Gypsy Dictionary [60]
in Kirk Yetholm; but the one who they say has more of his blood than any one else happens to be here. I mean his grandbairn--his daughter's daughter; she whom they ca' the 'Gypsy Queen o' Yetholm,' and whom they lead about the toon once a year, mounted on a cuddy, with a tin crown on her head, with much shouting, and with mony a barbaric ceremony."
Myself.--"I really should like to see her."
Woman.--"Weel, sir, there's a woman behind you, seated at the doorway, who can get your honour not only the sight of her, but the speech of her, for she is one of the race, and a relation of hers; and, to tell ye the truth, she has had her eye upon your honour for some time past, expecting to be asked about the qeeen, for scarcely anybody comes to Yetholm but goes to see the queen; and some gae so far as to say that they merely crowned her queen in hopes of bringing grist to the Gypsy mill."
I thanked the woman, and was about to turn away, in order to address myself to the other woman seated on the step, when my obliging friend said, "I beg your pardon, sir, but before ye go I wish to caution you, when you get to the speech of the queen, not to put any speerings to her about a certain tongue or dialect which they say the Gypsies have. All the Gypsies become glum and dour as soon as they are spoken to about their language, and particularly the queen. The queen might say something uncivil to your honour, should you ask her questions about her language."
Myself.--"Oh, then the Gypsies of Yetholm have a language of their own?"
Woman.--"I canna say, sir; I dinna ken whether they have or not; I have been at Yetholm several years, about my ain wee bit o' business, and never heard them utter a word that was not either English or broad Scotch. Some people say that they have a language of their ain, and others say that they have nane, and moreover that, though they call themselves Gypsies, they are far less Gypsy than Irish, a great deal of Irish being mixed in their veins with a very little of the much more respectable Gypsy blood. It may be sae, or it may be not; perhaps your honour will find out. That's the woman, sir, just behind ye at the door. Gud e'en. I maun noo gang and boil my cup o'tay."
To the woman at the door I now betook myself. She was seated on the threshold, and employed in knitting. She was dressed in white, and had a cap on her head, from which depended a couple of ribbons, one on each side. As I drew near she looked up. She had a full, round, smooth face, and her complexion was brown, or rather olive, a hue which contrasted with that of her eyes, which were blue.
"There is something Gypsy in that face," said I to myself, as I looked at her; "but I don't like those eyes."
"A fine evening," said I to her at last.
"Yes, sir," said the woman, with very little of the Scotch accent; "it is a fine evening. Come to see the town?"
"Yes," said I; "I am come to see the town. A nice little town it seems."
"And I suppose come to see the Gypsies, too," said the woman, with a half smile.
"Well," said I, "to be frank with you, I came to see the Gypsies. You are not one, I suppose?"
"Indeed I am," said the woman, rather sharply, "and who shall say that I am not, seeing that I am a relation of old Will Faa, the man whom the woman from Haddington was speaking to you about; for I heard her mention his name?"
"Then," said I, "you must be related to her whom they call the Gypsy queen."
"I am, indeed, sir. Would you wish to see her?"
"By all means," said I. "I should wish very much to see the Gypsy queen."
"Then I will show you to her, sir; many gentlefolks from England come to see the Gypsy queen of Yetholm. Follow me, sir!"
She got up, and, without laying down her knitting-work, went round the corner, and began to ascend the hill. She was strongly made, and was rather above the middle height. She conducted me to a small house, some little way up the hill. As we were going, I said to her, "As you are a Gypsy, I suppose you have no objection to a coro of koshto levinor?" {7}
Myself.--"I really should like to see her."
Woman.--"Weel, sir, there's a woman behind you, seated at the doorway, who can get your honour not only the sight of her, but the speech of her, for she is one of the race, and a relation of hers; and, to tell ye the truth, she has had her eye upon your honour for some time past, expecting to be asked about the qeeen, for scarcely anybody comes to Yetholm but goes to see the queen; and some gae so far as to say that they merely crowned her queen in hopes of bringing grist to the Gypsy mill."
I thanked the woman, and was about to turn away, in order to address myself to the other woman seated on the step, when my obliging friend said, "I beg your pardon, sir, but before ye go I wish to caution you, when you get to the speech of the queen, not to put any speerings to her about a certain tongue or dialect which they say the Gypsies have. All the Gypsies become glum and dour as soon as they are spoken to about their language, and particularly the queen. The queen might say something uncivil to your honour, should you ask her questions about her language."
Myself.--"Oh, then the Gypsies of Yetholm have a language of their own?"
Woman.--"I canna say, sir; I dinna ken whether they have or not; I have been at Yetholm several years, about my ain wee bit o' business, and never heard them utter a word that was not either English or broad Scotch. Some people say that they have a language of their ain, and others say that they have nane, and moreover that, though they call themselves Gypsies, they are far less Gypsy than Irish, a great deal of Irish being mixed in their veins with a very little of the much more respectable Gypsy blood. It may be sae, or it may be not; perhaps your honour will find out. That's the woman, sir, just behind ye at the door. Gud e'en. I maun noo gang and boil my cup o'tay."
To the woman at the door I now betook myself. She was seated on the threshold, and employed in knitting. She was dressed in white, and had a cap on her head, from which depended a couple of ribbons, one on each side. As I drew near she looked up. She had a full, round, smooth face, and her complexion was brown, or rather olive, a hue which contrasted with that of her eyes, which were blue.
"There is something Gypsy in that face," said I to myself, as I looked at her; "but I don't like those eyes."
"A fine evening," said I to her at last.
"Yes, sir," said the woman, with very little of the Scotch accent; "it is a fine evening. Come to see the town?"
"Yes," said I; "I am come to see the town. A nice little town it seems."
"And I suppose come to see the Gypsies, too," said the woman, with a half smile.
"Well," said I, "to be frank with you, I came to see the Gypsies. You are not one, I suppose?"
"Indeed I am," said the woman, rather sharply, "and who shall say that I am not, seeing that I am a relation of old Will Faa, the man whom the woman from Haddington was speaking to you about; for I heard her mention his name?"
"Then," said I, "you must be related to her whom they call the Gypsy queen."
"I am, indeed, sir. Would you wish to see her?"
"By all means," said I. "I should wish very much to see the Gypsy queen."
"Then I will show you to her, sir; many gentlefolks from England come to see the Gypsy queen of Yetholm. Follow me, sir!"
She got up, and, without laying down her knitting-work, went round the corner, and began to ascend the hill. She was strongly made, and was rather above the middle height. She conducted me to a small house, some little way up the hill. As we were going, I said to her, "As you are a Gypsy, I suppose you have no objection to a coro of koshto levinor?" {7}