Origin: England

Book: English Fairy Tales

Author: Joseph Jacobs

Published: 1892

There was an old woman sat all alone in her cabin one night spinning her wool.

And so she sat, and so she spun, and so she waited for someone to come.

Then there came a knocking on the door. Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeeak went the door. And in came a pair of Big Big Feet
Sat themselves down on the Cold Cold Floor.

How strange said the old woman, to see such Big Big Feet
On this Cold Cold Floor.

But still she sat and still spun and still she waited for someone to come.

Then Knock, Knock, Knock. Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeak went the door.

And in came a pair of Short Short Legs
Sat themselves down on the Big Big Feet
On the Cold Cold Floor.

How Strange, said the old woman, to see such Short Short Legs
On those Big Big Feet
On this Cold Cold Floor.

But still she sat and still she spun and still she waited for someone to come.

Then Knock Knock Knock. Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeak went the door.

And in came a Wee Wee Waist
Sat itself down on the Short Short Legs
On the Big Big Feet
On that Cold Cold Floor.

How Strange said the old woman, to see such a Wee Wee Waist,
On those Short Short Legs
On those Big Big Feet
On this Cold Cold Floor.

But still she sat and still she spun and still she waited for someone to come.

Then Knock, Knock, Knock. Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeak went the door.

And in came a pair of Broad Broad Shoulders
Sat themselves down
On the Wee Wee Waist
On the Short Short Legs
On the Big Big Feet
On the Cold Cold Floor.

How strange, said the old woman, to see such Broad Broad Shoulders
On that Wee Wee Waist
On those Short Short Legs
On those Big Big Feet
On this Cold Cold Floor.

But still she sat and still she spun and still she waited for someone to come.

Then Knock, Knock, Knock. Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeak went the door.

And in came a pair of Long Long Arms.
Sat themselves down
On the Broad Broad Shoulders
On the Wee Wee Waist
On the Short Short Legs
On the Big Big Feet
On the Cold Cold Floor

How strange, said the old woman, to see such Long Long arms
On those Broad Broad Shoulders
On that Wee Wee Waist
On those Short Short Legs
On those Big Big Feet
On this Cold Cold Floor.

But still she sat and still she spun and still she waited for someone to come.

Then Knock, Knock, Knock. Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeak went the door.

And in came a pair of Large Large Hands.
Sat themselves down
On the Long Long Arms
On the Broad Broad Shoulders
On the Wee Wee Waist
On the Short Short Legs
On the Big Big Feet
On the Cold Cold Floor

How Strange, said the old woman, to see such Large Large Hands.
On those Long Long Arms
On those Broad Broad Shoulders
On that Wee Wee Waist
On those Short Short Legs
On those Big Big Feet
On this Cold Cold Floor

But still she sat and still she spun and still she waited for someone to come.

Then Knock, Knock, Knock.

Come in! Called the old woman.

Screeeak went the door.

And in rolled a Big Big Head!!!
Sat itself down
On those Broad Broad Shoulders
With the Large Large Hands
On the Long Long Arms
And the Wee Wee Waist
On the Short Short Legs
On the Big Big Feet
On that Cold Cold Floor.

OOOOOOHHHH, said the old woman. Where did you get such Big Big Feet?

Much Walking
Much Walking

Where did you get such a Wee Wee Waist?

Much Bending
Much Bending

Where did you get such Broad Broad Shoulders?

Swinging An Axe
Swinging An Axe

Where did you get such Long Long Arms?

Threshing Wheat
Threshing Wheat

Where did you get such Large Large Hands?

Carrying Broomsticks
Carrying Broomsticks

Where did you get such a Big Big Head?

It’s a Pumpkinshell
It’s a Pumpkinshell

What did you come to my house for?

TO GET YOU!!!

Notes on Telling:  This works well as audience participation. Let the audience knock with you, call Come in and then Screeeak the door. They may also like to join on the How strange refrain. And all will want to rock, spin, and chant with you on the Still she sat lines. Some tellers use a hand motion on the spinning line which involves the hands circling each other, palms toward the body, rather like winding a ball of yarn.