Some places held games of football or handball, for example Jedburgh held the Callant's Ba game between the "uppies" and the "downies".

But say naething about it---there's a gude callant; and charge that lang-tongued, conceited, upsetting serving man o' yours, to sae naething neither.

Lang syne, when I was a callant in the south country, I mind there was an auld, bald bogle in the Peewie Moss.

Jethart callant's festival was founded when, on 7 February 1947, a Committee named the Border Games Festival Committee called a meeting to discuss further the formation of a Pageant.

Borders traditions like the annual Callant's Festival and bands of pipes and drums add local colour, and delicacies include Jethart Snails and Jethart Pears.

Rob Roy observing this, directed one of his followers to afford the old man a portion of his plaid; "for the callant (boy), he may," said the freebooter, "keep himself warm by walking about and watching the cattle."

But as they contrived to represent the action as a rash deed committed by "the daft callant Rob," to which they were not accessory, the jury found their accession to the crime was Not Proven.

"As I live by bread," said Campbell, when, after one or two struggles in which he used much forbearance towards me, he perceived me inclined to stand quiet, "I never saw sae daft a callant!

If Sajak is the guarded wit, Letterman the sharp-tongued cynic and Carson the smooth, gray-haired bel-esprit, then Hall is the playful callant, the rascal with enough green to get away with almost anything.

And the kindly folk of that country must all pack and tramp, every father's son out of his father's house, and out of the place where he was bred and fed, and played when he was a callant.

"I protest," said the Highlander, "I had some respect for this callant even before I ken'd what was in him; but now I honour him for his contempt of weavers and spinners, and sic-like mechanical persons and their pursuits."

The Callant, the young man leading the festival proceedings leads the mounted cavalcade to Ferniehurst Castle, halts for a ceremony at the Capon Tree, survivor of the ancient Jed Forest, and returns to the town for the final ceremony at the War Memorial.

"I think Andie Scougal's sold me - him or his mate wha kent some part of the affair - or else Charlie's clerk callant, which would be a pity too," says Alan; "and if you askit me for just my inward private conviction, I think there'll be heads cracked on Gillane sands."