http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t0bv

I think we will have no problem if little green people can understand us:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/521441.stm

THE TRUTH ABOOT THE WAALL

It was built for the Romans, way back in the past;

They built it with stone, and they built it to last.

Quite a change for the locals from digging for coal

And it kept a large number of men off the dole.

It was the Emperor Hadrian who started it all

When he ordered the peasants to build him this waall.

Just what it was for there was neebody sure

And the reasons he gave were a little obscure.

"This waall," said the Emperor, rubbing his chin,

"Is to stop aall the Picts and the Scots getting in;

Aa'm used to the Geordies, Aa knaa aall their tricks,

But Aa just cannit stomach the Scots and the Picts".

They started the Waall on the banks of the Tyne

And they tried very hard for to keep a strite line.

There were thoosands of Geordies with shovels and picks

And the rate for the job was eleven and six.

The stones for the Waall came by bogie and barrow;

They were cut from the quarries at Hebburn and Jarrow.

They floated them over the Tyne on a raft,

(Them owld fashioned Geordies could certainly graft).

They travelled to Byker with nivver a spell

But they stopped for a pint when they reached the "Bluebell".

Then on across meadow and valley and dyke

With nivvor a murmur of trouble or stike.

Onwards they went, heading West all the time,

Still trying their best for to keep a strite line.

In summer they struggled through bracken and heather

And they plodged in the clarts during inclement weather.

They laid the last stone on the second of June

and Hadrian said, "Lads, Aa'm ower the moon,

Aa would like you to knaa that Aa'm proud of you aall,

And Aa thank you aall kindly for building me waall".

A big celebration was held at Carlisle;

They had a grand neet and they done it in style.

The picks and the shovels were aall put away

And the workers were given an extra week's pay.

The Picts and the Scots were a little bit vexed

And voices were raised and muscles were flexed.

But their yelling and shootin' did nee good at aall;

It takes more than taalkin' to get past a waail.

And that is the story, believe it or not,

Of how they defeated the Pict and the Scot;

How the Waall was constructed for one man's enjoyment

And the North-East was rescued from mass unemployment.

.

Very canny varses aal aboot the Waal, dis enybodi hev the Lampton worm?

Remember we are North of the wall!

Lots of our names indicate we were Border Reivers, with our own laws.

Blacklaw, Greenlaw, the names are still there. Surnames and place names!

I have the folk tale, but I am going to have to scan etc to put it on the web site.

The book was given to me in 1955 for good attendance at the Glebe Road Sunday School!

Apologies if I do not succeed!

It is the thought that counts! Some might say!

What about Caa' Hawkie (pronounced Kare Hacky)? I recall the class being taught many of the local folk songs ... top class at West End Juniors (Ridge Terrace) in 61 and I still remember the words to many of them to this day. I can't remember the name of the teacher but she served-up a wide range of topics, ranging from Greek Mythology (I'm still hooked on this) through to the ubiquitous Nature Table. The table was loaded with fossils obviously recovered from Costains. Ah, happy days.

Do check-out this site which has all the songs listed and you can listen to them

http://www.northumbriaanthology.com/

Here goes:-

Growing up with the worm:-

Just eaten chips walking home.

Scraps, bits, did we call them ' scramsuns'

Living in exile for part of my life has it's disadvantages

Scranchings we used to call them

Sorry Brett & Maggie/915 but the word is scramptions.

The best ones ever were got from Rhoda`s chipshop; next to the Queens in Guide Post.

Sorry Brett & Maggie/915 but the word is scramptions.

The best ones ever were got from Rhoda`s chipshop; next to the Queens in Guide Post.

We used to call them scrumtions

i have got to aggree about the comment posted about rhodas chipshop at guidepost they took a lot of beeting .

Me luvly aad Mother-in-law,Jinny,lived at Puddler's raa,afore the war,[she might even have been born there,in 1909,cos she lived next door to her Parents....!!],and she used ti say "waatch yi divvent trip owa them "LORKS" in the carpet......!

I never heard of that one in my part of Bedlington[East-end] .

Also she would often say.."Wa gaana hae sumbody knocking on thi door,tha's a stranger on thi bar.."[referring to biggish pieces of

sooty flakes on the coal fire grate bars moving back and forth with the updraft in the chimney!].

Naa...!...Mrs Gates,bottom end,aside the Black Bull,couldn't be beaten...Maggie's reet except for a missing "h"....it's "scramshuns"!!!Everybody ti tha aan,a say!

Mrs Gates was next to bacci not bottom end

How about 'Hacky Lazy'

Or

The ultimate embarrassing question growing up ' are you courting yet'

As if you would tell them if you were!

In Newcastle you can now buy a sign saying:-

Née Smerkin

Bought it for a friend, but I do not think she will receive it.

What's your fettle, or abuse in the region of I will fettle him/ her.

We do use some classic language, very expressive.

Is it just used in Northumberland.

A'm ganning tappy lappy doon the heathery lonin with a baary mort. Morpethese.

Not just in Northumberland, down in Durham, especially southwards, its all thou and thee.

Talking of Morpeth and how about the Mordue Brewary.

Beers named Radgie Gadgie and Workie Ticket. Good beer and brilliant names

I laughed at Julia asking what Clarts were

i used to call the girls from morpeth baary morts along with my friends i spent some time in morpeth as a young lad .enjoyed every moment of it .