Section 1

The Strange Visitor explained simply

The Strange Visitor by Joseph Jacobs

Original excerpt

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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...
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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 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--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 arm and a stamp of the feet._)

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What happens here

The Strange Visitor follows magic, danger, wishes, family trouble, and a test of courage or cleverness.

Why this scene matters

This story matters because it turns magic, danger, wishes, family trouble, and a test of courage or cleverness into a short public-domain reading experience that is easier to understand when the plot is explained plainly first.

Characters in this scene

  • The central seeker: The person who must survive a magical test, bargain, or danger.
  • The magical helper or threat: The figure that changes what is possible in the tale.