Mrs James Pirie of Kirkside, Alvah, south of Banff, gave Carpenter dozens of childhood lore 'nursery rhymes' and riddles, and one ballad.
A few of her rhymes have been 'localised' to include local place names.

Kirkside is probably in Kirktown of Alvah, and her husband was probably James Pirie, born Hilton, Banff, in 1847, died Kirkside, Alvah, 16th March 1934.

Card images are used courtesy of the James Madison Carpenter Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.