TTS:thistle of scotland/badge of scotland

hootin--anni has a new meme.
IT'S ALL ABOUT MY NEW MEME THAT I HOPE SOME WILL FEEL LIKE JOINING IN ON THE CHALLENGE AND THE FUN [at least I hope the weekly challenge will be fun!]. It's loosely based on song lyrics [recorded songs since the beginning of time to today] and associating them with photos of yours...as I've done in the past...If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the Meme's Homepage for rules and buttons. There will be a Mr. Linky Widget for each individual week also. Do consider joining me sometime. Hope to see it flourish in time.
http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/
In the Summer, I go hiking a lot. When I see the Thistle, I think of my Scottish friends.

Even weeds can be beautiful when you try to appreciate them. Some of them grow in the fringe of my garden, and the prickles make it too difficult to weed. The Thistle is the symbols of Scotland -

Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the plant family Asteraceae. Prickles often occur all over the plant - on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an adaptation to protect the plant against herbivorous animals, discouraging them from feeding on the plant. Typically, an involucre with a clasping shape of a cup or urn subtends each of a thistle's flowerheads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thistle

The thistle ranks next to the rose in British heraldic importance. Although of ancient origin, as the rose, the reason for its importance remains largely a matter of mystery. The thistle grew wild upon the mountain sides and in the valleys of the British Isles, thriving in the cool, damp climate. Noted for its prickly beauty and tenacity through all adversity, it has long been a Scottish ethnic symbol, commonly known as

"The Flower Of Scotland."

According to ancient legend, the adoption of the thistle as a national symbol dates from the battle of Largs. In this battle one of the Danish invaders disclosed an attempted surprise attack on a Scottish clan by his cry of agony caused by stepping barefooted upon a thistle.

The earliest recorded appearance of the thistle was on silver coinage in 1474. At that time badges were most popular and largely used, particularly by the noble. Shortly after 1474 the reigning Scottish King, James III, chose the thistle for his own badge. By 1540 the thistle had become recognized as the national emblem of the kingdom. Also in that year a the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle was founded.



THE THISTLE O' SCOTLAND
SUAICHEANTAS NA H-ALBA
(As sung by Willie Main)

O, the Thistle o' Scotland was famous of auld,
Wi' its toorie sae snod and its bristles sae bauld;
Tis the Badge o' my Country, it's aye dear tae me,
and thocht o' them baith brings the licht tae ma e'e.

Its strength and its beauty the storm never harms;
It stan's on its guard like a warrior in arms;
Yet its down is as saft as the gull's on the sea,
And its tassle as bricht as my Jeanie's blue e'e. [Chorus]

O, my country, what wonder yer fame's gane afar;
For yer sons hae been great baith in peace and in war;
While the sang and the tale live they'll aye win respect,
The lads neath the bonnets wi' thistles bedeckt. [Chorus]

Lang syne the invaders cam owre to our shore,
And fiercely our Thistle they scutched and they tore;
When they maist thocht it deid, twas then it up bore,
And it bloomed on their graves quite as strong as before. [Chorus]

My blessings be yours. Is there Scotcsman ava
Wad stan' by and see ony harm on ye fa' ?
Is there gentle or semple wha lives in our land
Wad refuse to drink health to the Thistle sae grand. [Chorus]