Strange Visitor
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, &c.
In came a pair o' sma' sma' legs, and sat down on the braid braid soles;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a pair o' muckle muckle knees, and sat down on the sma' sma' legs;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a pair o' sma' sma' thees, and sat down on the muckle muckle knees;
And aye she sat, &c.
In cam a pair o' muckle muckle hips, and sat down on the sma' sma' thees;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a sma' sma' waist, and sat down on the muckle muckle hips;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a pair o' braid braid shouthers, and sat down on
the sma' sma' waist;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a pair o' sma' sma' arms, and sat down on the braid braid shouthers;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a pair o' muckle muckle hands, and sat down on the sma' sma' arms;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came a sma' sma' neck, and sat down on the braid braid shouthers;
And aye she sat, &c.
In came great big head, and sat down on the sma' sma' neck.
"What way hae ye sic braid braid feet?" qho' 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 praing, 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" (pitifully).
"What way hae ye sic a muckle muckle head?"
"Muckle wit, muckle wit" (keenly).
"What do you come for?"
"FOR YOU!" (At the top of the voice, with a wave of the
arm and a stamp of the feet.)
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PRS (1847), 215; (1870), 64; Montgomerie SNR (1946) 137.
RC notes: "The figure is meant for that of Death. The
dialogue, towards the end, is managed in a low and drawling
manner, so as to rivet the attention, and awaken an undefined
awe in the juvenile audience. Thus wrought up, the
concluding words come upon them with such effect as generally
to cause a scream of alarm."
MS
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!