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THE WEE WEE MAN, by                    
First Line: A wee wee man, wi' an unco din, / cam' to our bield yestreen
Last Line: To a fond parent's e'e.
Subject(s): Love


A WEE wee man, wi' an unco din,
Cam' to our bield yestreen,
And siccan a rippit the body rais'd
As seldom was heard or seen; --
He wanted claes, he wanted shoon,
And something to weet his mou',
And aye he spurr'd wi' his tiny feet,
And blink'd wi' his e'en o' blue.

His face, which nane had seen before,
Thrill'd strangely through ilk min',
Wi' gowden dreams frae mem'ry's store,
Of loved anes lost langsyne.
A faither's brow, a mither's e'en,
A brither's dimpled chin,
Were mingled a' on that sweet face,
Fresh sent frae a hand abune.

Oh! soon ilka heart grew great wi' love,
And draps o' joy were seen
To trinkle fast o'er channell'd cheeks,
Where streams o' wae had been.
A welcome blithe we gie'd the chiel,
To share our lowly ha';
And we rowed him warm in fleecy duds,
And linen like Januar snaw.

Our guidman has a way o' his ain,
His word maun aye be law --
Frae Candlemas to blithe Yule e'en
He rules baith great and sma';
But the howdie reign'd yestreen, I trow,
And swagger'd baith butt and ben --
Even the big arm-chair was push'd agee
Frae the cosie chimley en'.

The guidman snoov'd about the house,
Aye rinnin' in some ane's way,
And aft he glanc'd at the wee thing's face,
On the auld wife's lap that lay;
His breast grew great wi' love and pride,
While the bairn was hush'd asleep,
And a gush o' blessings frae his heart
Came welling, warm and deep.

"I canna boast o' gowd," quoth he,
"My wealth's a willing arm;
Yet health and strength and wark be mine,
And wha shall bode thee harm?
To fill thy wee bit caup and cog,
And gie thee claes and lair,
Wi' joy and sweet content I'll strive
Through poortith, toil, and care."

There's joy within the simmer woods,
When wee birds chip the shell,
When firstling roses tint wi' bloom
The lip of sunlight dell;
But sweeter than the nestling bird,
Or rose-bud on the lea,
Is yon wee smiling gift of love
To a fond parent's e'e.





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