Ou, the origin o' cock-fightin' gangs back to the time o' the Greek wars, a thoosand or twa years syne, mair or less.

There was ane, Miltiades by name, 'at was the captain o' the Greek army, an' one day he led them doon the mountains to attack the biggest army 'at was ever gathered thegither." "They were Persians," interposed T'nowhead.
"Are you tellin' the story, or am I ?" asked Tammas.

"I kent fine 'at they were Persians.

Weel, Miltiades had the matter o' twenty thoosand men wi' im', and when they got to the foot o' the mountain, behold there was two cocks fechtin'." "Man, man," said Hendry, "an' was there cocks in thae days ?" "Ondoubtedly," said Tammas, "or hoo could thae twa hae been fechtin' ?" "Ye have me there, Tammas," admitted Hendry.

"Ye're perfectly richt." "Ay, then," continued the stone-breaker, "when Miltiades saw the cocks at it wi' all their micht, he stopped the army and addressed it.
'Behold!' he cried, at the top o' his voice, 'these cocks do not fight for their household gods, nor for the monuments of their ancestors, nor for glory, nor for liberty, nor for their children, but only because the one will not give way unto the other.'" "It was nobly said," declared Hendry; "na, cocks wouldna hae sae muckle understandin' as to fecht for thae things.