Hamish and Hazel, two haggis children went to a great haggis gathering – a picnic in Aberdeen. They wandered off and as children often do but were left behind by their huge family in the confusion of packing up. Follow their adventures around Aberdeenshire as they track down their family and meet some new friends along the way. The rhymes contain a mixture of Scots and the local dialect, Doric. Translations are available at the bottom!
The thirteenth adventure! The Hagglets hiv come far
Hiv ye been tae far the ither geocaches are?
Noo Fergal, the auld Haggis, wi the wee Hagglets in tow
His gaed aff tae find his sister – she’s cried Freda, don’t ye know?
She’s a soor faced besome, aye greetin an’ girnin
Fur her back’s aye sair – but noo her fate is turnin!
Fan they cam aroon the bend wi the sun still shinin bricht
Doon by the watter, they saw a dowie sicht
Her een were reid, her fizzog wis glowerin
Fergal stepped furrit and the Hagglets were cowerin
“Freda! Foo ye daen? No gies a smilie!
“Ye’ve nae seen yer brither fur an affa lang whilie,”
“An’ look fa’s here! Wee Hazel and Hamish”
“Hmmmph. Tae be left weel alane is my sowel wish”
“Och Dinna say that,” brave Hazel did speer
“We’ve cam affa far tae visit ye here!”
“We’ve got herbs fur ye Auntie” Hamish hopped doon the path
“So come ease yer banes in this fine lady’s bath!”
They lowered her in, and they made garlic soup
Tae end Freda grinned and let oot a WHOOP!
Aaah, The curative work o’ family an care...
So can ye find the next cache hid deep in its lair?
Translation: Now this is the Hagglet’s 13th geocache. They have travelled far and found their Great Uncle Fergal and now he has taken them to Dunnottar woods to find his sister Freda. Freda suffers from arthritis and is very grumpy indeed because of her sore back. Her fortunes will change in this part of the story. Hazel, Hamish and Fergal came round the corner and saw Freda down by the water with red eyes and a gloomy face. Fergal called to her and asked her how she was and if she would smile as she hadn’t seen him in a long time. He also said that her great niece and nephew were there to visit. Freda was in so much pain that she said she’d rather be left alone. But brave Hazel and Hamish told her that they’d come so far to see her and had brought her some wild garlic to make her some soup. She bathed in the Lady’s Bath and had some hot soup and eventually a smile spread across her face and she cried out loud with happiness as she felt so much better.