Author: William Allingham

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Little Cowboy, what have you heard,
Up on the lonely rath's green mound?
Only the plaintive yellow bird
Sighing in sultry fields around,
Chary, chary, chary, chee-ee!,
Only the grasshopper and the bee?,
'Tip-tap, rip-rap,
Tick-a-tack-too!
Scarlet leather, sewn together,
This will make a shoe.
Left, right, pull it tight;
Summer days are warm;
Underground in winter,
Laughing at the storm!'
Lay your ear close to the hill.
Do you not catch the tiny clamour,
Busy click of an elfin hammer,
Voice of the Lepracaun singing shrill
As he merrily plies his trade?
He's a span
And a quarter in height.
Get him in sight, hold him tight,
And you're a made
Man!

You watch your cattle the summer day,
Sup on potatoes, sleep in the hay;
How would you like to roll in your carriage,
Look for a duchess's daughter in marriage?
Seize the Shoemaker,then you may!
'Big boots a-hunting,
Sandals in the hall,
White for a wedding-feast,
Pink for a ball.
This way, that way,
So we make a shoe;
Getting rich every stitch,
Tick-tack-too!'
Nine-and-ninety treasure-crocks
This keen miser-fairy hath,
Hid in mountains, woods, and rocks,
Ruin and round-tow'r, cave and rath,
And where the cormorants build;
From times of old
Guarded by him;
Each of them fill'd
Full to the brim
With gold!

I caught him at work one day, myself,
In the castle-ditch where foxglove grows,,
A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded Elf,
Spectacles stuck on his pointed nose,
Silver buckles to his hose,
Leather apron,shoe in his lap,
'Rip-rap, tip-tap,
Tick-tack-too!
(A grasshopper on my cap!
Away the moth flew!)
Buskins for a fairy prince,
Brogues for his son,,
Pay me well, pay me well,
When the job is done!'
The rogue was mine, beyond a doubt.
I stared at him; he stared at me;
'Servant, Sir!' 'Humph!' says he,
And pull'd a snuff-box out.
He took a long pinch, look'd better pleased,
The queer little Lepracaun;
Offer'd the box with a whimsical grace,,
Pouf! he flung the dust in my face,
And while I sneezed,
Was gone!

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a whimsical narrative that employs elements of Irish folklore to explore themes of desire, wealth, and the allure of the fantastical. The central character, the “Little Cowboy,” serves as a symbol of simplicity and innocence, while the Lepracaun, an elfin shoemaker, represents the elusive promise of quick and easy wealth.

The poet uses a playful tone, mixed with a hint of caution, evident in the lively, rhythmic language and the use of onomatopoeic expressions like “'Tip-tap, rip-rap, Tick-a-tack-too!” These sounds not only bring the Lepracaun’s shoe-making to life but also underscore the poem’s enchanting, fairy-tale atmosphere.

The structure of the poem, with its shifting perspectives and interspersed dialogue, further enhances the narrative style, creating an engaging back-and-forth between the observer and the observed. The poem ends on a humorous yet cautionary note with the Lepracaun disappearing as quickly as he had appeared, leaving the observer with nothing but a face full of dust.

Noteworthy literary devices include the use of color to symbolize different life events ("White for a wedding-feast, Pink for a ball") and the repeated motif of the shoe, symbolizing the hard work and craftsmanship that real wealth often requires. The poem, ultimately, is a charming exploration of the human desire for easy riches, and the harsh truth that such fantasies often remain just out of reach.