I am looking for a story from my school days. It was the tale of a warring gangs of boys and featured a character known as 'Greenbreeks". I believe it was written by Sir Walter Scott and the story appeared as a short story in a general reader. It may have been condensed from a longer work by Scott. But the fact is, I cannot locate the story anywhere and would very much appreciate if someone could help me locate this tale from so long ago.
I've been searching the internet, though you probably have already done this. There are several references to Greenbreeks arn't there..but none seem to lead to the title of the story of where it can be found. This is the best that I can find - a quotation from a book:Originally Posted by Hillrise
I had never before seen Scott in such buoyant spirits as he shewed this evening -- and I never saw him in higher afterwards; and no wonder, for this was the first time that he, Lord Melville, and Adam Fergusson, daily companions at the High School of Edinburgh, and partners,in many joyous scenes of the early volunteer period, had met since the commencement of what I may call the serious part of any of their lives. The great poet and novelist was receiving them under his own roof, when his fame was at its acmé, and his fortune seemed culminating to about a corresponding height -- and the generous exuberance of his hilarity might have overflowed without moving the spleen of a Cynic. Old stories of the Yards and the Crosscauseway were relieved by sketches of real warfare, such as none but Fergusson (or Charles Mathews, had he been a soldier), could ever have given; and they toasted the memory of Greenbreeks and the health of the Beau with equal devotion.
Could it have been called or from a collection called 'The Yards' or Crosscauseway?' I would search some more but the internet is so slow this morning it's driving me crazy. When I can steal time on my son's computer which has broadband, I will look some more.
A very strange coincidence happened to me, searching for this.The first site I clicked on led me to a poet called Douglas Dunn and a poem he had written called Terry Street. Nothing great in that maybe..except the particular 'Terry Street' that is referred to in this poem is actually three streets away from where I was born and grew up.
Miranda;
Thanks for your help. I found the story of Green-Breeks in an ebook version of Waverley, Volume I, by Sir Walter Scott. It is indeed 'buried' within a greater work. And yes, the area in which the boys had their 'bickers' was called 'Crosscauseway' in the streets of Edinburgh.
I'm happy you found it Hillrise. It's nice to rediscover things that seemed lost forever. I wonder if you will find that the story is as interesting and thrilling to you now reading as an adult, as it was when you were a child. I think this is more likely to be true with a writer such as Walter Scott whose works are classical and so maybe always have appeal because of the very way they are written, than someone like Enid Blyton. I loved her books as a child but having read them as an adult, they didn't appeal to me as much. There is a book I would love to read again called 'The Family at One End Street' which I read as a child and really enjoyed - maybe you know this book too, but I wonder if it will have the same magic now as it possessed for me then. I guess I will have to read it to find out
Yes, it was better than I remembered as a young boy. The version from years ago was an adaptation, with colorful pictures to match. But the original (which is simply a 3 page anecdote) is so much more powerful. Still, it was perceptive of the educators at the time, to slide this small tale into a general reader. To say the least, there was very little of interest to young boys in required reading material. (I am not so sure things have changed.) Green-Breeks was (is) a memorable exception.
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