Monday, 14 March 2011

Stout Encounter

WILLOW'S MAGPIE No 57



At the 'Shamrock' Inn in Kilburn, north west London, the preparations for St. Patrick's Day were well in hand; extra bottles of Irish Whiskey and barrels of Guinness had been laid on and several regulars were practising what they meant to do well on the day itself: getting gloriously drunk.

One mighty old labourer proved particularly successful; having reached that stage where it is obligatory to burst into song, that's what he did, at the top of his voice and, for an Irishman, remarkably unmelodiously and raucously:

"did ye mother come from Oireland, cos' there's something in ye Oirish, and the Oirish in ye steals me heart away . . . . " he bellowed.

At the other end of the bar sat a little chap, crying softly into his pint of Guinness.

The large, buxom barmaid noticed his sadness, leant over the bar and took his hand into her plump fingers.

"Poor lad", she said, "have ye just come from the old country yourself then?" She hadn't seen him in the Shamrock before this night.


"No, I have not,  the little man sobbed,  I am a musician".
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39 comments:

  1. Brian Miller14 March 2011 at 16:32

    *snickers* hope yer wearin yer greens this week...

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  2. schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.com14 March 2011 at 16:47

    If I began to sing, the birds would weep. Dianne

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  3. Jinksy14 March 2011 at 17:01

    No Irishman would cry into his Guinness - it would water it down too much!! LOL

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  4. Kathe W.14 March 2011 at 17:01

    oh my you made me laugh out loud! This is so funny!

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  5. Helena14 March 2011 at 17:10

    Oi really loved this, Friko. You're so unique!!

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  6. Molly14 March 2011 at 17:28

    Like when the so and so's wear headphones and 'sing' along out of tune to whatever they happen to be listening too! Love your stories Friko!

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  7. Unknown14 March 2011 at 17:29

    Just made me smile!Terrific little twist.

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  8. SmitoniusAndSonata14 March 2011 at 17:41

    Heavens ! Trust a musician to be all nitpicky about what it SOUNDS like ..... It's the EMOTION that counts (says the Irish bandmaster's great-grandaughter) .

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  9. Marilyn & Jeff14 March 2011 at 17:47

    He most probably would have brought tears to the eyes of many!

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  10. LC14 March 2011 at 19:31

    A laugh out loud post sure does make the day brighter!

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  11. Kay L. Davies14 March 2011 at 19:38

    So funny, Friko.
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  12. DJan14 March 2011 at 20:49

    Hyuk hyuk, that is funny! I guess I'd better scour my closet for the green I wore last year...

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  13. Brigid O'Connor14 March 2011 at 20:53

    Loved it, Friko, I think I may have been in that pub in Kilburn once upon a time. I don't know what happens to us Irish as soon as we leave our country, at home we listen to the same music as everyone else, as soon as we are abroad we mutate into extras from 'The Quiet Man' - 'Tooraloora, loora...' Happy St Patricks Day!!

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  14. DebbyMc14 March 2011 at 21:11

    Haha! Great!

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  15. Glenn Buttkus14 March 2011 at 21:27

    No one can find the levity
    in the cabbage like you can.
    A grand rousing hilarious
    poetic prose, and a wonderful
    addition to the Gaelic flavor
    or this week's prompts.

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  16. Tumblewords:15 March 2011 at 03:18

    Laughing - this is full of celebration and a fine nod to the Guinness!

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  17. Anonymous15 March 2011 at 06:41

    haha, wen wundert es, dass gerade Du dieses Ereignis miterlebt hast...!

    Ich wünsche Dir einen schönen sonnigen Tag!

    Renée

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  18. June15 March 2011 at 06:57

    A merry tale!
    I do believe there's something to be said for the joy of singing, whether or not it's perfectly done.
    Perhaps that would be the Irish in me talking.

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  19. marciamayo15 March 2011 at 08:30

    I didn't know you were Irish, Friko. Oh yes, we are all Irish around St. Paddy's Day.

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  20. Tess Kincaid15 March 2011 at 12:31

    Cute one. Thanks for the giggles!

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  21. RJ Clarken15 March 2011 at 12:32

    Oh my gosh - Friko! This was fabulous! I really didn't see it coming until the end - and you did it with perfect timing!

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  22. jabblog15 March 2011 at 13:07

    Very well done! This has me giggling helplessly:-)

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  23. Arkansas Patti15 March 2011 at 14:04

    Quite funny and had me laughing at my self. I am half Irish but am also "remarkably unmelodious".

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  24. Vicki Lane15 March 2011 at 15:47

    Chortle! You devil, Friko!

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  25. Helen15 March 2011 at 16:01

    If you listen carefully, you will hear me laughing!!!

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  26. hyperCRYPTICal15 March 2011 at 16:39

    That is absolutely wonderful - I would never have thought of it!

    Anna :o]

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  27. Cloudia15 March 2011 at 19:10

    Warm Aloha & Gratitude from Honolulu,
    Dear Friko!


    Comfort Spiral

    ><}}(°>


    ><}}(°>

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  28. Martin15 March 2011 at 19:55

    I've probably heard this guy sing, sometime in the past. And I was probably well oiled enough, myself, to be won over by his seemingly perfect pitch.

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  29. Tracy15 March 2011 at 21:26

    Ahhh, I'd love to hear the Irish Rovers begin a -singin'
    A long time ago when the Earth was green, there were more kind of animals....
    loved their music growing up!

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  30. Margaret Pangert15 March 2011 at 22:23

    Friko, that is so awful!! :) (thinking of the Scraper!), but so very well-written!!
    Slainte! (Cheers in Gaelic)
    p.s.: The shamrock & violet(?) painting is beautiful!

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  31. ~T~15 March 2011 at 23:16

    Ha! Poor lad, indeed!

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  32. phil15 March 2011 at 23:35

    ah, wonderful. :)

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  33. nazelet16 March 2011 at 01:30

    Love it! We have a grandson who is half Irish & he will be one-year old at the end of the month. He came back from visiting his family in Ireland with lots of green. He's all ready for the 17th. It's a good color.

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  34. Vagabonde16 March 2011 at 01:54

    What a fun post you wrote – I like it.

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  35. Lucy Westenra16 March 2011 at 18:05

    Friko . . you can always be relied on to amuse/entertain.

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  36. jane16 March 2011 at 20:05

    What a great tale to be sure - love your header shamrock - have a good St Patricks Day - and perhaps sink a pint of Guinness x

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  37. Kavita18 March 2011 at 06:58

    bwahahahaha...poor guy indeed!! How awful it must to hear a drunk make mockery of a song in his drunken state...arrgghhh

    You sure can make me laugh with your tales, Friko :)

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  38. Coloring Outside the Lines18 March 2011 at 19:40

    I could hear him singing...wonderful imagery!

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  39. Anonymous22 March 2011 at 13:07

    Snickering and snorting and generally loving this wee tale. Cheers! :)

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