TAK’ TENT YE DINNA’ MEDDLE ME!

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1940, Page 6

TAK’ TENT YE DINNA’ MEDDLE ME!

Come near; I want ye a’ tae ken What is the pride o’ maids an’ men, Frae every Lowlan’, Hielan' Hill! I hear it on the mountain still, I hear it on the rolling tide, From moors and mosses wild and wide; I hear it whustled nicht an’ day, . I hear it ringin’ far away: / It is our motto—firm and fast, Upraised, upheld thro’ a’ the past, Whate’er thou art, where’er you be — Tak’ tent ye dinna’ meddle me! I kent fu’ weel that you would guess it. “Nemo me imp'une laccessit!” ( In French or Latin it is plain— In guid braid Scotch it rings again. On Alma’s heights the cry rang clear “We’ll ha’e nane but Hielan’ bonnets here.” At hame, oot here, and everywhere. The wee Scotch thistle jag’s ye sair. It is our motto—firm and fast, Upraised, upheld thro’ a’ the past, Whate’er thou art, where’er you be— Tak’ tent ye dinna’ meddle me! When Roman legions rush’d our shore Lang synefi they leap’d and yelled and swore, In frightful words which in the end Meant “Sacre” —“me non comprehended” They turn’d en masse and ran awa’, The wee Scotch thistle jagg’d them a’; And ever since, up to this day, The Scotch folk laugh and sing and say— It is our motto —firm and fast, Upraised, upheld thro’ a’ the past, Whate’er thou art, where’er you be— Tak’ tent ye dinna’ meddle me! The wounded piper at Dargai— He couldna’ stan’ when we marched by. Brave lads frae. Fife an’ Firth o' Forth. He play’d the famed “Cock o’ the North,” He play’d it over an’ over again! While sittin’ on a muckle stane. Tho’ wounded sair, yet still play’d he, “Tak’ tent ye dinna’ meddle me!” It is our motto—firm and fast, Upraised, upheld thro’ a' the past, Whate’er thou : art, where’er you be Tak’ tent ye dinna’ mefMTb me! 1 HUGHIE SMITH, Inangahua Junction, West Coast, 5.1., 12/1/40,