Glossary

aarls - small advance payment given on signing on for gutting

baa - sunken rock

bonxie - the great skua

brig - bridge

burn - stream

caa - to drive sheep

caerdin - group of women gathered to card wool

craig steen - a rock suitable for fishing from

cro - sheep fold

dell - delve

feal - turf

gaet - a footpath

grice - pig

grind - gate

haa - laird's house

heddery - heathery

jumped ship - leave ship without permission

kale - cabbage

kirn - churn

kishie - basket carried on the back

knowe - hillock

laird - landowner

meid - landmark lined up with another to mark position at sea

piltock - two to four year old coal-fish

planticrub - small enclosure for growing cabbage

rivvick - a deep fissure in the ground

roog - heap

roup - auction

runies - heap of stones

runshie - yellow flowered weeds found in cornfields

sain - bless against evil

sillock - young coal-fish

sixareen - six oared boat

tang - seaweed

taek - turf

trow - mischevous fairy

Yule E'en - Christmas Eve

trow - mischevous fairy

Yule E'en - Christmas Eve