CHAPTER XV.

Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Games.

“Gather up all the traditions, and even the nursery songs; no one can tell of what value they may prove to an antiquary.”--Southey, in a letter to Mrs. Bray, quoted in her _Borders of the Tamar and the Tavy_.

[Some of these I have found lying loose among Sir Edgar MacCulloch’s MSS. I have put them together, and added to them a few I have collected among the old country people.--ED.]

CHILDREN’S GAME.

A number of children seat themselves in a circle on the ground, as near to each other as possible, and one of the party is chosen to stand in the centre of the ring. Those who are seated keep their hands in their laps with their fists closed, and endeavour to pass a pebble or other small object from one to the other, without its being perceived by the child who is in the middle. While the game is going on they recite the following rhyme:--

“Mon toussebelet va demandant, Ma fausse vieille va quérant, Sur lequel prends tu, bon enfant?”[233]

The child in the centre of the circle is in the meantime on the look out to discover into whose hands the pebble is passing, and, if he can succeed in arresting it in the possession of any one of the players, he takes his place in the ring, and the one in whose hands the pebble was caught, replaces him in the centre.

_From Rachel du Port._

[233] EDITOR’S NOTE.--All Guernsey nursery rhymes, etc., are naturally either in old French or Guernsey French, dating as they do from the times when no other language was spoken in the island.

CHILDREN’S GAME.

A child stands in the middle and says:

“J’ai tant d’énfants à marier.”

Chorus from children standing round:

“Ah! Ah! Ah!”

The child again says:

“Ah! je ne sais qu’en faire.”

One of the children then says:

“Maman, maman, que voulez vous?”

The first child replies:

“Entrez dans la danse, faites la révérence, Chantez, dansez, et embrassez celui que vous aimerez.”

This is repeated till all the children are brought inside the circle, then the “mother” says.

“Tous mes enfants sont mariés, Je n’en ai plus un seul resté.”

Then the first child says to the “mother”:

“Entrez dans la danse, faites la révérence, Chantez, dansez, et embrassez celui que vous aimerez.”

_From Mrs. Jehan._

CHILDREN’S “COUNTING-OUT” RHYME.

The child in the centre says the first couplet and then “counts out”:

“Un loup passant par le désert, La queue levée, le bec en l’air, Un, deux, trois, Vers le bois, Quatre, cinq, six, Vers le buis, Sept, huit, neuf, Vers le bœuf, Dix, onze, douze, Dans la bouze.”

ANOTHER.

“Un “i” un “l,” ma tante Michelle, Des roques, des choux, des figues nouvelles, Ne passez pas par mon jardin, Ne cueillez pas mon rosmarin, Crim! Cram! Crue,! Elysée,! Henri! Va ’t’en!”

Sometimes the last three ejaculations are omitted.--_From Mrs. W. P. Collings._

ANOTHER.

“A la grand’ rue Les étoiles y sont suspendues; Du vin blanc, et du vin noir, On le met à baptizer, Sur le dos de la cuiller. La cuiller se passe, L’enfant trépasse, Ainsi, par ci Mon cœur me dit Ceci, celà, Hors d’ici Hors de là!”

--_From Miss Harriet de Sausmarez, aged ninety. Used by children in her youth._

OTHERS.

“L’un de la lune Deaux, des ch’vaux Très des peis, Quâtre d’la grappe Chinq, des chelins, Six du riz. Sept du lait, Huit, de la gâche cuite, Neuf, du bœuf, Dix, pain bis, Onze de la congre, Douze de la bouze.”

--_From Mrs. W. Ozanne._

“Hickory, Airy, Ory, Anne, Biddy, boddy, over San, Père, Père, Vierge et Mère,[234] Pit, Pout, out, one!”

--_From Miss Annie Chepmell._

ANOTHER VERSION.

“Eckary, airy, ory Anne, I believe in ury San, Père, père, what’s your mère, Pit, pout, out, one!”

--_From Mrs. Mollet, La Villette._

ANOTHER.

“Onery, Twoery, Dickery, Davy, Arabo, Crackery, Jennery, Lavy, Wishcome, Dandy, Merrycome, Time, Humberry, Bumberry, Twenty-nine.”

--_From Mrs. Durand, sen._

[234] Or sometimes “Birds of the Air.”

These words sound like a burlesque of Roman Catholicism, especially of the words of administration of the Mass.

Nurses’ Rhymes.

NAMES OF THE FINGERS.

The nurse takes the child’s hand, and beginning with the thumb says: “_Gros det_,” “_Arridet_,” (for the index finger.)

[Métivier, in his Dictionnaire Franco-Normand, says it comes from an obsolete word, “_arrer_” or “_arrher_,” meaning to promise, to ratify, to buy; and quotes the “Speculum Saxonum II., 15, I.” “Celui qui commence une cause devant le juge pour laquelle il est tenu de donner caution … du doigt.”]

“_Longuedon_,” or “_mousqueton_,” the middle finger, “_Jean des Scéas_,” the ring finger, or the finger which wears the signet. Métivier (page 443 of Dictionnaire Franco-Normand) gives as evidence of the signet being worn on this finger, Macrobius VII., 13, p. 722. Edit. de Lyon, 1560. “Dis-moi pourquoi on s’est déterminé, par un assentiment universel, à porter l’anneau au doigt qui avoisine le petit, qu’on a nommé aussi le doigt médical: et cela presque toujours à celui de la main gauche? Voici la réponse de Disarius. ‘Ayant consulté les livres des anatomistes, j’en ai découvert la vraie cause. Ils m’ont appris qu’un nerf passe du cœur au doigt de la main gauche, qui avoisine le petit, et que c’est là, enveloppé par les autres nerfs de ce doigt, qu’il termine sa course. Voilà pourquoi les anciens se sont avisés de ceindre ce doigt d’un anneau, et, si j’ose m’exprimer ainsi, d’une couronne.’”

“_P’tit Coutelàs_,” the little finger.

The nurse puts the child on her knee and sings:--

“Sur les paires[235] et sur les poumes[236] Et sur le petit chevalot Qui va--le pas, le pas, le pas, Le trot, le trot, le trot, Le galop! le galop! le galop!”

The nurse pretends to shoe the baby’s feet and sings:--

“Ferre, ferre la pouliche, Pour allaïr vée ma nourriche, Ferre, ferre le poulaïn, Pour allaïr vée mon parrain; Ferre, ferre le cheval, Pour allaïr à Torteval.”

Another version of this rhyme is given in Métivier’s _Dictionary_. Vide _Pouliche_, namely:--

“Ferre, ferre men poulaïn Pour allaïr à Saïnt-Germaïn![237] Ferre, ferre ma pouliche Pour allaïr cîs ma nourriche.”

[235] Poires.

[236] Pommes.

[237] Saint-Germain was a fountain with medicinal properties in the Castel parish.

NURSES’ RHYMES.

The nurse tickles the baby’s hands, and says:--

“L’alouette, l’alouette a fait son nid Dans la main de mon petit, Et a passaï par ichin.” (Here she tickles the baby’s palm).

Then beginning with the thumb, she says:--

“Ch’tinchin l’a tuaïe, Ch’tinchin l’a plumaïe, Ch’tinchin l’a rôtie, Ch’tinchin l’a mangie, Et le poure p’tit querouin, Qui a étai au fouar et au moulin, N’en a pas ieü un poure p’tit brin.”

(There are several slightly different versions of this rhyme.)

Nurses, while playing with a child’s face, say:--

“Menton fourchi” (pinch the chin). “Bouche d’Argent” (touch the lips). “Nez de Cancan” (touch the nose). “Joue rotie, joue fricassée” (touch the cheeks). “P’tit œillot, gros œillot” (touch the eyes). “Craque Martel” (tap the forehead).

--_From Mrs. Kinnersly._

“En r’venant de St. Martin J’ rencontri men p’tit lapin, Il sautit dans ma grand’ chambre Et mangit toutes mes almandes; Il sautit dans ma p’tite chambre Et mangit toutes mes noix; Il sautit dans men chillier Et mangit toutes mes cuillers; Il sautit dans men gardin Et mangit men rosmarin; Il sautit dans mon galetâs Et mangit tous mes râts; Il sautit sur ma maison Et mangit mon p’tit garçon.”

--_From Mrs. David, the old nurse in the service of Mr. Gosselin, at Springfield._

“L’alouette, l’alouette, qui vole en haut, Prie Gyu pour qu’il faiche caud, Pour ses poures p’tits aloutiaux, Qui n’ont ni manches ni mantiaux Ni alumettes ni coutiaux Pour copaïr les gros morciaux.”

“Tire-lire-li, ma cauche étrille, Tire-lire-li, ramendaïs la, Tire-lire-li, j’ n’ai pas d’aiguille, Tire-lire-li, acataïs n’en,

Tire-lire-li, j’ n’ai point d’argent, Tire-lire-li, empruntaïs n’en Tire-lire-li, j’ n’ai point d’ crédit, Tire-lire-li, allou’s-en.”

“Corbìn, Corbìn, ta maison brule, Va-t-en cueure ton pain et ton burre, J’ai la cllai dans ma paoute, Jamais tu n’ la verras d’autre.”

--_From Louise Martel, of the Vale._

“Colin, Colimachon, montre mè tes cônes, Ou je te tuerai!”

--_From Louise Martel._

Métivier in his _Dictionnaire_ gives this version:--

“Limaçon, bône-bône Montre-moi tes cônes!”

ANOTHER VERSION.

“Coli, Colimachon, mourte mè tes cônes, Et je te dirai où est ton père et ta mère. Ils sont là bas, en haut du pré, A mangier d’la gâche cuite et bère du lait!”

--_From Mrs. Mollet._

“Rouge bounet, veur-tu du lait? Nennin, ma mère, il est trop fred, Rouge bounet, veur-tu d’la craïme? Oui, ma mère, caer je l’aïme.”

--_From Mrs. Mollet._

“Coquedicot, j’ai mal au det, Coquedicot, qu’est qui-t-la-fait? Coquedicot, ch’tait men valet, Coquedicot, où est qu’il est, Coquedicot, il est à traire, Coquedicot, dans qu’est qu’il trait? Coquedicot, dans son bounet, Coquedicot, dans qu’est qu’il coule? Coquedicot, dans sa grand goule, Coquedicot, dans qu’est qu’il ribotte? Coquedicot, dans sa grand botte? [238]Coquedicot, dans qu’est qu’il fait le burre? Coquedicot, dans son grand verre!”

In summer a species of small black beetle, known by the local name of “_pan-pan_,” is found very commonly in the hedges. Children are in the habit of laying these beetles on their backs, in the palms of their hands, spitting upon them, and then repeating the following words:--

“Pan-Pan, Mourte mé ten sang, Et je te dounerai du vin bllanc.”

The insect thus tortured emits a drop or two of a blood-red secretion, which is, of course, what the child is looking for.

Compare “Les feux de la St. Jean en Berry,” in _Revue des Traditions Populaires_, Vol. I., p. 171. “Il existe une petite scarabée d’un noir bleu qu’on nomme ‘_petite bête St. Jean_.’ Quand on le prend, il rend par les mandibules (la bouche) un liquide rougeâtre; les enfants excitent cette sécretion en mettant de la salive sur l’insecte, et en disant:--

‘Petite bête Saint-Jean, Donne-moi du vin rouge, Et je te donnerai du vin blanc.’”

[238] These two lines were omitted in the version known by Mr. de Garis, of the Rouvets.

See _Notes and Queries_, Vol. I., Series I, January 26th, 1850.

WHEN IT SNOWS.

“Les Français qui plument leurs ouaies Craquent leux puches et les font quée.”

--See Chambers’ _Popular Rhymes of Scotland_.

“The men o’ the East Are pyking their geese And sending their feathers here away, here away!”

“Margoton, mon amie,} bis. Margoton, mon cœur, } Il te faudra du rôti, Pour et pour, et pour et pour, Pour te mettre en appetit.”

“Patty Patoche, vendit la caboche Dans le marchi, pour des sous merquis.”

Je fus par les càmps Ma roulette roulànt. J’ rencontris Tchisette Qui m’ print ma roulette. J’ li dis “Tchisette, Rends-mé ma roulette.” A’ me répounit “Je ne t’la rendrai poiut Si tu n’me doune une croûte de lait.”

Je fus à ma mère J’ li dis “Ma mère, Doune mé une croûte de lait.” A’ me répounit “Je ne t’la dounerai poiut Si tu n’ me doune une cllavette.” Je fus à mon père J’ li dis, “Mon père, Doune mé une cllavette.” I’ me répounit “Je ne t’ le dounerai poiut Si tu n’me doune un’ tchesse de viau.” Je fus au viau J’ li dit “Viau, Doune me un’ tchesse.” I’ me répounit “Je ne t’ le dounerai poiut Si tu ne me doune du lait de la vâque.” Je fus à la vâque J’ li dit “Vâque, Doune mé du lait.” A’ me répounit “Je ne t’en dounerai poiut Si tu ne me doune de l’herbe de pré.” Je m’en fus au pré J’ li dis “Pré, Doune mé de l’herbe.” I’ me répounit “Je ne t’ la dounerai poiut Si tu ne me doune une tranche de faux.” Je fus au faux J’ li dis “Faux, Doune mé de la tranche.” I’ me répounit “Je ne t’ la dounerai poiut Si tu ne me doune de la graisse de porc.” Je fus au porc J’ li dis “Porc, Doune mé de la graisse.” I’ me répounit “Je ne t’ la dounerai poiut Si tu ne me doune un glliand de quêne.” Je m’en fus au quêne J’ li dis “Quêne, Doune mé un glliand.” I’ me répounit “Je ne t’ le dounerai poiut Si tu ne me doune du vent de maïr.” Je fus à la maïr J’ li dis “Maïr, Doune mé du vent.”

La maïr ventait--J’éventi men quêne Men quêne glliandait--Je glliandi men porc Men porc graissait--Je graissi men faux Men faux tranchait--Je tranchi men pré Men pré herbait--Je herbi ma vâque Ma vâque laitait--J’allaiti mon viau Men viau tchessait--Je tchessi men père Men païre cllavettait--Je cllavetti ma mère Ma maïre crôtait--Je crôti Tchisette Par chunna j’eus ma roulette.

This, the local version of “The House that Jack Built,” is widely known. Slightly different versions exist in the different parishes, but the above is as complete as I can make it.--_From Mrs. Mollet, Mrs. C. Marquand, Mrs. Le Patourel, and from a version collected in St. Peter-in-the-Wood, by Miss Le Pelley._

“Haptalon[239] de la Vieille Nanon Qui ribotait son cotillon.”

[239] “Haptalon” is the Guernsey equivalent of “Hobgoblin.”

Cradle Songs.

“Dindon, Bolilin, Quatre éfants dans le bain de Madame. Le petit, qui cri le bouille, Dindon, bolilin!”

“Chausseaton, berçeaton, Ma grand’mère est au païsson, Si al’en prend j’en aïron Tout sera plein à la maison! Si non, j’ nous en passerons!”

“Ton père[240] a dit qui fallait dormir (bis). Lo, lo, lo, le petit Puisque ton père a dit.” (bis).

“Makieu Dors tu? Nennin, ma mère, quer je prie Gyu, Quaille prière dis-tu? “Not’ Père” et “Je cré en Gyu.””

“Trop paresseuse, pourquoi te revaïr? Reveillez-vous joyeuse, et venez dansaïr.”

ANOTHER VERSION.

“Crolloton, berchotton, Ma grand’-mère est au païsson S’ al’en a j’en airon S’ a n’en a poiut, j’ nous en passerons.”

--_From John de Garis, Esq., of the Rouvets._

[240] EDITOR’S NOTE.--This rhyme is repeated, bringing in “mère,” “oncle,” “tante,” etc., till all the relations have been named.

Dancing Rhymes.

MON BEAU LAURIER.

It was formerly customary on holidays for the youth of both sexes to assemble in some tavern or private house to amuse themselves with dancing to the enlivening strains of the fiddle or _rote_, called in the local dialect the “_chifournie_.” These assemblies were termed “_sons_,” and were generally attended also by some of the older portions of the community, whose presence was a guarantee for the orderly conduct of the meeting. Things are now much changed. The presence of a large garrison during the wars that arose out of the first French Revolution, and the influx of a mixed population since the peace, altered the character of these assemblies in town. They came to be regarded with disfavour; parents discouraged their children from attending them; the prejudice against them extended to the country parishes, and the puritanical feeling that grew up with the rapid spread of dissent among the labouring classes was entirely opposed to any species of amusement. Whether the cause of morality has gained much by this over strictness is questionable.

The dances at these meetings were of a very primitive character, consisting almost entirely of a species of jig, by two performers, or in joining hands and moving round at a quick pace in a circle. When a musician was not to be procured, recourse was had to the united voices of the dancers, and an ancient roundelay or “_ronde_,” no doubt originally imported from France, where such dances are still common among the peasantry, helped to carry on the amusement of the evening. It is still danced occasionally by young people and children, and, as the sole remaining specimen of this kind of diversion, deserves to be recorded.

The performers, who must consist of an equal number of either sex placed alternately, join hands in a circle. They then dance round, singing in chorus:--

“Saluez, Messieurs et Dames, Ah! mon beau lau-ri-er!” (bis)

One of the girls is then selected and placed in the middle of the circle, and the rest of the party continue to dance round her singing:--

“Ah! la belle, entrez en danse! Ah! mon beau lau-ri-er!” (bis)

The next verse is:--

“Faites nous la révérence, Ah! mon beau lau-ri-er!” (bis)

On this the damsel curtseys round to the company, who go on singing:--

“Faites le pot à deux anses, Ah! mon beau lau-ri-er!” (bis)

The dancer must now set her arms a-kimbo, and so figure away in the centre of the ring until the strain changes to:--

“Jambe, enjambe en ma présence, Ah! mon beau lau-ri-er!” (bis)

This figure generally causes much merriment, for the performer is expected to clasp both arms round one uplifted knee, and hop about on the other foot, the result of which is not unfrequently a fall. Then follows:--

“Prenez cil qui vous ressemble, Ah! mon beau lau-ri-er!” (bis)

The maiden now makes selection of a partner among the youths, and both join hands in the middle of the circle, while the following words are sung to a different tune and measure:--

“Entr’embrassez-vous par le jeu d’amourette, Entr’embrassez-vous par le jeu d’amour.”

A tender embrace follows, and then the assistants sing:--

“Entr’embrassez-vous par le jeu d’amourette, Entr’embrassez-vous par le jeu d’amour.”

A kiss is now claimed from the compliant damsel, after which is sung:--

“Entrequittez-vous par le jeu d’amourette, Entrequittez-vous par le jeu d’amour.”

The girl now leaves the young man in the midst of the circle and returns to her original place, when the dance recommences with such verbal alterations as the change of the principal performers renders necessary.

The old-fashioned cushion dance, which delighted the romps of the Court of the merry-monarch, Charles II., is not altogether forgotten on these occasions.

There are several other dancing rhymes and snatches of dancing times in existence--such as the one quoted by Métivier in his _Dictionnaire_, page 148:--

“Ma coummère, aquànd je danse, men cotillon fait-i bien? Ah! vraiment oui, ma coummère, i va bien mûx que le mien. I va de ci, i va de là; I va fort bien, ma coummère, I va fort bien coumme i va.”

Another version is:--

“Ma coummère, aquànd je danse, men cotillon fait-i bien? Ah! vraiment oui, ma coummère, i va bien mûx que le mien. I va d’ici, I va de là, men cotillon, Vole, vole, vole, men cotillon vol’ra.”

One dance consisted of a sort of see-saw in different corners of the room, the couple repeating:--

“Dansez donc, ou ne dansez pas, Faites le donc, ou ne le faites pas, La-la-la.” (bis).

Dance and repeat!

Sark Games.

EDITOR’S NOTE.--In a _Descriptive Account of the Island of Sark_, published in Clarke’s _Guernsey Magazine_ for September and October, 1875, the Rev. J. L. V. Cachemaille wrote:--“The public games and amusements of the Sarkese are few, and of a simple kind; and it is only children or young people who take part in them now-a-days. Formerly they used to have a favourite amusement, consisting of six or eight men, or big boys, who placed themselves in a line, one behind the other, and held each other firmly round the waist, while two outsiders made every effort to pull them apart one after another, till one only remained. This game they called ‘_Uprooting the Gorse_,’ and the last man represented the largest or principal root. Children still keep up this game, but not very universally, nor is it often played. It was one of the chief amusements of the ‘_Veilles_.’” Mr. Cachemaille also wrote:--“A person, either young or old, disguised himself in a manner to frighten people. At the end of a stick he carried the head of a horse or donkey, and this he placed on his own head, having first enveloped himself in a sheet. By means of cords, he made the jaws of this head to open and shut with a noise, then he ran after one or the other, endeavouring to bite them with the teeth of those horrible jaws; whereupon everybody ran away as fast as they could, and there was a general turmoil, the people either screaming with fright, or else laughing at the joke. This head made the round of all the “_Veilles_,” followed by a crowd of people, and, until quite latterly, one of these heads was still to be seen in one of the principal farm houses.”