11. The Wee Wee Man

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I

As I was walking mine alane
Atween a water and a wa’,
There I spied a wee wee man,
And he was the least that ere I saw.

II

His legs were scant a shathmont’s[109] length,
And thick and thimber[110] was his thie[111];
Atween his brows there was a span,
And atween his shoulders there was three.

III

He’s ta’en and flung a meikle stane,
And he flang ’t as far as I could see;
Though I had been a Wallace wight
I couldna liften ’t to my knee.

IV

‘O wee wee man, but ye be strang!
O tell me where your dwelling be?’
‘My dwelling’s down by yon bonny bower;
Fair lady, come wi’ me and see.’

V

On we lap[112], and awa’ we rade,
Till we came to yon bonny green;
We lighted down to bait our steed,
And out there came a lady sheen[113];

VI

Wi’ four and twenty at her back
A’ comely clad in glisterin’ green;
Tho’ the King of Scotland had been there,
The warst o’ them might ha’ been his queen.

VII

On we lap, and awa’ we rade,
Till we came to a bonny ha’;
The roof was o’ the beaten gowd,
And the floor was o’ the cristal a’.

VIII

When we came to the stair-foot,
Ladies were dancing jimp[114] and sma’,
But in the twinkling of an eie
My wee wee man was clean awa’.

IX

Out gat the lights, on came the mist,
Ladies nor mannie mair cou’d I see:
I turn’d about, and gae a look
Just at the foot o’ Benachie.

FOOTNOTES:

[109] shathmont = measure from the point of the extended thumb to the extremity of the palm, six inches.

[110] thimber = stout.

[111] thie = thigh.

[112] lap = leapt.

[113] sheen = shining, beautiful.

[114] jimp = slim, slender.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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