J. F. Campbell Collection > Popular rhymes of Scotland

RHYMES ON PLACES. 69
The Prosin and Carity are two small streams which join
the Esk at Inverquharity or Inverarity, the ancient seat of
the Ogilvies of Inverquharity, near Forfar.
MONTROSE, DUNDEE, FORFAR, AND BRECHIN.
Bonny Munross will be a moss,*
Dundee will be dung doun :
Forfar will be Forfar still ;
And Brechin a braw burrows' toun.
PLACES IN FORFARSHIRE.
The beggars o' Benshie,
The cairds o' Lour,
The souters o' Forfar,
The weavers o' Kirriemuir.
FARMS IN KINCARDINESHIRE.
Bleary, Buckie, Backie, Jackie,
The East Town, the West Town,
The Quithill and Pitdwathie ;
Annamuck and Elf hill,
The Gowans and the Tannachie.
This rhyme may be considered as a g-ood example of
those which consist only of an enumeration of grotesque
names of places. It refers to a cluster of farms in the
Brae of Glenbervie. The four first words are the familiar
abbreviations of Blearerno, Buckie's Mill, Backhill, and
Jacksbank.
ABERDEENSHIRE.
DON AND DEE.
A mile of Don's worth two of Dee,
Except for salmon, stone, and tree.
' The banks of the Dee consist of a thin, dry soil, abound-
ing with wood and stone, and overgrown frequently with
heath ;' whereas those of Don consist of a soil more deep
and fat, affording good corn-fields. Some even go so far as
to affirm that not only the corn, but also the men and
* Variation—
Aberdeen shall be a green.