Go to the home page of Electric Scotland Read about our terms and conditions for using te site and out privacy policy Gte our contact information here Find accommodation in Scotland Get information on Scottish agriculture and wildlife Find hundreds of historical articles about Scotland Beth's monthly publication about the Scots diaspora and genealogy Hundreds of online books for you to read Learn something about business in Scotland We have some 800 children's stories for you to read This is where you'll learn all about Scottish clans and families and their history Learn about Scottish culture and also our old Scots language A collection of material from a native Indian writer on Indian lore, poems, recipes and lots more This is Alastair's personal site with his travel journals and loads of pictures taken on his travels in Scotland and abroad Hundreds of biographies of famous Scots A weekly publication from the Scots Independent Newspaper on matters to do with Scottish independence This is where you can message with others on any topic you wish and interact in a social network Great place to get those great Scottish recipes We do need some relaxation from time to time so enjoy some of our online games This is our six volume gazetteer of Scotland Get advice and resources to help with your genealogy research Learn all about Scotland's famous Haggis Learn about prevntative health care from old Scottish texts This is where we've profiled some Highland Games in Scotland and around the world Explore historic places and castles in Scotland Tons of information on the history of Scotland and the Scots Looing for a wee humour or humor story then enjoy our great collection here Poems and stories from the pen of John Henderson and also many of his own dorric poems Lots of interesting material for kids and children of all ages A bit of a catch all for things that don't have there own menu Some music and radio programs for you to listen to and lots of great sheet music Get up to date Scottish news and find all the local newspaper and television stations This is where you can read Electric Scotland's weekly newsletter and read back copies We have thousands of pictures of Scotland and this page will lead you to them We have lots of poetry and stories sent in by visitors to the site Send a postcard to friends, family or colleagues Yes the Bible but so much more Learn about Scotland's famous bard Robert Burns Learn about the Scots who moved to Ulster and onto the world Scotland's official langiuage for several centuries wasn't gaelic but Scots! Learn about the famous Scottish and Highland regiments Some useful services like a roman numeral calculator and personal worth Here you will find our own shopping malls Looking for those old Scots songs then this is where you'll find them History of sports in Scotland Learn about tartan and use the tartan search engines Travel and Tourism in Scotland Some interesting Scottish trivia to baffle your friends with Fun videos that we've taken over the years A Scottish wedding guide Find out the last 100 items we've added to the site Learn about what Scots did in the world Learn about Scots in the USA Learn about Scots in Canada Learn about Scots in Australia Learn about Scots in India Learn about Scots in Germany Learn about Scots in France Learn about Scots in New Zealand

Check all the Clans that have DNA Projects. If your Clan is not in the list there's a way for it to be listed.Edinburgh and Scotland Accommodation, Bed & Breakfast, Self Catering, Guest Houses, Inns, Holiday Tourist AccommodationAn amazing collection of unique holiday cottages, castles and apartments, all over Scotland in truly amazing locations.A comprehensive holiday accommodation Index for Scotland

Click here to get a Printer Friendly Page
Scots Place Names
Buy MacSweens haggis and Grants tinned haggis online from the Scottish Haggis Store
Buy Scottish Hampers, Christmas Hampers, Corporate Food and Gift Hampers from The Scottish Store
Advertise on all 1000+ pages of the Flag in the Wind
Handmade Gifts

 

Scots Independent

The Flag in the Wind
Features
SING A SANG AT LEAST

 Scottish Flag

Home | About Us | Subscriptions | Archives | SNP | Ad Rates | Features | Adverts | Events | Links

THE SCRANKY BLACK FARMER
Traditional

At the tap o' the Garioch, in the lands of Leith-hall,
A scranky black farmer in Earlsfield did dwell;
Wi' him I engaged a servant to be,
Which makes me lament I went far from the sea.
 
I engaged wi' this farmer to drive cart and ploo;
Haed fortune convenit an ill-fated crew,
I ane of the number, which causes me rue
That e'er I attempted the country to view.
 
It's early in the mornin' we rise to the yoke,
The storm and the tempest can ne'er make us stop;
While the wind it does beat, and the rain it does pour,
And aye yon black farmer on us does glowre.
 
But the time is expiring, and the day it will come,
To various countries we all must go home;
Bonnie Jeannie must travel, bonnie Bawbie also,
Back to the beyont o' Montgomery must go.
 
So farewell, Rhynie, and adieu to you, Clatt,
For I hae been wi' you baith early and late -
Baith early and late, baith empty and fou,
So farewell, Rhynie, I'll bid you adieu.
 
So farewell, Bawbie, and adieu to you all,
Likewise to the farmer that lives at Leith-hall;
For to serve this black farmer I'm sure it's nae sport,
So I will be going to my bonnie seaport.

Footnote : An Aberdeenshire Bothy Ballad - Aberdeenshire was a rich source for Bothy Ballads as testified by the many songs collected by the great Gavin Greig. This rich vein of song arose from the communal nature of the bothy life as the farmworkers put into song descriptions of their daily life and work, praise of their horses or sweethearts, or as in this song, the opportunity to record their true feelings about their farming masters. In this song the farmer is described as scranky ie mean.