The following Microsoft SQL Server 2008 T-SQL database script in SSMS Query Editor demonstrates the use of the TOP function to get both TOP and BOTTOM of a table in a single query.

-- T-SQL find top & bottom 5 rows in a table applying a single query

-- Find head and tail of table

USE AdventureWorks2008;

GO

SELECT   OrderDate = convert(DATE,OrderDate,111),

         sod.*

FROM     Sales.SalesOrderDetail sod

         INNER JOIN Sales.SalesOrderHeader soh

           ON soh.SalesOrderID = sod.SalesOrderID

WHERE    SalesOrderDetailID IN (SELECT   TOP 5 SalesOrderDetailID

                                FROM     Sales.SalesOrderDetail

                                ORDER BY SalesOrderDetailID)

          OR -- Descending sort will give the BOTTOM even though TOP is used

             SalesOrderDetailID IN (SELECT   TOP 5 SalesOrderDetailID

                                    FROM     Sales.SalesOrderDetail

                                    ORDER BY SalesOrderDetailID DESC)

ORDER BY SalesOrderID

GO

/*

OrderDate   SalesOrderID      SalesOrderDetailID

2001-07-01  43659             1

2001-07-01  43659             2

2001-07-01  43659             3

2001-07-01  43659             4

2001-07-01  43659             5

2004-07-31  75122             121313

2004-07-31  75122             121314

2004-07-31  75123             121315

2004-07-31  75123             121316

2004-07-31  75123             121317

*/