SO it begins: “Mr and Mrs Dursley, o nummer fower, Privet Loan, were prood tae say that they were gey normal, thank ye awfie muckle.”
It’s the first line of the first Harry Potter book but with a difference: it has now been translated into Scots and published by Itchy Coo.
The translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stane marks the 20th anniversary of the first publication of the boy wizard’s adventures.
The Potter series has strong links to Scotland: JK Rowling wrote the books in Edinburgh, an iconic Hogwarts Express scene in the film uses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, and wizarding school Hogwarts is set in Scotland.
The translation into Scots makes it the 80th language Harry Potter can be read in.
The story follows young Harry as he realises he is a wizard and leaves his “muggle” or non-magical family to go to Hogwarts.
Translator Matthew Fitt, who set up the publishing imprint Itchy Coo to specialise in Scots language children’s books, said he hoped Potter fans in Scotland would enjoy reading the story in Scots.
“I wanted tae dae this for a lang time but kent I wanted tae get it richt,” he said.
“I’m that honoured tae be the Scots translator o this warld-famous Harry Potter buik and chuffed tae ma bitts that Scots speakers, baith young and no sae young, can noo read the novel again, this time in oor gallus braw Mither Tongue.”
JK Rowling wrote in cafes and hotels across Edinburgh, and used headstones in graveyards to find character names.
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