Dunnie
A Dunnie is a small Brownie-like being in the folklore of the Anglo-Scottish borders, specifically Northumberland, the most famous being that of the Hazlerigg Dunnie of Hazlerigg in the parish of Chatton, Northumberland.[1] The Dunnie has been known to take the form of a horse in order to trick a rider into mounting him before disappearing and leaving them in the muddiest part of the road. He also is said to disguise as plough-horses only to vanish when the ploughman takes him into the stalls.[1]
The Dunnie was also said to wander the crags and dales of the Cheviots singing:
- "Cockenheugh there's gear enough,
- Collierheugh there's mair,
- For I've lost the key o' the Bounders, (or "It is also "I've lost the key o' the Bowden-door.")
- An' I'm ruined for evermair."[1]
The Dunnie is thus thought to be a ghost of a reiver who hoarded his loot in the fells and guards his ill-gotten gains to this day.[1]
In full the song of the dunnie goes:
- "Cockenheugh there's gear enough,
- Collierheugh there's mair,
- For I've lost the key o' the Bounders"
- "Ross for rabbits, and Elwick for kail,
- Of a' the' towns e'er I saw Howick for ale:
- Howick for ale, and Kyloe for scrubbers,
- Of a' the towns e'er I saw Lowick for robbers;-
- Lowick for robbers, Buckton for breed,
- Of a' the towns e'er I saw Holy Island for need;-
- Holy Island for need, and Grindon for kye,
- Of a' the towns e'er I saw Doddington for rye:-
- Doddington for rye, Bowisdon for rigs,
- Of a' the towns e'er I saw Barmoor for whigs:-
- Barmour for whigs, Tweedmouth for doors,
- Of a' the towns e'er I saw Ancroft for whores:-
- Ancroft for whores, and Spittal for fishers,
- Of a' the towns e'er I saw Berrington for dishes."[2]
References
- ^ a b c d Notes on the folk-lore of the northern counties of England and the borders By William Henderson, 1866, pages 227-228.
- ^ Folk-lore: or, A collection of local rhymes, proverbs, sayings, prophecies, slogans, &c. relating to Northumberland, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and Berwick-on-Tweed, Michael Aislabie Denham, 1858, pp. 136-137