The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 2/Chapter 38

The Wee Wee Man
As I was walking all alone, Between a water and a wa, And there I spy’d a wee wee man, And he was the least that ere I saw. His legs were scarce a shathmont’s length, And thick and thimber was his thigh; Between his brows there was a span, And between his shoulders there was three. He took up 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. ‘O wee wee man, but thou be strang! O tell me where thy dwelling be?’ ‘My dwelling’s down at yon bonny bower; O will you go with me and see?’ On we lap, and awa we rade, Till we came to yon bonny green; We lighted down for to bait our horse, And out there came a lady fine. Four and twenty at her back, And they were a’ clad out in green; Though the King of Scotland had been there, The warst o them might hae been his queen. On we lap, and awa we rade, Till we came to yon bonny ha, Whare the roof was o the beaten gould, And the floor was o the cristal a’. When we came to the stair-foot, Ladies were dancing, jimp and sma, But in the twinkling of an eye, My wee wee man was clean awa.

AS I was walking by my lane, Atween a water and a wa, There sune I spied a wee wee man, He was the least that eir I saw. His legs were scant a shathmont’s length, And sma and limber was his thie; Atween his shoulders was ae span, About his middle war but three. He has tane up a meikle stane, And flang’t as far as I cold see; Ein thouch I had been Wallace wicht, I dought na lift it to my knie. ‘O wee wee man, but ye be strang! Tell me whar may thy dwelling be? ‘I dwell beneth that bonnie bouir; O will ye gae wi me and see?’ On we lap, and awa we rade, Till we cam to a bonny green; We lichted syne to bait our steid, And out there cam a lady sheen. Wi four and twentie at her back, A’ comely cled in glistering green; Thouch there the King of Scots had stude, The warst micht weil hae been his queen. On syne we past wi wondering cheir, Till we cam to a bonny ha; The roof was o the beaten gowd, The flure was o the crystal a’. When we cam there, wi wee wee knichts War ladies dancing, jimp and sma, But in the twinkling of an eie, Baith green and ha war clein awa.

’TWAS down by Carterhaugh, father, I walked beside the wa, And there I saw a wee wee man, The least that eer I saw. His legs were skant a shathmont lang, Yet umber was his thie; Between his brows there was ae span, And between his shoulders three. He’s taen and flung a meikle stane, As far as I could see; I could na, had I been Wallace wight, Hae lifted it to my knee. wee wee man, but ye be strang! Where may thy dwelling be?’ ‘It’s down beside yon bonny bower; Fair lady, come and see.’ On we lap, and away we rade, Down to a bonny green; We lighted down to bait our steed, And we saw the fairy queen. With four and twenty at her back, Of ladies clad in green; Tho the King of Scotland had been there, The worst might hae been his queen. On we lap, and away we rade, Down to a bonny ha; The roof was o the beaten goud, The floor was of chrystal a’. And there were dancing on the floor, Fair ladies jimp and sma; But in the twinkling o an eye, They sainted clean awa.

AS I gaed out to tak a walk, Atween the water and the wa, There I met wi a wee wee man, The weest man that ere I saw. Thick and short was his legs, And sma and thin was his thie, And atween his een a flee might gae, And atween his shouthers were inches three. And he has tane up a muckle stane, And thrown it farther than I coud see; If I had been as strong as ere Wallace was, I coud na lift it to my knie. ‘O,’ quo I, ’But ye be strong! And O where may your dwelling be?’ ‘It’s down in to yon bonnie glen; Gin ye dinna believe, ye can come and see.’ And we rade on, and we sped on, Till we cam to yon bonny glen, And there we lichted and louted in, And there we saw a dainty dame. There was four and twenty wating on her, And ilka ane was clad in green, And he had been the king of fair Scotland, The warst o them micht hae been his queen. There war pipers playing on ilka stair, And ladies dancing in ilka ha, But before ye coud hae sadd what was that, The house and wee manie was awa.

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. 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. 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. 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?’ 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. 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. 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.’

AS I was walking mine alane, Between the water and the wa, And oh there I spy’d a wee wee mannie, The weeest mannie that ere I saw. His legs they were na a gude inch lang, And thick and nimble was his thie; Between his een there was a span, And between his shouthers there were ells three. I asked at this wee wee mannie Whare his dwelling place might be; The answer that he gied to me Was, Cum alang, and ye shall see. So we’ll awa, and on we rade, Till we cam to yon bonnie green; We lichted down to bait our horse, And up and started a lady syne. Wi four and twenty at her back, And they were a’ weell clad in green; Tho I had been a crowned king, The warst o them might ha been my queen. So we’ll awa, and on we rade, Till we cam to yon bonnie hall; The rafters were o the beaten gold, And silver wire were the kebars all. And there was mirth in every end, And ladies dancing, ane and a,	And aye the owre-turn o their sang Was ‘The wee wee mannie’s been lang awa.’

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