MOTTO FOR AN INN

New Zealand Tablet, 25 May 1911, Page 982

MOTTO FOR AN INN

The following delightful anecdote of Sir Walter Scott is told by Dr. W. J. Fischer in the Bookworm: It is told of Sir Walter Scott that he was sitting in his library one day when a tall Highlander, who had been building an inn near-by, came in and said: > ' May it please you, Sir Walter, I am going to call my place The Flodden Inn," and 1 as ye've writ a poem on Flodden Field, it struck me and the guid wife that you might give us a line for motto.' ' Have you read the poem ' said Sir Walter. ' No, sir. I'm nae reader.' ' Then you know nothing about it?' .' Nothin'; but I've heard them say as knows that it's a vera fine thing.' . 'Well, I would advise you to take a verse from the poem itself.' 'And what'll that be?' '"Drink, weary travellerdrink and pray."' ' But my inn's nae to be a kirk,' said the man; ' and the more praying there is, the less drinking there'll be, and I dinna want that.' , 'Oh,' laughed Sir Walter, 'I think I can alter the verse to suit you by leaving out one letter—an " r." ' How will it be then?' '"Drink, weary traveller and pay." 'By Ailsa Craig, that's Just the thing!' shouted the man and ho went away delighted.