大象传媒

Short story by one of Orkney's finest writers, George Mackay Brown. An internationally renowned poet and Booker-nominated novelist, Mackay Brown's work was infused by the islands history and culture; his friend Seamus Heaney said of him: "He transforms everything by passing it through the eye of the needle of Orkney."

Today's story is set in the 1800s and depicts the trials and tribulations of Check Harra, a young Orcadian whose love of gambling leads him into a series of extraordinary adventures.

George MacKay Brown (1921 - 1996) was a prolific short story writer. "The Five of Spades" can be found in the collection "A Time to Keep", which was republished by Birlinn at the end of last month.

Read by Andy Clark.

Abridged and produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

The theme music is "Way Oot West" by Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, taken from the album Mither O' The Sea.