apple davy?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 1/20/2010 03:53 PM, Robin Hamilton wrote:
>>Apple Davie, currant Tarn,
>>Sugar rollie, black nmri.
>>
>>(XairTi)
>>
>>[I warned you the scanning was poor!  And I don't know what "XairTi"
>>might be or mean; this its only appearance in the scan.]
>
>The original has:
>
>        Apple Davie, currant Tam,
>        Sugar rollie, black man.
>                                                    (Nairn)
>
>-- so Nairn, in Scotland.

I did see Nairn in another snippet, although preceding this rhyme,
and Buchan was another clue.  :-)  But I was reluctant to assert that
"XairTi" was "Nairn" mis-scanned!  Somehow it led my mind not to the
Northern but to the Middle Kingdom.

Now, Robin, tell us what "(a) currant Tam" is!  I don't see any clues
in the DSL.  A childish pronunciation of "jam"??

Joel


>The 40 page book is devoted to specifically Scottish Counting Rhymes:
>
>FOREWORD,
>
>The Counting-out Rhymes contained in this little book were orally collected,
>chiefly in the North-East of Scotland. The spelling of the words is
>according
>to the pronunciation. The collection-read at a meeting of the Buchan
>Field Club in Peterhead on Wednesday, 1st May, 1889-may be an aid to
>those who wish to study this curious and interesting branch of Folk-lore, as
>well as of Philology. To all who have helped me in my pleasant work I give
>my best thanks.
>
>PITSLIGO, FRASERBURGH,
>June, 1891.

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