Take heed lad

Some sheep, the farmer and his dog (Shaun and friends, Wallace and Gromet)

My older sister, Hilda, wrote this in the Lancashire dialect she grew up with. When she wrote it I don't know, but she'd done well at school and won a scholarship of some sort to go to Deepdale Modern School, Preston (now Deepdale County Modern School). She must have enjoyed reading as she read to me from books at bedtime, though we hadn't joined a library at that time.

 

Take heed lad, or, rather, dialetically, Tek 'eed lad

*

Get thi' sen lapped up lad

It's gradely cowd aht side

T'wind is blowin' hard lad

An't cowd tha' can't abide.

*

Thi' bones are cowd and creaky

Thi' blood is nae but thin

So get thi' warmest ganzey on

An't muffler rahnd thi' chin.

*

Tha's geet a long, long way to go

T' find 'thi' missin' sheep

Oe'r fields and dykes and fences

Afore tha' gets thi' sleep.

*

So put tha' 'and i' God's 'and

Just follow we'er He'll tread

So tha' can come 'ome safe again

An' get thi' sel' t' bed.

*

© Hilda Billington  now in her 90s.

For a 'translation', read on...

Get yourself wrapped up warm, lad

It's incredibly cold outside

The wind is blowing hard, lad

And cold you can't abide.

*

Your bones are cold and creaky

Your blood is nothing but thin

So get your warmest jumper on

And a muffler around your chin.

*

You've got a long, long way to go

To find the missing sheep

Over fields and dykes and fences

Before you get your sleep.

*

So put your hand in God's hand

Just follow wherever He'll tread

So you can come home safe again

And get yourself to bed.