The Blackcock jig

I wrote this one many years ago - and promise to take a long break from submitting my own tunes after this one.

The Blackcock is the male of the Black Grouse and a splendid looking bird (sorry girls - the females are very drab). The species hangs on in some upland areas of N. England and I assume Scotland; I don’t know whether it is found in Ireland.

The tune might work as a 12/8 slide, but I don’t know enough about what is required of tunes in this particular tradition, so am submitting it as a 6/8.

I can ‘see’ the cock’s cocking his neck above the heather in the first two bars!

and cower in the next two 🙂

The B-part reminds me of Morgan Rattler - a grand tune that has done the rounds of most parts of the British Isles.