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.

Robin, Robin Reidbreist,
Happin on a brier
Oot among the snaw and ice,
While I sit by the fire.
Tell me in your bonnie sang
That ye're 'fly ny frien sae true
And I shall gie ye meat and drink
The hail winter throu.

J K Annand

COCK ROBIN' S COURTSHIP

Cock Robin rose lip early
At the skreich o day
An gaed tae Jenny's windae
Tar sing a hush-a bae.
He sang Cock Robin's love
Tae the wee bit Jenny Wren
An whan he can on the tae the end
The he begoud again.

Traditional: Ownerset by Marjory Greig

JENNIE WREN

Jennie Wren, ye sing sae crouse,
And yet ye're neither blate nor a mous,
Creepin into hidey-holes
Whan huntin roond elm boles

Jennie Wren I like your nest,
It's biggit snodder nor the rest,
Wi ruif and door, and lined wi hair
To bield ye frae the caller air

That Robin Reidbreist came to woo
and whan he spired ye for his wife
Ye chased him for his very life?

J K Annand

Now lets look at some specific dates:

1664 - December 6
A comet, the breadth of a reasonable man's hand, crossed Scotland from the south-east to north-west. It was seen in Edinburgh at 3:00 am and was very terrible in appearance..

1580 - December 13
George Auchinleck of Balmanno, a powerful figure in Edinburgh, was shot and left for dead in a passage near St Giles in a revenge attack by William Biccarton.

1910 - December 19
Glasgow School Board decided against a proposal to provide pupils at state-aided schools with free books, pens, pencils, and stationary.

1610 - December 23
Licence granted for a public coach between Leith and Edinburgh at 2s a journey. It was probably the first documented transport in Scotland.

Source - Scotching the Myths by Jim Hewiston can be found in the History Book Section of Scottish Radiance.

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from Quotable Scots another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

Brag (cont.)

I think there is a blossom about me of something more distinguished than the generality of mankind..
James Boswell, London Journal, 1763

The city has two great teams Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves.
Bill Shankly

I've had some good shouting contests with several refs because they give as good as they get, and we finish the best of friends afterwards.
Lou Macari footballer, 1977

Ri Fuachd Callainn, 's clò ollainn; Ri fuach Fèill Brìghde, fòghnaidh cisfheart

For New Year cold, good is woollen cloth; For Candlemas cold, mixed stuff will do.

You can find more articles in the archive under Scottish Flotsam.