The Strange Visitor

: HALLOWEEN
: Good Stories For Great Holidays

AN ENGLISH FOLK-TALE



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, sm
ll 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.)



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