Esther Quaen o tha Ulidian Pechts
This action-packed saga is set in Ulster and Scotland in the days when the outside world only knew north Britain as a place of warring tribes and petty kingdoms. The story, based on a potent mix of legends and fantasy, has been adapted and written in Ulster-Scots by Philip Robinson.
An exciting tale in its own right, this is the first book of its type to be published as a result of the recent resurgence of interest in the language, history and heritage of the Ulster Scots.
Sample text:
Quaen Nestor laives tha nest (Ulster-Scots)
Quhiles, ben tha käng's castle, Quaen Nestor wus giein a boord for tha weemin-fowk.
On tha seiventht day o his boord, tha käng wus gettin tha waur o tha drìnk, sae he cried in tha seiven carlins he kepp as hauns for his ain sel. He gien thaim a commaun for tae get Quaen Nestor an bring her wi her royal croon on her heid. Tha Quaen wus yin guid-lukkin wumman, an tha käng wantit tae scha her aff tae his visítors. Quhan tha carlins taul Quaen Nestor o quhit tha käng haed commaunnit bot, scho wudnae gan. An tha käng went perfaitlie mad. Noo hit wus tha käng's wye o daein thängs for tae ast experts for thair mynn anent speirins o tha laa, sae he cried for his coon-sellers at wud ken quhit shud be daen. Thaim at he aye turnt til for coonsel was seiven heidyins o Scotlann an Ullistèr at haudit tha heichmaist jabs in tha kängrick. He ses tae thaimuns, quo he: "See me, Art tha käng, A toul ma sarvints for tae tak this commaun fae me til Quaen Nestor, an scho wudnae hae it! That's no tha thing is it? Quhit daes tha laa ha'tae say we maun dae wi her?"
Queen Nestor leaves the nest (English)
Meanwhile, inside the Kings fort, Queen Nestor was giving a feast for the women.
On the seventh day of his feast, the King was becoming more and more affected by the wine, so he called in the seven old women he kept as assistants for himself. He commanded them to get Queen Nestor and bring her with her royal crown on her head. The Queen was very good-looking, and the King wanted to show her off to his visitors. However, when the old women told Queen Nestor what the King had commanded, she would not go. And the King flew into a rage. Now, it was usual for the King to ask experts about questions of law, so he called for his counsellors who would know what was to be done. Those whom he always turned to for advice were seven leaders of Scotland and Ulster who held the highest positions in the kingdom. To these he said: "I, Art the King, told my servants to command Queen Nestor to come to me, and she would not consider it! That is not appropriate, is it? What does the law have to say should be done with her?"