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Description: | The Whistle - A Ballad was written by Robert Burns in 1789 whilst he was living at Ellisland, just outside Dumfries. It tells the story of a drinking competition which took place at Friars' Carse, the home of his friend and neighbour Robert Riddell.
Gilbert Burns, the brother of the poet, sent this manuscript to William Grierson, who was an admirer of Burns and the first secretary of Dumfries Burns Club. Grierson has written a note of authentication on the final page.
The prize of the competition was an heirloom of the Riddell family, a small ebony whistle. It was won by Alexander Fergusson of Craigdarroch, the member of the company who could drink the most and still blow a blast on it. | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 | Publisher: | Dumfries & Galloway Council - Nithsdale Museums | Temporal: | 1789-01-01 - 1789-12-31 | Source: | Burns Scotland | Identifier: | 'The Whistle' by Robert Burns | Go to resource |
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