D153
<F L9>
<S Charles Fox>
<G M>
<A 83>
<O RETIRED FARM LABOURER>
<C LINCOLNSHIRE>
<V SCOPWICK>
<D 29-09-52>
<I SE>
<L CN S61>
<T 6:36>
<CF Was walking down the # [/] the [\] road,
walking on the roads,
in the street and # he went past # one of his old neighbours,
and uh [/] and [\] he had a [/] he had a [\] [*gilt*].
He had a [*gilt*] and uh +…
She had pigs.
So he [/] he [\] says to my father,
he says uh,
he says,
+” Now, “+
he says,
+” tha there xxx pig xxx. “+
he says.
He says uh,
+” She has eleven pigs.
# Now, “+
he says uh,
+” You xxx to come and have a look at (th)em. “+
Well,
my father went through the gate and [/] and [\] uh he had a little barrel of beer,
in the # chap house,
this [/] this this [\] neighbour of his had.
He said,
+” You [/] you [\] ‘d better have a drink (b)efore you go up the yard Bucks. “+
+” Alright. “+
he says.
So he [/] he [\] totted him +…
he had a little horn,
well,
he totted xxx (the) horn up and # gave it to my father and # he drank that up.
He says,
+” You ‘d better have another. “+
he says,
+” To wet both eyes,
you know. “+
# So,
he [/] he [\] got another horn down him and # [/] and [\] away they went to look at these pigs.
And there was a xxx.
And uh # well,
my father says,
+” Well, “+
he says,
+” Now, “+
he says,
+” Them’s about the loveliest lot of pigs as ever I ‘ve seen. “+
And uh # he says,
+” I [/] I [\] think I shall # knock this here # [/] knock this here [\] little chap on the head. “+
he says.
That was the [*reckling*].
He says,
+” There don’t seem to be any more tit.
there ‘s no tit for him. “+
So my father says,
+” I shouldn’t knock him on the head. “+
he says.
+” He looks lively enough. “+
And uh,
+” Well, “+
he says uh,
he says,
+” It ‘ll do no good. “+
Anyway he says uh,
he says,
+” I ‘ll buy him on you,
if you like.
I ‘ll give you half a crown for it. “+
+” No, “+
he says,
+” I won’t take naught for that grubby little thing, “+
he says.
+” I ‘ll give him if you want him. “+ CF>
<OS www www www www www. OS>
<CF So,
my father went and fetched his overcoat,
off the roadside and # slipped him in the pocket and brought him home.
# So # I was a kid going to school then.
So he says to me,
he says,
+” Uh # when you next go Charlie, “+
he says,
+” Go down to Old xxx xxx,
and ask him if he ‘ll lend your father # one of them lamb tits. “+
Lamb tits in bottle.
xxx.
Well I went to old # xxx at xxx,
and # he let me away xxx the tit and the bottle and all.
brought it home and # [/] and [\] uh,
Mother has to feed this here pig,
she has to fill this here bottle with milk and # [/] and [\] uh we put him in the [*hovel*],
cause my father,
he ‘d a [/] a [\] big pig in his other sty,
so he wouldn’t put him in with it,
thought it might kill him. CF>
||
<CF So uh # Mother has to feed this pig and # [/] and [\] uh he used to yell like mad for his meals.
And # Mother used to take him this here bottle and he ‘d # collar round the tit and he ‘d xxx the milk out in quick time.
And yell for some more.
[!= laughs]
Well,
fed him like that for a time and # [/] and [\] then,
my father went and +…
oh,
a- after he ‘d got some # xxx,
Father used to give him a little bit of dry wheat and give him a +…
just a handful in the morning for him to crack that.
And uh then,
he went to the ironmongers at Metheringham,
and bought a # little metal trough.
And Mother used to give him about a basinful of stuff at a time.
oats,
and that sort of thing,
you know and,
# water.
And uh,
# he went on like that while my father killed the # big pig,
then he shoved him in the +…
He took the big pig’s place in the sty.
Well,
# they couldn’t give him naught wrong to eat,
you know.
He would eat # any mortal thing.
Even rhubarb.
[!= laughs]
And uh he went on and on like that there and,
one day when [/] when [\] the old neighbour was going past,
old xxx xxx,
he shouted him in.
See,
+” Come and have a look at this pig xxx. “+
So xxx come [: came] and had a look at him,
+” By Gad! “+
he says,
He said,
+” He ‘s [/] he ‘s [\] the best pig of the bunch. “+
So he says,
+” I think I did wrong wi(th) giving you that pig. “+
[!= laughs]
So,
+” Well, “+
he says,
+” I don’t know about that. “+
He says,
+” it ‘s too late now. “+
So,
+” Well, “+
he says,
+” He ‘s a goner. “+
And he kept going on and on like that there,
and my father,
he fed him for a year and (a) half,
and then he killed it.
And uh,
he wan’t in the habit of weighing his [/] his [\] pigs when he killed (th)em really.
And uh,
because he said,
+” It +…
They only made more or less on (th)em. “+
But he called his old neighbour in,
old Billy Barker,
and they cut this pig up and # [/] and [\] uh they weighed it.
And when it was weighed,
it weighed thirty nine stone and (a) half. CF>
Transcription by Juhani Klemola and Mark Jones, 1999 See http://digital.library.leeds.ac.uk/381/1/LSE_1999_pp17-30_Klemola_Jones_article.pdf and http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/ach-allc.99/proceedings/scott.html
