo a prince ov the throne to a peasant,
To do a gooid turn when they can.
But they'll nawther do a gooid turn thersen nor let onybody else do one
if they can help it. They seem to be born wi' soa mich eliker i' ther
blooid 'at if they come i' contact wi' ony sweet milk o' human kindness,
'at it curdles it. Whether it's ther own fault or th' fault o' ther
mother aitin too many saar gooisberries before they wor born aw can't
tell. Aw've met some soa ill contrived 'at they wodn't let th' sun shine
on onybody's puttaty patch but ther own if they could help it.
Nah this class o' fowk have generally one or two noations o' ther own
'at they think iverybody else owt to be ruled by. One'll be a strict
teetotaller, an' consider 'at onybody 'at taks a drop o' drink is gooin
to a place whear top coits wiln't be needed. Another belangs to some
sect, an' doesn't hesitate to say 'at onybody 'at gooas to a Concert
Hall has signed a contract wi' that dark complexioned owd snoozer 'at
wears horns an' wags a tail. They've been at th' trouble to chalk aght a
line for iverybody else to walk on, tho' they know varry weel 'at they
dooant allus keep to it thersen when ther's nubdy lukkin.
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