Dennis Griffiths' photo in the programme for the Buckley Amateur Pantomime Society's 'Aladdin': PLUS a sound recording of 'The Prodigal Son' spoken by him in the Buckley dialect"

Tivoli, Brunswick Road, Buckley

January 1934

In order to see all the entries for the 1934 Aladdin programme, under CAPTION enter "Aladdin" and under date enter "1934". The main entry with cast details etc. is 139.44 The cover is at 139.65

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For the dialect, see also 146.5 for "The Buckley Dialect" in "Buckley 'Board' 100 not out" by Leslie Rowlands.

SOUND TEXT

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[Dennis Griffiths recorded this in the Buckley dialect because he recognised that fewer and fewer people were able to speak the dialect and he wanted to record something of it before it disappeared.]

THE

PRODIGAL SON

WRITTEN & SPOKEN

IN THE BUCKLEY DIALECT

DENNIS GRIFFITHS

Theere was wunst a well-off, farmin^'sort of mon, 'as 'ad two lads. The young 'un was a bit of a flaxener, an' one dee ^'e said to 'is feether

"Feether," 'e said, "I want whats cummin' to me, the knows, me full share o' what thou're gooin' to leave and I'd like to 'ave it now.

Well, cummin' laik that to the aud mon, it werrited 'im a de'1, 'e nearly snuffed 'is dunnock.

"Owsomedever," 'e said to imsel', "I cawn't change 'im so I'll have to lump it," 'an 'e split 'is Estate up 'atween the two lads.

The young 'un soon tormed 'is share into brass, an' tuk 'is 'ook off to foreign parts. I can see 'im leavin' the aud mon, and the aud wom as well, and 'e's not even wavin' goodbye an' his feether theere watchin' 'im and praying, "God bless thee lad."

As soon as 'e got to this foreign country he let imsel' goo, spendin' 'is brass right and left, squanderin' it on wine an' fancy wimmin an' the laik. To meek things woss, a big famine cummun just then to that theere country.

And theere the doechy meggin was, with nowt left except wi' wot 'e stood up in. An' many a taim 'eed 'ave bin glad to fill 'is bally wi' pig food, scuftin' an' tormits, an' swill an' the laik.

Then 'ee cum to 'imsel' a bit see an' 'ee said, "This taim I've 'ad me uxter."

'Ere I am clemmin' to death, an' theere's me feether's sarvants back awom wi' moore food than they're wantin' for their mexin. An' me without a scorric. I'll mog off back wom agen. I'll sey to me feether, 'Feether,' I'll sey, 'I've sinned agen God and agen thee. I'm not fit to be cawed thee son no longer.

Treat me laik a sarvant, laik one of thee deetallers."'

He was as good as 'is word, and the dee cum when 'e looked down from the little 'ill by the five acre, an' o'er the medder 'e could see the aud farmyard agen. 'Is aud feether was cummin out o' the bottom shippin at the taim, an' 'e 'appened to be lookin' in the thiretchen of the five acre an e saw 'is lad. "Well! Bless me sowl and body," 'e said, "it's my lad, cummin' wom agen!"

'Is 'eart gen a grea' big jump, and aud as e' was 'e run out to meet 'im, lapped 'is arms round 'im and kissed 'im, and 'ee said, "Ee lad, I'm glad thou's cummin' wom agen."

An' the lad was good as 'is word. "Feether," 'e said, "I've sinned agen God and agen thee, an' I'm not fit to be cawed thee son……"

But afore 'e could finish 'is piece - that bit, laik, about 'is feether treatin' 'im as if he was a deetaller, the aud mon baws out to one of the sarvants as 'ad followed 'im - "Quick, fatch me fancy cloak, me own Sundee best, an' put it on 'im. Put a ring on 'is finger and shoon on 'is feet. Fatch the fat cawf and kill it, an' let's 'ave a proper 'do' to saleebreet the dee. For this lad o' mine was dead an' 'e's cummin back to laif agen. Was lost, and is fund.

Now while aw' this was 'appenin', the other brother was a bit auder than the one as 'ad cummun back wom, laik, well, 'e'd just finished 'is dee's work on the farm, an' as 'e was cummin wom, 'e could 'ear the naise an' the singing', an' the music, an' the dancin' an' aw' the randiboo.

One o' the sarvants bost into 'm, aw' excaited, and shouted, "Quick, young mester, cum awom. Thee brother's cummin back agen, and thee feether's killed the fat cawf for us to 'ave a proper 'do."

That made the audest brother as mad as a bull. "Go thee ways back thanders," 'e said to the sarvant. Aye, 'e was norry.

E would't go into the farm-house thoo', as the aud feether cum out an' exed 'im and exed im. "No; I'll not," 'e said.

'Thee knows feether as I've sleeved for thee, Spring, Summer, Hautumn an' Winter, aw' these 'ears an' not once 'as thou gi'n me as much as a kid for me to 'ave a' bit of a 'do' with my butty-mateys. But now this hother lad of thine's cummin wom after spendin' aw' thee 'ard 'arned brass on wine and 'is fancy wimmin and the laik, thou's even killed the fat cawf for 'im."

"Ee, lad," 'is good aud feether said, "thou knows all I've gotten's thine. But this son of mine, thy brother, was dead, an 'e's cummin back alaif agen. 'E was lost an' e's bin fund. 'Ow con we 'elp but saleebreet?"

Well, the tale ends theere, but thou con read about it aw' agen in the Good aud Book.

Author: Griffiths, Dennis

Dennis Griffiths' photo in the programme for the Buckley Amateur Pantomime Society's 'Aladdin': PLUS a sound recording of 'The Prodigal Son' spoken by him in the Buckley dialect"

Tivoli, Brunswick Road, Buckley

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