Random: Paper Kate

[I wrote this late last night, hence the slightly tipsy tone and whatnot.]

There was a Scot at a dinner party tonight. When I learnt he was from Fort William I cringed a little. Unsurprisingly when he learnt I was from, he automatically got a bit defensive. Fort William – like Berwick-Upon-Tweed – had been the centre of political wars for a couple of centuries, and my backyard hadn’t been quite kind towards towns like Fort William. *cough* Let’s move swiftly on.

Once he had some booze in him, he loosened up and chatted about things that we don’t get in England and elsewhere. Somewhere along the line he suddenly asked, “Knows Paper Kate?” I nearly fell off the chair laughing. It’s been years since I heard that name.

I told him it confused the hell out of us because it was in Scots, a language that wasn’t quite well known up where we were. It was part of our (Scottish) English literature. He bragged he didn’t have any problems understanding it. None of his class mates did. Feh.

When I got home, I googled as I couldn’t remember it in its entirety. Surprisingly (or maybe not), it’s widely available online, but no attribution and no English translation. So I thought it would be fun to give it a try.

Paper Kate — Walter Wingate

[Nowt = nothing. Owt = anything. I am using nowt and owt here to retain that Scots / northern English feel.]

SCOTS | ENGLISH

Wha but kens o’ Paper Kate? [Who but knows of Paper Kate?]
Trudgin’, pechin’ air and late, [Trudging, panting air and late,]
Sair forfouchen, never bate, [sore ridden, never beaten,]
Reglar as the post was Kate. [regular as the mail was Kate.]

Winter storms micht rage and blaw, [Winter storms might rage and blow,]
Roads be deep in driftit snaw, [roads be deep in driftin' snow,]
Bus micht coup and train micht wait, [bus might tilt over and train might wait,]
But nocht could taigle Paper Kate. [but nowt could stop Paper Kate.]

Up the mile-lang village street [Up the mile-long village street]
Cam’ the trot o’ Katie’s feet; [came the trot of Katie's feet;]
Roun’ the farms and villas nate [rounded the farms and grand houses,]
Nae dog barked at Paper Kate. [no dog barked at Paper Kate.]

A’ the weanies in the place [All the little children in this place]
Kent her wee roun’ wrunklet face; [knew her little round wrinkled face;]
Rinnin’ scuddy to the gate, [Running on air to the gate,]
Aft they welcomed Paper Kate. [more than not they welcomed Paper Kate.]

Kate had crack for auld and young [Kate had the time to chat for old and young]
Wha was deid and wha was hung, [Who was dead and who was hung,]
And a’ the great affairs o’ state, [and all the great affairs of state,]
Nane could reel them aff like Kate. [none could reel them off like Kate.]

Katie’s shawl – ’twas ocht but warm [Katie's shawl - it was owt but warm]
That shielded aye her ware frae harm, [that shielded always her ware from harm,]
Lang had lost its young conceit [had long lost its youthful conceit]
When first it met wi’ Paper Kate. [when it first met with Paper Kate.]

Katie’s shoon – in winter worn – [Katie's shoes - worn through winter -]
Aff were flung at May’s return: [off were flung at Spring's return:]
“Shoon an’ siller’s ill to get ["Shoes and money are awful to get,]
Hackit heels are cheap!” quo’ Kate. [ugly heels are cheap!" quoted Kate.]

Blithe when weary banes were sair, [Nonchalant when weary bones were sore,]
Cheery aye, though auld and puir; [cheery always, though old and poor;]
Nane that ever foucht wi’ Fate [None that ever fought with Fate]
Kept a spunkier heart than Kate. [had a fierier heart than Kate.]

But ae winter mornin’ snell [But one severe winter morning,]
Puir auld Katie slip’t and fell: [poor old Kate slipped and fell:]
Hame was carried, cauld and quate – [home was carried, cold and quiet - ]
Syne we heard nae mair o’ Kate. [since then we heard no more of Kate.]

Where she lies there’s few that care – [Where she lies there's few that care -]
Whiles a daisy waukens there, [sometimes a daisy wakens there;]
But for stane, or name, or date, [But for stone, or name, or date,]
Wha wad fash for Paper Kate? [who would bother for Paper Kate?]

Pfft. I had fun doing this. In spite of speculations, I still don’t know the meaning of ‘paper’ of Paper Kate. I thought perhaps she was a post-woman, but I’m not sure. A rags-and-bones woman? Librarian? A gatherer of unwanted books? Who knows?

I wouldn’t have pulled this off if I didn’t meet him tonight. He talked a lot, so it helped me to pin down a pattern, which is still bouncing around in my head. Anyhow, I might some day do another.