Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog Page #6

that the caretaker, Mr. Brown,

is no' able to do for himself.

Order!

- You refuse to pay this licence.

- On a matter of...

Kindly don't interrupt!

Apart from the licence,

there is something else.

You are guilty of harbouring a stray

without reporting it to the police.

The minimum fine of five shillings

will be imposed.

If I pay the licence against my principles,

the fine will no' be imposed?

- Yes.

- In that case, Your Honour,

I shall appeal against your decision

to the other magistrates

and then to the Court of Sessions!

The high judiciary have more important

business than reviewing small matters.

It's no' a small matter for me

to be entered into the burgh

court's records as a lawbreaker!

If I refuse to pay the licence

but continue to feed the wee dog

you'll hold me in contempt of court.

- If you're asking for information...

- I'm making plain my line of conduct.

But you're asking me to let a wee dog

starve for a little technicality.

Order! Silence!

Mr. Traill, are you defying this court?

Certainly not, Your Honour.

You deny ownership of this dog.

Yet you bring no witnesses.

No witnesses, Your Honour.

But by your leave,

I'd like to say this: Davie,

the next time you're near

my dining rooms, come in,

and let the dog you're persecuting

gi' you a lesson in manners.

Bobby at least has never bit

the hand that feeds him.

But you have, Davie.

And you've had many

a free meal from me.

Silence!

Mr. Traill, on your own admission,

you are guilty

of harbouring a stray

without reporting it.

You will, therefore, present yourself here,

and bring the dog with you,

at half past eight of the clock

before this court goes into session.

Can't I appeal?

Half past eight of the clock

here tomorrow morning.

Step down if you please, Mr. Traill.

Hey there, lassie.

Did ya ever give a wee dog a good wash?

You mean Bobby, Mr. Traill? No.

But Tammy sometimes washed him

for Mr. Brown.

Mr. Brown's in poor health I'm told.

So there's no chance of Bobby

getting washed again

until the sickness is all gone.

But I want him washed, Ailie.

He has serious business ahead of him.

- He has?

- Aye. Very serious.

Bring him here clean and brushed

at 8:
00 in the morning.

Are ya takin' him somewhere, Mr. Traill?

Is it a picnic?

Aye, I'm takin' him somewhere, lassie,

but it's no' a picnic.

It's a serious matter...

...of principle.

But you've done your work. Off you go.

Now go away home.

We're right on time, Mr. Traill.

We washed and combed him.

Aye. He looks a picture. Here.

Here's a penny for each of you.

Ailie, you can give Tammy some

of the porridge cookin' on the fire.

But where ya takin' Bobby, Mr. Traill?

To see someone of importance, laddie.

But I will no' take ya tied, Bobby.

Here. There's me boy.

Come on.

Come on now. There's a boy.

Hello, Ailie.

You're workin' for Mr. Traill now?

Aye. For a whole week now.

Did Mr. Traill tell you

about the burgh court yesterday,

about him and the wee dog?

No. Why?

He's just takin' Bobby with him now.

Aye. To see someone of importance.

That's just his way of putting it.

He's taking Bobby to stand before

the burgh court as he was ordered to.

Take Bobby? Why?

If a dog has no master

to pay his licence,

the police pick him up

and put him out of the way.

What?

Mr. Traill will no' pay

because Bobby's not his.

How much are they wantin'

for the license then?

- Seven shillings.

- Seven shillings!

But that's a fortune.

Aye. But I canno' stop here talking.

I'm over late for work.

Seven shillings to allow

one wee dog to live.

Not anybody... Not even Mr. Traill

ever had seven shillings all at once.

I have the penny Mr. Traill just gave me.

How much have you, Tammy?

Seven shillings is 84 pennies,

168 ha'pennies...

and 336 farthings.

There's more folk around the kirkyard

than farthings and seven shillings.

Yes, Ailie, but they're over poor.

But, Tammy, we have to get it.

Mr. Traill has gone to give him up.

He was wearing all his good clothes

and a long face to go to Bobby's burial.

Not if we can get the money first.

Tell everybody, Ailie,

everybody you can find.

And I will too.

Every bairn in Greyfriars, Ailie. And run!

Have you any money to save

the wee dog's life?

I'm looking for Traill, the case

with the dog. Have you seen him?

You canno' go in there

until the court is in session, at 9:00.

- I'm a member of the press...

- Orders from the Lord Provost.

The Lord Provost isn't

listed to be here today.

I think I'd better wait.

Many would say

this is no' much of a case

for the Lord Provost

to bother his head about.

I must be the judge of that, Mr. Traill.

Sgt. Maclean has the prisoner

in custody, I see.

Now, the points at issue

are very simple.

Do you give food and shelter to this dog?

And do you own him?

- Let's take the first point first.

- Aye, I lodge him.

I've always fed the wee dog.

Ever since...

I've always fed him,

I'm no' denyin' it.

Why did you? If he is not your own?

Well, at first, to ease my conscience,

because I blame myself

for the death of the wee dog's master.

You said "at first." What then?

I've courted the wee terrier

for a long, long time since then

because I have nobody of my own.

But he'll have none of me.

Except he's friendly and polite.

He just grieves

for the old man that's dead.

The law says the dog

must have an owner.

And I canno' claim to be that,

Your Lordship, because it's no' true!

I canno' believe the law would make

a man abandon his principles and lie

or take the life of a dog for a matter

of a few shillings and a piece of paper.

The law deals with facts,

not with emotions, Mr. Traill.

The dog is ownerless...

...and unlicensed.

Is there a case

about a wee dog in there?

- You canno' go in there.

- You see? I told you.

My husband and I are witnesses

in the case. Is it in there?

Here! You canno' go in there!

We are the dog's owners, sir.

Begging your pardon, Your Lordship,

but that's right.

James Brown! You're telling a lie!

He's the caretaker of the kirkyard,

that's so sick at home in bed.

Constable, let these two witnesses in.

And no one else. You stay outside.

- Your name?

- James Brown, Your Lordship.

- You claim ownership of the dog?

- Aye, we do.

We've come to pay the licence.

My wife has the money here in her purse.

We heard about the dog

bein' taken up and...

Yes, Mr. Brown.

You're claiming ownership. In that case...

That's no' the case at all, Your Lordship!

James Brown is not the owner of the dog!

If I pay for him, I am.

You have no legal right

to Bobby any more than I.

Mr. Brown.

Does the dog sleep under your roof?

Well...

No, Your Lordship. No' at night.

No, I canno' say that.

He sleeps in the kirkyard.

With the minister's permission,

of course?

Well, no, Your Lordship,

I canno' say that.

This is but a wee dog that holds its gab,

and it's very respectful.

Aye, and he's only been there

such a short time, Your Lordship,

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