The Strange Visitor

Scottish Fairy and Folk Tales, by George Douglas, [1901], at sacred-texts.com

THE STRANGE VISITOR. ²

A WIFE, was sitting at her reel ae night;
   And aye she sat, and aye she reeled, and aye she wished for company.

In came a pair o' braid braid soles, and sat down at the fireside;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a pair o' sma' sma' legs, and sat down on the braid braid soles;
   And aye she sat, etc.

p. 84

In came a pair o' muckle muckle knees, and sat down on the sma' sma' legs;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a pair o' sma' sma' thees, and sat down on the muckle muckle knees;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a pair o' muckle muckle hips, and sat down on the sma' sma' thees;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a sma' sma' waist, and sat down on the muckle muckle hips;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a pair o' braid braid shouthers, and sat down on the sma' sma' waist;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a pair o' sma' sma' arms, and sat down on the braid braid shouthers;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a pair o' muckle muckle hands, and sat down on the sma' sma' arms;
   And aye she sat, etc.

In came a sma' sma' neck, and sat down on the braid braid shouthers;
   And aye she sat, etc.

p. 85

In came a great big head, and sat down on the sma' sma' neck.

"What way hae ye sic braid braid feet?" quo' the wife.
"Muckle ganging, muckle ganging" (gruffly).
"What way hae ye sic sma' sma' legs?"
  "Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e--moul" (whiningly).
What way hae ye sic muckle muckle knees?
"Muckle praying, muckle praying" (piously).
"What way hae ye sic sma' sma' thees?"
"Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e--moul" (whiningly).
"What way hae ye sic big big hips?
"Muckle sitting, muckle sitting" (gruffly).
"What way hae ye sic a sma' sma' waist?"
"Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e--moul" (whiningly).
"What way hae ye sic braid braid shouthers?"
"Wi' carrying broom, wi' carrying broom" (gruffly)
"What way hae ye sic sma' sma' arms?
"Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e--moul" (whiningly).
"What way hae ye sic muckle muckle hands? "
"Threshing wi' an iron flail, threshing wi' an iron flail" (gruffly.)
"What way hae ye sic a sma' sma' neck?
"Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e--moul" (whiningly).
"What way hae ye sic a muckle muckle head?
"Muckle wit, muckle wit (keenly).
"What do you come for?

p. 86

"FOR YOU!" (At the top of the voice, with a wave of the arm and a stamp of the feet.) ¹

Footnotes

83:2 Chambers, Popular Rhymes of Scotland.

86:1 The figure is meant for that of Death.