Wha’ll buy my caller herrin?
Tho some folk ca them vulgar farin
Wives and mithers maist despairin,
Ca them lives o men.
(Lady Nairne)
Some of the strange fish names are the result of fishermen’s superstitions. Mentioning the fish by name was a sure way of not catching any. Most of them are very geographically limited so please do not go to a fishmonger and ask for a blacksmith!