The sodgers' cairn - help

Subject: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: Stewie
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 09:47 AM

Even with assistance from the admirable Scots glossary in 'Quick Links', I am unable to fully come to grips with the third stanza of 'The Sodgers' Cairn' by Mary Symon (performed by Jim Reid). Can Malcolm or other knowlegeable Scot give a translation? What is the meaning of 'the Dullan', 'wahnie', 'Conval's broo', 'futtled'?

Doon, laich the Dullan sings
An' I ken o' an aul' sauch tree
Where a wee loon's wahnie's hingin' yet
That's dead in Picardy
An ilka win' frae the Conval's broo
Bends aye the buss o' earn
Where, aince he futtled a name that noo
I'll read on the sodgers' cairn

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: GUEST,Drumshanty
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 10:06 AM

The Dullan Water is the river that goes through Dufftown, and the Conval is one of the hills overlooking Dufftown.

I don't know what a wahnie is for sure, but I'd an idea that it's a tyre hanging over a burn for swinging on maybe?

Futtled is whittled, or carved.

At last year's Keith Festival (I think - maybe 2006) Jim told how he'd taken the afternoon off from the festival and driven up to Dufftown to see if he could find the cairn, but he said the song wasn't specific enough.

Subject: RE: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: GUEST,Drumshanty
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 10:11 AM

Incidentally, I'd recommend the Dictionary of the Scots Language, even if it doesn't have a definition of "wahnie"!

Subject: RE: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 10:13 AM

The Dullan is a river, the Conval a hill, both in Morayshire

Subject: RE: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: Teribus
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 02:00 PM

Doon, laich the Dullan sings
An' I ken o' an aul' sauch tree
Where a wee loon's wahnie's hingin' yet
That's dead in Picardy
An ilka win' frae the Conval's broo
Bends aye the buss o' earn
Where, aince he futtled a name that noo
I'll read on the sodgers' cairn

From my reading of that verse, go to Dufftown and look at the War Memorial, I'm sure that there will be one erected to honour the memory of those who fell in both the First and Second World Wars. I think that you'll find that that is what is referred to as "the sodgers' cairn". Whoever the song was about obviously died in the Great War.

Subject: RE: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: Stewie
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 08:35 PM

Many thanks to all, in particular to Drumshanty. I have bookmarked the DSL link.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: The sodgers' cairn - help
From: GUEST,seumas
Date: 05 Mar 12 - 10:36 AM

Probably this is way too late to be any use. I puzzled for a long time over "wahnie" too, but actually the Dictionary of the Scots Language does explain it if you select "full entry" rather than "headword" for the search. It even gives this line from "The Sodger's Cairn" as an illustration. It's a diminutive of "wand", and the meaning given is "fishing rod".