ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hudies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut ye up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reeking, rich!
Then horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit!' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As fecl;ess as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Tho' bluidy flood or field to dash, O how unfit.
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll make it whistle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned Like taps o' thrissle.
Ye pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,
That jaups in luggies;
But if ye wish her gratfu' prayer, Gie her a Haggis!
Today is the brithday of Scotland's favourite son Robbie Burns, who penned the above ode to haggis. Tonight, in Scottish enclaves worldwide, the above poem will be recited before participants sit down to enjoy their main course - haggis.
If you're curious as to the ingredients of this Scotish delicacy, a recipe for haggis can be found here.
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hudies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut ye up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reeking, rich!
Then horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit!' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As fecl;ess as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Tho' bluidy flood or field to dash, O how unfit.
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll make it whistle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned Like taps o' thrissle.
Ye pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,
That jaups in luggies;
But if ye wish her gratfu' prayer, Gie her a Haggis!
Today is the brithday of Scotland's favourite son Robbie Burns, who penned the above ode to haggis. Tonight, in Scottish enclaves worldwide, the above poem will be recited before participants sit down to enjoy their main course - haggis.
If you're curious as to the ingredients of this Scotish delicacy, a recipe for haggis can be found here.And if eating haggis doesn't appeal to you, perhaps you'd like to engage is some haggis hurling, which some might say is all it's good for!
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