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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

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The Little Man

THE WEE WEE MAN—G

[_]

Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 263.

1

As I gaed out to tak the air,
Between Midmar and bonny Craigha,
There I met a little wee man,
The less o him I never saw.

2

His legs were but a finger lang,
And thick and nimle was his knee;
Between his brows there was a span,
Between his shoulders ells three.

3

He lifted a stane sax feet in hight,
He lifted it up till his right knee,
And fifty yards and mair, I'm sure,
I wyte he made the stane to flee.

333

4

‘O little wee man, but ye be wight!
Tell me whar your dwelling be;’
‘I hae a bower, compactly built,
Madam, gin ye'll cum and see.’

5

Sae on we lap, and awa we rade,
Till we come to yon little ha;
The kipples ware o the gude red gowd,
The reef was o the proseyla.

6

Pipers were playing, ladies dancing,
The ladies dancing, jimp and sma;
At ilka turning o the spring,
The little man was wearin's wa.

7

Out gat the lights, on cam the mist,
Ladies nor mannie mair coud see
I turnd about, and gae a look,
Just at the foot o' Benachie.