An Introduction to Hamish McMoosie
The Brechin Tales are a series of illustrated children's stories by Terry Isaac, who lives in Brechin within sight of its cathedral and tower. The books feature Hamish McMoosie, a loveable mouse from Scotland who has already "set the heather on fire" by having his own McMoosie clan tartan registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority. With titles such as "Hamish and the Marvellous Set of Bagpipes and "Hamish and the Quest for the New Spirtle" they not only entertain but also act as an introduction to Scottish culture - each tale has an accompanying Scottish recipe and a glossary of Scottish words.To give you a flavour of this book, here's an extract from one of the stories.
Hamish and the Marvellous Set of Bagpipes.
The pace of life for the mice folk of Brechin matched the style of the slow country life led by the City's humans. There was always time for a chat, always the time of day to be passed when one went into a shop. There was a need to know who had won what prize in the local flower show, what new shop might be opening on the High Street, and of course most important of all to Brechin folk, mice and human alike - how did Brechin City football team get on in the last game they played?However, and it was a big 'however', in Alisdare MacBrymer's bagpipe shop, it was politics that had to be aired, before things were bought. The old bagpipe maker coughed a gentle little cough so as to make sure that he had Harnishs attention,
"I hear that the Scottish Parliament is considering putting a tax on Forfar Bridies, and Arbroath Smokies."
Old MacBrymer left the words hang in the warm air of his shop and sipped his tea. Hamish who had just taken a bite of his crisp Abernethy spluttered.
"Eh! What! Where did you hear that rubbish MacBrymer, they would never dare."
Hamish waited for an answer. He saw that the pipe maker was slowly dunking his Brechin Heckles biscuit in his cup of tea. Almost right in, Hamish noted. Perhaps Heckles did not break up when dunked. Hamish thought that he might possibly try dunking one of the Brechin-made biscuits later. Normally Hamish spread his Heckles with butter and strawberry jam and did not dunk them in his mug of tea.
"Heard it from my cousin, the pipe maker in Edinburgh, who heard it from a senior Civil Servant mouse, who overheard it during a meeting with the Moosie Member of Scottish Parliament for the Isle of Mull. Seems that the new parliament building is costing so much money that new taxes might have to be raised to pay for it."
"But Bridies, and Smokies! No, never. It is beyond belief."
Hamish, who found himself in dire need of another biscuit, having finished his Abernethy, reached over for a Brechin Heckle. As he reached for the tin the pipe maker snapped the tin lid shut,
"Now what was it that you were wanting Hamish? No time for more tea or biscuits, I have a business to run."
The whole matter of the possible taxes on Forfar Bridies and Arbroath Smokies was dropped. Hamish, who was not very up on things political, resolved to himself that he would take up the matter with Inky MacWriter, the editor of the local paper. He and Hamish often sipped a damson wine together at the Haggis and Neeps Inn. Inky, being the editor of a newspaper, would know thought Hamish.
The author of these books, Terry Isaac, passed away in January 2006. This extract has been left here as a tribute. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a source for his stories although Amazon.co.uk" sometimes has second-hand copies.
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
