Part 1

GAMES AND SONGS

OF

AMERICAN CHILDREN

COLLECTED AND COMPARED

BY

WILLIAM WELLS NEWELL

NEW YORK

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS

1884

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, by

HARPER & BROTHERS,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

_All rights reserved._

EDITOR'S NOTE.

The existence of any children's tradition in America, maintained independently of print, has hitherto been scarcely noticed. Yet it appears that, in this minor but curious branch of folk-lore, the vein in the United States is both richer and purer than that so far worked in Great Britain. These games supply material for the elucidation of a subject hitherto obscure: they exhibit the true relation of ancient English lore of this kind to that of the continent of Europe; while the amusements of youth in other languages are often illustrated by American custom, which compares favorably, in respect of compass and antiquity, with that of European countries.

Of the two branches into which the lore of the nursery may be divided--the tradition of children and the tradition of nurses--the present collection includes only the former. It is devoted to formulas of play which children have preserved from generation to generation, without the intervention, often without the knowledge, of older minds. Were these--trifling as they often are--merely local and individual, they might be passed over with a smile; but being English and European, they form not the least curious chapter of the history of manners and customs. It has therefore been an essential part of the editor's object to exhibit their correspondences and history; but, unwilling to overcloud with cumbrous research that healthy and bright atmosphere which invests all that really belongs to childhood, he has thought it best to remand to an appendix the necessary references, retaining in the text only so much as may be reasonably supposed of interest to the readers in whom one or another page may awaken early memories.

He has to express sincere thanks to the friends, in different parts of the country, whose kind assistance has rendered possible this volume, in which almost every one of the older states is represented; and he will be grateful for such further information as may tend to render the collection more accurate and complete.

The melodies which accompany many of the games have been written from the recitation of children by S. Austen Pearce, Mus. Doc. Oxon.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

EDITOR'S NOTE. v

INTRODUCTORY.

I. THE DIFFUSION AND ORIGIN OF AMERICAN GAME-RHYMES. 1 II. THE BALLAD, THE DANCE, AND THE GAME. 8 III. MAY-GAMES. 13 IV. THE INVENTIVENESS OF CHILDREN. 22 V. THE CONSERVATISM OF CHILDREN. 28

I. LOVE-GAMES.

No. 1. KNIGHTS OF SPAIN. 39 2. THREE KINGS. 46 3. HERE COMES A DUKE. 47 4. TREAD, TREAD THE GREEN GRASS. 50 5. I WILL GIVE YOU A PAPER OF PINS. 51 6. THERE SHE STANDS, A LOVELY CREATURE. 55 7. GREEN GROW THE RUSHES, O! 56 8. THE WIDOW WITH DAUGHTERS TO MARRY. 56 9. PHILANDER'S MARCH. 58 10. MARRIAGE. 59

II. HISTORIES.

11. MISS JENNIA JONES. 63 12. DOWN SHE COMES, AS WHITE AS MILK. 67 13. LITTLE SALLY WATERS. 70 14. HERE SITS THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND. 70 15. GREEN GRAVEL. 71 16. UNCLE JOHN. 72 17. KING ARTHUR WAS KING WILLIAM'S SON. 73 18. LITTLE HARRY HUGHES AND THE DUKE'S DAUGHTER. 75 19. BARBARA ALLEN. 78

III. PLAYING AT WORK.

20. VIRGINIA REEL. 80 21. OATS, PEASE, BEANS, AND BARLEY GROWS. 80 22. WHO'LL BE THE BINDER? 84 23. AS WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH. 86 24. DO, DO, PITY MY CASE. 87 25. WHEN I WAS A SHOEMAKER. 88 26. HERE WE COME GATHERING NUTS OF MAY. 89 27. HERE I BREW AND HERE I BAKE. 90 28. DRAW A BUCKET OF WATER. 90 29. THREADING THE NEEDLE. 91

IV. HUMOR AND SATIRE.

30. SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YOU MARRY ME? 93 31. QUAKER COURTSHIP. 94 32. LAZY MARY. 96 33. WHISTLE, DAUGHTER, WHISTLE. 96 34. THERE WERE THREE JOLLY WELSHMEN. 97 35. A HALLOWE'EN RHYME. 98 36. THE DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION. 99 37. OLD GRIMES. 100 38. THE BAPTIST GAME. 101 39. TRIALS, TROUBLES, AND TRIBULATIONS. 102 40. HAPPY IS THE MILLER. 102 41. THE MILLER OF GOSPORT. 103

V. FLOWER ORACLES, ETC

42. FLOWER ORACLES. 105 43. USE OF FLOWERS IN GAMES. 107 44. COUNTING APPLE-SEEDS. 109 45. ROSE IN THE GARDEN. 110 46. THERE WAS A TREE STOOD IN THE GROUND. 111 47. GREEN! 113

VI. BIRD AND BEAST.

48. MY HOUSEHOLD. 115 49. FROG-POND. 116 50. BLOODY TOM. 117 51. BLUE-BIRDS AND YELLOW-BIRDS. 118 52. DUCKS FLY. 119

VII. HUMAN LIFE.

53. KING AND QUEEN. 120 54. FOLLOW YOUR LEADER. 122 55. TRUTH. 122 56. INITIATION. 122 57. JUDGE AND JURY. 123 58. THREE JOLLY SAILORS. 124 59. MARCHING TO QUEBEC. 125 60. SUDDEN DEPARTURE. 126 61. SCORN. 126

VIII. THE PLEASURES OF MOTION.

62. RING AROUND THE ROSIE. 127 63. GO ROUND AND ROUND THE VALLEY. 128 64. THE FARMER IN THE DELL. 129 65. THE GAME OF RIVERS. 130 66. QUAKER, HOW IS THEE? 130 67. DARBY JIG. 131 68. RIGHT ELBOW IN. 131 69. MY MASTER SENT ME. 131 70. HUMPTY DUMPTY. 132 71. PEASE PORRIDGE HOT. 132 72. RHYMES FOR A RACE. 132 73. TWINE THE GARLAND. 133 74. HOPPING-DANCE. 133

IX. MIRTH AND JEST.

75. CLUB FIST. 134 76. ROBIN'S ALIVE. 135 77. LAUGHTER GAMES. 136 78. BACHELOR'S KITCHEN. 137 79. THE CHURCH AND THE STEEPLE. 138 80. WHAT COLOR? 138 81. BEETLE AND WEDGE. 138 82. PRESENT AND ADVISE. 139 83. GENTEEL LADY. 139 84. BEAST, BIRD, OR FISH. 140 85. WHEEL OF FORTUNE. 140 86. CATCHES. 141 87. INTERY MINTERY. 142 88. REDEEMING FORFEITS. 143 89. OLD MOTHER TIPSY-TOE. 143 90. WHO STOLE THE CARDINAL'S HAT? 145

X. GUESSING-GAMES.

91. ODD OR EVEN. 147 92. HUL GUL. 147 93. HOW MANY FINGERS? 148 94. RIGHT OR LEFT. 149 95. UNDER WHICH FINGER? 149 96. COMES, IT COMES. 150 97. HOLD FAST MY GOLD RING. 150 98. MY LADY QUEEN ANNE. 151 99. THE WANDERING DOLLAR. 151 100. THIMBLE IN SIGHT. 152

XI. GAMES OF CHASE.

101. HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON? 153 102. HAWK AND CHICKENS. 155 103. TAG. 158 104. DEN. 159 105. I SPY. 160 106. SHEEP AND WOLF. 161 107. BLANK AND LADDER. 161 108. BLIND-MAN'S BUFF. 162 109. WITCH IN THE JAR. 163 110. PRISONER'S BASE. 164 111. DEFENCE OF THE CASTLE. 164 112. LIL LIL. 165 113. CHARLEY BARLEY. 165 114. MILKING-PAILS. 166 115. STEALING GRAPES. 167 116. STEALING STICKS. 168 117. HUNT THE SQUIRREL. 168

XII. CERTAIN GAMES OF VERY LITTLE GIRLS.

118. SAIL THE SHIP. 170 119. THREE AROUND. 170 120. IRON GATES. 170 121. CHARLEY OVER THE WATER. 171 122. FROG IN THE SEA. 171 123. DEFIANCE. 172 124. MY LADY'S WARDROBE. 173 125. HOUSEKEEPING. 173 126. A MARCH. 174 127. RHYMES FOR TICKLING. 174

XIII. BALL, AND SIMILAR SPORTS.

128. THE "TIMES" OF SPORTS. 175 129. CAMPING THE BALL. 177 130. HAND-BALL. 178 131. STOOL-BALL. 179 132. CALL-BALL. 181 133. HALEY-OVER. 181 134. SCHOOL-BALL. 182 135. WICKET. 182 136. HOCKEY. 182 137. ROLL-BALL. 183 138. HAT-BALL. 183 139. CORNER-BALL. 183 140. BASE-BALL. 184 141. MARBLES. 185 142. CAT. 186 143. CHERRY-PITS. 187 144. BUTTONS. 187 145. HOP-SCOTCH. 188 146. DUCK ON A ROCK. 189 147. MUMBLETY-PEG. 189 148. FIVE-STONES. 190

XIV. RHYMES FOR COUNTING OUT.

149. COUNTING RHYMES. 194

XV. MYTHOLOGY.

150. LONDON BRIDGE. 204 151. OPEN THE GATES. 212 152. WEIGHING. 212 153. COLORS. 213 154. OLD WITCH. 215 155. THE OGREE'S COOP. 221 156. TOM TIDLER'S GROUND. 221 157. DIXIE'S LAND. 222 158. GHOST IN THE CELLAR. 223 159. THE ENCHANTED PRINCESS. 223 160. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. 224

APPENDIX.

COLLECTIONS OF CHILDREN'S GAMES. 229 COMPARISONS AND REFERENCES. 232

GAMES AND SONGS

OF

AMERICAN CHILDREN.

INTRODUCTORY.

I.

_THE DIFFUSION AND ORIGIN OF AMERICAN GAME-RHYMES._

"The hideous Thickets in this place[1] were such that Wolfes and Beares nurst up their young from the eyes of all beholders in those very places where the streets are full of Girles and Boys sporting up and downe, with a continued concourse of people."--"Wonder-working Providence in New England," 1654.

"The first settlers came from England, and were of the middle rank, and chiefly Friends. * * * In early times weddings were held as festivals, probably in imitation of such a practice in England. Relations, friends, and neighbors were generally invited, sometimes to the amount of one or two hundred. * * * They frequently met again next day; and being mostly young people, and from under restraint, practised social plays and sports."--Watson's "Account of Buckingham and Solebury" (Pennsylvania; settled about 1682).

A majority of the games of children are played with rhymed formulas, which have been handed down from generation to generation. These we have collected in part from the children themselves, in greater part from persons of mature age who remember the usages of their youth; for this collection represents an expiring custom. The vine of oral tradition, of popular poetry, which for a thousand years has twined and bloomed on English soil, in other days enriching with color and fragrance equally the castle and the cottage, is perishing at the roots; its prouder branches have long since been blasted, and children's song, its humble but longest-flowering offshoot, will soon have shared their fate.

It proves upon examination that these childish usages of play are almost entirely of old English origin. A few games, it is true, appear to have been lately imported from England or Ireland, or borrowed from the French or the German; but these make up only a small proportion of the whole. Many of the rounds still common in our cities, judging from their incoherence and rudeness, might be supposed inventions of "Arabs of the streets;" but these invariably prove to be mere corruptions of songs long familiar on American soil. The influence of print is here practically nothing; and a rhyme used in the sports of American children almost always varies from the form of the same game in Great Britain, when such now exists.

There are quarters of the great city of New York in which one hears the dialect, and meets the faces, of Cork or Tipperary. But the children of these immigrants attend the public school, that mighty engine of equalization; their language has seldom more than a trace of accent, and they adopt from schoolmates local formulas for games, differing more or less from those which their parents used on the other side of the sea. In other parts of the town, a German may live for years, needing and using in business and social intercourse no tongue but his own, and may return to Europe innocent of any knowledge of the English speech. Children of such residents speak German in their homes, and play with each other the games they have brought with them from the Fatherland. But they all speak English also, are familiar with the songs which American children sing, and employ these too in their sports. There is no transference from one tongue to another, unless in a few cases, when the barrier of rhyme does not exist. The English-speaking population, which imposes on all new-comers its language, imposes also its traditions, even the traditions of children.

A curious inquirer who should set about forming a collection of these rhymes, would naturally look for differences in the tradition of different parts of the Union, would desire to contrast the characteristic amusements of children in the North and in the South, descendants of Puritan and Quaker. In this he would find his expectations disappointed, and for the reason assigned. This lore belongs, in the main, to the day before such distinctions came into existence; it has been maintained with equal pertinacity, and with small variations, from Canada to the Gulf. Even in districts distinguished by severity of moral doctrines, it does not appear that any attempt was made to interfere with the liberty of youth. Nowhere have the old sports (often, it is true, in crude rustic forms) been more generally maintained than in localities famous for Puritanism. Thus, by a natural law of reversion, something of the music, grace, and gayety of an earlier period of unconscious and natural living has been preserved to sweeten the formality, angularity, and tedium of an otherwise beneficial religious movement.

It is only within the century that America has become the land of motion and novelty. During the long colonial period, the quiet towns, less in communication with distant settlements than with the mother-country itself, removed from the currents of thought circulating in Europe, were under those conditions in which tradition is most prized and longest maintained. The old English lore in its higher branches, the ballad and the tale, already belonging to the past at the time of the settlement, was only sparingly existent among the intelligent class from which America was peopled; but such as they did bring with them was retained. Besides, the greater simplicity and freedom of American life caused, as it would seem, these childish amusements to be kept up by intelligent and cultivated families after the corresponding class in England had frowned them down as too promiscuous and informal. But it is among families with the greatest claims to social respectability that our rhymes have, in general, been best preserved.

During the time of which we are writing, independent local usages sprang up, so that each town had oftentimes its own formulas and names for children's sports; but these were, after all, only selections from a common stock, one place retaining one part, another, of the old tradition. But in the course of the last two generations (and this is a secondary reason for the uniformity of our games in different parts of the country) the extension of intercourse between the States has tended to diffuse them, so that petty rhymes, lately invented, have sometimes gained currency from Maine to Georgia.

We proceed to speak of our games as they exist on the other side of the sea. A comparison with English and Scotch collections shows us very few games mentioned as surviving in Great Britain which we cannot parallel in independent forms. On the other hand, there are numerous instances in which rhymes of this sort, still current in America, do not appear to be now known in the mother-country, though they oftentimes have equivalents on the continent of Europe. In nearly all such cases it is plain that the New World has preserved what the Old World has forgotten; and the amusements of children to-day picture to us the dances which delighted the court as well as the people of the Old England before the settlement of the New.[2]

To develop the interest of our subject, however, we must go beyond the limits of the English tongue. The practice of American children enables us to picture to ourselves the sports which pleased the infancy of Froissart and Rabelais.[3] A dramatic action of the Virginia hills preserves the usage of Färöe and Iceland, of Sweden and Venice.[4] We discover that it is an unusual thing to find any remarkable childish sport on the European continent which failed to domesticate itself (though now perhaps forgotten) in England. It is thus vividly and irresistibly forced upon our notice, that the traditions of the principal nations of Europe have differed little more than the dialects of one language, the common tongue, so to speak, of religion, chivalry, and civilization.