Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Cosy Burns Night Supper in Scotland (Bonus)

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey friends, for the best Get Sleepy experience, be sure to check out our supporters feed Get Sleepy Premium for ad-free listening, weekly bonus episodes and access to our entire catalogue. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make the free version of this show possible. Do you have little ones in your life? Whether you're a parent, teacher, aunt, uncle, grandparent, babysitter, we all know that keeping kids calm and entertained can be difficult. That's why I want to introduce you to the newest show by Samba Studios. It's called Snuggle, and it features calming stories for kids of all ages. Whether it's for bedtime, nap time, or just for fun, Snuggle offers a calming world of

Starting point is 00:00:54 imagination. You'll find original stories where we swim with mermaids, visit old toy stores, and try out magical ones. And you'll hear our modernised renditions of classic tales like Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland. Just search Snuggle in your podcast player and be sure to follow the show. I'll see you there the next time you and your little ones are looking for a cosy story to snuggle up with. Good evening and welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and I'm so pleased you've tuned in for this special bonus episode, a

Starting point is 00:01:50 nod to the upcoming Scottish celebration of Burns Night. The wonderfully talented Simon has both written and narrated this tale, which takes us on a sleepy journey to the Scottish Highlands. On the 25th of January every year, people get together to hold suppers in honour of Burns Night, a celebration of the birthday of perhaps the most famous of all Scottish poets, Robert Burns. Tonight we'll join a character named Alistair, as he enjoys an evening of Burns poetry and traditional festivities in the Highlands. But before we begin our sleepy tale, take a moment to get comfortable in bed. Make sure your head is nicely supported on your pillow, and snuggle down under your covers.

Starting point is 00:03:08 Close your eyes and focus on the darkness behind your eyelids. See if you can make out different shades of black but don't try to strain your eyes. Just keep them as relaxed as you can. Now, take a deep breath in. Hold for a moment and exhale slowly. Allow your breathing to remain natural and comfortable, steadily easing into the relaxation of the night. And as you focus on the darkness behind your eyelids, imagine the dark becoming a grey overcast sky. See the clouds heavy with, hanging low above the landscape.

Starting point is 00:04:29 A road winds along a valley, steeply surrounded by majestic, heather-covered hills. This is the Scottish Highlands and it's where our story begins. A dark grey 4x4 moves effortlessly along the tarmac. Each of its large tyres sprays a small waterfall of raindrops as the car glides along the wet surface of the road. The driver of the car is Alastair, a man in his late 20s. Inside the car, it is cozy and warm. The seat is heated slightly, and Alistair welcomes the warmth as it spreads through his body. There is music playing softly from the car's sound system, and the lights from the instrument panel glow in the fading light. panel glow in the fading light. The windscreen wipers move gently back and forth across the front glass, clearing the light rain that has started to fall.

Starting point is 00:06:17 The car's headlights turn on automatically, illuminating the surface of the road ahead and making the falling raindrops sparkle as they pass through the beams of light. Alistair starts to slow the car down. He notices two large stone pillars to the right, between which is perched a black wrought iron archway. between which is perched a black wrought iron archway. The words Galbraith Castle are picked out in ornate gold letters. Alistair smiles to himself and flicks down the indicator. He turns the car through the archway and onto the smooth driveway that leads into a dense thicket of pine trees. As the road winds through the trees, he catches a glimpse of a pinkish stone building in the gloom. The road leads out of the pine woods and before him is a small but magnificent castle with not one but two fairy-tale towers rising up into the late afternoon sky.

Starting point is 00:07:39 As Alastair drives onto the semi-circular gravel driveway, he hears the wheels crunch. The car comes to a stop outside the stone steps that lead up to the huge wooden door studded with iron nails. Alistair opens the boot and takes out a small suitcase and a transparent suit bag, which contains a white shirt and a blue and black tartan kilt. He has come prepared. As Alistair carries his bags up the steps, the door is opened by a smartly dressed man. He wears a traditional red plaid kilt, royal Stuart tartan and a tweed jacket. The man takes the bags and carries them inside, indicating to Alistair to follow him into the vaulted hallway and up to the mahogany reception desk.

Starting point is 00:08:48 After checking in, Alastair is shown to his room for the night. It's a large, circular first-floor room situated within one of the castle towers. It has a high ceiling and there are windows on all sides, giving wonderful views out over the grounds and surrounding hillside. Of course, this being Scotland and a castle, the soft furnishings in the bedroom have a noticeable tartan theme. In this case, the tartan is the royal steward, the same pattern of blue, green and yellow

Starting point is 00:09:30 plaid on a rich red background that the castle dormant wore as a kilt. From the high-backed, upholstered chair in front of the window, the curtains and even the bedspread and canopy over the fore post the bed, there is no mistaking which country Alistair is in. As he stands by the window, taking in the view, Alistair notices that it appears to have stopped raining, and that the clouds have lifted a little. Looking at the time on his phone, he calculates that he has less than an hour left before it gets dark.

Starting point is 00:10:13 So, quickly changing into his sturdy walking boots and pulling on his waterproof wax jacket, he heads downstairs through the front door and out into the grounds. Although named after his Scottish maternal grandfather, Alistair grew up in England, and this is his first trip to the Scottish Highlands. To honour the memory of his late grandfather, Alistair chose to attend Burns Night and enjoy a traditional Burns supper. Burns Night is a celebration of the life and work of Scotland's most famous poet, Robert Burns, known more popularly by his familiar name of Rabi Burns. Burns Night is so popular in Scotland that it has become like a second national day for

Starting point is 00:11:14 the country. In fact, it's more widely observed than the country's official national day, St Andrew's Day. As Alistair climbs the heather-strewn hillside behind the castle, he puts in his earbuds and tunes into something he downloaded previously, poems and song lyrics by Rabi Burns. Taking long strides over the wet ground, his trouser legs swishing through the purple heather, Alistair smiles to himself as a poem brings a boyhood memory flooding back. He is five or six years old, sitting on his grandfather's knee, and his grandfather reads him his favourite Burns poem, A Red, Red Rose, in his deep, rumbling voice.

Starting point is 00:12:10 O, my love is like a red, red rose that's newly sprung in tune. O, my love is like the melody that's sweetly played in tune. As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, so deep in love am I, and I will love thee still, my dear, till I the seas gang dry. Till I the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt with the sun, and I will love thee still, my dear, for the sands of life shall run, and fare thee wail, my only love, and fare thee wail a while, and I will come again, my love, the witward ten thousand mile." 10,000 mile. By now, Alistair has reached the top of the hill. He stands at the crest of the ridge, breathing deeply, taking in refreshing lungfuls of the cool, clean, highland air. As he looks down into the lush valley below, carpeted with vibrant heather and dotted with

Starting point is 00:13:26 prickly gorse bushes, his eyes are drawn to the ridge of the neighbouring hill, on which stands the most magnificent sight. It is a stag. Alastair cannot believe his eyes. He holds his breath, not daring to move, lest even the slightest movement should break the spell and cause the majestic animal to turn and run. The stag is silhouetted against the darkening sky, the gray of the fur on his face, contrasting with the reddish brown of his shaggy coat. Alistair notes how the gnarled antlers sprouting from the top of the stag's head

Starting point is 00:14:17 are large and proud. The number of branches indicates that this is a mature animal in its prime. In a moment of pure serendipity, the audio Alistair is listening to now switches to the in the Highlands. My hearts in the Highlands. My heart is not here. My hearts in the Highlands are chasing the deer. Chasing the wild deer and following the row. My hearts in the Highlands, wherever I go.

Starting point is 00:15:01 Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the north, the birthplace of Valor, the country of worth. Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, the hills of the highlands forever I'd love. Farewell to the mountains high covered with snow, farewell to the strats and green valleys below. know, farewell to the straths and green valleys below, farewell to the forests and wild hanging woods, farewell to the torrents and loud pouring floods. My heart's in the highlands. My heart is not here. My heart's in the highlands, a chasing the deer, chasing the wild deer and following the row. My heart's in the highlands, wherever I go.

Starting point is 00:15:51 Alistair is aware the stag is an iconic figure in Scottish mythology, the symbol of strength and royalty and a creature with mystical powers. In Scottish legend, the stag was said to possess the ability to cross between the physical and spiritual realms, so it represents life and death. Alistair shivers a little, whether from this knowledge or simply from the breeze blowing over the ridge.

Starting point is 00:16:29 But at this moment, the stag turns towards Alistair and seems to bow his head slightly in his direction. Then, in a flash, he turns and is gone, his powerful legs taking him over the facing ridge and beyond out of sight. With the departure of the deer, the last of the daylight seems to fade too. The sky darkens as Alistair turns and walks back down the steep hillside towards the cozy warmth of the castle. Although not normally given to flights of fancy, Alistair can't help but feel that

Starting point is 00:17:18 the appearance of the Scottish stag, the monarch of the Glen, is somehow linked to the spirit of his grandfather watching over him and approving of his Highland adventure. By the time Alistair reaches the castle grounds, it is almost dark. The windows of the castle The vessel shine invitingly with a soft yellow glow, beckoning him inside into the cozy interior. Taking out his earbuds, Alistair runs slightly up the stone steps to the heavy oak front door. Once again, it's opened by the smartly dressed doorman. They exchange a few words about the walk, and Alistair tells the doorman of his magical sighting of the magnificent stag.

Starting point is 00:18:14 "'You've been blessed, sir,' smiles the doorman. "'He's the grand master of the Glen, over 20 years old, some say. Folk come from all around, but it's very rare someone catches sight of him. Smiling to himself, Alastor walks inside the castle and makes his way up the grand red carpeted stairway to his room. Once inside, he makes himself a cup of tea and sits down to drink it in the cozy armchair,

Starting point is 00:18:51 accompanying it with a traditional Scottish shortbread. The biscuit is buttery and melts in his mouth, flooding his taste buds with a delicious sweetness. flooding his taste buds with a delicious sweetness. As he sips his tea, Alastair picks up his battered paperback copy of the poems of Robert Burns and begins to read. Lulled by the warmth emanating from the large radiators dotted around the room and tired from his walk and the long drive,

Starting point is 00:19:26 Alistair feels his eyelids beginning to droop. And slowly, his head drops down towards his chest and he begins to breathe deeply. deeply. After a while, the book of poems falls out to Valister's hand onto the floor and he wakes up. He looks around, bleary-eyed, forgetting for a second where he is. Then he looks at the tartan canopy and bedspread and smiles with recognition. By now it's fully dark outside. Alistair looks at the time on his phone, realizing that he only has half an hour before the start of the burn supper. He quickly undresses, goes into the bathroom and turns on the shower.

Starting point is 00:20:27 Then he steps under the jet of warm water, cleansing and refreshing himself at the same time. After his shower, he pulls on the large, soft robe and pads barefoot into the bedroom. Here, he unpacks his suit bag and lays out the clothes he has hired for the evening. It is customary to wear traditional Highland dress on Burns Night, and Alistair has come fully prepared. He places his outfit neatly on the bed. His white dress shirt, black bow tie, hose, or long socks, garter flashes, and then his kilt in the smart blue-black tartan of the black watch.

Starting point is 00:21:24 His black three-button waistcoat vest, his Prince Charlie jacket, and finally his sporin, kilt pin, and ceremonial dagger, the skien-doo. This is the first time Alistair has ever worn Highland dress and the array of clothing on the bed looks a little bewildering. Fortunately, he has done some research on the internet and found one or two videos showing exactly how to wear the outfit. Having decided from the outset that modesty was the best policy, Alastair Donne's a pair of dark boxer shorts then puts on his white shirt and black satin bow tie. Next, he sits on the chair and pulls on the hose.

Starting point is 00:22:25 These long socks unroll right above his knee. He attaches the garter flashes with the buckle at the side and the small flash of black watch tartan on the outside of his leg. He then rolls the top of the sock back down over his knee until it covers the garter and only the small tartan flash is visible. Then he reaches down and puts on his shoes, the traditional ghillie brogues. These are polished black shoes with very long laces, which are twisted together four times and passed around the lower calf and tied in a double bow at the front. After a couple of false starts, Alistair manages to get the laces lined up and looking smart. So he stands and crosses to the bed to try on his tartan kilt.

Starting point is 00:23:36 Traditionally, tartans were associated with a particular family or clan. Almost every Scottish surname has links to an ancient clan and with it, the right to wear a distinctive tartan. These days, there are over 7,000 unique tartans. Apparently, even the Obamas have their own tartan, and so does Hallow Kitty. The surname of Alistair's maternal grandfather was Campbell, historically one of the biggest and furthest reaching of the clans. The black watch is their clan tartan, as well as being a military tartan. The kilt is essentially a wrap-around fabric skirt, fastened on the side with two buckles.

Starting point is 00:24:39 Having mastered the kilt, Alastair picks up the kilt pin. It's in the shape of a thistle, the national flower of Scotland. He fastens the pin to the front of his kilt and pushes the blade of the skein-do down into his right sock. He then takes the sporn, a fur-covered leather pouch which hangs at the front of the kilt, fastened by a chain. He passes the sporin through the belt loops of the kilt and around his waist. Next, he slips on the black three-button waistcoat vest over his shirt. And finally, the short black Prince Charlie jacket, which is left unfarced. The jacket, named after the Scottish claimant to the throne of England, Bonnie Prince Charlie,

Starting point is 00:25:42 was probably not a design that Prince Charlie ever wore. Instead, it is said to be a design marketed under that name by early 20th century Scottish tailors, keen to appeal to a younger generation of Scots. Once Alistair has put on the jacket, he stands in front of the full-length mirror on the wall and looks at his reflection. With a final tweak to his bowtie, he runs a hand through his hair and gives his reflection

Starting point is 00:26:19 a thumbs up. Grandfather would be proud. As if on cue, Alastair hears the strains of the bagpipes coming from downstairs. So, without further ado, he opens his door and walks down the stairs towards the dining room. Inside the magnificent oak-paneled room, round tables are laid with crisp white linen tablecloths, sparkling crystal glassware, and gleaming cutlery shining in the glow of candlelight. The piper stands to the side of the entrance, and Alistair is astonished at how loud the small instrument is close up. He gives his name to the young woman at the door, and she shows him to his table.

Starting point is 00:27:18 Two of the places are already occupied by an older couple who stand as Alistair approaches and shake him warmly by the hand. A steady stream of people enters the room and soon all the tables are full of people chatting and laughing. The final occupants of Alistair's table arrive, a cheerful couple accompanied by their 10-year-old son. They, like most of the other people in the room, are dressed in a similar fashion to Alistair. They wear traditional highland outfits, lending the room an elegant and festive air.

Starting point is 00:28:03 Suddenly, the piper stops playing and addresses the room. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your Burns Knight host, the manager of Galbreath Castle, Mr. William McGregor. A portly white-haired gentleman in full Royal Stuart regalia takes up position in the centre of the room. He proceeds to read the traditional Selkirk grace, which is always delivered at the start of every burnt supper. After this, the first course of coca leaky soup is served to the diners. It is a traditional Scottish recipe consisting of leeks and pepper chicken stock thickened

Starting point is 00:28:53 with barley. Alistair and his fellow diners tuck in with relish, savouring the rich flavour. After the soup is finished and cleared away, the main event of the evening gets underway, the serving of the traditional Burns Night main course, Haggis. According to Whimsical legend, the Haggis is a small, hairy creature about the size of a guinea pig native to the Scottish Highlands. Some say the left and right legs of the Haggis are of different lengths, allowing it to run easily around the side of mountains. In truth, the reality is rather more prosaic. Haggis is a sausage pudding made from sheep's offal. It's mixed with suet, oatmeal and seasoning and boiled in a bag, traditionally one made

Starting point is 00:30:00 from the animal's stomach. Before Alastair has a chance to dwell on this somewhat unappealing recipe, the piper starts up and walks towards the table at the center of the room. He's accompanied by a chef carrying the haggis on a large silver platter. This is the traditional piping inin of the Haggis. The pair proceed around the room, the Haggis held aloft before coming to a stop. They place it down on the central table. From his research, Alastair knows what is coming next, the reading of the Rabi Berns

Starting point is 00:30:46 poem, A Dress to a Haggis. Sure enough, the Piper puts aside his bagpipes, takes a sheet of paper from his sporen, and begins to read. Fairfah, your honest, sonsy face, great chieftain of the Puddin race, aboom them, I ye take your place, pawnch, tripe, or therm. Well, are ye worthy of a grace as lang's my arm. The groaning trencher, there ye fill, your hurdy's like a distant hill. Your pin would help to mend a mill in time in need, while through your pores the dew's distil like amber bead. His knife, sea rustic, laboured out, and cupped ye up, were readyight, trenching your gushing entrails bright like ony ditch,

Starting point is 00:31:46 and then, oh, what a glorious sight, warm reekin' rich. Then, horn for horn, they stretch and strive, deal take the hindmost, on they drive, till, ah, their wheelswalled kites be live, Are bent like drums, Then, old goodman, maced like to rive, But thank it, hums. Is there that our his French ragout, Or olio that would stow a sow, or Freakassay would make her spew with perfect sconer, looks down, we sneering scornful view on such a dinner. Poor devil! See him o'er his trash, as feckless as a withered rash, his spindle shank a good whiplash, his kneeve a knit, throw bloody flood or field to dash, oh how unfit. But mark the rustic, haggis fed.

Starting point is 00:32:58 The trembling earth resounds his tread. Clapt bin his wolly kneeve a blade, sounds his tread. Clap, in his woolly neve, a blade, he'll make it whistle, and legs, and arms, and heads will sned like taps of thrysal. Ye powers will make mankind your care, and dish them out their bill of fare. Old Scotland wants nice skinking wear that chops in luggis. But if you wish her grateful prayer, gear a haggis. Alistair and his fellow diners applaud as the poem finishes, although he's pretty sure that they, like him, have not understood every word. But as the chef slices into the haggis with the ceremonial knife, they are happy to be witnessing this age-old tradition.

Starting point is 00:33:58 Fortunately for Alistair, the haggis is surprisingly tasty. It's served, as is traditional with neeps and tatties, or mashed turnip and potatoes, and a rich whiskey-flavored sauce. Of course, no burns-night supper would be complete without that most iconic of Scottish drinks – whisky. Alastair takes a wee dram, or small glassful of whisky, and declares it an excellent addition to the meal. Conversation between Alastair and his fellow diners flows easily as another wee dram is

Starting point is 00:34:42 taken. And soon, Kranakan is served, a delicious Scottish dessert made with raspberries, cream, toasted oats, honey, and of course, more whiskey. As the evening wears on, more Burns poems are read, including A Man's A Man for a That, To a Mouse and of course, Alistair's favorite, A Red, Red Rose. There are more traditional toasts as well. Mr. McGregor, the hotel manager, gives a speech in praise of the life and works of Robert Burns. He ends with the entreaty to all diners, to raise their glasses to the immortal memory of Robert Burns. Later on, there is the traditional Toast to the Lasses, a humorous speech in praise of women given

Starting point is 00:35:46 by one of the men in the room. This is followed by the reply to the toast to the lassies given by a woman. She gently pokes fun at some of the foibles men are prone to before ending with the toast to the laddies. After this, the tables in the centre of the room are moved back to make space for some traditional Scottish dancing, as a Cayley band plays lively jigs and reels. Alastair doesn't know any of the traditional dances, but the band has a caller who leads the revelers through each dance until they're moving around the dance floor like seasoned

Starting point is 00:36:33 professionals. Alistair can't remember the last time he had this much fun on a dance floor. He twirls and steps, reveling in tunes such as The Dashing White Sergeant, The Drunken Piper, Jenny Dang the Weaver, and Speed the Plough. Eventually, the band signal the end of the dancing. They ask everyone to join hands and sing the traditional last song of every burns night, Old Langzine, with lyrics written by the great man himself. Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Quaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old Langzine? For old Langzine, my dear, for all Langzine, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for old

Starting point is 00:37:38 Langzine. And surely you'll be your pint stout, and surely I'll be mine. And we'll take a cup of kindness yet for Orlangzine. We Tui run about the braze and powed the gowns fine, but we've wandered many a weary fit, Senorlangzine. We Tui, he paddled in the burn, from morning sun till dayne, But seas between us bray the roards in our langzine, And there's a hand, my trusty fair, and gays a hand of thine,

Starting point is 00:38:15 And we'll take a right good willy-wacht for old langzine. After the song is over, hands are shaken and backs are slapped, for Ord Langzane. After the song is over, hands are shaken and backs are slapped as the diners bid farewell to their newfound friends and head off to bed. Back in his room, Alistair yawns mightily as he takes off his highland clothes and gets ready for bed. It has been a wonderful evening, surpassing his expectations. His only regret is that his grandfather was not here to share it with him. Alastair turns off the light and climbs underneath the soft feather duvet, resting his head on the plump down pillow.

Starting point is 00:39:14 He's left a set of curtains open and the moon shines softly through the window, casting a warm shadow at the foot of the bed. Alistair turns onto his side, closes his eyes, and lets his thoughts drift back over the evening. And then out, out into the hillside. He imagines he's standing on top of the ridge looking out at the valley and the surrounding hills. His breathing slows and the last thing he sees before he drifts off to sleep is the magnificent stag, standing proud and strong, his mighty antlers reaching up into the night sky. నినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినిన� you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Cosy Burns Night Supper in Scotland (Bonus)

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.