The Strange Visitor
by Joseph Jacobs
A woman was sitting at her reel one night; and
still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of broad, broad soles, and sat down
at the fireside!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of small, small legs, and sat down
on the broad, broad soles!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of thick, thick knees, and sat down
on the small, small legs!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of thin, thin thighs, and sat down
on the thick, thick knees!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of huge, huge hips, and sat down
on the thin, thin thighs!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a wee, wee waist, and sat down on the
huge, huge hips!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of broad, broad shoulders, and sat
down on the wee, wee waist!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of small, small arms, and sat down
on the broad, broad shoulders!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a pair of huge, huge hands, and sat down
on the small, small arms!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a small, small neck, and sat down on the
broad, broad shoulders!
And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she
wished for company.
In came a huge, huge head, and sat down on the
small, small neck!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"How did you get such broad,
broad feet?" quoth the Woman.
"Much tramping, much tramping!" (GRUFFLY.)
"How did you get such small,
small legs?" "AIH-H-H!--late--and WEE-E-E-moul!" (WHININGLY.)
"How did you get such thick,
thick knees?" "Much praying, much praying!" (PIOUSLY.)
"How did you get such thin, thin
thighs?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e-moul!" (WHININGLY.)
"How did you get such big, big
hips?" "Much sitting, much sitting!" (GRUFFLY.)
"How did you get such a wee,
wee waist?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e-moul!" (WHININGLY.)
"How did you get such broad,
broad shoulders?" "With carrying broom, with carrying
broom!" (GRUFFLY.)
"How did you get such small arms?"
"Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e-moul!" (WHININGLY.)
"How did you get such huge, huge
hands?" "Threshing with an iron flail! Threshing with
an iron flail!" (GRUFFLY.)
"How did you get such a small,
small neck?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e-moul!" (PITIFULLY.)
"How did you get such a huge,
huge head?" "Much knowledge, much knowledge!" (KEENLY.)
"What do you come for?"
"FOR YOU! ! !"
(AT THE TOP OF THE VOICE,
WITH A WAVE OF THE ARMS AND A STAMP OF THE FEET.) |