We are currently looking at ways of revamping the Flag;
we will probably have an index page with all the other
sections just a click away. We are not sure when this will come into effect
but certainly over the next month.

David Rollo
As his local activists knew him.

David Rollo, a leading Scottish Nationalist who contested the former Paisley constituency for the SNP three times in the 1970's, has died after a brief battle with cancer, aged 87, in Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Mr Rollo, who stood against the late John Robertson twice in 1974, and once against the late Allen Adams, has been mourned by local SNP leaders as 'The Tannahill of Paisley Nationalism'.

Mr Andy Doig, the SNP's Scottish Parliamentary Candidate for Paisley North said: "I knew David Rollo over the last quarter of a century and he was truly the Tannahill of Paisley Nationalism. Just as Robert Tannahill put Paisley on the map in literary terms so did the late David Rollo put Paisley on the map in SNP terms. From 1970 when a young Margo McDonald only managed 7% in Paisley, David tripled that to 21% in February 1974".

" By October 1974 he increased his 21% share of the vote to a substantial 33% which slashed Labour's Paisley majority down to 5,590 in the heat of a Westminster general election, an achievement never bettered to date. And the legacy of David Rollo in Paisley is that his effective campaigns in the mid 70's encouraged John Robertson MP to defect to Jim Sillars breakaway SLP, losing Labour control for the only time in 60 years".

Cllr Brian Lawson, SNP Depute Leader on Renfrewshire Council added: " It was on an October day in 1974 that an SNP car cavalcade rolled into Gallowhill and I was, at the age of 16yrs, interested in what this was about. I remember making my way to the top of Storrie Street where David Rollo's campaign rooms were, I think it was a converted chip shop, and I signed up to the SNP and became a member of David's campaign team".

"David Rollo was never a fiery orator after the style of Jimmy Reid or Jim Sillars, but he was a prolific letter writer who took the SNP in Paisley from the political fringes to being a major challenger where it is today. He will be greatly missed by many of all parties and none, and David took great pride in highlighting many local issues, such as the poor quality of housing in Ferguslie Park in the 1970's, which have now been resolved"

A fuller obituary of David Rollo and his role in the national movement and the Scots Independent newspaper will be published in the Scots Independent in November.

“He don’t say much.”

The late Donald Stewart had a fund of stories about American Presidents, no doubt many of them apocryphal; one of my favourites, and I cannot remember which President it referred to, was “He don’t say much, but when he does speak - he don’t say much!” This statement came to mind as I watched and listened to the new Tory leader, David Cameron, and paid attention to what he was not saying, which was quite a lot.

Michael Fry In the first editorial I wrote for the Scots Independent newspaper in November last year, I said of the Tory leadership contest: “It would seem that as we go to press that the favourite is David Cameron; he came from nowhere, made a brilliant Conference speech, and is being feted all over the place. There springs to mind the old adage: “Up like a rocket, down like a stick.” ” In September, his personal popularity rating took a dive, from 46% to 35%, and a YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph found that the Tories’ percentage had dropped by 2 points while Labour’s had increased by 5, a turnaround of 7 points. Six out of ten voters thought he talked a good line, but did not know what he stood for.

While the Tories may be making some comeback in England, there is little sign of any in Scotland, and in last week’s Markinch and Woodside local by election, reported below, they polled 39 votes; people may think that fairly standard for that area of Fife, but when I stood for Central Fife in 1979 – which included Markinch- the Tories were second with a reasonable vote. Also I had to contrast the difference in how the Labour and Tory Conferences treated the respective Scottish Party leaders; First Minister McConnell spoke to Labour on the Sunday afternoon, in the main Conference Hall, but I am not sure how many listeners he had. Annabelle Goldie was allowed a fringe meeting at 7.30 on Monday morning in an adjoining hotel, and relatively few turned up.

I was also struck by David Mundell, the shadow Tory Scottish Secretary, on Newsnight Scotland; he defended vigorously Cameron’s refusal to push for tax cuts, and I was surprised by the interviewer’s failure to ask him about the 50% Council Tax cut which Annabelle Goldie was promising. Well, maybe not, bearing in mind the Tories’ standing in Scotland. One surprise this week, was former Tory candidate and well known journalist and historian Michael Fry emerging as a supporter of Scottish independence; Mr Fry had been researching his books supporting the Treaty of Union, and has become convinced that independence for Scotland was the only way forward.

The West Lothian Question

Commenting on reports that David Cameron will attempt to address the West Lothian question, SNP Leader Alex Salmond MP has declared that independence offers the only feasible solution.

Alex Salmond Mr Salmond said: "I agree with Mr Cameron that English MPs must have the final say on English only laws. That is exactly why SNP MPs only vote on matters that have a direct impact on Scotland.

"However, it is deeply hypocritical that the Conservative's only MP in Scotland, David Mundell has previously taken part in debates and voted on issues that only affect England.

"The anti-Scottish bile that emanates from the rank of Mr Cameron's MPs doesn't disguise that a parliamentary device within the Westminster Parliament to prevent Scottish MP's from voting on Scottish only issues, would be impossible to define.

"Only independence for both England and Scotland offers a clear and realistic answer to the question. What is required is the establishment of two self-governing countries with responsibility for their own resources, working together with neither telling the other what to do.

"With the SNP neck and neck with Labour for the 2007 elections there is obviously a mood for change in Scotland. That change can help bring about the only realistic answer to the West Lothian Question – independence."

Ennobling enabler nobbled?

The news that one of Tony Blair’s advisers has been questioned by Scotland Yard over the cash for peerages scandal must be sending shivers down Tony Blair’s spine. Angus McNeil the SNP MP, who reported the matter to the police said : “The water that was lapping at the Prime Ministers’s feet is now lapping at his knees. There is only one person enabled to ennoble people for peerages and that is the Prime Minster himself. The people who have been questioned all have a common theme and that is a relationship with Tony Blair. All signposts are now pointing to the same destination.”

The first person arrested was head teacher Des Smith, who was on the council of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, then Lord Levy was arrested in July, and again when he renewed bail; Sir Christopher Evans who loaned Labour £1 million has also been arrested and bailed. It does not appear that Ruth Turner, the Downing Street adviser, has been arrested yet, but she has been officially interviewed about papers and emails.

Labour is not alone in this morass; Lord Laidlaw of the Tory Party has been questioned, but not cautioned, as has Lord Ashcroft, the former Tory Party treasurer, and Johan Eliasch, a Swedish sports equipment manufacturer. Bob Edmiston, who made millions importing cars, has been cautioned after lending the Tories £2 million, which he has now told them to keep; Mr Edmiston’s peerage was blocked due to tax issues.

Lord Laidlaw was made a peer after bankrolling the Scottish Tories for years, and after he agreed to end his tax exile in Monaco. Lord Ashcroft was also made a peer after he agreed to end his tax exile in Belize. It has always been a mystery to me why these guys could be domiciled abroad, pay little in the way of UK taxes, give the money we should have had for the National Health Services to the Tories, and become noble lords, particularly when the SNP could not receive money from Sir Sean Connery.

And the Liberals? Well, the act making it an offence to sell peerages was brought in because Lloyd George was flogging peerages by the bucketload, and allegedly pocketing the cash. The Liberals biggest donor, who gave £2.4 million to the Scottish Liberal Party, has been jailed for two years for fraud and deception; he is entitled, (or not, as the case might be) to feel aggrieved, as he is in the pokey and never got offered a peerage – Liberal cheapskates. Again, his company was based in Switzerland, and he lived in Majorca, so how it was legal for the Liberals to get the dosh I do not know; maybe one rule for the SNP, and one for all the Unionists.

Massive swing to SNP in Fife by election

30% swing from Labour to SNP

Councillor John Beare has become the SNP's latest elected representative following his victory in the Markinch & Woodside East by-election. Labour crashed to defeat by a margin of 504 votes in their latest setback in Scotland.

John Beare triumphed in Markinch and Woodside East, where the SNP came from second place in the ward from its 2003 result to increase its vote by 29.6 percent to 55.7 percent, a swing of 30 percent from Labour to the SNP.

The SNP has now won half of the 20 Scottish council by-elections since the general election.

Commenting on the result local Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Tricia Marwick said:

"This superb victory for John Beare and the SNP underlines the huge strides we have made as a party over the last year.

"This is a significant swing to the SNP from Labour in what is Brown's backyard. It highlights the gains the SNP are making across Scotland, while the Labour Party are haemorrhaging votes and seats.

"Since the 2005 General Election the SNP has now won half the local by-elections in Scotland, taking seats from the Labour Party in what used to be some of their supposed strongholds.

"The message to Labour from across Scotland is clear; they are sick of Labour's complacency and they want the SNP to take their communities and Scotland forward.

"2007 is established now as a two-horse race between the SNP and Labour with the SNP preparing for Government with Alex Salmond as First Minister.

"John and his local team have worked extremely hard to win, and he will work just as hard to represent local people on Fife Council. He's a great addition to the SNP's team as we build to win the 2007 election."

Councillor John Beare added:

"I'd like to thank everyone in Markinch and Woodside who has placed their trust in me at the ballot box. I'd also like to thank the members of my campaign team who have worked so hard on my behalf.

"I promise them that I will continue to campaign for the changes needed this area, and to ensure that their voices are heard in the local council."

FULL RESULT

PARTY	VOTE	%
SNP	892	55.7%
Labour	388	24.2%
LibDem	257	16.0%
Tory	39	2.4%
Ind	25	1.5%

2003 Result (By-Election)

PARTY	VOTE	%
Labour	1,074	58.2%
SNP	545	29.6%
Tory	121	6.6%
LibDem	104	5.6%

FOOT IN THE MOUTH NOTES

Last year, 2005, the Scottish Executive commissioned a review on how it spent its budget (our money); in November, the Finance Minister said the report, costing £134,000 would be published in the spring; suddenly, it will not be published until September 2007, after the Scottish elections are safely out of the way.

On another issue, an executive spokeswoman disputed that there had been a £211 million fall in departmental grants to local authorities; Professor Arthur Midwinter pointed out in a letter in the Herald that these were the executive’s own figures. Is there a slight whiff of panic in the air?

So the Labour Party has finally agreed to support a St Andrew’s Day holiday; only, of course, by substituting it for another holday.

What was it we used to say when I was a bairn? “Give a thing and take a thing and God will never love you.”

An English council has spent £600 on baseball caps with the word “Thinking” on them; this is so their staff can find inspiration by sitting looking at each other.

This was the latest wheeze from the Liberal controlled council on the Isle of Wight; as smoking is still acceptable in England one wonders if they were smoking, and what were they smoking?

The eye is sometimes deceptive; regarding the recent collapse of the Swallow Hotel chain, I read the headline as “Swallow hotel chiefs are owed thousands in unpaid salaries ” and thought : “Now there’s a first!”

My somewhat jaundiced faith in human nature was restored when I looked more closely – it was Swallow Hotel Chefs. Whew!

In 1998, the Scottish Prison Service had accumulated £13.5 million to eradicate slopping out in Scotland’s jails; they had been well aware that if they did not act prisoners would seek compensation under the European Convention of Human Rights. The money was taken away and disappeared without trace into the war on drugs.

Now the Scottish Prison Service has to find £58 million to compensate prisoners for slopping out; the then Justice Minister, Liberal Jim Wallace, and the then Finance Minister, Labour’s Jack McConnell, deny that the money was earmarked for slopping out. To coin a phrase: “Well they would, wouldn’t they?”

6 October 1744
James McGill, who became a fur-trader after emigrating to Canada and founded the university in Montreal which bears his name, was born in Glasgow.

6 October 1968
Jackie Stewart won the US Grand Prix ahead of English drivers Graham Hill and John Surtees.

9 October 1875
The Queen’s Park versus Wanderers match at Hampden saw the earliest known football programme on sale to the fans.

9 October 1947
A crowd of 45,000 turned out at Hampden Park, Glasgow, to watch an American demonstration of a helicopter’s capabilities – lifting off and landing time after time. For this purpose the ground was registered as a civil airport.

9 October 2004
Following a ceremonial event in Parliament House and a Riding down the Royal Mile to Edinburgh, the new Scottish Parliament building was officially opened by the Queen.

10 October 1923
Susan Newall was hanged in Duke Street prison, Glasgow, for the murder of a boy. She was the last woman to be executed in Scotland.

10 October 2005
30-year-old singer K T Tunstall won the prize for best track at the Q awards ceremony in London, England. Her single ‘Black Horse and the Cherry Tree’ defeated competition from artists such as U2, Oasis and Coldplay.

See Dates in History in our Features Section

SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS

I like to have quotations ready for every occasions - they give one's ideas so pat and save one the trouble of finding expression adequate to one's feeling.

Robert Burns

We continue our new Feature in this section of the Flag - Scottish Quotations - statements in prose and verse which reflect all aspects of Scottish life and outlook from the 13^th century to the present day. New quotes added every week. The quotations are not restricted to native Scots but include observations from abroad which help us, in the words of our National Bard, Robert Burns, "To see oursels as others see us"

We have now reached over 250 quotations from 144 sources in this fixture.
Well over 1/3^rd of the sources featured have come from forth of Scotland.
This week we again have a series of quotations anent Scotland’s most famous musical instrument – The Bagpipes. Contrast the attitude of the Hanoverian ‘Butcher’ Cumberland
to the pride in pipers by the Jacobite songstress Caroline Oliphant of Gask.

Robert Williams Buchanan (1841-1901)

To the wedding of Shon Maclean,
Twenty Pipers together
Came in the wind and the rain
Playing across the heather;
Backward their ribbons flew,
Blast upon blast they blew,
Each clad in tartan new,
Bonnet, and blackcock feather:
And every Piper was fou,
Twenty Pipers together!

(The Wedding of Shon Maclean)

Flagnote: Born in Caverswell, Stafford, England, his father was a native of Ayr, the family moved to Glasgow in 1850 where Buchanan was educated at the High School and University.

Robert Burns (1759-1796)

To give them music was his charge:
He screw’d the pipes and gart them skirl,
Till roof and rafters a’ did dirl.

(Tam o Shanter 1790)

HRH Prince William Augustus of Wales, HRH Duke of Cumberland, The House of Hanover (‘Butcher’ Cumberland) (1721-1765)

What are these men going to do with a bundle of sticks [Bagpipes]? I can supply them with implements of war.

(Reviewing Highlanders in the Hanoverian service 1745/46)

Neil Munro

Neil Munro (Hugh Foulis) (1863-1930)

To the make of a piper go seven years of his own learning and seven generations before. If it is in, it will out, as the Gaelic old-word says; if not, let him take to the net or sword.

(The Lost Pibroch 1896)

Caroline Oliphant, Lady Nairne (Mrs Bogan of Bogan) (1766-1845)

Wi’ a hundred pipers an’ a’, an’ a’
Wi’ a hundred pipers an’ a’, an’ a’
We’ll up an’ them a blaw, a blaw
Wi’ a hundred pipers an’ a’, an’ a’.

(The Hundred Pipers)

Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)

Twelve clansmen and one bagpipe make a rebellion.

See Scottish Quotations in our Features Section

SING A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)

"That I for poor auld Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"

- Robert Burns

The Broken Token
Traditional

O a pretty fair maid walking in her garden,
When a handsome sailor came walking by,
And as he viewed her he stepped up to her
Saying, ‘Fair you’ maid would you fancy !?’

‘To fancy you sir, it would not do, sir,
For I have a true lover of my own,
And he’s but a true and a faithful sailor
And seven long years now since he’s been gone.

But seven long years make no alteration
Another seven I’ll wait for him,
And if he is wed, sure I wish him happy
And if he’s dead, sure I wish him rest.’

He said, ‘Do you see that big castell up yonder?
And do you see all those lilies white?
I will but give you its gold and silver
If you will be my true love tonight!’

She said, ‘What do I care for your castell up yonder,
What do I care for your lilies white;
What do I care for your gold and silver
If my own true lover was here tonight!’

He put his hand all into his pocket,
His fingers were so genteel and small;
He brought out a ring that was broke between them
And when she saw it she fell down did fall.

He picked her up all into his arms
Then he gave her kisses one and two,
Sayin, ‘I am your true and your faithful sailor
And I’ve come home, dear, to marry you!’

Footnote: This song appears in many variations, in some the missing lover is a soldier and in others, such as this version, a sailor. It is a theme of many traditional songs, This us the version recorded by well-known traveller and story-teller Duncan Williamson whose book ‘The Horsieman – Memories of a Traveller 1928-58’ is a wonderful recollection of a travelling way of life which is now gone.

See the SING A SANG AT LEAST in our Features section

A BURNS COLLECTION

For your next Burns Supper
Compiled by Peter D Wright

It is never to early to plan ahead for your next, or indeed first, Burns Supper, and the intention of this new feature is to give you a ready accessible collection of the National Bard’s material for the 25^th of January each year. Over the next few months we will give you a variety of items by Robert Burns, which should prove useful to you.

Interest in the life and work of Robert Burns has never faltered and, indeed, as we now approach the 250^th anniversary of his birth in 2009, this should grow apace. He holds a special place in the hearts of his countrymen and his appeal spans the continents. A genius, he spoke for his people and captured their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, in poetry and song. The Flag collection will reflect this.

WEEK EIGHT

No Burns Supper would be complete without a rendition of Robert Burns byornar cantraip o a poem ‘Tam o Shanter’, composed in 1790. His tale of Tam’s encounter with witches in Allowa Kirk has entertained generations of Scots and in 2005 was voted by Radio Scotland listeners as ‘The Nation’s favourite Poem’.

Tam o Shanter

Click here to listen to a Real Audio file of this story
Read by Marilyn Wright

“Of Brownyis of Bogillis full is this Buke’

- Gawin Douglas

When chapmen billes leave the street,
And drouthy neebors, neebors meet,
As market days are wearing late,
An' folk begin to tak the gate;
While we sit bousing at the nappy,
And getting fou and unco happy,
We think na on the lang Scots miles,
The mosses, waters, slaps, and styles,
That lie between us and our hame,
Where sits our sulky sullen dame.
Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.

This truth fand honest Tam o' Shanter,
As he frae Ayr ae night did canter,
(Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses
For honest men and bonie lasses.)

O Tam! had'st thou but been sae wise,
As ta'en thy ain wife Kate's advice!
She tauld thee weel thou was a skellum,
A blethering, blustering, drunken blellum;
That frae November till October,
Ae market-day thou was nae sober;
That ilka melder, wi' the miller,
Thou sat as lang as thou had siller;
That every naig was ca'd a shoe on,
The smith and thee gat roaring fou on;
That at the L--d's house, even on Sunday,
Thou drank wi' Kirkton Jean till Monday.
She prophesied that late or soon,
Thou would be found deep drown'd in Doon;
Or catch'd wi' warlocks in the mirk,
By Alloway's auld haunted kirk.

Ah, gentle dames! it gars me greet,
To think how mony counsels sweet,
How mony lengthen'd, sage advices,
The husband frae the wife despises!

But to our tale:-- Ae market-night,
Tam had got planted unco right;
Fast by an ingle, bleezing finely,
Wi' reaming swats, that drank divinely
And at his elbow, Souter Johnny,
His ancient, trusty, drouthy crony;
Tam lo'ed him like a vera brither--
They had been fou for weeks thegither!
The night drave on wi' sangs and clatter
And ay the ale was growing better:
The landlady and Tam grew gracious,
wi' favours secret,sweet and precious
The Souter tauld his queerest stories;
The landlord's laugh was ready chorus:
The storm without might rair and rustle,
Tam did na mind the storm a whistle.

Care, mad to see a man sae happy,
E'en drown'd himsel' amang the nappy!
As bees flee hame wi' lades o' treasure,
The minutes wing'd their way wi' pleasure:
Kings may be blest, but Tam was glorious.
O'er a' the ills o' life victorious!

But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You sieze the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white--then melts for ever;
Or like the borealis race,
That flit ere you can point their place;
Or like the rainbow's lovely form
Evanishing amid the storm.--
Nae man can tether time or tide;
The hour approaches Tam maun ride;
That hour, o' night's black arch the key-stane,
That dreary hour he mounts his beast in;
And sic a night he taks the road in
As ne'er poor sinner was abroad in.

The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last;
The rattling showers rose on the blast;
The speedy gleams the darkness swallow'd
Loud, deep, and lang, the thunder bellow'd:
That night, a child might understand,
The Deil had business on his hand.

Weel mounted on his gray mare, Meg--
A better never lifted leg--
Tam skelpit on thro' dub and mire;
Despisin' wind and rain and fire.
Whiles holding fast his gude blue bonnet;
Whiles crooning o'er some auld Scots sonnet;
Whiles glowring round wi' prudent cares,
Lest bogles catch him unawares:
Kirk-Alloway was drawing nigh,
Whare ghaists and houlets nightly cry.

By this time he was cross the ford,
Whare, in the snaw, the chapman smoor'd;
And past the birks and meikle stane,
Whare drunken Chairlie brak 's neck-bane;
And thro' the whins, and by the cairn,
Whare hunters fand the murder'd bairn;
And near the thorn, aboon the well,
Whare Mingo's mither hang'd hersel'.--
Before him Doon pours all is floods;
The doubling storm roars thro' the woods;
The lightnings flash from pole to pole;
Near and more near the thunders roll:
When, glimmering thro' the groaning trees,
Kirk-Alloway seem'd in a bleeze;
Thro' ilka bore the beams were glancing;
And loud resounded mirth and dancing.

Inspiring bold John Barleycorn!
What dangers thou canst make us scorn!
Wi' tippeny, we fear nae evil;
Wi' usquabae, we'll face the devil!--
The swats sae ream'd in Tammie's noddle,
Fair play, he car'd na deils a boddle.
But Maggie stood, right sair astonish'd,
Till, by the heel and hand admonish'd,
She ventured forward on the light;
And, wow! Tam saw an unco sight

Warlocks and witches in a dance;
Nae cotillion brent-new frae France,
But hornpipes, jigs strathspeys, and reels,
Put life and mettle in their heels.
A winnock-bunker in the east,
There sat auld Nick, in shape o' beast;
A towzie tyke, black, grim, and large,
To gie them music was his charge:
He scre'd the pipes and gart them skirl,
Till roof and rafters a' did dirl.--
Coffins stood round, like open presses,
That shaw'd the dead in their last dresses;
And by some develish cantraip slight,
Each in its cauld hand held a light.--
By which heroic Tam was able
To note upon the haly table,
A murders's banes in gibbet-airns;
Twa span-lang, wee, unchristen'd bairns;
A thief, new-cutted frae a rape,
Wi' his last gasp his gab did gape;
Five tomahawks, wi blude red-rested;
Five scymitars, wi' murder crusted;
A garter, which a babe had strangled;
A knife, a father's throat had mangled,
Whom his ain son o' life bereft,
The gray hairs yet stack to the heft;
Wi' mair o' horrible and awfu',
Which even to name was be unlawfu'.
Three lawyers' tongues, turn'd inside out,
Wi' lies seam'd like a beggar's clout;
Three priests' hearts, rotten, black as muck,
Lay stinking, vile in every neuk.

As Tammie glowr'd, amaz'd, and curious,
The mirth and fun grew fast and furious;
The piper loud and louder blew;
The dancers quick and quicker flew;
They reel'd, they set, they cross'd, they cleekit,
Till ilka carlin swat and reekit,
And coost her duddies to the wark,
And linket at it her sark!

Now Tam, O Tam! had thae been queans,
A' plump and strapping in their teens,
Their sarks, instead o' creeshie flannen,
Been snaw-white seventeen hunder linnen!
Thir breeks o' mine, my only pair,
That ance were plush, o' gude blue hair,
I wad hae gi'en them off my hurdies,
For ae blink o' the bonie burdies!

But wither'd beldams, auld and droll,
Rigwoodie hags wad spean a foal,
Louping and flinging on a crummock,
I wonder did na turn thy stomach!

But Tam kend what was what fu' brawlie:
There was ae winsome wench and waulie,
That night enlisted in the core,
Lang after ken'd on Carrick shore;
(For mony a beast to dead she shot,
And perish'd mony a bonie boat,
And shook baith meikle corn and bear,
And kept the country-side in fear.)
Her cutty-sark, o' Paisley harn
That while a lassie she had worn,
In longitude tho' sorely scanty,
It was her best, and she was vauntie,-
Ah! little ken'd thy reverend grannie,
That sark she coft for he wee Nannie,
Wi' twa pund Scots, ('twas a' her riches),
Wad ever grac'd a dance of witches!

But here my Muse her wing maun cour;
Sic flights are far beyond her pow'r;
To sing how Nannie lap and flang,
(A souple jade she was, and strang),
And how Tam stood, like ane bewitch'd,
And thought his very een enrich'd;
Even Satan glowr'd, and fidg'd fu' fain,
And hotch'd and blew wi' might and main;
Till first ae caper, syne anither,
Tam tint his reason ' thegither,
And roars out, "Weel done, Cutty-sark!"
And in an instant all was dark:
And scarcely had he Maggie rallied,
When out the hellish legion sallied.

As bees bizz out wi' angry fyke,
When plundering herds assail their byke;
As open pussie's mortal foes,
When, pop! she starts before their nose;
As eager runs the market-crowd,
When "Catch the thief!" resounds aloud;
So Maggie runs, the witches follow,
Wi' mony an eldritch skriech and hollo.

Ah, Tam! ah, Tam! thou'll get thy fairin'!
In hell they'll roast thee like a herrin'!
In vain thy Kate awaits thy commin'!
Kate soon will be a woefu' woman!
Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg,
And win the key-stane o' the brig;
There at them thou thy tail may toss,
A running stream they dare na cross.
But ere the key-stane she could make,
The fient a tail she had to shake!
For Nannie, far before the rest,
Hard upon noble Maggie prest,
And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle;
But little wist she Maggie's mettle -
Ae spring brought off her master hale,
But left behind her ain gray tail;
The carlin claught her by the rump,
And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.

No, wha this tale o' truth shall read,
Ilk man and mother's son take heed;
Whene'er to drink you are inclin'd,
Or cutty-sarks run in your mind,
Think! ye may buy joys o'er dear -
Remember Tam o' Shanter's mare.

See the Burns Collection in our Features section

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

For food lovers the place to be in Scotland this week is the Eastern Highlands where you can enjoy the Highland Feast. Since last Friday (29 September 2006) the festival runs until Saturday 15 October 2006 with a veritable banquet of food and drink to suit all palates on offer. Visit www.highlandfeast.co.uk for the full range of events. This week we are concentrating on one event only – one which features Scotland’s favourite breakfast delight – porridge. Porridge – ‘Chief of Scotia’s Food’ as Robert Burns rightly described it – accompanied by a bowl of creamy milk has sustained generations of Scots. The ‘Chief of Scotia’s Food’ has enjoyed a revival in recent years as people rediscover its healthy properties in a food conscious age. For porridge devotees, Carrbridge is the must visit destination this Sunday (8 October 2006) for the World Porridge Championship.

Judges and competitors from 2005 This year will see the 13^th annual The Golden Spurtle World Porridge Championship in the Highland village. The competition is organised by the Carrbridge and Vicinity Community Council and the title of World Porridge Making Champion is awarded to the chef deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using oatmeal, water and salt. As well as the coveted title and the ‘Golden Spurtle’ award the winner receives a £350 hotel voucher and a cash prize of £250. There is also a Speciality Porridge competition for porridge with other ingredients. The winner receives the Duncan Hilditch Quaich and a cash prize of £150. The day starts off with the Great Porridge Fun Run at various distances including a Minis fun run. Then at 12.30pm a piper will lead a procession of the porridge makers and then the World Championships will be underway. Other activities include the Cairngorm Farmers market, street performers and live music. Visit www.goldenspurtle.com for full details and times.

Traditional porridge already features on this site but oatmeal adds flavour and goodness to many meals as you will find with this week’s recipe – Oatmeal Tattie Rissoles.

Oatmeal Tattie Rissoles

Ingredients: 1lb (500g) potatoes, peeled; 1 small onion, chopped; 1 egg, beaten; 3oz (75g) mature cheddar, grated; 4oz (100g) good Scottish oatmeal; beaten egg to coat; salt and pepper; vegetable oil for cooking

Method: Boil then mash potatoes and mix with finely chopped onion, cheese and beaten egg. Leave to cool in fridge. When cool, shape into patties, dip in beaten egg, then coat in oatmeal (the good bit). Cook the patties in the vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown.

See our Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section

A KIST O FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots Tung

By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words underlined in this section are RealAudio links)

hairst: harvest

ile: oil

insteid; instead

ither: other

jaikit: jacket

kinch: loop; noose; problem

Yir eens bigger nor yir belly: you have taken a larger portion of food than you are able to eat

Come gie's a sang Montgomery cried

An' lay your disputes a' a-side;

What nonsense is't folks tae chide

For what's been done afore them.

Frae "Tullochgorum" - Rev John Skinner

COMPLETE POEMS

Please see above ‘A Burns Collection’ for ‘Tam o Shanter’

See Scots Language in our Features Section
for other poems, stories, songs, sayings, jokes and words in the Scots language

SCOT WIT

Enjoy a Scottish Joke every week and listen to it as well

Words Without End

A noted Minister invited to preach at a country kirk was asked by the beadle "Hae ye skrievit yir sermon?" When the reverend gentleman replied that he had, the beadle exclaimed -

"A'm fell gled, because whan you fowk cum wi a paper, we ken ye'll stap whan it staps, bit whan ye hae nae paper, the Guid Lord hislane disnae ken whan ye're likelie fir ti feenish."

Click here to listen to this joke

Read and listen to Jokes in our Scot Wit section

AND AS WE CONTINUE...

If you read our first issue of The Flag in the Wind you will know that this is a weekly Internet commentary on the Scottish political scene; if you desire further erudition click on Archives.

SOME OF OUR FEATURE SECTIONS....

About Us
Our mission is to fight for an Independent Scotland and to promote its history, heritage and culture. Learn all about us here.
The Scots Language
A great introduction to the Scots Language, produced by Peter and Marilyn Wright, and added to each week both in text and RealAudio. Enjoy listening to words, poems and stories told in a real Scots accent!
Scottish Quotations
A variety of quotations in prose and verse reflecting all aspects of Scottish life and outlook.
The Rebels Ceilidh Songbook
An excellent introduction to traditional songs from Scotland.
Sing A Sang At Least
Our collection of Scottish songs. A new song is added to the collection each week.
Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs
Enjoy our collections of recipes and our comments on them.
Notable Dates in History
Each week we add three new notable dates in history building this into an historic timeline for Scottish history.
Features
Lots more stories, recipes, historical articles and even whole books are added here on a regular basis.
The Oliver Brown Award
An annual award given to an outstanding Scot(s) each year. Also included picture galleries from the annual lunch.

THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY

The Scots Independent Newspaper is independent of the Scottish National Party, but we support the Party in its drive for Independence; while space precludes us commenting on all the issues raised by the 27 MSPs, 5 MPS and 2 MEPs, also the Party Office Bearers, we have provided a link to the SNP Website.

THE FLAG IN THE WIND

The above was the title of a book written in the early Fifties by John MacDonald MacCormick, one of the founder members of the Scottish National Party in 1934. The sub-title was "The Story of the National Movement in Scotland". His comment in the book said "It is perhaps in the symbols which men use that their deepest sentiments are most readily expressed. Flags as well as straws show which way the wind is blowing". A fuller account appears under Features.

WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK

The Flag in the Wind would welcome your feedback on what you think of this weekly service. Happy to receive any comments or suggestions. Simply email webmaster@scotsindependent.org.

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