Digital Tradition Mirror

The Haggis of Dunbar

The Haggis of Dunbar

     1.
     There was a haggis in Dunbar,
       Andrew-Linkum feedel;
     Mony better, few waur,
       Andrew-Linkum feedel.

     2.
     Hey, the Haggis o' Dunbar,
       Fatharalinkum Feedle;
     Mony better, few waur,
       Fatharalinkum Feedle.

     For to mak this Haggis nice,
       Fatharalinkum, &c.
     They pat in a peck o' lice,
       Fatharalinkum, &c.

     For to mak this Haggis fat,
       Fatharalinkum, &c.
     They pat in a scabbit cat,
       Fatharalinkum Feedle.

     3.
     There wis a haggis in Dunbar,
     Heathery, sinkum, feedel,
     Mony better, few waur;
     Hey, dey, tand dee reedle.

     Chappet cheese an' chuckenwort,
     Heathery rinkum feedel,
     Soo's snoots an' muggerwort,
     Hey, dey, tan dee reedle.
     Ye may get a bit o' it,
     Gin that ye be civil.
     ________________________________________________________

     (1) Chambers PRS (1847), 78; (1870), 290; Cheviot
     Proverbs (1896), 354. (2) Sharpe, A Ballad Book (1823),
     69, no.  XXVI.
Cf. some favourite verses of the Newcastle bard Blind Willie
Purvis (1752-1832; see note to "Buy Broom Besoms"), here
quoted from Allan's Tyneside Songs (1891), 57:

            For to make the haggish nishe
            They put in some brown spishe.
              Tarum tickle, tan dum,
              To the tune o' tan dum,
            Tarum tickle, tan dum.

            And to make the haggish fine
            They put in a bottle of wine.
              Tarum tickle, tan dum,
              To the tune o' tan dum,
            Tarum tickle, tarum tickle tan dum.

     (3), SNQ IV.5 (Oct. 1890), 95, from Aberdeenshire.

MS
APR99

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!