Jeannie Hutchison   with Betty Poleson                                  SA1972.101.17 

 Jeannie (singing) with Betty Poleson are together trying to recall an old rhyme known only in the local dialect and only possibly concerning some past comic  drunken event that took place in Whalsay. Transcribing this dialogue was not easy but help from Whalsay residents Mimie Cogle, and Annie and Bruce Sutherland has made some sense of it. Roud index 25914.

“Clarie lass where is du been?                Du’s sae muckle oot o tune.”
I’m been in Marrister getting a dram      Fae Sanders Yule da Italian man 

Dey wir weddin in Marrister shore         The lik’ was never seen afore
The whisky did lik water fly                   An for want o meat dey wir lik ta die.

           “Wis yon aa that you know? There’s another twa verses that I ken.”

Katie Burgess wis no slack                       Takin Clarie upun (on) her back
An settin her at Robbie’s fire                   Same as shun drawin oot o a mire   [laughter]

            “Yons aa the three… verses.   Yea, I keen, but that’s ­– no … there’s …”

Clarie she combed up her hair               Aa middle chess I do declare
An aff tae Marrister she did steer…

            “An then something…there were something ‘bout a”

Pair o white socks she borrowed fae May…….
            “and”
Da night wis dark an aa went well      Until she cam ta Setter Well

            “An dats whar she plump-et [fell in] .. was th’auld well.  I… I canna mind…”