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The Wee, Wee Mannie


Once upon a time, when all big folks were wee ones and all lies were true, there was a wee, wee Mannie that had a big, big Coo. And out he went to milk her of a morning, and said—

"Hold still, my Coo, my hinny,
Hold still, my hinny, my Coo,
And ye shall have for your dinner
What but a milk white doo."
But the big, big Coo wouldn't hold still. "Hout!" said the wee, wee Mannie—

"Hold still, my Coo, my dearie,
And fill my bucket wi' milk,
And if ye 'll be no contrairy
I'll gi'e ye a gown o' silk."
But the big, big Coo wouldn't hold still. "Look at that, now!" said the wee, wee Mannie—

"What's a wee, wee mannie to do,
Wi' such a big contrairy Coo?"
So off he went to his mother at the house. "Mother," said he, "Coo won't stand still, and wee, wee Mannie can't milk big, big Coo."

"Hout!" says his mother, "take stick and beat Coo."

So off he went to get a stick from the tree, and said—

"Break, stick, break,
And I'll gi'e ye a cake."
But the stick wouldn't break, so back he went to the house. "Mother," says he, "Coo won't hold still, stick won't break, wee, wee Mannie can't beat big, big Coo."

"Hout!" says his mother, "go to the Butcher and bid him kill Coo."

So off he went to the Butcher, and said—

"Butcher, kill the big, big Coo,
She'll gi'e us no more milk noo."
But the Butcher wouldn't kill the Coo without a silver penny, so back the Mannie went to the house. "Mother," says he, "Coo won't hold still, stick won't break, Butcher won't kill without a silver penny, and wee, wee Mannie can't milk big, big Coo."

"Well," said his mother, "go to the Coo and tell her there's a weary, weary lady with long yellow hair weeping for a cup o' milk."

So off he went and told the Coo, but she wouldn't hold still, so back he went and told his mother.

"Well," said she, "tell the Coo there's a fine, fine laddie from the wars sitting by the weary, weary lady with golden hair, and she weeping for a sup o' milk."

So off he went and told the Coo, but she wouldn't hold still, so back he went and told his mother.

"Well," said his mother, "tell the big, big Coo there's a sharp, sharp sword at the belt of the fine, fine laddie from the wars who sits beside the weary, weary lady with the golden hair, and she weeping for a sup o' milk."

And he told the big, big Coo, but she wouldn't hold still.

Then said his mother, "Run quick and tell her that her head's going to be cut off by the sharp, sharp sword in the hands of the fine, fine laddie, if she doesn't give the sup o' milk the weary, weary lady weeps for."

And wee, wee Mannie went off and told the big, big Coo.

And when Coo saw the glint of the sharp, sharp sword in the hand of the fine, fine laddie come from the wars, and the weary, weary lady weeping for a sup o' milk, she reckoned she'd better hold still; so wee, wee Mannie milked big, big Coo, and the weary, weary lady with the golden hair hushed her weeping and got her sup o' milk, and the fine, fine laddie new come from the wars put by his sharp, sharp sword, and all went well that didn't go ill.






 


 

 

 











All English Fairy Tales

THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

JACK THE GIANT-KILLER

THE PIED PIPER OF FRANCHVILLE

THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS

TOM TIT TOT

THE THREE SILLIES

THE ROSE-TREE

THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG

HOW JACK WENT TO SEEK HIS FORTUNE

MR. VINEGAR

NIX NOUGHT NOTHING

JACK HANNAFORD

BINNORIE

MOUSE AND MOUSER

CAP O' RUSHES

TEENY-TINY

THE MASTER AND HIS PUPIL

TITTY MOUSE ND TATTY MOUSE

JACK AND HIS GOLDEN SNUFF-BOX

HENNY-PENNY

CHILDE ROWLAND

MOLLY WHUPPIE

THE RED ETTIN

MASTER OF ALL MASTERS.

THE GOLDEN ARM

THE HISTORY OF TOM THUMB

MR. FOX

LAZY JACK

JOHNNY-CAKE

EARL MAR'S DAUGHTER

MR. MIACCA

WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

THE STRANGE VISITOR

THE LAIDLY WORM OF SPINDLESTON HEUGH

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.

THE FISH AND THE RING.

THE MAGPIE'S NEST

KATE CRACKERNUTS

THE CAULD LAD OF HILTON

THE ASS, THE TABLE, AND THE STICK

FAIRY OINTMENT

THE WELL OF THE WORLD'S END.

THE THREE HEADS OF THE WELL