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Document 797

Dipper: 62 - The Three Wee Deils

Author(s): John Reid

Copyright holder(s): John Reid

Audio transcription

M738 The Three Wee Deils

Ae day in the benmaist neuk o Hell
The Deil was minded tae rest himsel
He had juist won back frae his wark on earth,
Oot sawin temptation for aa his worth,
Gaun up an doun that trauchled sphere
Walin the sinners frae faur an near.
An nou, safe hame, wi fauldit pinions
He tuik his ease, while twa-three minions
Were thrang at their darg in the earth abune,
For the deil's wark rests for sun nor mune.

But Hell hauds neither peace nor rest,
Sic things are only for the blest.
He'd scarce lain doun by a weelgaun bleeze
Whan the Deil was yerkit frae his ease
Tae pass new entrants, needin clearance
- An he cursed them weel for the interference!
Syne back again ower the het flagstanes
He settled doun tae rest his banes,
Whan a canny wee chappin at the door
Steered him again, an he grained an swore.
But the eident Deil turns nane awa,
The door swung open at his caa,
An three wee deils cluit-fuited in
Tae their faither's howff in the Halls o Sin.

Their sire luikit doun wi a pridefu ee,
For gey gleg deils they were like tae be.
'Whit brings ye here?' he kindly speired
(They pleased him sae, his froun had cleared).
'Weel, Faither,' said ane, as ye maun ken,
'We're deevilish keen tae be lowsed on men.
We'd like tae gang tae the earth abune
Tae keep the sinners birlin in.'
The Deil, though fu o paternal pride,
Poued his lug for a wee ere he replied:
'Ye're hotchin tae gang, I see that fine,
- 'Deed, else ye wadna be sons o mine -
But deevilocks maun be weel prepared
Before they delve my earthly yaird.
These days, deil kens, there's rowth at caa
Tae keep Hell fou - nae lack ava!
Ye'd think tae sin aa men aspire
- Feth, whiles I think I could retire!

'But sittin birds are sune gey stawin,
Ye'll grow quick tired o easy mawin,
An want tae feel that grand elation
Whan ane faas victim tae temptation
Wha's kept awa frae fun an gemms
An thocht he had the Deil in hemms.
For sic-like, ye maun be gey slee
Tae mak him tak the cup an pree,
Sae ilka ane juist tell me plain
Hou ye hae planned your great campaign.'

Up piped the first:
'Sen me abroad -
I'll tell mankind that there's nae God!'
Wi a grue at the Name,
the Deil frouned sairly.
'My lad, I doot ye'll fare but puirly
Gin that's your heaviest ammunition.
Caa't, if ye like, juist intuition,
Or scannin, whiles the staurs an mune
- Man kens fou weel there's Ane abune.'

'Then let me gang,' the second cried,
'Tae wark your will on the warld wide.
A better plan I've gien mysel,
I'll tell mankind that there's nae Hell!'
Nick shuik his heid wi plain distaste.
'Na, na, my son, facts maun be faced.
Men still ken if they're daein wrang
Whan burnin conscience drives its stang.
They ken it's a taste o the life doun here
Gin sinfu weys they dinna forsweir.'

The third imp stuid gey quate an slee,
An the Deil saw himsel in the wee red ee.
'Let me rin lowse, an dinna worry
- I'll juist tell men that there's nae hurry.'
The Deil sprang up frae his sate by the swee
An his een were alowe wi a hellish glee.
'Gang furth, my son, wi aa your speed
For you hae the Deevil's word indeed.
Gin men heed you, we'll bucht them in.
Procrastination's the deidly sin!'

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The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document.

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Cite this Document

APA Style:

Dipper: 62 - The Three Wee Deils. 2024. In The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. Retrieved 28 March 2024, from http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=797.

MLA Style:

"Dipper: 62 - The Three Wee Deils." The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. Glasgow: University of Glasgow, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=797.

Chicago Style

The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech, s.v., "Dipper: 62 - The Three Wee Deils," accessed 28 March 2024, http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/document/?documentid=797.

If your style guide prefers a single bibliography entry for this resource, we recommend:

The Scottish Corpus of Texts & Speech. 2024. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk.

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Information about Document 797

Dipper: 62 - The Three Wee Deils

Audio

Audio audience

General public
For gender Mixed
Audience size 1000+

Audio awareness & spontaneity

Speaker awareness Aware
Degree of spontaneity Fully scripted

Audio footage information

Original title The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils
Year of recording 1993
Recording person id 752
Size (min) 5
Size (mb) 18

Audio footage publication details

Published
Publisher/Broadcaster Scotsoun
Publication/Broadcast date 1993-01-01
Place of publication/broadcast Glasgow

Audio medium

Radio/audio

Audio setting

Leisure/entertainment
Private/personal

Audio relationship between recorder/interviewer and speakers

Friend
Speakers knew each other Yes

Audio speaker relationships

Friend
Other Co-authors of book from which recording was made

Audio transcription information

Title of original The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils
Transcriber id 689
Year of transcription 2005
Year material recorded 1993
Word count 628

Audio transcription publication details

Published
Publisher/Broadcaster Luath Press
Publication/Broadcast date 1991-01-01
Place of publication/broadcast Barr, Ayrshire
ISBN/ISSN 0946487227

Audio type

Poetry reading/song/ballad performance
General description From a recording of a selection of short stories and prize winning poems (Scottish National Open Poetry Competition)

Author

Author details

Author id 738
Forenames John
Surname Reid
Gender Male
Decade of birth 1910
Educational attainment University
Age left school 17
Upbringing/religious beliefs Protestantism
Occupation Retired Head Teacher
Place of birth Dalry
Region of birth N Ayr
Birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Country of birth Scotland
Place of residence Lockerbie
Region of residence Dumfries and Galloway
Residence CSD dialect area Dmf
Country of residence Scotland
Father's occupation Commmercial Traveller
Father's place of birth Dalry
Father's region of birth N Ayr
Father's birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Father's country of birth Scotland
Mother's occupation Housewife
Mother's place of birth Beith
Mother's region of birth N Ayr
Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Mother's country of birth Scotland

Languages

Language Speak Read Write Understand Circumstances
English Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially
French Yes Yes Yes Yes As necessary
Scots Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially

Participant

Participant details

Participant id 738
Gender Male
Decade of birth 1910
Educational attainment University
Age left school 17
Upbringing/religious beliefs Protestantism
Occupation Retired Head Teacher
Place of birth Dalry
Region of birth N Ayr
Birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Country of birth Scotland
Place of residence Lockerbie
Region of residence Dumfries and Galloway
Residence CSD dialect area Dmf
Country of residence Scotland
Father's occupation Commmercial Traveller
Father's place of birth Dalry
Father's region of birth N Ayr
Father's birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Father's country of birth Scotland
Mother's occupation Housewife
Mother's place of birth Beith
Mother's region of birth N Ayr
Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area Ayr
Mother's country of birth Scotland

Languages

Language Speak Read Write Understand Circumstances
English Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially
French Yes Yes Yes Yes As necessary
Scots Yes Yes Yes Yes Home, socially

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