Produced by David Edwards, Harry Lamé, the Music Team (Anne
Celnik, monkeyclogs, Sarah Thomson and others) and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
available by The Internet Archive)

  +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
  |                       TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:                        |
  |                                                                   |
  | Text printed in italics in the original work is presented here    |
  | between underscores, as in _text_. Similarly, bold face in the    |
  | original is represented as =text=.                                |
  |                                                                   |
  | Footnotes have been moved to the end of the description of the    |
  | game.                                                             |
  |                                                                   |
  | [Illustration] means that there is an illustration present in the |
  | text; [Music] means a transcription in musical notation.          |
  |                                                                   |
  | This text uses characters and symbols that may not display        |
  | properly, depending on the software used and its settings.        |
  |                                                                   |
  | More Transcriber's Notes may be found at the end of this text.    |
  +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

VOL. I.

ACCROSHAY-NUTS IN MAY

    Medium 8vo, xix.—424 pp. With numerous Diagrams and Illustrations.
    Cloth uncut. 12s. 6d. nett.

Some Press Notices

    _Notes and Queries._—“A work of supreme importance. . . a scholarly,
    valuable, and delightful work.”

    _Spectator._—“Interesting and useful to the antiquarian, historian,
    and philologist, as well as to the student of manners and customs.”

    _Saturday Review._—“Thorough and conscientious.”

    _Critic_ (New York).—“A mine of riches to the student of folk-lore,
    anthropology, and comparative religion.”

    _Antiquary._—“The work of collection and comparison has been done
    with obvious care, and at the same time with a con amore
    enthusiasm.”

    _Zeitschrift für vergl. Literaturgeschichte._—“In jeder Beziehung
    erschöpfend und mustergültig.”

    _Zeitschrift für Pädagogie._—“Von hoher wissenschaftlicher
    Bedeutung.”

[_All rights reserved_]

  THE
  TRADITIONAL GAMES
  Of England, Scotland, and Ireland

  WITH

  TUNES, SINGING-RHYMES, AND METHODS OF PLAYING
  ACCORDING TO THE VARIANTS EXTANT AND
  RECORDED IN DIFFERENT PARTS
  OF THE KINGDOM

  COLLECTED AND ANNOTATED BY
  ALICE BERTHA GOMME

  VOL. II.

  OATS AND BEANS-WOULD YOU KNOW

  TOGETHER WITH A MEMOIR ON THE STUDY
  OF CHILDREN’S GAMES

  LONDON
  DAVID NUTT, 270-71 STRAND
  1898

  Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO.

  At the Ballantyne Press

PREFACE

The completion of the second volume of my Dictionary has been delayed
from several unforeseen circumstances, the most important being the
death of my most kind and learned friend the Rev. Dr. Gregor. The loss
which folk-lore students as a body sustained by this lamented scholar’s
death, was in my own case accentuated, not only by many years of kindly
communication, but by the very special help which he generously gave me
for this collection.

The second volume completes the collection of games on the lines already
laid down. It has taken much more space than I originally intended, and
I was compelled to add some important variants to the first volume, sent
to me during the compilation of the second. I have explained in the
memoir that the two volumes practically contain all that is to be
collected, all, that is to say, of real importance.

The memoir seeks to show what important evidence is to be derived from
separate study of the Traditional Games of England. That games of all
classes are shown to contain evidence of ancient custom and belief is
remarkable testimony to the anthropological methods of studying
folk-lore, which I have followed. The memoir fills a considerable space,
although it contains only the analytical portion of what was to have
been a comprehensive study of both the analytical and comparative sides
of the questions. Dr. Gregor had kindly promised to help me with the
study of foreign parallels to British Games, but before his death it
became apparent that this branch of the subject would almost need a
separate treatise, and his death decided me to leave it untouched. I do
not underrate its importance, but I am disposed to think that the survey
I have given of the British evidence will not be materially shaken by
the study of the comparative evidence, which will now be made the
easier.

I ought perhaps to add, that the “Memoir” at the end of this volume was
read as a paper at the evening meeting of the Folk Lore Society, on
March 16th, 1898.

I have again to thank my many kind correspondents for their help in
collecting the different versions of the games.

A. B. G.

24 DORSET SQUARE, N.W.

LIST OF AUTHORITIES

ADDENDUM TO VOL. I.

ENGLAND.

  BEDFORDSHIRE—
    Bedford                     Mrs. Haddon.

  BERKSHIRE—
    Welford                     Mrs. S. Batson.

  BUCKINGHAMSHIRE—
    Buckingham                  _Midland Garner._

  CAMBRIDGESHIRE                Halliwell’s _Nursery Rhymes_.
    Barrington, Girton          Dr. A. C. Haddon.
    Cambridge                   Mrs. Haddon.

  CORNWALL                      Miss I. Barclay.

  DERBYSHIRE                    Miss Youngman, _Long Ago_, vol. i.

  DEVONSHIRE                    Miss Chase.
  Chudleigh Knighton          { Henderson’s _Folk-lore of the Northern
                              { Counties of England_.

  DORSETSHIRE—
    Broadwinsor                 _Folk-lore Journal_, vol. vii.

  GLOUCESTERSHIRE               Northall’s _English Folk Rhymes_.

  HAMPSHIRE—
    Gambledown                  Mrs. Pinsent.

  HERTFORDSHIRE—
    Harpenden, Stevenage        Mrs. Lloyd.

  HUNTINGDONSHIRE—
    St. Neots                   Miss Lumley.

  KENT                          Miss L. Broadwood.

  LANCASHIRE—
    Manchester                  Miss Dendy.
    Liverpool                   Mrs. Harley.

  LEICESTERSHIRE                _Leicestershire County Folk-lore._

  LINCOLNSHIRE—
    Brigg                       Miss J. Barker.
    Spilsby                     Rev. R. Cracroft.

  LONDON                        Dr. Haddon, A. Nutt, Mrs. Gomme.
    Blackheath                  Mr. M. L. Rouse.
    Hoxton                      Rev. S. D. Headlam.
    Marylebone                  Mrs. Gomme.

  MIDDLESEX                     Mrs. Pocklington-Coltman.

  NORFOLK                       Mrs. Haddon.
    Hemsby                      Mrs. Haddon.

  NORTHUMBERLAND                Hon. J. Abercromby.

  OXFORDSHIRE                   Miss L. Broadwood.

  STAFFORDSHIRE                 Halliwell’s _Nursery Rhymes_.
    Wolstanton                  Miss Bush.

  SUFFOLK                       Mrs. Haddon.
    Woolpit, near Haughley      Mr. M. L. Rouse.

  SURREY—
    Ash                         Mrs. Gomme.

  SUSSEX—
    Lewes                       Miss Kimber.

  WORCESTERSHIRE—
    Upton on Severn             Miss. L. Broadwood.

  YORKSHIRE                     Miss E. Cadman.

SCOTLAND.

_Notes and Queries._ Pennant’s _Voyage to the Hebrides_.

  ABERDEENSHIRE—
    Aberdeen                    Mr. M. L. Rouse.
    Aberdeen Training College   Rev. Dr. Gregor.
    Corgarff, Fraserburgh,    } Rev. Dr. Gregor.
    Meiklefolla, Rosehearty,  }
    Tyrie

  ARGYLLSHIRE—
    Connell Ferry, near Oban    Miss Harrison.

  BANFFSHIRE—
    Cullen, Macduff             Rev. Dr. Gregor.

  BERWICKSHIRE                  A. M. Bell (_Antiquary_, vol. xxx.).

  ELGIN AND NAIRN—
    Dyke                      } Rev. Dr. Gregor.
    Strichen                  }

  FORFARSHIRE—
    Forfar                      Rev. Dr. Gregor.

  KINCARDINESHIRE—
    Banchory                    Rev. Dr. Gregor.

  KIRCUDBRIGHTSHIRE—
    Auchencairn               { Miss M. Haddon.
                              { Dr. A. C. Haddon.
    Crossmichael                Rev. Dr. Gregor.
    Galloway                  } Mr. J. G. Carter.
    Dalry                     }
    Kirkcudbright              }Mr. J. Lawson.
    Laurieston                 }
    New Galloway                Rev. Dr. Gregor.

  LINLITHGOWSHIRE—
    Linlithgow                  Mrs. Jamieson.

  PERTHSHIRE—
    Auchterarder                Miss E. S. Haldane.
    Perth                       Rev. Dr. Gregor.

  ROSS-SHIRE                    Rev. Dr. Gregor.

  WIGTONSHIRE—
  Port William School           Rev. Dr. Gregor.

IRELAND.

Carleton’s _Stories of Irish Peasantry_.

  CORK—
  Cork                          Mr. I. J. Dennachy.

  DOWN—
  St. Andrews                   Miss H. E. Harvey.

  DUBLIN—
  Dublin                        Mrs. Coffey.
  Howth                         Miss H. E. Harvey.

  KERRY—
  Kerry                         I. J. Dennachy.
  Waterville                    Mrs. B. B. Green.

  LEITRIM—
  Kiltubbrid                    Mr. L. L. Duncan.

  WATERFORD—
  Waterford                     Miss H. E. Harvey.

WALES.

Roberts’ _Cambrian Popular Antiquities_.

LIST OF GAMES

  OATS and Beans and Barley.
  Obadiah.
  Odd or Even.
  Odd-man.
  Old Dame.
  Old Roger is Dead.
  Old Soldier.
  Oliver, Oliver, follow the King.
  One Catch-all.
  Oranges and Lemons.
  ’Otmillo.
  Over Clover.

  PADDY from Home.
  Paip.
  Pallall.
  Pally Ully.
  Pat-ball.
  Pay-swad.
  Pednameny.
  Peesie Weet.
  Peg and Stick.
  Peg-fiched.
  Peggy Nut.
  Peg-in-the-Ring.
  Peg-top.
  Penny Cast.
  Penny Hop.
  Penny Prick.
  Penny Stanes.
  Phœbe.
  Pick and Hotch.
  Pi-cow.
  Pigeon Walk.
  Pig-ring.
  Pillie-Winkie.
  Pinch.
  Pinny Show.
  Pins.
  Pirley Pease-weep.
  Pitch.
  Pitch and Hustle.
  Pitch and Toss.
  Pit-counter.
  Pits.
  Pize Ball.
  Plum Pudding.
  Plum Pudding and Roast Beef.
  Pointing out a Point.
  Poncake.
  Poor and Rich.
  Poor Mary sits a-weeping.
  Poor Widow.
  Pop Goes the Weasel.
  Pop-the-Bonnet.
  Poppet-Show.
  Port the Helm.
  Pots, or Potts.
  Pray, Pretty Miss.
  Pretty Little Girl of Mine.
  Pretty Miss Pink.
  Prick at the Loop.
  Prickey Sockey.
  Prickie and Jockie.
  Priest-Cat (1).
  Priest-Cat (2).
  Priest of the Parish.
  Prisoner’s Base.
  Puff-the-Dart.
  Pun o’ mair Weight.
  Punch Bowl.
  Purposes.
  Push in the Wash Tub.
  Push Pin.
  Push the Business On.
  Puss in the Corner.
  Pussy’s Ground.
  Pyramid.

  QUAKER.
  Quaker’s Wedding.
  Queen Anne.
  Queen Mary.
  Queen of Sheba.

  RAGMAN.
  Rag-stag.
  Rakes and Roans.
  Rakkeps.
  Range the Bus.
  Rax, or Raxie-boxie, King of Scotland.
  Relievo.
  Religious Church.
  Rigs.
  Ring.
  Ring a Ring o’ Roses.
  Ring by Ring.
  Ringie, Ringie, Red Belt.
  Ring-me-rary.
  Ring-taw.
  Rin-im-o’er.
  Robbing the Parson’s Hen-Roost.
  Rockety Row.
  Roll up Tobacco.
  Roly-poly.
  Ronin the Bee.
  Rosy Apple, Lemon and Pear.
  Roundabout, or Cheshire Round.
  Round and Round the Village.
  Round and Round went the Gallant Ship.
  Round Tag.
  Rounders.
  Rounds.
  Row-chow-Tobacco.
  Rowland-Ho.
  Rumps.
  Rusty.

  SACKS.
  Saddle the Nag.
  Saggy.
  Sailor Lad.
  Sally go Round the Moon.
  Sally Water.
  Sally Sober.
  Salmon Fishers.
  Salt Eel.
  Save All.
  Say Girl.
  Scat.
  Scop-peril.
  Scotch-hoppers.
  Scots and English.
  Scratch Cradle.
  Scrush.
  Scurran-Meggy.
  See-Saw.
  See-Sim.
  Shame Reel, or Shamit Dance.
  She Said, and She Said.
  Shepherd and Sheep.
  Shepherds.
  Shinney, or Shinty, or Shinnops.
  Ship.
  Ship Sail.
  Shiver the Goose.
  Shoeing the Auld Mare.
  Shue-Gled-Wylie.
  Shuttlefeather.
  Shuvvy-Hawle.
  Silly Old Man.
  Skin the Goatie.
  Skipping.
  Skyte the Bob.
  Smuggle the Gig.
  Snail Creep.
  Snapping Tongs.
  Snatch Apple.
  Snatch Hood.
  Soldier.
  Solomon.
  Sort’em-billyort’em.
  Sow-in-the-Kirk.
  Span Counter.
  Spang and Purley.
  Spangie.
  Spannims.
  Spawnie.
  Spinny-Wye.
  Splints.
  Spurn point.
  Spy-arm.
  Stacks.
  Stag.
  Stagging.
  Steal the Pigs.
  Stealy Clothes.
  Steik and Hide.
  Sticky-stack.
  Sticky Toffey.
  Stiff Police.
  Stik-n Snael.
  Stocks.
  Stones.
  Stool-ball.
  Strik a Licht.
  Stroke.
  Stroke Bias.
  Sun and Moon.
  Sunday Night.
  Sun Shines.
  Sweer Tree.
  Swinging.

  TAIT.
  Teesty-Tosty.
  Teter-cum-Tawter.
  Tee-to-tum.
  Thimble Ring.
  Thing done.
  Thread the Needle.
  Three Days’ Holidays.
  Three Dukes.
  Three Flowers.
  Three Holes.
  Three Jolly Welshmen.
  Three Knights from Spain.
  Three Little Ships.
  Three Old Bachelors.
  Three Sailors.
  Through the Needle Eye, Boys.
  Thun’er Spell.
  Tick.
  Tickle me Quickly.
  Ticky Touchwood.
  Tig.
  Time.
  Tip it.
  Tip-Cat.
  Tip-tap-toe.
  Tiring Irons.
  Tisty Tosty.
  Titter-totter.
  Tit-tat-toe.
  Tods and Lambs.
  Tom Tiddler’s Ground.
  Tops.
  The Totum, or Tee-to-tum.
  Touch.
  Tower of London.
  Town Lovers.
  Trades.
  Trap, Bat, and Ball.
  Tray-trip.
  Tres-acre.
  Tribet.
  Trippit and Coit.
  Trip and Go.
  Trip-trout.
  Troap.
  Troco, Trucks.
  Troule-in-Madame.
  Trounce-Hole.
  Troy Town.
  Truncher.
  Trunket.
  Truss.
  Tuilyie-wap.
  Turn, Cheeses, Turn.
  Turn Spit Jack.
  Turn the Ship.
  Turn the Trencher, or, My Lady’s Toilet.
  Turvey.
  Tutt-ball.
  Twelve Days of Christmas.
  Twelve Holes.

  UNCLE John is Ill in Bed.
  Up the Streets.

  WADDS and the Wears (1).
  Wadds and the Wears (2).
  Waggles.
  Wallflowers.
  Warney.
  Way-Zaltin.
  We are the Rovers.
  Weary.
  Weave the Diaper.
  Weigh the Butter.
  When I was a Young Girl.
  Whiddy.
  Whigmeleerie.
  Whip.
  Whishin Dance.
  Who goes round my Stone Wall.
  Widow.
  Wiggle-Waggle.
  Wild Boar.
  Wild Birds.
  Willie, Willie Wastell.
  Wind up the Bush Faggot.
  Wind, The.
  Wink-egg.
  Witch, The.
  Witte-Witte-Way.
  Wolf.
  Wolf and the Lamb.
  Would you know how doth the Peasant.

ADDENDA

  A’ THE BIRDIES.
  All the Boys.
  American Post.
  As I was Walking.
  Auld Grannie.

  BALL.
  Bannockburn.
  Black Doggie.
  Bonnet Ridgie.
  Button.

  CANLIE.
  Carry my Lady to London.
  Cat and Dog Hole.
  Catch the Salmond.
  Chicken come Clock.
  Chippings, or Cheapings.
  Chucks.
  Churning.
  Codham, or Codhams.
  Colley Ball.

  DAN’L my Man.
  Deil amo’ the Dishes.
  Dig for Silver.
  Dillsee Dollsie Dee.
  Doagan.
  Down in Yonder Meadow.
  Draw a Pail of Water.
  Drop Handkerchief.
  Dumb Crambo.
  Dump.

  EENDY, Beendy.

  FARMER’S Den.
  Fire on the Mountains.
  Fool, Fool, come to School.
  French Jackie.

  GALLOPING, Galloping.
  Gallant Ship.
  Galley, Galley Ship.
  Glasgow Ships.
  Granny’s Needle.
  Green Gravel.
  Green Grass.
  Green Grass (2).

  HEAP the Cairn.
  Hear all!
  Hen and Chickens.
  High Windows.
  Hot Cockles.

  ISABELLA.

  JENNY Jones.
  Jockie Rover.
  Jolly Lads.
  Jolly Miller.

  KEYS of Heaven.
  Kick the Block.

  LADY of the Land.
  Leap-Frog.
  London Bridge.
  Lubin, Looby Loo.

  MAGICIAN.
  Mannie on the Pavement.
  Merry-ma-Tanza.
  Milking Pails.
  My Delight’s in Tansies.

  NAMER and Guesser.
  Needle Cases.
  Nuts in May.

  ODD Man.
  Old Cranny Crow.
  Old Johanny Hairy, Crap in!

  PAPER of Pins.
  Pickie.
  Poor Widow.

  QUEEN Anne.

  RASHES.

  SALLY Water.
  Shuffle the Brogue.
  Soldiers, Soldiers.

  THREE Dukes.
  Three Knights.
  Tug of War.

  WE are the Rovers.
  When I was a Young Girl.

ANALYSIS OF “MEMOIR”

    Children’s games, a definite branch of folk-lore—Nature of material
    for the study—Games fall into one of two sections—Classification of
    the games—Under customs contained in them—Under implements of
    play—Skill and chance games—Importance of classification—Early
    custom contained in skill and chance games—In diagram games—Tabu in
    game of “Touch”—Methods of playing the games—Characteristics of line
    form—Of circle forms—Of individual form—Of the arch forms—Of
    winding-up form—Contest games—War-cry used in contest games—Early
    marriage customs in games of line form—Marriage by capture—By
    purchase—Without love or courtship—Games formerly played at
    weddings—Disguising the bride—Hiring servants game—Marriage customs
    in circle games—Courtship precedes marriage—Marriage connected with
    water custom—“Crying for a young man” announcing a want—Marriage
    formula—Approval of friends necessary—Housewifely duties
    mentioned—Eating of food by bride and bridegroom necessary—Young
    man’s necessity for a wife—Kiss in the ring—Harvest customs in
    games—Occupations in games—Funeral customs in games—Use of rushes in
    games—Sneezing action in game—Connection of spirit of dead person
    with trees—Perambulation of boundaries—Animals represented—Ballads
    sung to a dance—Individual form games—Hearth worship—Objection to
    giving light from a fire—Child-stealing by witch—Obstacles in path
    when pursuing witch—Contest between animals—Ghosts in games—Arch
    form of game—Contest between leaders of parties—Foundation sacrifice
    in games—Encircling a church—Well worship in games—Tug-of-war
    games—Alarm bell ringing—Passing under a yoke—Creeping through holed
    stones in games—Under earth sods—Customs in “winding up” games—Tree
    worship in games—Awaking the earth spirit—Serpentine dances—Burial
    of maiden—Guessing, a primitive element in games—Dramatic
    classification—Controlling force which has preserved custom in
    games—Dramatic faculty in mankind—Child’s faculty for dramatic
    action—Observation of detail—Children’s games formerly an amusement
    of adults—Dramatic power in savages—Dramatic dances among the savage
    and semi-civilised—Summary and conclusion.

CHILDREN’S GAMES

Oats and Beans and Barley

[Music]

—Madeley, Shropshire (Miss Burne).

[Music]

—_Northants Notes and Queries_, ii. 161 (R. S. Baker)

[Music]

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

    I.      Oats and beans and barley grow!
            Oats and beans and barley grow!
            Do you or I or any one know
            How oats and beans and barley grow?
            First the farmer _sows_ his seed,
            Then he _stands_ and takes his ease,
            _Stamps_ his foot, and _claps_ his hands,
            Then _turns round_ to view the land.
                Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner!
            Open the ring and take one in!

            Now you are married you must obey,
            You must be true to all you say,
            You must be kind, you must be good,
            And help your wife to chop the wood!

—Much Wenlock (Burne’s _Shropshire Folklore_, p. 508).

    II.     Oats and beans and barley grow!
            Does you or I or any one know
            Where oats and beans and barley grow?

            So the farmer sows his seed;
            So he stands and takes his ease;
            Stamps his foot and claps his hands,
            And turns him round to view the lands.
                Waiting for a partner! waiting for a partner!

            Now young couple you must obey,
            You must be true in all you say,
            You must be wise and very good,
            And help your wife to chop the wood.

—Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

    III.    Does you or I, or anie one knowe
            Where oates and beanes and barlie growe?
              Where oates and beanes and barlie growe?
            The farmer comes and sowes ye seede,
            Then he standes and takes hys ease,
            Stamps hys foote, and slappes hys hand,
            And turnes hym rounde to viewe ye land.
                Waiting for a partner,
                Waiting for a partner,
            Open the ringe and take mee in,
            Make haste and choose youre partner.

            Now you’re married you must obey,
            Must bee true to alle you saye,
            Must bee kinde and verie goode,
            And helpe your wyfe to choppe ye woode.

—Raunds (_Northants Notes and Queries_, i. 163).

    IV.     Oats and beans and barley grows,
            You or I or any one knows,
            You or I or any one knows,
            Where oats and beans and barley grows.

            Thus the farmer sows his seed,
            Stamps his feet and claps his hands,
            And turns around to view the land.
                Waiting for a partner,
                Waiting for a partner,

            Now you are married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—East Kirkby, Lincolnshire (Miss K. Maughan).

    V.      Oats, beans, and barley grows,
            You or I or any one knows.
            Thus the farmer sows his seed,
            Thus he stands and takes his ease,
            Stamps his feet and folds his hands,
            And turns him round to view the lands.
                Oh! waitin’ for a partner,
                Waitin’ for a partner.

            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Winterton (Miss Fowler).

    VI.     Oats and wheat and barley grows,
            You and I and every one knows
            Where oats and wheat and barley grows.
            As the farmer sows his seed,
            Folds his arms and takes his ease,
            Stamps his feet and claps his hands,
            And turns him round to view the land.
                Waiting for a partner,
                Waiting for a partner,
                Waiting for a partner,
                To open the ring
                And take one in.

            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Tean, North Staffs. (Miss Keary).

    VII.    Oats and beans and barley grow,
            You and I and every one know;
            You and I and every one know
            That oats and beans and barley grow.

            Thus the farmer sows his seed,
            Thus he stands and takes his ease,
            Stamps his foot and claps his hands,
            And turns him round to view the land.
                  Waiting for a partner,
                  Waiting for a partner.

            Now you’re married you must obey, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Brigg, Lincolnshire (Miss Barker).

    VIII.   Oats and beans and barley-corns, you or I or any one else,
            You or I or any one else, oats or beans or barley-corns;
            Thus the farmer sows his seed,
            Thus he stands and takes his ease,
            Stamps his foot, and claps his hands,
            And turns him round to view the land.
            Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner;
            Open the ring and take one in,
            Waiting for a partner.
            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Nottingham (Miss E. A. Winfield).

    IX.     Oats and beans, barley and groats,
            Oats and beans, barley and groats;
            You, nor I, nor anybody knows
            How oats and beans and barley grows.
            Thus the farmer sows his seed,
            Thus he stands and takes his feed,
            Stamps his foot and claps his hand,
            And turns around to view the land.
            Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner.
            Slip the ring, and take one in,
            And kiss her when you get her in;
            Now that you’re married you must agree,
            You must be kind to all you see;
            You must be kind, you must be good,
            And help your man [wife] to chop the wood.

—Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).

    X.      Wuts and beäns and barley graws,
            As you and I and every one knaws.

            .       .       .       .       .

                  Waätin’ for a pardner.

            Fust the farmer saws his seäds,
            Then he stands and taäke his eäse,
            Stomps his feät and clops his hands,
            And turns him round to view his lands.
                  Waätin’ for a pardner.

            Now you’re married you must obaäy;
            Must be trewe to all you saäy;
            Must be kind and must be good,
            And help your wife to chop the wood.
                  Waätin’ for a pardner.

—Spilsby, N. Lincs. (Rev. R. Cracroft).

    XI.     Oats and beans and barley corn,
            Oats and beans and barley corn;
            You and I and nobody else,
            But oats and beans and barley corn.
            As the farmer sows his seed,
            As he stands to take us in,
            Stamps his feet and claps his hands,
            Turns around to field and lands.
            Waiting for a partner,
            Waiting for a partner,
            Open the gate and let her come out,
            And see the one you love the best.

              Now we’re merry and wish you joy,
              First the girl, and then the boy,
              Seven years after, seven years past,
              Kiss one another and go to your class.

—Hampshire (Miss Mendham).

    XII.    Where the wheat and barley grows,
            You and I and nobody knows,
            Where the wheat and barley grows,
            You and I and nobody knows.
            As the farmer sows his seed,
            As he stands and takes his ease,
            Stamps his foot and claps his hand,
            Turns around to view the land.
            Waiting for a partner,
            Waiting for a partner.
            Open the ring, take her in,
            Kiss her when you get her in.
            Now you’re married you must be good,
            To make your husband chop the wood.

—Cowes, Isle of Wight (Miss E. Smith).

    XIII.   Oats and beans and barley corns,
            You nor I nor any one knows;
            You nor I nor any one knows
            How oats and beans and barley grows.
            As the sower sows his seed,
            As he stands he takes his ease,
            Stamps his foot and claps his hands,
            And turns him round to view the land.
            Waiting for a partner,
            Open the ring and take one in.
            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire (Miss Youngman).

    XIV.    Hop or beans or barley corn,
            You or I or any one all:
            First the farmer sows his seed,
            Then he stands and takes his ease;
            He stamped his foot and he clapped his hand,
            And turned around the bugle land,
                Waiting for a partner, a partner, a partner,
                He opened the ring and called one in,
                And now he’s got a partner.
            Now you’re married we wish you good joy,
            First the girl and then the boy;
            Love one another like sister and brother,
            And pray each couple to kiss together.

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

    XV.     See the farmer sow his seed,
            See he stands and takes them in,
            Stamps his foot and claps his hand,
            And turns him round to view the land.
                O! waiting for a partner,
                O! waiting for a partner,
                Open the ring and take one in.

            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Earls Heaton, Yorks. (H. Hardy).

    XVI.   A waitin’ fur a pardner,
            A waitin’ fur a pardner,
                You an’ I an’ ev’ry one knows
                How whoats an’ beans an’ barley grows.
            Fost tha farmer saws ’is seeds,
            Then he stans’ an’ teks ’is ease,
            Stamps ’is feet an’ claps ’is ’ands,
            And turns him round to view tha lands.
                A waitin’ fur a pardner,
                A waitin’ fur a pardner,
                You an’ I an’ iv’ry one knows
                How whoats an’ beans an’ barley grows.

            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Boston, Lincs. (_Notes and Queries_, 7th series, xii. 493).

    XVII.   Oats and beans and barley grows
            Not so fine as the farmer sows,
            You nor I nor nobody knows
            Oats and beans and barley grows.
            This is the way the farmer sows,
            The farmer sows, the farmer sows,
            This is the way the farmer sows.
            Here he stands and takes his ease,
            Stamps his foot and claps his hands,
            And turns around to view the land,
            Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner,
            Open the ring and take one in,
            And kiss him (or her) as he (or she) enters.

—Aberdeen Training College (Rev. W. Gregor).

    XVIII.  Waitin’ for a partner,
            Waitin’ for a partner,
            Open the ring and take one in,
            And now you’ve got your partner.

            Now you’re married, &c.
            [same as Much Wenlock.]

—Wakefield, Yorks. (Miss Fowler).

(_c_) The players form a ring by joining hands, with one child, usually
a boy, standing in the centre. The ring walks round, singing the first
four lines. At the fifth line the ring stands still, and each child
suits her actions to the words sung. At “the farmer sows his seed,” each
player pretends to scatter seed, then they all fold their arms and
“stand at ease,” “stamp their feet,” and “clap their hands” together in
order, and finally each child turns herself round. Then they again clasp
hands and move round the centre child, who at the words “open the ring
and take one in” chooses and takes into the ring with him one player
from it. These two stand together while the ring sings the marriage
formula. At the end the child first in the centre joins the ring; the
second child remaining in the centre, and in her turn choosing another
from the ring.

This is the (Much Wenlock) way of playing. Among the variants there are
some slight differences. In the Wakefield version (Miss Fowler), a
little boy is placed in the centre of the ring first, he chooses a girl
out of the ring at the singing of the third line and kisses her. They
stand hand in hand while the others sing the next verse. In the Tean
version (Miss Keary), the children turn round with their backs to the
one in the centre, and stand still when singing “Waiting for a
partner.” In the Hampshire (Miss Mendham), Brigg (Miss Barker), and
Winterton (Miss Peacock) versions, the children dance round instead of
walking. The Rev. Mr. Roberts, in a version from Kirkby-on-the-Bain
(N.W. Lincolnshire), says: “There is no proper commencement of this
song. The children begin with ‘A waitin’ fur a pardner,’ or ‘Oats and
beans,’ just as the spirit moves them, but I think ‘A waitin’’ is the
usual beginning here.” In a Sheffield version sent by Mr. S. O. Addy,
four young men stand in the middle of the ring with their hands joined.
These four dance round singing the first lines. After “views his lands”
these four choose sweethearts, or partners, from the ring. The eight
join hands and sing the remaining four lines. The four young men then
join the larger ring, and the four girls remain in the centre and choose
partners next time. The words of this version are almost identical with
those of Shropshire. In the Isle of Man version (A. W. Moore), when the
kiss is given all the children forming the ring clap their hands. There
is no kissing in the Shropshire and many other versions of this game,
and the centre child does not in all cases sing the words.

(_d_) Other versions have been sent from Winterton, Leadenham, and
Lincoln, by Miss Peacock, and from Brigg, while the _Northamptonshire
Notes and Queries_, ii. 161, gives another by Mr. R. S. Baker. The words
are practically the same as the versions printed above from Lincolnshire
and Northants. The words of the Madeley version are the same as the Much
Wenlock (No. 1). The Nottingham tune (Miss Youngman), and three others
sent with the words, are the same as the Madeley tune printed above.

(_e_) This interesting game is essentially of rural origin, and probably
it is for this reason that Mr. Newell did not obtain any version from
England for his _Games and Songs of American Children_, but his note
that it “seems, strangely enough, to be unknown in Great Britain” (p.
80), is effectually disproved by the examples I have collected. There is
no need in this case for an analysis of the rhymes. The variants fall
into three categories: (1) the questioning form of the words, (2) the
affirming form, and (3) the indiscriminate form, as in Nos. xvi. to
xviii., and of these I am disposed to consider the first to represent
the earliest idea of the game.

If the crops mentioned in the verses be considered, it will be found
that the following table represents the different localities:—

  +------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
  |      |Northants.                                                 |
  |      |     |Lancashire.                                          |
  |      |     |     |Lincolnshire.                                  |
  |      |     |     |     |Shropshire.                              |
  |      |     |     |     |     |Staffordshire.                     |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |Nottingham.                  |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |     |Isle of Man.           |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |Hants.           |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |Isle of    |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |Wight.     |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |Nor- |
  |      |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |folk.|
  +------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  |Oats  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  | ... | ... |
  |Beans |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  | ... |  +  |  +  |  +  | ... |  +  |
  |Barley|  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |  +  |
  |Wheat | ... | ... | ... | ... |  +  | ... | ... | ... |  +  | ... |
  |Groats| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
  |Hop   | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |  +  | ... | ... |  +  |
  +------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

The first three are the more constant words, but it is curious that
Norfolk, not a hop county, should have adopted that grain into the game.
Hops are grown there on rare occasions, and it is probable that the game
may have been introduced from a hop county.

In _Northants Notes and Queries_, i. 163-164, Mr. R. S. Baker gives a
most interesting account of the game (No. iii.) as follows:—“Having been
recently invited to join the Annual Christmas Entertainment of the
Raunds Church Choir, I noticed that a very favourite pastime of the
evening was one which I shall call ‘Choosing Partners.’ The game is
played thus: The young men and maidens join hands indiscriminately, and
form a ring; within the ring stand a lad and a lass; then they all step
round the way the sun goes, to a plain tune. During the singing of the
two last lines [of the first part] they all disjoin hands, stop and
stamp their feet and clap their hands and turn right round . . . then
join hands [while singing the second verse]. The two in the middle at
[‘Open the ring’] choose each of them a partner of the opposite sex,
which they do by pointing to the one chosen; then they continue round,
to the words [sang in next verse], the two pairs of partners crossing
hands, first right and then left, and revolving opposite ways
alternately. The march round is temporarily suspended for choosing
partners. The partners salute [at ‘Now you’re married’], or, rather,
each lad kisses his chosen lass; the first two partners go out, the game
continues as before, and every one in the ring has chosen and been
chosen, and every lad has saluted every lass. The antiquity of the
pastime is evidenced by its not mentioning wheat; wheat was in remote
times an exceptional crop—the village people lived on oatmeal and barley
bread. It also points, possibly, to a period when most of the land lay
in grass. Portions of the open fields were cultivated, and after a few
years of merciless cropping were laid down again to recuperate. ‘Helping
to chop the wood’ recalls the time when coal was not known as fuel. I am
indebted for the correct words of the above to a Raunds maiden, Miss B.
Finding, a native of the village, who kindly wrote them down for me.”
Mr. Baker does not say how Miss Finding got the peculiar spelling of
this version. It would be interesting to know whether this form of
spelling was used as indicative of the pronunciation of the children, or
of the supposed antiquity of the game. The Rev. W. D. Sweeting, also
writes at the same reference, “The same game is played at the school
feast at Maxey; but the words, as I have taken them down, vary from
those given above. We have no mention of any crop except barley, which
is largely grown in the district; and the refrain, repeated after the
second and sixth lines, is ‘waiting for the harvest.’ A lady suggested
to me that the two first lines of the conclusion are addressed to the
bride of the game, and the two last, which in our version run, ‘You must
be kind and very good,’ apply to the happy swain.”

This interesting note not only suggests, as Mr. Baker and Mr. Sweeting
say, the antiquity of the game and its connection with harvest at a time
when the farms were all laid in open fields, but it points further to
the custom of courtship and marriage being the outcome of village
festivals and dances held after spring sowing and harvest gatherings. It
seems in Northamptonshire not to have quite reached the stage of the
pure children’s game before it was taken note of by Mr. Baker, and this
is an important illustration of the descent of children’s games from
customs. As soon as it has become a child’s game, however, the process
of decadence sets in. Thus, besides verbal alterations, the lines
relating to farming have dropped out of the Wakefield version. It is
abundantly clear from the more perfect game-rhymes that the waiting for
a partner is an episode in the harvest customs, as if, when the outdoor
business of the season was finished, the domestic element becomes the
next important transaction in the year’s proceedings. The curious
four-lined formula applicable to the duties of married life may indeed
be a relic of those rhythmical formulæ which are found throughout all
early legal ceremonies. A reference to Mr. Ralston’s section on marriage
songs, in his _Songs of the Russian People_, makes it clear that
marriages in Russia were contracted at the gatherings called Besyedas
(p. 264), which were social gatherings held during October after the
completion of the harvest; and the practice is, of course, not confined
to Russia.

It is also probable that this game may have preserved the tradition of a
formula sung at the sowing of grain, in order to propitiate the earth
goddess to promote and quicken the growth of the crops. Turning around
or bowing to fields and lands and pantomimic actions in imitation of
those actually required, are very general in the history of sympathetic
magic among primitive peoples, as reference to Mr. Frazer’s _Golden
Bough_ will prove; and taking the rhyming formula together with the
imitative action, I am inclined to believe that in this game we may have
the last relics of a very ancient agricultural rite.

Obadiah

The players stand in a row. The child at the head of the row says, “My
son Obadiah is going to be married, twiddle your thumbs,” suiting the
action to the word by clasping the fingers of both hands together, and
rapidly “twiddling” the thumbs. The next child repeats both words and
actions, and so on all along the row, all the players continuing the
“twiddling.” The top child repeats the words, adding (very gravely),
“Fall on one knee,” the whole row follows suit as before (still
twiddling their thumbs). The top child repeats from the beginning,
adding, “Do as you see me,” and the rest of the children follow suit, as
before. Just as the last child repeats the words, the top child falls on
the child next to her, and all go down like a row of ninepins. The whole
is said in a sing-song way. This game was, so far as I can ascertain,
truly East Anglian. I have never been able to hear of it in other parts
of England or Wales.—Bexley Heath (Miss Morris). Also played in London.

See “Solomon.”

Odd or Even

A boys’ game, played with buttons, marbles, and halfpence. Peacock’s
_Manley and Corringham Glossary_; also mentioned in Brogden’s
_Provincial Words (Lincolnshire)_. Mr. Patterson says (_Antrim and Down
Glossary_)—A boy shuts up a few small objects, such as marbles, in one
hand, and asks his opponent to guess if the number is odd or even. He
then either pays or receives one, according as the guess is right or
wrong. Strutt describes this game in the same way, and says it was
played in ancient Greece and Rome. Newell (_Games_, p. 147) also
mentions it.

See “Prickie and Jockie.”

Odd-man

A game played with coins. Brogden’s _Provincial Words, Lincolnshire_.

Old Dame

    I.      I’ll away to t’beck to wash my neck,
            When I get there, I’ll ask t’ould dame what o’clock it is?
            It’s one, and you’ll be hanged at two.

            I’ll away to t’beck to wash my neck,
            When I get there, I’ll ask t’ould dame what o’clock it is?
            It’s two, and you’ll be hanged at three.

[This is repeated until the old woman says, “It’s eleven, and you’ll be
hanged at twelve.”]

—Yorkshire (Miss E. Cadman).

    II.     To Beccles, to Beccles,
            To buy a bunch of nettles,
            Pray, old dame, what’s o’clock?
                One, going for two.

            To Beccles, to Beccles,
            To buy a bunch of nettles,
            Pray, old dame, what’s o’clock?
                Two, going for three, &c.

[And so on until “eleven going for twelve” is said, then the
following:—]

    Where have you been?
    To the wood.
    What for?
    To pick up sticks.
    What for?
    To light my fire.
    What for?
    To boil my kettle.
    What for?
    To cook some of your chickens.

—Halliwell, _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 229.

(_b_) One child sits upon a little stool. The others march round her
in single file, taking hold of each other’s frocks. They say in a
sing-song manner the first two lines, and the old woman answers by
telling them the hour. The questions and answers are repeated until
the old woman says, “It’s eleven, and you’ll be hanged at twelve.”
Then the children all run off in different directions and the old
woman runs after them. Whoever she catches becomes old woman, and the
game is continued.—Yorkshire (Miss E. Cadman). In the version given from
Halliwell there is a further dialogue, it will be seen, before the old
woman chases.

(_c_) The use of the Yorkshire word “beck” (“stream”) in the first
variant suggests that this may be the original version from which the
“Beccles” version has been adapted, a particular place being substituted
for the general. The game somewhat resembles “Fox and Goose.”

Old Roger is Dead

[Music]

—Earls Heaton (H. Hardy).

[Music]

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

[Music]

—Bath (A. B. Gomme).

    I.      Old Rogers is dead and is laid in his grave,
                       Laid in his grave,
                       Laid in his grave;
            Old Rogers is dead and is laid in his grave,
                       He, hi! laid in his grave.

            There grew an old apple tree over his head,
                       Over his head,
                       Over his head;
            There grew an old apple tree over his head,
                       He, hi! over his head.

            The apples grew ripe, and they all fell off,
                       They all fell off,
                       They all fell off;
            The apples grew ripe, and they all fell off,
                       He, hi! they all fell off.

            There came an old woman a-picking them up,
                       Picking them up,
                       Picking them up;
            There came an old woman a-picking them up,
                       He, hi! picking them up.

            Old Rogers jumps up and he gives her a knock,
                       Gives her a knock,
                       Gives her a knock;
            Old Rogers jumps up and he gives her a knock,
                       He, hi! gives her a knock.

            He makes the old woman go hipperty hop,
                       Hipperty hop,
                       Hipperty hop;
            He makes the old woman go hipperty hop,
                       He, hi! hipperty hop.

—Earls Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).

    II.     Old Roger is dead, and lies in his grave, um, ah! lies in his
            grave;
            There grew an old apple tree over his head, um, ah! over his
            head.
            The apples are ripe and ready to drop, um, ah! ready to drop;
            There came an old woman, picking them up.

—Hanbury, Staffs. (Miss Edith Hollis).

    III.    Sir Roger is dead and is low in his grave,
            Is low in his grave, is low in his grave;
            Sir Roger is dead and is low in his grave,
            Hey hie! is low in his grave.

            They planted an apple tree over his head,
            Over his head, over his head;
            They planted an apple tree over his head,
            Hey hie! over his head.

            When they grew ripe they all fell off,
            All fell off, all fell off;
            When they grew ripe they all fell off,
            Hey hie! all fell off.

            There came an old woman and gathered them up,
            Gathered them up, gathered them up;
            There came an old woman and gathered them up,
            Hey hie! gathered them up.

            Sir Roger got up and gave her a nudge,
            Gave her a nudge, gave her a nudge;
            Sir Roger got up and gave her a nudge,
            Hey hie! gave her a nudge.

            Which made her go off with a skip and a hop,
            With a skip and a hop, with a skip and a hop;
            Which made her go off with a skip and a hop,
            Hey hie! with a skip and a hop.

—Ordsall, Nottinghamshire (Miss Matthews).

    IV.     Sir Roger is dead and he’s laid in his grave,
            Laid in his grave, laid in his grave;
            Sir Roger is dead and he’s laid in his grave,
            Heigh-ho! laid in his grave.

            There grew a fine apple tree over his head,
            Over his head, over his head;
            There grew a fine apple tree over his head,
            Heigh-ho! over his head.

            The apples were ripe and they all fell off,
            All fell off, all fell off;
            The apples were ripe and they all fell off,
            Heigh-ho! all fell off.

            There came an old woman and picked them all up,
            Picked them all up, picked them all up;
            There came an old woman and picked them all up,
            Heigh-ho! picked them all up.

            Sir Roger jumped up and he gave her a push,
            Gave her a push, gave her a push;
            Sir Roger jumped up and he gave her a push,
            Heigh-ho! gave her a push.

            Which made the old woman go hickety-hock,
            Hickety-hock, hickety-hock;
            Which made the old woman go hickety-hock,
            Heigh-ho! hickety-hock.

—Brigg, Lincolnshire (Miss J. Barker).

    V.      Sir Roger is dead and laid in his grave,
                     Hee, haw! laid in his grave.
            They planted an apple tree over his head,
                     Hee, haw! over his head.
            The apples are ripe and ready to fall,
                     Hee, haw! ready to fall.
            There came a high wind and blew them all off,
                     Hee, haw! blew them all off.
            There came an old woman to pick them all up,
                     Hee, haw! pick them all up.
            There came a little bird and gave her a tap,
                     Hee, haw! gave her a tap.
            Which made the old woman go hipperty hop,
                     Hee, haw! hipperty hop.

—Tong, Shropshire (Miss Burne).

    VI.     Poor Johnnie is dead and he lies in his grave,
            Lies in his grave, lies in his grave;
            Poor Johnnie is dead and he lies in his grave,
            He-ho! lies in his grave.

            They planted an apple tree over his head,
            Over his head, over his head;
            They planted an apple tree over his head,
            He-ho! over his head.

            The apples got ripe and they all fell off,
            All fell off, all fell off;
            The apples got ripe and they all fell off,
            He-ho! all fell off.

            Here comes an old woman a-picking them up,
            A-picking them up, a-picking them up;
            Here comes an old woman a-picking them up,
            He-ho! a-picking them up.

            Poor Johnnie got up and gave her a thump,
            And gave her a thump, and gave her a thump;
            Poor Johnnie got up and gave her a thump,
            He-ho! gave her a thump.

            He made the old woman go hippity-hop,
            Hippity-hop, hippity-hop!
            He made the old woman go hippity-hop,
            He-ho! hippity-hop!

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

    VII.    Cock Robin is dead and has gone to his grave;
            There grew on old apple tree over his head;
            The apples were ripe and ready to drop,
                O my, flippity flop!

            There came an old woman to pick them all up,
            Cock Robin rose up and gave her a knock,
            And made the old woman go flippity flop!
                O my, flippity flop!

—Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).

    VIII.   Old Roger is dead and gone to his grave,
            H’m ha! gone to his grave.

            They planted an apple tree over his head,
            H’m ha! over his head.

            The apples were ripe and ready to fall,
            H’m ha! ready to fall.

            There came an old woman and picked them all up,
            H’m ha! picked them all up.

            Old Roger jumped up and gave her a knock,
            H’m ha! gave her a knock.

            Which made the old woman go hippity hop,
            H’m ha! hippity hop!

—Bath, from a Nursemaid (A. B. Gomme).

    IX.     Cock Robin is dead and lies in his grave,
            Hum-ha! lies in his grave.
            Place an old apple tree over his head,
            Hum-ha! over his head.
            When they were ripe and ready to fall,
            Hum-ha! ready to fall.
            There comes an old woman a-picking them up,
            Hum-ha! a-picking them up.
            Cock Robin jumps up and gives her a good knock,
            Hum-ha! gives her a good knock.

—Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 385).

    X.      Poor Roger is dead and lies low in his grave,
            Low in his grave, low in his grave,
            E. I. low in his grave.

            There grew an old apple tree over his head,
            Over his head, over his head,
            E. I. over his head.

            When the apples were ripe they all fell off,
            All fell off, all fell off,
            E. I. all fell off.

            There was an old woman came picking them up,
            Picking them up, picking them up,
            E. I. picking them up.

            Poor Roger jumped up and gave her a nudge,
            Gave her a nudge, gave her a nudge,
            E. I. gave her a nudge.

            Which made the old woman go lippety lop,
            Lippety lop, lippety lop,
            E. I. lippety lop.

—Newark, Nottinghamshire (S. O. Addy).

    XI.     Poor Toby is dead and he lies in his grave,
            He lies in his grave, he lies in his grave;
            They planted an apple tree over his head,
            Over his head, over his head.

            The apples grew ripe and beginning to fall,
            Beginning to fall, beginning to fall;
            The apples grew ripe and beginning to fall,
            Beginning to fall, beginning to fall.

            There came an old woman picking them up,
            Picking them up, picking them up;
            Poor Toby rose up and he gave her a kick,
            Gave her a kick, gave her a kick.

            And the poor old woman went hipperty hop,
            Hipperty hop, hipperty hop;
            And the poor old woman went hipperty hop,
            Hipperty hop along.

—Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

    XII.    There was an old woman we buried her here,
            Buried her here, buried her here;
            There was an old woman we buried her here,
            He—ho! buried her here.

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

(_b_) A ring is formed by children joining hands; one child, who
represents Sir Roger, lays down on the ground in the centre of the ring
with his head covered with a handkerchief. The ring stands still and
sings the verses. When the second verse is begun, a child from the ring
goes into the centre and stands by Sir Roger, to represent the apple
tree. At the fourth verse another child goes into the ring, and pretends
to pick up the fallen apples. Then the child personating Sir Roger jumps
up and knocks the child personating the old woman, beating her out of
the ring. She goes off hobbling on one foot, and pretending to be hurt.
In the Ordsall game the children dance round when singing the verses
instead of standing still, the action of the game being the same. In the
Tong version, the action seems to be done by the ring. Miss Burne says
the children go through various movements, finally all limping round.
The Newark (Notts), and Bath versions are played as first described,
Poor Roger being covered with a cloak, or an apron, and laying down in
the middle of the ring. A Southampton version has additional
features—the ring of children keep their arms crossed, and lay their
hands on their chests, bending their heads and bodies backwards and
forwards, in a mourning attitude, while they sing; in addition to which,
in the Bath version, the child who personates the apple tree during the
singing of the third verse raises her arms above her head, and then lets
them drop to her sides to show the falling apples.

(_c_) Various as the game-rhymes are in word detail, they are
practically the same in incident. One remarkable feature stands out
particularly, namely, the planting a tree over the head of the dead, and
the spirit-connection which this tree has with the dead. The robbery of
the fruit brings back the dead Sir Roger to protect it, and this must be
his ghost or spirit. In popular superstition this incident is not
uncommon. Thus Aubrey in his _Remains of Gentilisme_, notes that “in the
parish of Ockley some graves have rose trees planted at the head and
feet,” and then proceeds to say, “They planted a tree or a flower on the
grave of their friend, and they thought the soule of the party deceased
went into the tree or plant” (p. 155). In Scotland a branch falling from
an oak, the Edgewell tree, standing near Dalhousie Castle, portended
mortality to the family (Dalyell, _Darker Superstitions_, p. 504).
Compare with this a similar superstition noted in Carew’s _History of
Cornwall_, p. 325, and Mr. Keary’s treatment of this cult in his
_Outlines of Primitive Belief_, pp. 66-67. In folk-tales this incident
also appears; the spirit of the dead enters the tree and resents robbery
of its fruit, possession of which gives power over the soul or spirit of
the dead.

The game is, therefore, not merely the acting of a funeral, but more
particularly shows the belief that a dead person is cognisant of actions
done by the living, and capable of resenting personal wrongs and
desecration of the grave. It shows clearly the sacredness of the grave;
but what, perhaps to us, is the most interesting feature, is the way in
which the game is played. This clearly shows a survival of the method of
portraying old plays. The ring of children act the part of “chorus,” and
relate the incidents of the play. The three actors say nothing, only act
their several parts in dumb show. The raising and lowering of the arms
on the part of the child who plays “apple tree,” the quiet of “Old
Roger” until he has to jump up, certainly show the early method of
actors when details were presented by action instead of words. Children
see no absurdity in being a “tree,” or a “wall,” “apple,” or animal.
They simply _are_ these things if the game demands it, and they think
nothing of incongruities.

I do not, of course, suggest that children have preserved in this game
an old play, but I consider that in this and similar games they have
preserved methods of acting and detail (now styled traditional), as
given in an early or childish period of the drama, as for example in the
mumming plays. Traditional methods of acting are discussed by Mr.
Ordish, _Folk-lore_, ii. 334.

Old Soldier

One player personates an old soldier, and begs of all the other players
in turn for left-off garments, or anything else he chooses. The formula
still used at Barnes by children is, “Here comes an old soldier from the
wars [or from town], pray what can you give him?” Another version is—

    Here comes an old soldier from Botany Bay,
    Have you got anything to give him to-day.

—Liverpool (C. C. Bell).

The questioned child replying must be careful to avoid using the words,
Yes! No! Nay! and Black, White, or Grey. These words are tabooed, and a
forfeit is exacted every time one or other is used. The old soldier
walks lame, and carries a stick. He is allowed to ask as many questions,
talk as much as he pleases, and to account for his destitute condition.

(_c_) Some years ago when colours were more limited in number, it was
difficult to promise garments for a man’s wear which were neither of
these colours tabooed. Miss Burne (_Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 526), in
describing this game says, “The words Red or Blue are sometimes
forbidden, as well as Yes or No,” and adds that “This favourite old game
gives scope for great ingenuity on the part of the beggar, and ‘it seems
not improbable’ (to use a time-honoured antiquarian phrase!) that the
expression ‘To come the old soldier over a person’ may allude to it.”
Halliwell (_Nursery Rhymes_, p. 224) describes the game as above.

Oliver, Oliver, follow the King!

              Oliver, Oliver, follow the King!
              Oliver, Oliver, last in the ring!
    _Jim Burguin_ wants a wife, and a wife he shall have,
    _Nelly_ he kissed at the back-cellar door,
    _Nelly_ made a pudding, she made it over sweet,
    She never stuck a knife in till he came home at night,
    So next Monday morning is our wedding-day,
    The bells they shall ring, and the music shall play!
              Oliver, Oliver, follow the King! (_da capo_).

—Berrington (Burne’s _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 508).

(_b_) The children form a ring and move round, singing the first two
lines. Then they curtsey, or “douk down,” all together; the one who is
last has to tell her sweetheart’s name. The other lines are then sung
and the game is continued. The children’s names are mentioned as each
one names his or her sweetheart.

This is apparently the game of which “All the Boys,” “Down in the
Valley,” and “Mary Mixed a Pudding up,” are also portions.

One Catch-all

The words “Cowardy, cowardy custard” are repeated by children playing at
this game when they advance towards the one who is selected to catch
them, and dare or provoke her to capture them. Ray, _Localisms_, gives
Costard, the head; a kind of opprobrious word used by way of contempt.
Bailey gives Costead-head, a blockhead; thus elucidating this
exclamation which may be interpreted, “You cowardly blockhead, catch me
if you dare” (Baker’s _Northamptonshire Glossary_).

The words used were, as far as I remember,

    Cowardy, cowardy custard, eat your father’s mustard,
    Catch me if you can.

To compel a person to “eat” something disagreeable is a well-known form
of expressing contempt. The rhyme was supposed to be very efficacious in
rousing an indifferent or lazy player when playing “touch” (A. B.
Gomme).

Oranges and Lemons

[Music]

An older and more general version of the last five bars (the tail piece)
is as follows:—

[Music]

—London (A. B. Gomme).

[Music]

—Yorkshire (H. Hardy).

[Music]

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

    I.              Oranges and lemons,
                    Say the bells of St. Clement’s;
                    You owe me five farthings,
                    Say the bells of St. Martin’s;
                    When will you pay me,
                    Say the bells of Old Bailey;
                    When I grow rich,
                    Say the bells of Shoreditch;
                    When will that be?
                    Say the bells of Stepney;
                    I’m sure I don’t know,
                    Says the Great Bell of Bow.
            Here comes a light to light you to bed;
            Here comes a chopper to chop off your head;
            The last, last, last, last man’s head.

—London (A. B. Gomme).

    II.             Oranges and lemons,
                    Say the bells of St. Clement’s;
                    You owe me four farthings,
                    Say the bells of St. Martin’s;
                    When will you pay me?
                    Say the bells of Old Bailey;
                    When I grow rich,
                    Say the bells of Shoreditch;
                    When will that be?
                    Say the bells of Stepney;
                    I’m sure I don’t know,
                    Says the Great Bell of Bow.
            Here comes a candle to light you to bed;
            Here comes a chopper to chop off your head;
            Last, last, last, last, last man’s head.

—Winterton and Leadenham, Lincolnshire; also Nottinghamshire (Miss M.
Peacock).

    III.    Oranges and lemons,
                Says the bells of S. Clemen’s.
            Brickdust and tiles,
                Says the bells of S. Giles.
            You owe me five farthings,
                Says the bells of S. Martin’s.
            I do not know you,
                Says the bells of S. Bow.
            When will you pay me?
                Says the bells of Old Bailey.
            When I get rich,
                Says the bells of Shoreditch.
            Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
            Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.

—Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 386).

    IV.     Oranges and lemons,
                The bells of St. Clemen’s;
            You owe me five farthings,
                The bells of St. Martin’s;
            When will you pay me?
                Say the bells of Old Bailey;
            When I grow rich,
                Say the bells of Shoreditch;
            When will that be?
                Say the bells of Shorlea;
            I don’t know,
                Says the Great Bell Bow.
            Here comes the candle to light you to bed,
            Here comes the chop to chop off your head.
            Chop, chop, chop, &c.

—Middlesex (Miss Winfield).

    V.      Orange or lemon,
            The bells of St. Clement’s [or the bells are a clemming].
            I owe you five farthings,
            And when shall I pay you,
            To-day or to-morrow?
            To-morrow will do.
            Here come some great candles
            To light you to bed,
            Here come some great choppers
            To chop off your head.
            Come under, come under,
            Come run as you ought;
            Come under, come under,
            Until you are caught;
            Then stand just behind us
            And pull either way;
            Which side pulls the strongest
            That side wins the day.

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

    VI.     Oranges and lemons,
            The bells of St. Clement’s.
            I owe you three farthings,
            When shall I pay you?
            When I get rich.
            Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
            Here comes a hatchet to chop off your head.

—Brigg (from a Lincolnshire friend of Miss Barker).

    VII.    Oranges and lemons,
            Say the bells of St. Clemen’s.
            I owe you five farthins,
            Say the bells of St. Martin’s.
            When shall I pay you?
            Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
            Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
            Or Sunday?

—Symondsbury, Dorset (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 216).

    VIII.   I owe you five farthings.
            When will you pay me,
            To-day or to-morrow?
            Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
            Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.

—Broadwinsor, Dorset (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 217).

    IX.     Oranges and lemons, the bells of St. Clement’s [or St.
            Helen’s].
            I owe you five farthings. And when will you pay me?
                I’m sure I don’t know.
            Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
            Here comes a chop’n bill to chop off your head—
                      Chop—chop—chop—chop.
            [Or Here comes a chop’n bill to chop off the last man’s
            head.]

—Earls Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).

    X.      Lend me five shillings,
                Said the bells of St. Helen’s.

            When will you pay me?
                Said the bells of St. Philip’s.

            I do not know,
                Said the Great Bell of Bold.

            Ring a ding, ding,
            Ring a ding, ding,
            Ring a ding, ding, ding, ding.

—Earls Heaton (Herbert Hardy, as told him by A. K.).

    XI.     Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement’s;
            You owe me five farthings, and when will you pay me?
            Say the bells of Old Bailey.
            When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch.
            And the last one that comes shall be chop, chop.

—Hersham, Surrey (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 86).

    XII.    Orange and lemon,
            Say the bells of St. Martin (or the bells of Sweet Lemon);
            I owe you five farthings,
            But when shall I pay you?

            Here comes a candle
            To light you to bed,
            Here comes a hatchet
            To chop off your head.

—Eckington, Derbyshire (S. O. Addy).

    XIII.   Oranges and lemons,
            The bells of St. Clement’s;
            I owe you five farthings,
            And when will you pay me?
            Oh, that I can’t tell you;
            Sim, Bim, bim, bow, bay.

—Settle, Yorks. (Rev. W. E. Sykes).

    XIV.    Oranges or lemons,
            The bells of St. Clement’s;
            You owe me five farthings,
            Pray, when will you pay me?
            Here come the clappers to knock you down backwards, carwoo!

—Suffolk (Mrs. Haddon).

    XV.     Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement’s;
            Brick dust and tiles, say the bells of St. Giles;
            You owe me three farthings, say the bells of St. Martin’s;
            When will you pay me? say the bells of Old Bailey;
            When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch;
            When will that be? say the bells of Stepney;
            I’m sure I don’t know, says the Great Bell of Bow.

—Perth (Rev. W. Gregor).

    XVI.    Pancakes and fritters,
            Says the bells of St. Peter’s;
            Where must we fry ’em?
            Says the bells of Cold Higham;
            In yonder land thurrow (furrow),
            Says the bells of Wellingborough;
            You owe me a shilling,
            Says the bells of Great Billing;
            When will you pay me?
            Says the bells of Widdleton Cheney;
            When I am able,
            Say the bells at Dunstable;
            That will never be,
            Says the bells at Coventry;
            Oh, yes, it will,
            Says Northampton Great Bell;
            White bread and sop,
            Says the bells at Kingsthorp;
            Trundle a lantern,
            Says the bells at Northampton.

—Northamptonshire (Baker’s _Words and Phrases_).

(_c_) This game is generally played as follows:—

Two of the taller children stand facing each other, holding up their
clasped hands. One is named Orange and the other Lemon. The other
players, grasping one another’s dresses, run underneath the raised arms
and round Orange, and then under the arms again and round Lemon, while
singing the verses. The three concluding lines are sung by “Orange” and
“Lemon” in a slow emphatic manner, and at the word “head” they drop
their arms over one of the children passing between them, and ask her
secretly whether she will be _orange_ or _lemon_. The captive chooses
her side, and stands behind whichever leader she selects, placing her
arms round her waist. The game continues till every one engaged in it
has ranged herself behind one or other of the chiefs. When the two
parties are ranged a “tug of war” takes place until one of the parties
breaks down, or is pulled over a given mark.

[Illustration: Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3]

In the Middlesex version (Miss Winfield) the children form a ring and go
round singing the verses, and apparently there is neither catching the
“last man” nor the “tug.” Mr. Emslie says he has seen and played the
game in Middlesex, and it always terminated with the cutting off the
last man’s head. In the Symondsbury version the players drop their hands
when they say “Sunday.” No tug is mentioned in the first Earls Heaton
version of the game (Mr. Hardy). In the second version he says bells are
represented by children. They should have in their hands, bells, or some
article to represent them. All stand in a row. First, second, and third
bells stand out in turn to sing. All rush for bells to sing chorus. Miss
Barclay writes: The children of the Fernham and Longcot choir, playing
on Christmas Eve, 1891, pulled across a handkerchief. In Monton,
Lancashire, Miss Dendy says the game is played as elsewhere, but without
words. In a Swaffham version (Miss Matthews), the girls sometimes call
themselves “Plum pudding and roast beef,” or whatever fancy may suggest,
instead of oranges and lemons. They join hands high enough for the
others to pass under, which they do to a call of “Ducky, Ducky,”
presently the hands come down and catch one, who is asked in
_confidence_ which she likes best. The game then proceeds in the usual
way, one side trying to pull the other over a marked line. Oranges and
lemons at Bocking, Essex, is an abbreviated variant of the rhyme printed
by Halliwell (_Folk-lore Record_, iii., part II., 171). In
Nottinghamshire, Miss Peacock says it is sometimes called “Tarts and
Cheesecakes.” Moor (_Suffolk Words_) mentions “Oranges and Lemons” as
played by both girls and boys, and adds, “I believe it is nearly the
same as ‘Plum Pudding and Roast Beef.’” In the Suffolk version sent by
Mrs. Haddon a new word is introduced, “carwoo.” This is the signal for
one of the line to be caught. Miss Eddleston, Gainford, Durham, says
this game is called—

    Through and through the shally go,
    The last shall be taken.

Mr. Halliwell (_Nursery Rhymes_, No. cclxxxi.) adopts the verses
entitled, “The Merry Bells of London,” from Gammer Gurton’s _Garland_,
1783, as the origin of this game. In Aberdeen, Mr. M. L. Rouse tells me
he has heard Scotch children apparently playing the same game, “Oranges
and Lemons, ask, Which would you have, ‘A sack of corn or a sack of
coals?’”

(_d_) This game indicates a contest between two opposing parties, and a
punishment, and although in the game the sequence of events is not at
all clear, the contest taking place after the supposed execution, these
two events stand out very clearly as the chief factors. In the endeavour
to ascertain who the contending parties were, one cannot but be struck
with the significance of the bells having different saint’s names. Now
the only places where it would be probable for bells to be associated
with more than one saint’s name within the circuit of a small area are
the old parish units of cities and boroughs. Bells were rung on
occasions when it was necessary or advisable to call the people
together. At the ringing of the “alarm bell” the market places were
quickly filled by crowds of citizens; and by turning to the customs of
these places in England, it will be found that contest games between
parishes, and between the wards of parishes, were very frequent (see
Gomme’s _Village Community_, pp. 241-243). These contests were generally
conducted by the aid of the football, and in one or two cases, such as
at Ludlow, the contest was with a rope, and, in the case of Derby, it is
specially stated that the victors were announced by the joyful ringing
of their parish bells. Indeed, Halliwell has preserved the “song on the
bells of Derby on football morning” (No. clxix.) as follows:—

    Pancake and fritters,
    Say All Saints and St. Peter’s;
    When will the _ball_ come,
    Say the bells of St. Alkmun;
    At two they will throw,
    Says Saint Werabo;
    O! very well,
    Says little Michel.

This custom is quite sufficient to have originated the game, and the
parallel which it supplies is evidence of the connection between the
two. Oranges and lemons were, in all probability, originally intended
to mean the _colours_ of the two contesting parties, and not _fruits_ of
those names. In contests between the people of a town and the authority
of baron or earl, the adherents of each side ranged themselves under and
wore the colours of their chiefs, as is now done by political partizans.

The rhymes are probably corrupted, but whether from some early cries or
calls of the different parishes, or from sentences which the bells were
supposed to have said or sung when tolled, it is impossible to say. The
“clemming” of the bells in the Norfolk version (No. 5) may have
originated “St. Clements,” and the other saints have been added at
different times. On the other hand, the general similarity of the rhymes
indicates the influence of some particular place, and, judging by the
parish names, London seems to be that place. If this is so, the main
incident of the rhymes may perhaps be due to the too frequent
distribution of a traitor’s head and limbs among different towns who had
taken up his cause. The exhibitions of this nature at London were more
frequent than at any other place. The procession of a criminal to
execution was generally accompanied by the tolling of bells, and by
torches. It is not unlikely that the monotonous chant of the last lines,
“Here comes a light to light you to bed,” &c., indicates this.

’Otmillo

A boy (A) kneels with his face in another’s (B) lap; the other players
standing in the background. They step forward one by one at a signal
from B, who says to each in turn—

    ’Otmillo, ’Otmillo,
    Where is this poor man to go?

A then designates a place for each one. When all are despatched A
removes his face from B’s knees, and standing up exclaims, “Hot! Hot!
Hot!” The others then run to him, and the laggard is blinded instead of
A.—Warwickshire (Northall’s _Folk Rhymes_, p. 402).

This is probably the same game as “Hot Cockles,” although it apparently
lacks the hitting or buffeting the blinded wizard.

Over Clover

The name for the game of “Warner” in Oxfordshire. They have a song used
in the game commencing—

    Over clover,
    Nine times over.

—Halliwell’s _Dictionary_.

See “Stag Warning.”

Paddy from Home

[Music]

—Long Eaton, Notts. (Miss Youngman).

    Paddy from home has never been,
    A railway train he’s never seen,
    He longs to see the great machine
    That travels along the railway.

—Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire borders (Miss Youngman).

(_c_) The children form a ring, and hold in their hands a string tied at
the ends, and on which a ring is strung. They pass the ring from one to
another, backwards and forwards. One child stands in the centre, who
tries to find the holder of the ring. Whoever is discovered holding it
takes the place of the child in the centre.

(_d_) This game is similar to “Find the Ring.” The verse is, no doubt,
modern, though the action and the string and ring are borrowed from an
older game. Another verse used for the same game at Earl’s Heaton (Mr.
Hardy) is—

    The ring it is going;
    Oh where? oh where?
    I don’t care where,
    I can’t tell where.

Paip

Three cherry stones are placed together, and another above them. These
are all called a castle. The player takes aim with a cherry stone, and
when he overturns the castle he claims the spoil.—Jamieson. See “Cob
Nut.”

Pallall

A Scottish name for “Hop Scotch.”—Jamieson.

Pally Ully

See “Hop Scotch.”

Pat-ball

A child’s name for the simple game of throwing a ball from one to
another.—Lowsley’s _Berkshire Glossary_.

Pay-swad

A boys’ game, somewhat similar to “Duckstone.” Each boy, when he threw
his stone, had to say “Pay-swad,” or he had to go down
himself.—Holland’s _Cheshire Glossary_.

See “Duckstone.”

Pednameny

A game played with pins: also called “Pinny Ninny,” “Pedna-a mean,”
“Heads and Tails,” a game of pins.—Courtenay’s _West Cornwall Glossary_.

Peesie Weet

The game of “Hide and Seek.” When the object is hidden the word
“Peesie-weet” is called out.—Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire (Rev. W.
Gregor).

See “Hide and Seek (2).”

Peg and Stick

The players provide themselves with short, stout sticks, and a peg (a
piece of wood sharpened at one or both ends). A ring is made, and the
peg is placed on the ground so as to balance. One boy then strikes it
with his stick to make it spring or bounce up into the air; while in the
air he strikes it with his stick, and sends it as far as he possibly
can. His opponent declares the number of leaps in which the striker is
to cover the distance the peg has gone. If successful, he counts the
number of leaps to his score. If he fails, his opponent leaps, and, if
successful, the number of leaps count to his score. He strikes the next
time, and the same process is gone through.—Earls Heaton, Yorks.
(Herbert Hardy).

See “Tip-cat.”

Peg-fiched

A west country game. The performers in this game are each furnished with
a sharp-pointed stake. One of them then strikes it into the ground, and
the others, throwing their sticks across it, endeavour to dislodge it.
When a stick falls, the owner has to run to a prescribed distance and
back, while the rest, placing the stick upright, endeavour to beat it
into the ground up to the very top.—Halliwell’s _Dictionary_.

Peggy Nut

A boyish game with nuts.—Dickinson’s _Cumberland Glossary_.

Peg-in-the-Ring

A game of “Peg-top.” The object of this game is to spin the top within a
certain circle marked out, in which the top is to exhaust itself without
once overstepping the bounds prescribed (Halliwell’s _Dict.
Provincialisms_). Holloway (_Dictionary_) says, “When boys play at
‘Peg-top,’ a ring is formed on the ground, within which each boy is to
spin his top. If the top, when it has ceased spinning, does not roll
without the circle, it must remain in the ring to be pegged at by the
other boys, or he redeems it by putting in an inferior one, which is
called a ‘Mull.’ When the top does not roll out, it is said to be
‘mulled.’” Mr. Emslie writes: “When the top fell within the ring the
boys cried, ‘One a penny!’ When two had fallen within the ring it was,
‘Two a penny!’ When three, ‘Three a penny, good as any!’ The aim of each
spinner was to do what was called ‘drawing,’ _i.e._, bring his top down
into the ring, and at the same time draw the string so as to make the
top spin within the ring, and yet come towards the player and out of the
ring so as to fall without.”

See “Tops.”

Peg-top

One of the players, chosen by lot, spins his top. The other players
endeavour to strike this top with the pegs of their own tops as they
fling them down to spin. If any one fails to spin his top in due form,
he has to lay his top on the ground for the others to strike at when
spinning. The object of each spinner is to split the top which is being
aimed at, so as to release the peg, and the boy whose top has succeeded
in splitting the other top obtains the peg as his trophy of victory. It
is a matter of ambition to obtain as many pegs in this manner as
possible.—London (G. L. Gomme).

See “Peg-in-the-Ring,” “Tops.”

Penny Cast

A game played with round flat stones, about four or six inches across,
being similar to the game of quoits; sometimes played with pennies when
the hobs are a deal higher. It was not played with pennies in
1810.—Easther’s _Almondbury Glossary_. In an article in _Blackwood’s
Magazine_, August 1821, p. 35, dealing with children’s games, the writer
says, Pennystanes are played much in the same manner as the quoits or
discus of the ancient Romans, to which warlike people the idle tradesmen
of Edinburgh probably owe this favourite game.

See “Penny Prick.”

Penny Hop

A rude dance, which formerly took place in the common taverns of
Sheffield, usually held after the bull-baiting.—Wilson’s Notes to
_Mather’s Songs_, p. 74, cited by Addy, _Sheffield Glossary_.

Penny Prick

“A game consisting of casting oblong pieces of iron at a mark.”—Hunter’s
_Hallamsh. Gloss._, p. 71. Grose explains it, “Throwing at halfpence
placed on sticks which are called hobs.”

    Their idle houres, I meane all houres beside
    Their houres to eate, to drinke, drab, sleepe, and ride,
    They spend at shove-boord, or at pennie-pricke.

—Scots’ _Philomythie_, 1616.

Halliwell gives these references in his _Dictionary_; Addy, _Sheffield
Glossary_, describes it as above; adding, “An old game once played by
people of fashion.”

See “Penny Cast.”

Penny Stanes

See “Penny Cast.”

Phœbe

The name of a dance mentioned in an old nursery rhyme. A correspondent
gave Halliwell the following lines of a very old song, the only ones he
recollected:—

    Cannot you dance the Phœbe?
    Don’t you see what pains I take;
    Don’t you see how my shoulders shake?
    Cannot you dance the Phœbe?

—Halliwell’s _Dictionary_.

These words are somewhat of the same character as those of “Auntie
Loomie,” and are evidently the accompaniment of an old dance.

See “Lubin.”

Pick and Hotch

The game of “Pitch and Toss.”—Brogden’s _Provincial Words_,
Lincolnshire. It is called Pickenhotch in Peacock’s _Manley and
Corringham Glossary_.

Pi-cow

A game in which one half of the players are supposed to keep a castle,
while the others go out as a foraging or marauding party. When the
latter are all gone out, one of them cries _Pee-ku_, which is a signal
to those within to be on the alert. Then those who are without attempt
to get in. If any one of them gets in without being seized by the
holders of the castle, he cries to his companions, _The hole’s won_; and
those who are within must yield the fortress. If one of the assailants
be taken before getting in he is obliged to change sides and to guard
the castle. Sometimes the guards are successful in making prisoners of
all the assailants. Also the name given to the game of Hide and
Seek.—Jamieson.

Pigeon Walk

A boy’s game [undescribed].—Patterson’s _Antrim and Down Glossary_.

Pig-ring

A game at marbles where a ring is made about four feet in diameter, and
boys “shoot” in turn from any point in the circumference, keeping such
marbles as they may knock out of the ring, but loosing their own “taw”
if it should stop within.—Lowsley’s _Berkshire Glossary_. See “Ring
Taw.”

Pillie-Winkie

A sport among children in Fife. An egg, an unfledged bird, or a whole
nest is placed on a convenient spot. He who has what is called the first
_pill_, retires a few paces, and being provided with a cowt or rung, is
blindfolded, or gives his promise to wink hard (whence he is called
_Winkie_), and moves forward in the direction of the object, as he
supposes, striking the ground with the stick all the way. He must not
shuffle the stick along the ground, but always strike perpendicularly.
If he touches the nest without destroying it, or the egg without
breaking it, he loses his vice or turn. The same mode is observed by
those who succeed him. When one of the party breaks an egg he is
entitled to all the rest as his property, or to some other reward that
has been previously agreed on. Every art is employed, without removing
the nest or egg, to mislead the blindfolded player, who is also called
the Pinkie.—Jamieson. See “Blind Man’s Stan.”

Pinch

The game of “Pitch-Halfpenny,” or “Pitch and Hustle.”—Halliwell’s
_Dictionary_. Addy (_Sheffield Glossary_) says this game consists of
pitching halfpence at a mark.

See “Penny Cast,” “Penny Prick.”

Pinny Show

A child’s peep-show. The charge for a peep is a pin, and, under
extraordinary circumstances of novelty, two pins.

I remember well being shown how to make a peep or poppet-show. It was
made by arranging combinations of colours from flowers under a piece of
glass, and then framing it with paper in such a way that a cover was
left over the front, which could be raised when any one paid a pin to
peep. The following words were said, or rather sung, in a sing-song
manner:—

    A pin to see the poppet-show,
    All manner of colours oh!
    See the ladies all below.

—(A. B. Gomme).

Pansies or other flowers are pressed beneath a piece of glass, which is
laid upon a piece of paper, a hole or opening, which can be shut at
pleasure, being cut in the paper. The charge for looking at the show is
a pin. The children say, “A pin to look at a pippy-show.” They also say—

    A pinnet a piece to look at a show,
    All the fine ladies sat in a row.
    Blackbirds with blue feet
    Walking up a new street;
    One behind and one before,
    And one beknocking at t’barber’s door.

—Addy’s _Sheffield Glossary_.

In Perth (Rev. W. Gregor) the rhyme is—

    A pin to see a poppy show,
    A pin to see a die,
    A pin to see an old man
    Sitting in the sky.

Described also in Holland’s _Cheshire Glossary_, and Lowsley’s
_Berkshire Glossary_. Atkinson’s _Cleveland Glossary_ describes it as
having coloured pictures pasted inside, and an eye-hole at one of the
ends. The _Leed’s Glossary_ gives the rhyme as—

    A pin to look in,
    A very fine thing.

Northall (_English Folk-rhymes_, p. 357), also gives a rhyme.

Pins

On the 1st of January the children beg for some pins, using the words,
“Please pay Nab’s New Year’s gift.” They then play “a very childish
game,” but I have not succeeded in getting a description of
it.—Yorkshire.

See “Prickie and Jockie.”

Pirley Pease-weep

A game played by boys, “and the name demonstrates that it is a native
one, for it would require a page of close writing to make it
intelligible to an Englishman.” The rhyme used at this play is—

    Scotsman, Scotsman, lo!
    Where shall this poor Scotsman go?

    Send him east, or send him west,
    Send him to the craw’s nest.

—_Blackwood’s Magazine_, August 1821, p. 37.

The rhyme suggests comparison with the game of “Hot Cockles.”

Pitch

A game played with pennies, or other round discs. The object is to pitch
the penny into a hole in the ground from a certain point.—Elworthy,
_West Somerset Words_.

Probably “Pick and Hotch,” mentioned in an article in _Blackwood’s
Mag._, Aug. 1821, p. 35. Common in London streets.

Pitch and Hustle

“Chuck-Farthing.” The game of “Pitch and Toss” is very common, being
merely the throwing up of halfpence, the result depending on a guess of
heads or tails.—Halliwell’s _Dictionary_.

Pitch and Toss

This game was played by two or more players with “pitchers”—the stakes
being buttons. The ordinary bone button, or “scroggy,” being the unit of
value. The “pitcher” was made of lead, circular in form, from one and a
half inch to two inches in diameter, and about a quarter of an inch
thick, with an “[H]” to stand for “Heads” cut on one side, and a “[T]”
for “Tails” on the other side. An old-fashioned penny was sometimes
used, and an old “two-penny” piece I have by me bears the marks of much
service in the same cause. A mark having been set up—generally a
stone—and the order of play having been fixed, the first player, A,
threw his “pitcher” to the mark, from a point six or seven yards
distant. If he thought he lay sufficiently near the mark to make it
probable that he would be the nearest after the others had thrown, he
said he would “lie.” The effect of that was that the players who
followed had to lie also, whatever the character of their throw. If A’s
throw was a poor one he took up his “pitcher.” B then threw, if he threw
well he “lay,” if not he took up his pitcher, in hope of making a better
throw, as A had done. C then played in the same manner. D followed and
“lay.” E played his pitcher, and had no choice but to lie. F followed
in the same way. These being all the players, A threw again, and though
his second might have been worse than his first, he has to lie like the
others. B and C followed. All the pitchers have been thrown, and are
lying round the mark, in the following order of proximity—for that
regulates the subsequent play—B’s is nearest, then D’s follows, in order
by A, C, F, E. B takes the pitchers, and piles them up one above the
other, and tosses them into the air. Three (let us say) fall head up,
D’s, A’s, and F’s. These three B keeps in his hand. D, who was next
nearest the mark, takes the three remaining pitchers, and in the same
manner tosses them into the air. B’s and C’s fall head up, and are
retained by D. A, who comes third, takes the remaining pitcher, E’s, and
throws it up. If it falls a head he keeps it, and the game is finished
except the reckoning; if it falls a tail it passes on to the next
player, C, who throws it up. If it falls a head he keeps it, if a tail,
it is passed on to F, and from him to E, and on to B, till it turns up a
head. Let us suppose that happens when F throws it up. The game is now
finished, and the reckoning takes place—

              B has three pitchers, D’s, A’s, and F’s.
              D  „  two      „      B’s and C’s.
              F  „  one      „      E’s.
  A, C, and E have none.

Strictly speaking, D, A, and F should each pay a button to B. B and C
should each pay one to D. E should pay one to F. But in practice it was
simpler, F holding one pitcher had, in the language of the game, “freed
himself.” D had “freed himself,” and was in addition one to the good. B
had “freed himself,” and was two to the good. A, C, and E, not having
“freed themselves,” were liable for the one D had won and the two B had
won, and settled with D and B, without regard to the actual hand that
held the respective pitchers. It simplified the reckoning, though
theoretically the reckoning should have followed the more roundabout
method. Afterwards the game was begun _de novo_. E, who was last, having
first pitch—the advantage of that place being meant to compensate him
in a measure for his ill luck in the former game. The stakes were the
plain horn or bone buttons—buttons with nicks were more valuable—a plain
one being valued at two “scroggies,” or “scrogs,” the fancy ones, and
especially livery buttons, commanding a higher price.—Rev. W. Gregor.
See “Buttons.”

Pit-counter

A game played by boys, who roll counters in a small hole. The exact
description I have not been able to get.—Halliwell’s _Dictionary_.

Pits

A game at marbles. The favourite recreation with the young fishermen in
West Cornwall. Forty years ago “Pits” and “Towns” were the common games,
but the latter only is now played. Boys who hit their nails are looked
on with great contempt, and are said “to fire Kibby.” When two are
partners, and one in playing accidentally hits the other’s marble, he
cries out, “No custance,” meaning that he has a right to put back the
marble struck; should he fail to do so, he would be considered
“out.”—_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 60. There is no description of the method
of playing. It may be the same as “Cherry Pits,” played with marbles
instead of cherry stones (vol. i. p. 66). Mr. Newell, _Games and Songs
of American Children_, p. 187, says “The pits are thrown over the palm;
they must fall so far apart that the fingers can be passed between them.
Then with a fillip of the thumb the player makes his pit strike the
enemy’s and wins both.”

Pize Ball

Sides are picked; as, for example, six on one side and six on the other,
and three or four marks or tuts are fixed in a field. Six go out to
field, as in cricket, and one of these throws the ball to one of those
who remain “at home,” and the one “at home” strikes or pizes it with his
hand. After pizing it he runs to one of the “tuts,” but if before he can
get to the “tut” he is struck with the ball by one of those in the
field, he is said to be _burnt_, or out. In that case the other side go
out to field.—Addy’s _Sheffield Glossary_.

See “Rounders.”

Plum Pudding

A game at marbles of two or more boys. Each puts an equal number of
marbles in a row close together, a mark is made at some little distance
called taw; the distance is varied according to the number of marbles in
a row. The first boy tosses at the row in such a way as to pitch just on
the marbles, and so strike as many as he can out of the line; all that
he strikes out he takes; the rest are put close together again, and two
other players take their turn in the same manner, till all the marbles
are struck out of the line, when they all stake afresh and the game
begins again.—Baker’s _Northamptonshire Glossary_.

Plum Pudding and Roast Beef

Mentioned by Moor, _Suffolk Words and Phrases_, as the name of a game.
Undescribed, but nearly the same as French and English.

Pointing out a Point

A small mark is made on the wall. The one to point out the point, who
must not know what is intended, is blindfolded, and is then sent to put
the finger on the point or mark. Another player has taken a place in
front of the point, and bites the finger of the blindfolded
pointer.—Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire (Rev. W. Gregor).

Poncake

Name of a girl’s game the same as Cheeses.—Holland’s _Cheshire
Glossary_. See “Turn Cheeses, Turn.”

Poor and Rich

An old game mentioned in Taylor’s _Motto_, sig. D, iv. London, 1622.

Poor Mary sits a-weeping

[Music]

[Music]

—Barnes (A. B. Gomme).

[Illustration: “Poor Mary sits a-weeping.”]

    I.      Poor Mary sits a-weepin’,
            A-weepin’, a-weepin’;
            Poor Mary sits a-weepin’
            On a bright summer’s day.

            Pray, Mary, what’re you weepin’ for,
            A-weepin’ for, a-weepin’ for?
            Pray, Mary, what’re you weepin’ for?
            On a bright summer’s day.

            I’m weepin’ for a sweetheart,
            A sweetheart, a sweetheart;
            I’m weepin’ for a sweetheart,
            On a bright summer’s day.

            Pray, Mary, choose your lover,
            Your lover, your lover;
            Pray, Mary, choose your lover
            On a bright summer’s day.

                Now you’re married, I wish you joy;
                First a girl, and then a boy;
                Seven years after, son and daughter;
                Pray, young couple, come kiss together.

                Kiss her once, kiss her twice,
                Kiss her three times over.

—Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).

    II.     Poor Mary is weeping, is weeping, is weeping,
            Poor Mary is weeping on a bright summer’s day.

            Pray tell me what you’re weeping for, weeping for, weeping
            for,
            Pray tell me what you’re weeping for, on a bright summer’s
            day?

            I’m weeping for my true love, my true love, my true love,
            I’m weeping for my true love, on a bright summer’s day.

            Stand up and choose your lover, your lover, your lover,
            Stand up and choose your lover, on a bright summer’s day.

            Go to church with your lover, your lover, your lover,
            Go to church with your lover, on a bright summer’s day.

            Be happy in a ring, love; a ring, love; a ring, love.
            Kiss both together, love, on this bright summer’s day.

—Upton-on-Severn, Worcestershire (Miss Broadwood).

    III.    Pray, Sally, what are you weeping for—
            Weeping for—weeping for?
            Pray, Sally, what are you weeping for,
            On a bright shiny day?

            I am weeping for a sweetheart—
            A sweetheart—a sweetheart;
            I am weeping for a sweetheart,
            On a bright shiny day.

            Pray, Sally, go and get one—
            Go and get one—get one;
            Pray, Sally, go and get one,
            On a bright shiny day.

            Pray, Sally, now you’ve got one—
            You’ve got one—got one;
            Pray, Sally, now you’ve got one,
            On a bright sunny day.

            One kiss will never part you—
            Never part you—part you;
            One kiss will never part you,
            On a bright sunny day.

—Dorsetshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 209).

    IV.     Poor —— sat a-weeping,
            A-weeping, a-weeping;
            Poor —— sat a-weeping,
            On a bright summer’s day.

            I’m weeping for a sweetheart,
            A sweetheart, a sweetheart;
            I’m weeping for a sweetheart,
            On a bright summer’s day.

            Oh, pray get up and choose one,
            And choose one, and choose one;
            Oh, pray get up and choose one,
            On a bright summer’s day.

                Now you’re married, you must obey;
                You must be true to all you say.
                You must be kind, you must be good,
                And help your wife to chop the wood.

—Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

    V.      Poor Mary sat a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary sat a-weeping, down by the sea-side.

            By the side of the river, by the side of the river,
            She sat down and cried.

            Oh, pray get up and choose one, and choose one, and choose
            one,
            Oh, pray get up and choose one, down by the sea-side.

                Now you’re married, I wish you joy;
                Father and mother you must obey;
                Love one another like sister and brother,
                And pray, young couple, come kiss one another.

—Colchester (Miss G. M. Frances).

    VI.     Poor Mary is a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary is a-weeping on a fine summer’s day.

            What is she weeping for, weeping for, weeping for,
            What is she weeping for on a fine summer’s day?

            She’s weeping for her sweetheart, her sweetheart, her
            sweetheart,
            She’s weeping for her sweetheart on a fine summer’s day.

            Pray get up and choose one, choose one, choose one,
            Pray get up and choose one on a fine summer’s day.

            Pray go to church, love; church, love; church, love;
            Pray go to church, love, on a fine summer’s day.

            Pray put the ring on, ring on, ring on,
            Pray put the ring on, on a fine summer’s day.

            Pray come back, love; back, love; back, love;
            Pray come back, love, on a fine summer’s day.

                Now you’re married, we wish you joy;
                Your father and mother you must obey;
                Love one another like sister and brother;
                And now it’s time to go away.

—(_Suffolk County Folk-lore_, pp. 66, 67.)

    VII.    Poor Mary sits a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary sits a-weeping on a bright summer’s day.

            Pray tell me what you are weeping for, weeping for, weeping
            for,
            Pray tell me what you are weeping for on a bright summer’s
            day?

            I’m weeping for a sweetheart, a sweetheart, a sweetheart,
            I’m weeping for a sweetheart on a bright summer’s day.

            Poor Mary’s got a shepherd’s cross, a shepherd’s cross, a
            shepherd’s cross,
            Poor Mary’s got a shepherd’s cross on a bright summer’s day.

—Berkshire (Miss Thoyts, _Antiquary_, xxvii. 254).

    VIII.   Mary sits a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Mary sits a-weeping, close by the sea-side.

            Mary, what are you weeping for, weeping for, weeping for,
            Mary, what are you weeping for, close by the sea-side?

            I’m a-weeping for my sweetheart, my sweetheart, my
            sweetheart,
            I’m a-weeping for my sweetheart, close by the sea-side.

            Pray get up and choose one, and choose one, and choose one,
            Pray get up and choose one, close by the sea-side.

—Winterton and Lincoln (Miss M. Peacock).

    IX.     Poor Mary sits a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary sits a-weeping, on a bright summer’s day.

            She is weeping for her lover, her lover,
            She is weeping for her lover on a bright summer’s day.

            Stand up and choose your lover, your lover,
            Stand up and choose your lover, on a bright summer’s day.

            And now she’s got a lover, a lover,
            And now she’s got a lover, on a bright summer’s day.

—Hanbury, Staffs. (Miss E. Hollis).

    X.      Oh, what is Nellie weeping for,
            A-weeping for, a-weeping for?
            Oh, what is Nellie weeping for,
            On a cold and sunshine day?

            I’m weeping for my sweetheart,
            My sweetheart, my sweetheart;
            I’m weeping for my sweetheart
            On a cold and sunshine day.

            So now stand up and choose the one,
            And choose the one, and choose the one;
            So now stand up and choose the one,
            On a cold and sunshine day.

—Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (Miss Matthews).

    XI.     Poor Mary sits a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary sits a-weeping, on a bright summer’s day.

            Pray what are you a-weeping for, a-weeping for, a-weeping
            for,
            Pray what are you a-weeping for on a bright summer’s day?

            She’s weeping for a lover, a lover, a lover,
            She’s weeping for a lover, this bright summer’s day.

            Rise up and choose your lover, your lover, your lover,
            Rise up and choose your lover, this bright summer’s day.

            Now Mary she is married, is married, is married,
            Now Mary she is married this bright summer’s day.

—Enborne School, Newbury, Berks. (Miss M. Kimber).

    XII.    Poor Sarah’s a-weeping,
            A-weeping, a-weeping;
            Oh, what is she a-weeping for,
            A-weeping for, a-weeping for?

            I’m weeping for a sweetheart,
            A sweetheart, a sweetheart;
            I’m weeping for a sweetheart
            This bright summer day.

            Oh, she shall have a sweetheart,
            A sweetheart, a sweetheart;
            Oh, she shall have a sweetheart
            This bright summer day.

                Go to church, loves,
                Go to church, loves.
                Say your prayers, loves,
                Say your prayers, loves.
                Kiss your lovers,
                Kiss your lovers;
            Rise up and choose your love.

—Liphook, Hants. (Miss Fowler).

    XIII.   Poor Mary sits weeping, weeping, weeping,
            Poor Mary sits weeping on a bright summer’s day;
            On the carpet she must kneel till the grass grows on the
            field.

            Stand up straight upon your feet,
            And show me the one you love so sweet.

                Now you’re married, I wish you joy;
                First a girl, and second a boy;
                If one don’t kiss, the other must,
                So kiss, kiss, kiss.

—Cambridge (Mrs. Haddon).

    XIV.    Poor Mary is a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary is a-weeping on a bright summer’s day;
            Pray what is she a-weeping for, a-weeping for, a-weeping
            for,
            Pray what is she a-weeping for, on a bright summer’s day?

            I’m weeping for my true love, my true love, my true love,
            I’m weeping for my true love, on a bright summer’s day.

            Stand up and choose your true love, your true love, your
            true love,
            Stand up and choose your true love, on a bright summer’s
            day.

              Ring a ring o’ roses, o’ roses, o’ roses,
              Ring a ring o’ roses; a pocketful of posies.

—Ogbourne, Wilts. (H. S. May).

    XV.     Poor Sally is a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Sally is a-weeping, down by the sea-side.
            Pray tell me what you’re weeping for, you’re weeping for,
            you’re weeping for,
            Pray tell me what you’re weeping for, down by the sea-side?

            I’m weeping for my sweetheart, my sweetheart, my sweetheart,
            I’m weeping for my sweetheart, down by the sea-side.

              A ring o’ roses,
              A pocketful of posies;
              Isham! Isham!
              We all tumble down.

—Manton, Marlborough, Wilts. (H. S. May).

    XVI.    Poor Mary is a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            On a fine summer’s day;
            What is she weeping for, weeping for, weeping for?

            She is weeping for her lover, her lover, her lover;
            And who is her love, who is her lover?

            Johnny Baxter is her lover, Johnny Baxter is her lover;
            And where is her lover, where is her lover?

            Her lover is a-sleeping, her lover is a-sleeping,
            Is a-sleeping at the bottom of the sea.

—South Devon (_Notes and Queries_, 8th Series, i. 249, Miss R. H. Busk).

    XVII.   Poor Mary, what are you weeping for?
                              You weeping for?
                              You weeping for?
            Poor Mary, what are you weeping for,
                On a bright summer’s day?

            Pray tell us what you are weeping for?
                You are weeping for?
                You are weeping for?

            Pray tell us what you are weeping for,
                On a bright summer’s day.

            My father he is dead, sir;
                Is dead, sir;
                Is dead, sir.
            My father he is dead, sir,
                On a bright summer’s day.

—Earls Heaton (Herbert Hardy).

    XVIII.  Poor Mary is a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
            Poor Mary is a-weeping, on a fine summer’s day.
            Pray tell me what you’re weeping for? &c.

            Because my father’s dead and gone, is dead and gone, is dead
            and gone;
            Because my father’s dead and gone, on a fine summer’s day.

            She is kneeling by her father’s grave, her father’s grave,
            her father’s grave;
            She is kneeling by her father’s grave, on a fine summer’s
            day.

            Stand up and choose your love, choose your love, choose your
            love;
            Stand up and choose your love, on a bright summer’s day.

—(Rev. W. Gregor).

    XIX.    Oh, what is Jennie weeping for,
              A-weeping for, a-weeping for?
            Oh, what is Jennie weeping for,
              All on this summer’s day?

            I’m weeping for my own true love,
              My own true love, my own true love;
            I’m weeping for my own true love,
              All on this summer’s day.

            Rise up and choose another love,
              Another love, another love;
            Rise up and choose another love,
              All on this summer’s day.

—Berwickshire (A. M. Bell, _Antiquary_, xxx. 16).

  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  |No.|       Barnes.        |       Enborne.       |     Dorsetshire.     |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  | 1.|Poor Mary sits a-     |Poor Mary sits a-     |     —                |
  |   |weeping.              |weeping.              |                      |
  | 2.|Pray, Mary, what are  |Pray, what are you a- |Pray, Sally, what are |
  |   |you weeping for?      |weeping for?          |you weeping for?      |
  | 3.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 4.|I’m weeping for a     |She’s weeping for a   |I’m weeping for a     |
  |   |sweetheart.           |lover.                |sweetheart.           |
  | 5.|On a bright summer’s  |This bright summer’s  |On a bright shiny day.|
  |   |day.                  |day.                  |                      |
  | 6.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 7.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 8.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 9.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |10.|Pray, Mary, choose    |Rise up and choose    |     —                |
  |   |your lover.           |your lover.           |                      |
  |11.|     —                |     —                |Pray, Sally, go and   |
  |   |                      |                      |get one.              |
  |12.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |13.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |14.|Now you’re married, I |Now Mary she is       |     —                |
  |   |wish you joy.         |married.              |                      |
  |15.|First a girl, then a  |     —                |     —                |
  |   |boy.                  |                      |                      |
  |16.|Seven years after, son|     —                |     —                |
  |   |and daughter.         |                      |                      |
  |17.|     —                |     —                |Pray, Sally, now      |
  |   |                      |                      |you’ve got one.       |
  |18.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |19.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |20.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |21.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |22.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |23.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |24.|Pray, young couple,   |     —                |     —                |
  |   |come kiss together.   |                      |                      |
  |25.|     —                |     —                |One kiss will never   |
  |   |                      |                      |part you.             |
  |26.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |27.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |28.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |29.|Kiss her once, twice, |     —                |     —                |
  |   |kiss three times over.|                      |                      |
  |30.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |31.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |32.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |33.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |34.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |35.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |36.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |37.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |38.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |39.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |40.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |41.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |42.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |43.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  |No.|        Upton.        |         Sporle.      |      Colchester.     |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  | 1.|Poor Mary is weeping. |Poor [    ] sat a-    |Poor Mary sat a-      |
  |   |                      |weeping.              |weeping.              |
  | 2.|Pray, tell me what    |     —                |     —                |
  |   |you’re weeping for.   |                      |                      |
  | 3.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 4.|I am weeping for my   |I’m weeping for a     |     —                |
  |   |true love.            |sweetheart.           |                      |
  | 5.|On a bright summer’s  |On a bright summer’s  |     —                |
  |   |day.                  |day.                  |                      |
  | 6.|     —                |     —                |By the side of the    |
  |   |                      |                      |river.                |
  | 7.|     —                |     —                |She sat down and      |
  |   |                      |                      |cried.                |
  | 8.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 9.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |10.|Stand up and choose   |Pray, get up and      |Pray, get up and      |
  |   |your lover.           |choose one.           |choose one.           |
  |11.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |12.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |13.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |14.|     —                |     —                |Now you’re married, I |
  |   |                      |                      |wish you joy.         |
  |15.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |16.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |17.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |18.|     —                |Now you’re married you|     —                |
  |   |                      |must obey.            |                      |
  |19.|     —                |You must be true to   |     —                |
  |   |                      |all you say.          |                      |
  |20.|     —                |You must be kind and  |     —                |
  |   |                      |good.                 |                      |
  |21.|     —                |Help wife to chop     |     —                |
  |   |                      |wood.                 |                      |
  |22.|     —                |     —                |Father and mother you |
  |   |                      |                      |must obey.            |
  |23.|     —                |     —                |Love one another like |
  |   |                      |                      |sister and brother.   |
  |24.|     —                |     —                |Pray, young couple,   |
  |   |                      |                      |come kiss together.   |
  |25.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |26.|Go to church with your|     —                |     —                |
  |   |lover.                |                      |                      |
  |27.|Be happy in a ring,   |     —                |     —                |
  |   |love.                 |                      |                      |
  |28.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |29.|Kiss both together,   |     —                |     —                |
  |   |love.                 |                      |                      |
  |30.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |31.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |32.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |33.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |34.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |35.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |36.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |37.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |38.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |39.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |40.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |41.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |42.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |43.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  |No.|      Winterton.      |    Forest of Dean.   |       Liphook.       |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  | 1.|Mary sits a-weeping.  |     —                |Poor Sarah’s a-       |
  |   |                      |                      |weeping.              |
  | 2.|Mary, what are you    |Oh! what is Nellie    |Oh, what is she a-    |
  |   |weep’ng for?          |weeping for?          |weeping for?          |
  | 3.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 4.|I’m weeping for a     |I’m weeping for my    |I’m weeping for a     |
  |   |sweetheart.           |sweetheart.           |sweetheart.           |
  | 5.|     —                |     —                |This bright summer’s  |
  |   |                      |                      |day.                  |
  | 6.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 7.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 8.|Close by the sea side.|     —                |     —                |
  | 9.|     —                |On a cold and sunshine|     —                |
  |   |                      |day.                  |                      |
  |10.|Pray, get up and      |Now stand up and      |Rise up and choose    |
  |   |choose one.           |choose one.           |your lover.           |
  |11.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |12.|     —                |     —                |She shall have a      |
  |   |                      |                      |sweetheart.           |
  |13.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |14.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |15.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |16.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |17.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |18.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |19.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |20.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |21.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |22.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |23.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |24.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |25.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |26.|     —                |     —                |Go to church, love.   |
  |27.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |28.|     —                |     —                |Say your prayers,     |
  |   |                      |                      |love.                 |
  |29.|     —                |     —                |Kiss your lovers.     |
  |30.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |31.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |32.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |33.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |34.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |35.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |36.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |37.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |38.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |39.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |40.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |41.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |42.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |43.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  |No.|     Earls Heaton.    |        Suffolk.      |       Berkshire.     |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  | 1.|     —                |Poor Mary sits a-     |Poor Mary sits a-     |
  |   |                      |weeping.              |weeping.              |
  | 2.|Poor Mary, what are   |What is she weeping   |     —                |
  |   |you weeping for?      |for?                  |                      |
  | 3.|Pray tell us what you |     —                |Pray tell me what she |
  |   |are weeping for?      |                      |is weeping for?|      |
  | 4.|     —                |She’s weeping for a   |I’m weeping for a     |
  |   |                      |sweetheart.           |                      |
  | 5.|On a bright summer’s  |On a fine summer’s    |On a bright summer’s  |
  |   |day.                  |day.                  |day.                  |
  | 6.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 7.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 8.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 9.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |10.|     —                |Pray get up and choose|     —                |
  |   |                      |one.                  |                      |
  |11.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |12.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |13.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |14.|     —                |Now you’re married, we|     —                |
  |   |                      |wish you joy.         |                      |
  |15.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |16.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |17.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |18.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |19.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |20.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |21.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |22.|     —                |Father and mother you |     —                |
  |   |                      |must obey.            |                      |
  |23.|     —                |Love one another like |     —                |
  |   |                      |brother and sister.   |                      |
  |24.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |25.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |26.|     —                |Pray go to church,    |     —                |
  |   |                      |love.                 |                      |
  |27.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |28.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |29.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |30.|My father he is dead, |     —                |     —                |
  |   |sir.                  |                      |                      |
  |31.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |32.|     —                |Pray put the ring on. |     —                |
  |33.|     —                |Pray come back, love. |     —                |
  |34.|     —                |Now it’s time to go   |     —                |
  |   |                      |away.                 |                      |
  |35.|     —                |     —                |Mary’s got a          |
  |   |                      |                      |shepherd’s cross.     |
  |36.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |37.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |38.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |39.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |40.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |41.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |42.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |43.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  |No.|    Staffordshire.    |        Newbury.      |     South Devon.     |
  +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
  | 1.|Poor Mary sits a-     |Poor Mary sits a-     |Poor Mary is a-       |
  |   |weeping.              |weeping.              |weeping.              |
  | 2.|     —                |Pray what are you     |What is she weeping   |
  |   |                      |weeping for?          |for?                  |
  | 3.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 4.|She’s weeping for her |She’s weeping for a   |She’s weeping for her |
  |   |lover.                |lover.                |lover.                |
  | 5.|On a bright summer’s  |This bright summer’s  |On a fine summer’s    |
  |   |day.                  |day.                  |day.                  |
  | 6.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 7.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  | 8.|     —                |     —                |[See No. 41.]         |
  | 9.|     —                |     —                |     —                |
  |10.|Stand up and choose   |Rise up and choose    |     —                |