0:00:07 > 0:00:09# Katie Morag
0:00:09 > 0:00:11# Far away across the ocean
0:00:11 > 0:00:13# Katie Morag
0:00:13 > 0:00:15# Over the sea to Struay
0:00:15 > 0:00:17# Katie Morag
0:00:17 > 0:00:20# Far away across the ocean
0:00:20 > 0:00:21# Katie Morag
0:00:21 > 0:00:24# Over the sea to Struay
0:00:24 > 0:00:26# Katie Morag. #
0:00:26 > 0:00:29LAUGHTER AND CHATTING
0:00:29 > 0:00:30I love parties
0:00:30 > 0:00:35and I reckon Grannie Island's are the best in the whole wide world.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38They go on way past our bedtime.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41But, as long as we've brushed our teeth and put on our jammies,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44we're allowed to stay up.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Grannie Island doesn't call them parties,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49she calls them ceilidhs.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Right then, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen,
0:00:58 > 0:01:00let's gather round.
0:01:00 > 0:01:07Who's ready tonight for some real entertainment?
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Most people think ceilidhs are all about dressing in kilts
0:01:10 > 0:01:13and whirling each other round the room.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17But at Grannie Island's ceilidhs we don't just dance, we sing songs,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20play music and tell stories, as well.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Oh, well done!
0:01:40 > 0:01:44Now, whose turn is it to pin the tail on the island?
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Me! Me, me, me, please.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51You know this? You've been such a good girl, it is your turn. Come on.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08We always play pin the tail at Grannie Island's ceilidhs.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13The children take turns sticking a wee pin on the map of Struay.
0:02:13 > 0:02:19Then one of the grown-ups tells us a tale about that part of the island.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Hm, it's the Holiday House.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Who knows a story about the Holiday House?
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- I believe I have a good one. - On you go, then, Peter.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41This is a story about a woman called Mrs Finlayson,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45who lived in a wee croft near the ruined village not too long ago.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48She lived with her husband and her two children -
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Donald, who was eight, and Maggie, nearly six.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53The family were poor,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57but Mrs Finlayson always made sure the children were fed and clothed.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00And anyone who knew her would say what kind
0:03:00 > 0:03:02and helpful friend she was.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07But, despite her many good points, Mrs Finlayson was not happy.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Indeed, she would get very grumpy sometimes
0:03:10 > 0:03:14and her face would get all tight and twisty.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Like she was eating a lemon, but forgot to add sugar.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20The family would try not to laugh,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22but the reason that Mrs Finlayson was grumpy
0:03:22 > 0:03:26was that she believed she wasn't quite as good as everyone else.
0:03:26 > 0:03:32She couldn't help but feel ashamed of their little house and poorness.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35And when she felt like that, lemony face would appear.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39In those days, a very rich woman would come to Struay
0:03:39 > 0:03:41every summer for holidays
0:03:41 > 0:03:43and stay in the big Holiday House.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48One particular day, Mrs Finlayson met the holiday woman in the shop.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Just as she was leaving, the Ferryman's wife came in,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and, to Mrs Finlayson's amazement, the holiday woman said,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58"Marvellous high tea, yesterday, Mrs Ferryman.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01"Delicious cake. Thank you."
0:04:01 > 0:04:07Well, you could have blown Mrs Finlayson down with a feather.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Imagine inviting the holiday woman to high tea?!
0:04:11 > 0:04:15The idea of such a person seeing inside her own poor little cottage
0:04:15 > 0:04:17filled her with embarrassment.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Yet, Mrs Ferryman's cottage was much the same as hers.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23She didn't know where it came from,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27but she was as surprised as everyone else when she heard herself say,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30"Perhaps you would like to come to lunch next Tuesday?"
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The holiday woman smiled and said, "I would be delighted."
0:04:34 > 0:04:37The days leading up to the holiday woman's visit
0:04:37 > 0:04:40were a hurly-burly of preparation.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Mrs Finlayson cleaned the cottage from top to bottom.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Maggie collected flowers for the table
0:04:46 > 0:04:48and Donald took a handful of books
0:04:48 > 0:04:50and placed them above the fireplace,
0:04:50 > 0:04:54just as if they were always there and often read.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56But still Mrs Finlayson worried.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59The reason was a person I haven't yet mentioned -
0:04:59 > 0:05:02a very old man by the name of Murdo.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Murdo was the children's grandfather. A kind, gentle man,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10he'd lived with the family since before Maggie was born.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13He was frail and not steady with his hands.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16At meal times, he would struggle to feed himself.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Much of his dinner landed on the table or the floor.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Mrs Finlayson was a kindly woman
0:05:21 > 0:05:24and rarely complained when Murdo made a mess.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27But rarely isn't never.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29So she bought a deep clay bowl for Murdo.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32It meant the food didn't skitter off so easily.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36It was known as Granpa's bowl and no-ne else ever used it.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So, Tuesday lunch arrived and the Finlayson family,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43dressed in their Sunday best, opened the door to the holiday woman
0:05:43 > 0:05:47and welcomed her to their house. At first, everything went well.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50The holiday woman made "ooh" and "ah" noises
0:05:50 > 0:05:52about the "darling" house.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56She chatted to the children, who were on best behaviour.
0:05:56 > 0:05:57Mrs Finlayson relaxed.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Murdo made an effort to delicately eat the delicious soup
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Mrs Finlayson had prepared from the spinach they grew on the croft.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09It might have been better if he hadn't made such an effort.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12To try to be tidy, he'd lift the bowl to his lips
0:06:12 > 0:06:16but he lost his grip and it slipped from his fingers.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19In his panic, Murdo gave the bowl a thwack.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20It tumbled through the air
0:06:20 > 0:06:23and landed in front of the holiday woman
0:06:23 > 0:06:25and exploded into a dozen pieces,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28showering her with bright-green spinach soup.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Everyone looked at the green sludge making its way
0:06:35 > 0:06:42from her blonde curls down over her surprised face to its destination -
0:06:42 > 0:06:46the front of her oyster-pink casual day jacket.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Suddenly, Mrs Finlayson leapt into action.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52She snatched up a napkin and started wiping the jacket,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56but all she did was spread the stain further and deeper.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58The holiday woman was kind and gracious,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01but Mrs Finlayson could tell she was upset.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05So you can guess what expression Mrs Finlayson made. Yep.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Lemony face.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12Poor Murdo felt terrible and left the table without saying a word.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16The holiday woman finished her soup. and when it was time to leave,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19politely declared she'd had a delightful time.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23But, as she shut the door, Mrs Finlayson said, "That's it,
0:07:23 > 0:07:28"Murdo is only to have bread and butter in his room from now on."
0:07:28 > 0:07:33What had she been thinking, inviting the holiday woman to lunch?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35She was a penniless nobody
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and penniless nobodies should remember their place.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43An hour passed. The afternoon was marching to evening.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Still cross, she went back to the kitchen.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50To her surprise, she found Maggie and Donald sitting at the table
0:07:50 > 0:07:54with the broken pieces from Granpa's bowl and a small jar of glue.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56"What are you doing?" she asked.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59"Fixing Granpa's bowl," Maggie replied.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01"I can see that. Why?!"
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Maggie sighed. "We suppose that Granpa won't need it
0:08:05 > 0:08:08"now you said he is only allowed bread and butter.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12"But, one day, you'll be old like him and we will be, too,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16"so we'll need the bowl for when our time comes."
0:08:16 > 0:08:21Well, her daughter's wise words broke Mrs Finlayson's heart.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23She began to cry.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27She cried until wee Maggie came over and put her arms around her.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Then a funny thing happened. She began to laugh.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And Maggie laughed and Donald joined in
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and they laughed until tears ran down their cheeks.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40She went to Murdo and told him she was truly sorry
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and she'd heat a fresh bowl of soup
0:08:42 > 0:08:46and would be honoured if he'd join her at the table.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50That's exactly what he did - that day and every day that followed.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54Of course, he still spills some from time to time,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58but a little soup on the tablecloth never hurt anyone.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00As for the holiday woman,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02she got most of the stain out of her jacket.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05But on sunny days, Mrs Finlayson was sure
0:09:05 > 0:09:07she could see the merest trace of green.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10In the past, it would've filled her with shame.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13But something had changed her that day
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and the stain on the holiday woman's jacket,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18well, it merely made her smile.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22APPLAUSE
0:09:26 > 0:09:30That was a lovely story, Peter, thank you.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34- Now, Alistair and Jane, let's have another tune.- Yes.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38We all love the ceilidh stories and always want to hear more,
0:09:38 > 0:09:43but Grannie always says the same thing, over and over again,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45"Time for another tune."
0:09:45 > 0:09:49And by the time the grown-ups have finished dancing,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51we're usually fast asleep.