The Tale o Peter Kinnen

Do you recognize this? ‘Aince upon a time, there wis fower wee Kinnen, an thair nems wis – Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-bun, an Peter. They bid wi thair Mither in a san-baunk, aneath the ruit o a muckle fir-tree.’

This book, The Tale o Peter Kinnen, looks like The Tale of Peter Rabbit, feels like it and, in fact, is it: the only difference is that it is the first telling of the adventures of this famous rabbit in Scots. In this translation of the much-loved classic, Peter ‘warsels unner yetts’, he ‘greets’ and gets himself ‘fair droukit’ and ‘bumbazed’. It’s no wonder then that Peter ‘tint ane o his shuin amang the kail’.

Congratulations are due to the Beatrix Potter Society and to the translator, Lynne McGeachie, for their enterprise in setting this traditional tale into Scots. And it works so well. With all sorts of animals ‘on the randan’ in this book, the Scots words ‘moosie’, ‘speugs’, ‘blackies’ and ‘Kinnen’ (for ‘rabbit’) fit right in. And the world of this tale being a garden, words like ‘tatties’, ‘grosits’ and ‘kail’ are never out of place. Even ‘Maister McGreegor’ has had a Scots make-over and in this language seems even more ‘scunnered’ than usual.

McGeachie’s clever use of Scots beautifully complements Potter’s original illustrations and with the inclusion in this edition of six extra pictures, The Tale o Peter Kinnen will be a ‘bonnie’ addition to any bookcase. It will bring Peter Rabbit for the first time to many young Scottish readers and give others a taste of the rich evocative language of Scots.