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| Image Source: Jenny Hamon |
Mackerel - Jenny Hamon
Going back a few decades
There’s a tale I remember told
About a Guernsey fisherman
Selling his catch by the side of the road.
Since 4 a.m. he’d been fishing
In his boat just off the south coast.
Catching mackerel with his feathers.
(In fine weather he catches the most.)
Now the story I’m telling happened
At Portinfer, They heard his cry
Mackerel, fresh mackerel, caught today
Sixpence each, please come and buy.
One man in the queue spoke in Patois
To his friend as they stood side by side
They don’t look very fresh to me
Don’t think they were caught on this tide.
Now Barry spoke Patois all his life
And heard what they had said
So he spoke to them both in his mother tongue
“I was fishing while you were in bed!”
The men looked very embarrassed,
And felt sorry they put him down
So each of them bought 2 of the fish,
And handed over half a crown.
Jenny Hamon
Patois is the Guernsey French language spoken in Guernsey. It is diminishing in use these days although steps are being taken to keep it alive.
