Inverboy, Hero o' the Hielands

Long before I learned to knit, I loved all things Scottish. (I still do, and it pains me that when I visited there I did not yet know the joys of yarn.) Shortly after a trip to Scotland, I drew these cartoons. I had almost forgotten about them, and when I came across them this evening they made me smile. Hopefully they will do the same for you. Without further ado, I present for your viewing pleasure the complete (to date) adventures of Inverboy, Hero o' the Hielands. Links in the explanatory text will take you to the Wikipedia articles for each item.

#1: Introductions

The name Inverboy came from the misreading of the place name "Inverroy" on a road sign. "Wouldn't that make a great superhero name?" we said, after realizing our mistake. "Hielands" is "highlands" with a Scots accent; "coo" is, of course, "cow". Highland cattle have long shaggy hair and horns; they're adorable. Click here to learn more about them at wikipedia. "Morag" is the Gaelic version of the name "Sarah", and it is commonly heard in Scotland. No disrespect is intended to any Sarahs or Morags; I just thought it was a nice name. The pattern on the kilt really is the Kincaid tartan. BTW, haggis really is good with steak sauce; don't knock it till you've tried it.

Inverboy #2: Inverboy Meets Little Miss Muffett

For some reason, I latched onto nursery rhymes and their characters as subject matter. They just seemed to fit. Oh, and I want a coo to rescue me from spiders, too.

Inverboy #3:

The sheaf toss is an event that is found at many Highland games. Contestants toss a burlap bag stuffed with straw over a horizontal bar. After all have had a turn, the bar is raised. While Bo Peep's sash should technically go from her right shoulder to left hip, note the authentic kilt hose and flashes (ribbons) worn by Inverboy. Had I been a knitter then, I'd have decorated them with some cables or at least moss stitch.

Inverboy #4: Old King Cole

Cullen Skink (great name, isn't it?) is a traditional Scottish soup made with haddock, potatoes, and onions. Angus' friends are all named for places in Scotland - Penicuik (pronounced penny-cook) is an area in Midlothian; Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles, and of course the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond are familiar from the song. I do, in fact, like the sound of bagpipes.

Inverboy #5: In search of Nessie

Drumnadrochit is a town about halfway up the west coast of Loch Ness. Its name comes from the Scottish Gaelic "Druim na Droichaid" meaning "ridge of the bridge." There is a Nessie museum there, and you can take boat rides on the loch. The silhouette of Urquhart Castle as seen from the boat is accurate, or at least it was when I was there. We did not see the monster, hard as we looked. Loch Ness is a mile wide, a mile deep, and 26 miles long, with an exit to the sea. I formulated the theory that Nessie actually lives in the ocean and just goes to Scotland on vacation, like the rest of us who aren't fortunate enough to live there.