I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.
Now lets look at a Scottish King:
Alexander III1241-86, king of Scotland (1249-86), son and successor of Alexander II. He married a daughter of Henry III of England and quarreled with Henry, and later Henry’s son Edward I, over the old English claims to overlordship in Scotland. The great achievement of Alexander was his final acquisition for Scotland of the Hebrides and of the Isle of Man, which his father had already claimed from Norway. King Haakon IV of Norway attempted to drive the Scots from the islands, but a storm battered his ships, and he was defeated in the battle of Largs in the Clyde river. In 1266, Alexander signed a treaty with Magnus VI, assigning the islands to Scotland. Alexander survived his children, and when he died his only near relative was his little granddaughter Margaret Maid of Norway.
It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from The Pocket Book of Scottish Quotations another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.
This month we continue with the subject of love.
'O Annie, Annie,' loud he cried
'O Annie, Annie, bide!'
But aye the mair he cried 'Annie,'
The braider grew the tide.
Anonymous, The Lass of Lochroyan
And lov'd fu constantlie;
But ay the mair when they fell out,
The sairer was their plea.
Anonymous, Young Benjie I lean'd my back unto an aik,
I thought it was a trusty tree;
But first it bow'd, and syne it brak,
Sae my ture love did lightly me.
Oh waly, waly! but love be bonnie
A little time, while it is new;
But when 'tis auld, it waxeth cauld,
And fades away like morning dew.
Anonymous, O Waly, Waly
Now for a Gaelic Proverb for this month.
| Buailidh aon fhacal ceud. | One word will set loose a hundred. |
You can find more articles in the archive under Scottish Flotsam.
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