12. Reverend Gordon undergoes a significant change of heart throughout Fair Is the Rose. Compare the man we first meet in chapter 4 with the man we see in chapter 59. How might you explain such a transformation? Can you pinpoint one or two places in the novel where his behavior shifts? What conclusions might you draw about the difference between a religion based on law and a religion founded on grace?
13. Jamie’s uncle, Lachlan—like the biblical Laban after whom this character is patterned—depends on devious words and clever deception to accomplish his will. Can a person simply be bad, without explanation or justification? What do you make of Lachlan’s relationship with the Widow Douglas of Edingham Farm? How might life at Auchengray be affected if Lachlan McBride suddenly became a happily married man?
14. The scene in which Rose asks Leana for the valerian Ian has pulled from the garden, then hurts Leana’s feelings and sends her fleeing into the gloaming in search of Jamie, parallels the account in Genesis 30:14-16, in which Rachel offers Leah a night with Jacob in exchange for a fertility plant pulled from the ground by Leah’s son. However, what was common practice circa 1900 B.C. is hardly acceptable in either A.D. 1790 or the present! I decided young Rose would never make such an offer, nor would Leana throw aside her band and all that preceded it for one night of passion with Jamie. Had the story followed the biblical account to the letter, how might that have altered the lives of Jamie, Leana, and Rose in the days that followed? How would their relationships with one another and with God have been affected? And how would it have changed your opinion of Rose? of Leana? of Jamie? What might this pivotal scene suggest about choices and consequences?
15. Though our story comes to a meaningful close, clearly the tale is not yet finished. How do you hope things will conclude for Jamie, Leana, and Rose in Whence Came a Prince? All three of them long to love and to be loved, but that is not all they need. What do you think Jamie needs most? And what of Leana? Finally, what might Rose require above all things? What is your definition of a “happy ending,” in novels and in life?
Scots Glossary
a’—all
aboot—about
aften—often
ain—own
ane—one
anither—another
argle-bargle—argument
athegither—altogether
auld—old
awa—away, distant
bacheleer—bachelor
bairn—child
baith—both
baloo—used to hush a child to sleep
bauld—bold
bethankit!—God be thanked!
bittie—small piece
blaeberry—whortleberry
bleeze—blaze
blether—babble, gossip
blissin—blessing
bogle—ghost, specter
bothy—small cottage
brae—hill, slope
braisant—shameless
brak—broke
braw—fine, handsome
Buik—the Bible
burn—brook, stream
byre—cowshed
bystart—bastard
cantrip—charm, magic, trick
clack—gossip, idle chatter
cleck—conceive
clootie—piece of cloth, rag
close—passageway, courtyard
compear—appear before congregation for rebuke
cutty stool—stool of repentance
deasil—sunwise or clockwise
deid—dead
de’il—devil
dochter—daughter
dominie—schoolmaster, teacher
doocot—dovecote
dook—to duck
doon—down
dootsome—vague, uncertain
dout—doubt
dreich—bleak, dismal
dry stane dyke—stone fence without mortar
durstna—dare not
eldritch—mysterious, unearthly
ell—a linear measure, just over a yard
faither—father
fash—worry, trouble, vex
fauchie—sickly looking
feeing—engaging as a servant
ferlie—superb, wonderful
flindrikin—flirtatious
flit—move one’s household
flooer—flower
fowk—folk
freshening—refreshing
frichtsome—frightening
fu’—full
gairden—garden
gie—give
glaikit—thoughtless, daft
glaumshach—greedy, grasping
gley—avert the eyes, look away
glib-gabbit—gossipy
goud—gold
gracie—devout, virtuous, well-behaved
granbairn—grandchild
granfaither—grandfather
granmither—grandmother
green—young, youthful
greet—cry, weep
grush—crush, squash
guid—good
gustie—savory, tasty
halie—holy
hame—home
harn goun—coarse linen gown; sackcloth
hatesome—hateful
haud—hold, keep
haud yer wheesht—hold your tongue
hauflin—adolescent boy
hearken—eavesdrop, listen
heidie—headstrong, impetuous
herd—shepherd
het—hot
hindberry—raspberry
hizzie—hussy
hochmagandy—fornication
hoose—house
hoot
howff—public house, or pub
howre—whore
hurlie—trundle, move about on wheels
ill-deedie—mischievous, wicked
ill-kindit—cruel, inhuman
ill-scrapit—rude, bitter
ithers—others
jalouse—imagine, presume, deduce
jougs—iron collar used for punishment
kell—headdress worn by a young, unmarried woman
ken—to know, recognize
kenspeckle—conspicuous, familiar
kimmer—godmother
kintra—of the country, rustic
kintra-side—countryside
kirkin—first appearance at kirk
kittlie—itchy, sensitive
kittlins—kittens
knackie—funny
lade—millrace
lanelie—lonely
lang—long
lealtie—loyalty
leuk—look
limmer—prostitute
loosome—lovely
losh
lowpin-on stane—leaping-on stone, used to mount a horse or a carriage
luve—love
mainnerlie—mannerly
mair—more
maun—must
mebbe—maybe, perhaps
meikle—great, much
mem—madam
michtie—scandalous, disgraceful
misbehadden—improper, unbecoming
mither—mother
mony—many
morn’s morn—tomorrow morning
mutchkin—¼ pint Scots
neeps—turnips
nicht—night
nits—nuts
niver—never
noony—late morning meal
och
oniething—anything
oniewise—anyway
oo aye (from the French oui)
oot—out
orraman—odd-jobs man
parritch—porridge
peerie-winkie—little finger or toe
pensie—pompous, self-important
pernickitie—cantankerous, touchy
pittin’ the brain asteep—meditating
pou—pull
praisent—present, gift
pui
r—poor
richt—right, authentic
roarie—noisy
rummle-gumption—common sense
run-line—psalm sung one line at a time
sae—so
saicret—secret
sairlie—sorely
sark—shirt
scoonrel—scoundrel
scuil—school
shortsome—amusing, enjoyable
sic—such
sleekit—smooth-tongued, deceitful
slippie—slippery
slitterie—messy, sloppy
sonsie—substantial, appealing
speeritie—energetic, spirited, vivacious
spleet-new—brand-new
spurtle—porridge stick
stane—stone
stayed lass—an old maid
stramash—clamor, disturbance, uproar
suin—soon
swick—to trick
swickerie—trickery, deception
syne—ago, thereafter, since
tablet—a sweet made of butter and sugar
tae—to
tairt—tart
tak—take
tapsalteerie—topsy-turvy, upside down
tassie—cup
thegither—together, concerted
thocht—thought, believed
thrifite—moneybox
tup—a ram
twa—two
ugsome—gruesome, horrible
unchancie—unlucky, dangerous, risky
unco—eccentric, odd, strange
unheartsome—sad, melancholy
vennel—alley
verra—very
wabbit—exhausted, weary
waddin—wedding
walcome—welcome
wame—womb
waukens—awakens
weatherful—stormy
weel—well
wha—who
whan—when
whatsomever—whatever
whaur—where
wheesht
wi’—with
wickit—wicked
widdershins—counterclockwise
wi’oot—without
wird—word
wutch—witch
yestermorn—yesterday morning
yestreen—yesterday, last night
Fair Is the Rose Page 48