Taen wi Force

A'll niver get ower thon waefu moarnin whuniver tha Airish raiders cum… Ye ken, thon wus a lang time syne but I mine it lake it wus yestreen.

A maun hae bin aboot sïxteen. Ma femlie an me wus leevin wi oor sarvints in a bonnie villa forenenst tha shore. We wur aa sleepin in oor hooses whan thair wus this narration ootbye…

Here's an able-lukkin weefla – we'll get a guid dale o siller fur him!

Get aff me, lee me alane. Ma! Da! Aaagh!

Richt – that's aa we hae ruim tae tak! Cum on oot o here afore tha tide turns.

We wur crammed aa wyes intil thon boat. Thur wus nae ruim tae budge ava, an tha wattèr wus sloppin an spleshin up ower tha sides. If it went doon, A knowed A wudnae be fit tae save masel fur ma hans an enklers wur langelt. A wus hairt-scarred an gye an sair aa ower. Tha boat wus made o wooden boords – thair wus nae sates an A wus jist squash't intae tha bottom whar it wus hard an wat an mingin. A'd nae thocht aboot whut wus gaun on, whar A wus bein tuk tae, or if A wud iver see ma femlie or ma hame agane. A'd heerd aboot these kidnappers an A kent A wus aply gaun tae be soul fur a slave. Thon wus tha waur thing iver cum aboot in ma hale life – an thon boat journey A thocht wud niver en.

Hae, tak houl o thon rape. Aa richt, get thaim slaves oot o tha boat. Richt, weefla, cum this road.

Richt, wha's gaun tae gie me big money fur this yin? Lang, strang, guid teeth. This yin'll be fit tae wark aa day fur onie maister. Wha's lukkin a sarvint lad? He jist taaks tha Latin but he's canny an he's haed a guid schuilin sae he'll lairn Airish richt awa.

A'll hae him. A hae need o a herd tae mine ma flocks. A'll gie ye guid money fur tha weefla.

Weel, A've haed daleins wi ye afore an A ken ye tae be honest eneuch. Gie iz yer han. Weel, laddie, whut dae ye say? Hoo dae ye lake yer new maister?

Whut dae the' caa ye, boy?

Patricius.

Patricius! Fair faa ye tae Airlan. Here ye'll be Petherick an this man wull be yer maister. Dinnae gie him onie lip noo or ye'll hae me tae answer tae!

Richt, boy, we hae a lang trevell aheid o iz. Aff we gang.

He wus richt aboot tha lang dannèr. Fur days we stoiter't on an on. A haed tae walk ahint this new maister wi ma hans aye boond sae A wudnae rin aff. A'd a bin ower feart tae try oniehoo. Thair wur nae roads lake A wus uised tae at hame, nae villas, nae kintrie domains. It wus aa wile braes an plantins iveriewhar A lukt. We niver seemt tae cum oot o tha trees.

Frae time tae time, A saa clachans o wee wood hooses wi roofs made o strae. Tha fowk in them haed on strange claes an taakt in a tongue A'd niver heerd afore. Aa A kent wus wi ilka step A tuk, A wus gettin mair an mair far awa frae ma hame an ma life an aa A'd iver knowed.

Noo Petherick, I hae paid fur ye an ye'r ma slave. Yer job is tae mine ma sheep day an nicht, keepin thaim safe frae raiders an wile bastes. Ye maun mak siccar nane o the sheep danners aff, an ye maun tak thaim tae caller fiels whar the' can ait tha gress. Mine oot fur tha wolves!