Sunset Song Page #4

And the fruit ripened while

the source slept all unaware.

Now, what's this you've been doing,

Chris Guthrie?

Well, well, that's fine.

Now let's see a bit more of you,

Mistress Tavendale.

You're gonna be a father, Blawearie man.

Now, what do you think of that?

Away and make me a cup of tea while

Chris and I go into more intimate details.

Well, you needn't abide.

She's safe enough with an old man...

bonny though she be.

When my wee lass made the bed to me

My bonny lass made the bed to me

When my wee lass made the bed to me

I'll ne'er forget till the day I die

That my wee lass made the bed for me

Thank you for the flowers, Rob.

Oh, they'll be for the son, eh, Chris?

And er... when you having him born, eh?

Oh, er... late September, early October.

Aye, there'll soon be a family

Blawearie way.

Aye.

It's the reckoning for the corn, Rob.

Aye, they're aye daft devils

fighting a' something or other.

It's a lot of damned nonsense.

Well, they can fight themselves

black and blue for all I care.

Hey, for all we care.

Aye.

- Don't run.

- Don't blether.

Things are changing for the better...

all around.

There's a war on!

Britain is to war with Germany!

Oh! Oh!

Chris. Lie still.

Go downstairs, Ewan.

I can't. I can't. I can't. I can't.

It's all right.

He'll be good like his mother.

He'll be quick of temper like you.

God, maybe you're right.

You could hardly be wrong in a thing after

bringing a bairn like that into the world.

But you helped a little.

We'll call him Ewan, after his father.

Maybe there was war and bloodshed...

and that was awful.

But far off also you'd hear it

like the North Sea cry in the morning.

A crying and a thunder

that became unending,

as the weeks went by, part of life's plan.

But Chris didn't care,

sitting there at Blawearie,

with her baim and her man by her side.

Aye-aye, folks, are thee in?

God, Chris, I'm nae a ghost yet.

You're havering, man. You don't mean it.

But I am.

I've enlisted in the North Highlanders

and I'm off to Perth tonight.

Oh, Chae. No.

Well, have yourself a dram then.

Who'll win?

Well, if the Germans do,

there'd be an end to peace forever.

Och, to hell with them.

Hey.

I mind the day he was born.

Just like yesterday it was.

A spring of life, eh, Chris?

Sing it.

Cherish it.

'Twill never come again.

Aye.

You've brought out

a fine bairn between youse.

Every man may have to fight for wife

and bairn ere this war is over.

So you don't think I should join up, Chae?

Nah.

There's fools enough

in the fight as it is.

What a blether about a war.

Och...

Like I was asking, only.

Aye, man.

Aye, man.

Huh.

Chae Strachan. You're an exception.

Oh, man. You know, I'd come back

with you in the morning if only...

If only what, man?

Well, if only I wanted to be easy...

easy and a liar.

But I'm damned

if I'm gonna begin for a bit of war.

Have you seen the casualty list, Chae?

Have you?

50,000 poor bastards blown to hell

for a couple of yards of Belgian mud.

Men gassed.

- Men mutilated and blinded...

- These were brave men.

Or stupid.

They're saying you're cowards.

Better a coward than a corpse.

Look, lads, I believe in the war.

I believe it'll bring good to the world.

It'll bring the days of Socialism

to the common folk.

Oh, the common folk. Yeah.

When they're no' sheep, they're swine.

Well...

I'd better be off then.

All in the April evening

April airs were abroad

The sheep with their little lambs

Passed me by on the road

The sheep with their little lambs

The sheep with their lambs

Passed me by on the road

All in the April evening

I thought on the Lamb of God

The lambs were weary and crying

With a weak human cry

I thought on the Lamb of God

Going meekly to die

Up in the blue, blue mountains

Dewy pastures are sweet

Rest for the little bodies

Rest for the little feet

But for the Lamb

The Lamb of God

Up on the hilltop green

Only a cross, a cross of shame

Two stark crosses between

All in the April evening

April airs were abroad

I saw the sheep

With their lambs

And thought

On the Lamb of God

As you know,

we are now at war with Germany.

This new Babylon...

has as many corruptions as the old one.

How long it will rage only God

in His wisdom and anger will know.

But it's a chastisement,

by blood and fire...

that the nations must arise

and prevail against this enemy.

And Scotland, not least of these,

in its ancient health and humility

to tread again

the path of peace and courage...

that will ultimately lead to our victory.

Their king...

which they call Kaiser...

is the Antichrist.

A foul evil upon this earth

which must be swept away by the righteous.

And those who will not fight

to defend their country...

must be exposed for that they truly are.

Cowards.

And pro-German cowards at that.

Leave 'em. Let them be. Let them be.

What does it mean, Rob?

They send white feathers to the cowards.

I've already had mine.

They're all Government men ready to die

for the King any day of the week.

Oh, and twice on Sundays.

They say Parliament's

to pass a Conscription Act.

That means if...

if we don't volunteer,

they'll make us go anyway.

Well, it will...

it will be a bit of a jaunt.

- Huh?

- But will you both be taken?

Aye.

But you've been excused before.

They don't take folk

who farm their own land.

I'm to report to Aberdeen.

- Oh, Ewan.

- It's only for assessment.

I'm going too.

We'll go together.

Now don't worry, lass,

they'll have to carry us to the front.

Where are you going?

To Aberdeen.

He's enlisted.

He's gone to fight.

It'll soon be over.

You've not to worry.

Ewan'll be fine.

Oh, but that spring was long.

But the hills flowed up and down,

day after day...

and Chris saw the harvest near.

A good harvest, in spite of all things.

And the grain a fine price,

so farming folk did well.

Soon maybe the war would end

and they'd all be back in Kinraddie

as once they had been...

Long Rob and Chae... and her Ewan.

This is hardly the place for me

with your man come home.

I'll away to Bervie for the night, then.

Aye.

Hell, Chris, what a bloody place!

Ewan, who's this?

It's Father.

Well, we hope so. Eh, Chris?

Go through to the parlour.

Good lad. Go.

Any supper left?

Unless you're too bloody stand-offish

to even have that.

Oh, Christ's sake, let a man sit down.

Well, give me some tea.

Well, damn it, don't you have anything to

say to me now that I've come home?

I'd have done better to spend

the night with a tart in the town!

God Almighty, what are you

snivelling about now?

You're always snivelling!

Ewan.

Well, you be stand-offish now if you can!

Get off me!

What I get regular in Lanark,

I now want from you.

What d'you think I came home for?

Now that you know that... get!

Mummy!

For God's sake, hurry up!

- Ewan, put out the light.

- I'll do that.

- Put out the light.

- I'll do that!

Put out the light, Ewan!

Put out the light!

God, what a damned glower!

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