Address to a Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!

Aboon them a' ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe, or thairm:

Weel are ye wordy of a grace

As lang's my arm.

So begins a rather wordy address by Robert Burns to the Scottish delicacy, which was served on Saturday night at the annual Robert Burns Dinner. Ken and I thought we would give the evening a try and it was really interesting. Now the invitation said Scotitsh dress or Sunday best but what they really meant was to pull out your tartan and wear it proudly. My goodness there were some pretty impressive full kilt uniforms worn that night. And also some of the best white beards and mustaches that have ever been on BYU campus. Ken said I would never be able to get him in a kilt but I bet Kendall would have take the bait and would have the legs for it too!

This is an annual dinner that takes place all over the world and in very precise manner. Of course there was the bagpipe, but what was really great was the "piping in of the Haggis". The piper pipes in the escorts with shouldered swords, the cook, and the Haggis. Then a full dressed Scotsman recited the "Address to the Haggis" in his wonderful brouge while he slice the Haggis with a sword. There were the toast (apple juice) to Robert Burns, the laddies, the lassies and whatever else. Reciting of Burns poetry, singing, scottish jokes, and wonderful food. Yes, I did try the Haggis and yes I really liked it. If you get too squimish about the ingredients, just keep in mind that hotdogs are made of the same things.

1. I learned that you never mention that you are Irish at a table of Scots. (Why a McLaughlin and a McEntire would not be welcomed at a table of McDougal's and Macintosh's, I don't know. Just kidding everyone was nice)

2. I learned that I like Haggis My mother always made her turkey dressing with livers, necks, hearts and gizzards and that is what it tasted like

3. I learned that I really liked and had already heard Burns poetry, like "My love is like a red red rose" "Auld Lang Signe" "Annie Lauri".

4. I learned that he may have been a great poet but not a very moral man.

4. I learned a couple of silly jokes that sound much better with a brouge.

A scot was washed up on an deserted island. After he realized that he was not going to be rescued, he got busy and built a home. Then once he was done, he built a church. Then when he was done with the church, he built another church. Finally one day he was rescued. The rescuer said, "I understand why you built the house and why you built the church, but why did you build the other church." "Oh that is the one I don't attend".

Another scot was washed up on a deserted island. Just as he thought that all was over, a beautiful woman suddenly appeared and asked him if he wanted something to drink? "yes, I want some scotsh whiskey. PUFF, suddenly he had all that the whiskey he wanted. Then she asked if he wanted something to eat. "Yes, I would love some Haggis and PUFF suddenly he had all the Haggis he wanted. Then she aked if he wanted to play around. "You mean they have golf here too?"

Farewell to the Highlands by Robert Burns

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,

The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;

Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.

Chorus.—

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;

Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,

My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.

Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,

Farewell to the straths and green vallies below;

Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,

Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;

Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,

My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go