A Tale.  A poem by James Downie

The summer time of eighty nine; On it we'll hae good cause to mine,

For in it there's been some anticks rare: so to these lines you can refer.

The spring before being cauld and weet and work a 1ittle back

Till we get in our turnips we'll hae but little slack.

So now the term it is past, the weather's fine and dry,

When a' the plans for to come speed you may be sure we wi11 try.

There is to be some building here, to let you understan',

Says Mains, wi' haein so much to do, we'll need anither han'.

This news to me I'm safe to say, it gave me no surprise

So in the Peoples Journal he soon does advertise.

When ane or twa cam in aboot wi' them he couldna gree,

Its to the chaps he had no fault, but rather stiff to fee,

Until ae night a hero bold arrives fae Aberdeen.

This chap has bargained to get work until the hairst is deen.

So now the turnips they are in, the building is begun,

When wi the girls at the place, the masons hae some fun

For ane o' them a sweetheart has, he lives na far awa

And he is nae dubskilper loon, he is a tradesman braw.

The other one she is weel supplied, she's lovers ane or twa

The tradesman she has thrown aside for  him that holds the plough.

In the mean time I will say no more but keep them still in view,

Perhaps you will hear of them again before that I am through.

So now it is the time again when games they do take place,

They're turnin' very common now I really must confess.

Likewise there's games at Haddo House, though them I hinna seen

Yet I'm aware there's lots o' foulk does at them aye convean.

Wi' decorated horse and cart they come for mony a mile.

To get them in order for the games they dinna grudge the toil,

For weeks before they will work hard sometimes both night and day,

And for to get their ornaments a deal of money pay,

So for the best decorations there is some money gien.

The horses cart and harness there delightfu1 to be seen.

Likewise fae Mains I understan', a cart is going this year,

So of this cart, as far's I know, I mean to let you hear.

So to begin, it is to wash, in a burnie not far by,

But before they get her to the place, she on the road did lie,

As some of them thought wi' the cart they down the road would run

Twa youths they would a hurrel take to carry on the fun

But soon their fun came to a close, when their machine upset

For they were trapped below the cart and out they could not get.

The chap that wi' the cart did run, he now finds his mistake,

To lift the cart to get them clear his back he nearly brake.

And when the rest arrived they a' look wi' surprise

The cart is lying upside down, some on the dykeside lies,

But soon the cart it is got right, but not this chaps I fear,

For shortly some of them I saw, their homeward course did steer.

So now the cart is washed, when next she is to paint,

Ere they get ready for the games there'll be some money spent.

The driver o' the cart that night he wasna there ava.

He's gone to see a chap he kens he lives at Turner Ha.

This chap that he has gone to see, Dick Stephen he is named,

For decorating horse and cart, I hear this man is famed.

So now the harness it comes next, at it they did work hard

And thought if they a prize did get, that they would have reward.

But for the night before the games there was no rest ava

For some came here and some came there and some came far awa

A gardener bold fae Ellon came the cart to decorate

And also volunteered I hear, the horse's mane to plate

But some of them were there that night, as well as he could plate

So he must stick to the evergreens, the cart to decorate.

Now they've got riggit out at last, and ready for the road,

If all is here that's going wi it, they winna hae great load.

One of the maids is gaun wi it that I spoke of before

Her tradesman, too, is going I hear, she does 1ove and adore,

Twa ither chaps is gaun wi it, their names I winna tell

But I did see as much of them as they did love their ale,

But before that they do Ellon pass, each man must have his maid

So now thae hae in, Ellon met, their cargo is complete

When every man beside his maid does quickly take his seat.

They are now seated in the cart, and it being a bonnie day

Before they do the artist's pass, a photograph they'll hae.

But some were in the cart that day, had no wish to be seen,

And if you know who all were there you wi11 know who I do mean.

Now this is past, now wi' them time is precious if they are to compete,

For I understand there is an hour at which they have to meet,

And on the road as they do go the fun does still increase

But before that they the games do reach, wi' some o' them there is peace

He's taen a favour for the cart, for it he winna quit

Though a' the rest should go to Fife, in it he'll lie or sit.

But nae bein' entered in the list, for competition gran'

Ye daurna come within the gates, but outside you maun stan'.

But as he is na fit to stan', he on the grass maun lie,

While some will tak' a look at him, as they do pass him by.

So now the judging it is past, na prize to them is gien

For though the cart was very good, there's better there had been.

So now they must get out o' this, its here they canna stay,

The horses they must be unyoked, get stablin' where they may,

But for the guardian o' this cart, its here he canna lie,

So to get him in to it again I think we'll better try.

So now they've got him in the cart, but how I do not know

And back they come to Chapelton, perhaps the place you know.

Twas there the horse did get unyoked and stablin for the day

But this chap for games he does not care so in the cart he lay.

About 6p.m. I think it was, the grounds they must be clear,

To Haddo House they bid adieu, and homeward they do steer.

There wis ither twa did go fra this but they did take a hire

And one of them for woman kind he has a strong desire

So I understand a girly Wood he picked up by the way

But of this pair how they behaved no more to you I'll say

For the harvest it is just at hand and games are mostly by

Some folks have had enough of them they canna weel deny.

The harvest is a time you know, when most folks are employed,

But some farmers, wi' weemin folks they canna be annoyed

Wi' men, they say, they're better far when ance the cuttin's deen

And also they can lift and bind, as it mostly is machine.

But Mains, the auld plan aye does keep, we aye hae weemin three,

And we're nae langer on the hairst than ony I can see.

Twa bucksome dames fae Cruden cam wi' us the hairst to stear

A little about one or both of them I mean to let you hear.

One of the chaps about this place, said he them both did ken,

But how he got aquaint wi' them, I don't know where or when.

He something said about one of them which made them a' look shy

But when this maid came on the ground, he did his words deny,

And long before the hairst was deen, wi' him she favour found

I think this chap na rival had wi' ony on the ground.

The other one no sweetheart got, but how I canna say,

To see her neighbour so supplied made her look dull and wae.

So now the harvest it is done we must our maids dismiss

A sorry parting it will be to some of them I guess

This hero bold fae Aberdeen he does leave wi' the lave,

But I am sorry for to say he now lies in his grave.

One of our summer maids has left us another place to try,

Her tradesman he has ruined her, but this he does deny

The other one she sti11 is here, has a' the work to do

And thinking whiles upon the chap the one that holds the plough.

So now I think I've said enough, though more there could have been.

 James Downie.

[James Downie was born at Cluny on 22^nd September 1870 and died at Kemnay on 27^th January 1955. He served his apprenticeship as a carpenter and Joiner at Mains of Waterton, Ellon with David Laird. At the time he wrote the above poem he would have been around 19 years of age. It may not be the best example of poesy, but it reflects the country life of the times.]