The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | ||
332
The Wee Wee Man
THE WEE WEE MAN—E
[_]
a. Motherwell's Note-Book, fol. 40, “from Agnes Lyle;” Motherwell's MS., p. 195, “from the recitation of Agnes Laird, Kilbarchan.” b. Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 343.
1
As I was walking mine alone,Betwext the water and the wa,
There I spied a wee wee man,
He was the least ane that eer I saw.
2
His leg was scarse a shaftmont lang,Both thick and nimble was his knee;
Between his eyes there was a span,
Betwixt his shoulders were ells three.
3
This wee wee man pulled up a stone,He flang't as far as I could see;
Tho I had been like Wallace strong,
I wadna gotn't up to my knee.
4
I said, Wee man, oh, but you're strong!Where is your dwelling, or where may't be?
‘My dwelling's at yon bonnie green;
Fair lady, will ye go and see?’
5
On we lap, and awa we rade,Until we came to yonder green;
We lichtit down to rest our steed,
And there cam out a lady soon.
6
Four and twenty at her back,And every one of them was clad in green;
Altho he had been the King of Scotland,
The warst o them a' micht hae been his queen.
7
There were pipers playing in every neuk,And ladies dancing, jimp and sma,
And aye the owre-turn o their tune
Was ‘Our wee wee man has been lang awa.’
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | ||