A 'grýle' verse from Fair Isle/Orkney

[Ljun]

This 'grýle' verse was recorded in Orkney from an orcadian man who had learnt it from a Fair Isle fisherman.

(Had thee tongue noo),
For the great muckle Grullyan ['grʌrljən]
He comes ipo the lum;
He cries oot – Foreenyie, koneenyie! [fɔr'inji, kɔn'inji]
Up spak Nicodemus
Wi’ his staff and be handy
And he hat the muckle Grullyan
Right ipo the twangi. [ə'po 'twaŋi]
The muckle Grullyan went aff howlan bowlan ['hɔulən 'bɔulən]
Cryan Loosberra Stoosberra ['lu:sbĮrə 'stu:sbĮrə ]
Koil awa the Lenye. [kɔil ə'waðə'lenj]

Version two:

The Great Muckle Grulyan
He comes upo the lum;
He cries oot for eenyee caneenyee
Up spak Nicodemus
Wi his staff an be handy
An he hat the Muckle Grulyan
Right upa ee twangy
The mucle Grullyan went aff howlin bowlin
Linkim Bill-y handy
Lusburo stoozburo koil awa the linyea


(The Grullyan = grýlan - the grýla)
(for eenyee = hverr er inni - who is within)
(spak = sprakk - sprang, leaped up)
(be handy = behændigt? Dan.)
(upo ee = upp á - upon)
(twangy = þunn-vangi - temple (of head))
(bowlan = baulandi = bellowing)
(Linkim Bill-y handy = longum Bill? i hendi - long Bill? in (his) hand)
(koil awa the-l(inyea) = coil (Sc. run) í veg til inyea?)

[Hnolt]

Thank you Ljun! Do you quote this from Hugh Marwick's Orkney Norn or from another source?

[Hrafn]

How many poems do we have which have left overs from norn in them?

[Ljun]

Yes, from Hugh Marwick's Orkney Norn

I think we actually have an exteded native norn wordlist in these fragments, also the heavily anglified ones, not to be underestimated.

Hrafn wrote:

How many poems do we have which have left overs from norn in them?

A few more I think, I have a second verse for the Unst boat song, f.x.

[Valgarth]

Just in case it is of use / interest – “GRÝLA, GRÝLUR, GRØLEKS AND SKEKLERS: FOLK DRAMA IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC IN THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES?” A discussion of the of related terms, etymology, folk traditions etc (including Shetland, Faroe and Iceland etc) http://jol.ismennt.is/english/gryla-terry-gunnell.htm

Does anyone have any idea who "Nicodemus Wi’ his staff " is? I'm guessing "Saint Nicodemus"? e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Englis ... _Nicodemus

Or is it likely that "Nicodemus" is an alteration of some earlier name, in which case, any suggestions?

[Hnolt]