Listen In — Rashie Coat
The Scots transcription uses the traditional literary conventions described in Wir Ain Leed, it is a transcription of what was said, not an attempt at phonetic accuracy.
Rashy Coat wis a king's dochter, and her faither wantit her tae be mairied; but she didna like the man. Her faither said she haed tae tak him; and she didna ken whit tae dae. Sae she gaed awa tae the hen-wife tae speir whit she shoud dae. And the hen-wife said: "Say ye winna tak him unless thay gie ye a coat o the beaten gowd." Weel, thay gae her a coat o the beaten gowd; but she didna want tae tak him for aw that. Sae she gaed tae the hen-wife again, and the hen-wife said: "Say ye winna tak him unless thay gie ye a coat made o the feathers o aw the birds o the air." Sae the king sent a man wi a great heap o corn; and the man cried tae aw the birds o the air: "Ilka bird tak up a pea and pit doun a feather; ilka bird tak up a pea and pit doun a feather." Sae ilka bird teuk up a pea and pit doun a feather and thay teuk aw the feathers and made a coat o thaim, and gae it tae Rashy Coat; but she didna want tae tak him for aw that. Weel, she gaed tae the hen-wife again, and speired whit she shoud dae; and the hen-wife said: "Say ye winna tak him unless thay gie ye a coat o rashes and a pair o slippers." Weel, thay gae her a coat o rashes and a pair o slippers; but she didna want tae tak him for aw that. Sae she gaed tae the hen-wife again, and the hen-wife said she coudna help her ony mair.
Weel, she left her faither's hoose, and gaed faur, and faur, and faurer nor A can tell; and she cam tae a king's hoose, and she gaed in til't. And thay speired at her whit she wis seekin, and she said she wis seekin service; and thay gae her service and set her intae the kitchen tae wash the dishes, and tak oot the ess, and aw that. And whan the Sawbath-day cam, thay aw gaed tae the kirk, and left her at hame tae keuk the denner. And thare wis a fairy cam tae her, and telt her tae pit on her coat o the beaten gowd, and gang tae the kirk. And she said she coudna gang, for she haed tae keuk the denner; and the fairy telt her tae gang, and she wad keuk the denner for her. And she said
"Ae peat gar anither
peat burn,
Ae spit gar anither spit turn,
Ae pat gar anither pat play,
Let Rashy Coat gang tae the kirk the day."
Sae Rashy Coat pit on her coat o the beaten gowd, and gaed awa tae the kirk. And the king's son fell in luve wi her; but she cam hame afore the kirk skailed, and he coudna find oot wha she wis. And whan she cam hame she fand the denner keukit, and naebody kent she'd been oot. Weel, the neist Sawbath-day, the fairy cam again, and telt her tae pit on the coat o feathers o aw the birds o the air, and gang tae the kirk, and she wad keuk the denner for her. Weel, she pit on the coat o feathers, and gaed tae the kirk. And she cam oot afore it skailed; and whan the king's son saw her gaun oot, he gaed awa tae; but he coudna find oot wha she wis. And she got hame, and teuk aff the coat o feathers, and fand the denner keukit, and naebody kent she haed been oot.
And the neist Sawbath-day, the fairy cam til her again, and telt her tae pit on the coat o rashes and the pair o slippers, and gang tae the kirk again. Ah weel, she did it aw; and this time the king's son sat near the door, and whan he saw Rashy Coat slippin oot afore the kirk skailed, he slippit oot tae and grippit her. And she got awa frae him, and ran hame; but she lost ane o her slippers, and he teuk it up. And he garred cry throu aw the kintra, that onybody that coud get the slipper on, he wad mairy thaim. Sae aw the leddies o the coort tried tae get the slipper on, and it wadna fit nane o thaim. And the auld hen-wife cam and fuish her dochter tae try and get it on, and she nippit her fit, and clippit her fit, and got it on that wey. Sae the king's son wis gaun tae mairy her. And he wis takkin her awa tae mairy her, and ridin on a horse, and her ahint him; and thay cam tae a wid, and thare wis a bird sittin on a tree, and as thay gaed by, the bird said:
"Nippit fit and
clippit fit
Ahint the king's son rides
But bonny fit and pretty fit
Ahint the caudron hides."
And whan the king's son heard this, he flang aff the hen-wife's dochter, and cam hame again, and leukit ahint the caudron, and thare he fand Rashy Coat greetin for her slipper. And he tried her fit wi the slipper, and it gaed on fine. Sae he mairied her.
AND THAY LEEVED HAPPY AND HAPPY,
AND NIVER DRANK OOT O A DRY CAUPIE.