Part 7
I. Here's an old widow who lies alone, Lies alone, lies alone, Here's an old widow who lies alone, She wants a man and can't get one. Choose one, choose two, choose the fairest. The fairest one that I can see Is [Mary Hamilton], come unto me. Now she is married and tied to a bag, She has got a man with a wooden leg.
--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).
II. There was an old soldier he came from the war, His age it was sixty and three. Go you, old soldier, and choose a wife, Choose a good one or else choose none.
Here's a poor widow she lives her lone, She hasn't a daughter to marry but one. Come choose to the east, choose to the west, And choose the very one you love best.
Here's a couple married in joy, First a girl and then a boy, Seven years after, and seven years come, Pree[1] young couple kiss and have done.
--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).
III. There was a poor widow left alone, And all her children dead and gone. Come, choose you east, Come, choose you west, Take the man you love best. Now they're married, I wish them joy, Every year a girl or a boy, I hope this couple may kiss each other.
--Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).
(_b_) One child is chosen to act the part of the widow. The players join hands and form a circle. The widow takes her stand in the centre of the circle in a posture indicating sorrow. The girls in the circle trip round and round, and sing the first five lines. The widow then chooses one of the ring. The ring then sings the marriage formula, the two kiss each other, and the game is continued, the one chosen to be the mate of the first widow becoming the widow in turn (Nairn).
(_c_) This game is probably the same as "Silly Old Man." Two separate versions may have arisen by girls playing by themselves without boys.
[1] Sometimes "pray," but "pree" seems to be the Scotch for taste:--"pree her moo" = taste her mouth = to kiss.
Pop Goes the Weasel
Half a pound of tup'ny rice, Half a pound of treacle; Mix it up and make it nice, Pop goes the weasel.
--Earls Heaton (Herbert Hardy).
(_b_) Children stand in two rows facing each other, they sing while moving backwards and forwards. At the close one from each side selects a partner, and then, all having partners, they whirl round and round.
(_c_) An additional verse is sometimes sung with or in place of the above in London.
Up and down the City Road; In and out the Eagle; That's the way the money goes, Pop goes the weasel.
--(A. Nutt).
Mr. Nutt writes: "The Eagle was (and may be still) a well-known tavern and dancing saloon."
Pop-the-Bonnet
A game in which two, each putting down a pin on the crown of a hat or bonnet, alternately pop on the bonnet till one of the pins crosses the other; then he at whose pop or tap this takes place, lifts the stakes.--Teviotdale (Jamieson). The same game is now played by boys with steel pens or nibs.
See "Hattie."
Poppet-Show
See "Pinny Show."
Port the Helm
This is a boys' game. Any number may join in it. The players join hands and stand in line. The leader, generally a bigger boy, begins to bend round, at first slowly, then with more speed, drawing the whole line after him. The circular motion is communicated to the whole line, and, unless the boys at the end farthest from the leader run very quickly, the momentum throws them off their feet with a dash if they do not drop their hold.--Keith, Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).
Pots, or Potts
Throwing a ball against a wall, letting it bounce and catching it, accompanied by the following movements:--
1. Simply three times each.
2. Throw, twist hands, and catch.
3. Clap hands in front, behind, in front.
4. Turn round.
5. Beat down ball on ground three times, and catch.
6. Again on ground and catch (once) at end of first "pot," and twice for second "pot."
--Hexham (Miss J. Barker).
Pray, Pretty Miss
I. Priperty Miss, will you come out, Will you come out, will you come out? Priperty Miss, will you come out To help us with our dancing?
No!
The naughty girl, she won't come out, She won't come out, she won't come out; The naughty girl, she won't come out To help us with our dancing.
Priperty Miss, will you come out, Will you come out, will you come out? Priperty Miss, will you come out To help us with our dancing?
Yes!
Now we've got another girl, Another girl, another girl; Now we've got another girl To help us with our dancing.
--Fochabers (Rev. W. Gregor).
II. Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out, Will you come out, will you come out? Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out To help me in my dancing?
No!
Then you are a naughty Miss! Then you are a naughty Miss! Then you are a naughty Miss! Won't help me in my dancing.
Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out, Will you come out, will you come out? Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out To help me in my dancing?
Yes!
Now you are a good Miss! Now you are a good Miss! Now you are a good Miss! To help me in my dancing.
--Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 47, 48).
III. Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out to help us in our dancing? No! Oh, then you are a naughty Miss, won't help us with our dancing. Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out to help us in our dancing? Yes! Now we've got our jolly old lass to help us with our dancing.
--Sheffield, Yorks. (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 87).
IV. Oh, will you come and dance with me, Oh, will you come and dance with me? No!
[They say as above to the next girl, who says "Yes."]
Now we've got our bonny bunch To help us with our dancing.
--Hurstmonceux, Sussex (Miss Chase).
(_b_) The Scottish version of this game is played as follows:--All the players stand in a line except two, who stand facing them. These two join hands crosswise, and then advancing and retiring, sing to the child at the end of the line the first four lines. The first child refuses, and they then dance round, singing the second verse. They sing the first verse again, and on her compliance she joins the two, and all three dance round together, singing the last verse. The three then advance and retire, singing the first verse to another child.
The Cornish version is played differently: a ring is formed, boy and girl standing alternately in the centre. The child in the middle holds a white handkerchief by two of its corners; if a boy he would single out one of the girls, dance backwards and forwards opposite to her, and sing the first verse. If the answer were "No!" spoken with averted head over the left shoulder, he sang the second verse. Occasionally three or four in turn refused. When the request was granted the words were changed to the fourth verse. The handkerchief was then carefully spread on the floor; the couple knelt on it and kissed: the child formerly in the middle joined the ring, and the other took his place, or if he preferred it remained in the centre; in that case the children clasped hands and sang together the first verse over again, the last to enter the ring having the privilege of selecting the next partner.
(_c_) Miss Courtney says (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 47), that this game is quite a thing of the past. Of the Hurstmonceux version, Miss Chase says, "This game is not fully remembered. It was played about 1850." The words indicate an invitation to the dance similar to those in "Cushion Dance," "Green Grass."
Pretty Little Girl of Mine
[Music]
--Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).
[Music]
--Tean, North Staffordshire (Miss Burne).
[Music]
--Eccleshall (Miss Burne).
[Music]
--Nottingham (Miss Youngman).
[Music]
--Hanbury, Staffordshire (Edith Hollis).
I. Here's a pretty little girl of mine, She's brought me many a bottle of wine; A bottle of wine she gave me too-- See what this little girl can do.
On the carpet she shall kneel As the grass grows on the fiel'; Stand upright on your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.
Now you are married I wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, son and daughter; Pray, young couple, kiss together.
--Symondsbury, Dorset (Folk-lore Journal, vii. 207).
II. Oh, this pretty little girl of mine, Brought me many a bottle of wine; A bottle of wine and a guinea, too, See what my little girl _can_ do.
Down on the carpet she shall kneel, As the grass grows in the field; Stand upright on your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.
Now I'm married and wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years past, Kiss one another and go to your class.
--Hampshire (Miss Mendham).
III. Here's a pretty little girl of mine, Who's brought her bottle and glass of wine; A glass of wine and a biscuit too, See what my pretty girl will do.
On the carpet she shall kneel, While the grass grows in the field; Stand upright upon your feet, Choose the one you love so sweet.
When you're married I wish you joy, First a girl and second a boy, Seven years after, son and daughter, Now, young couple, kiss together.
--Gambledown, Hants (Mrs. Pinsent).
IV. Oh! this pretty little girl of mine, Has cost me many a bottle of wine; A bottle of wine and a guinea or two, So see what my little girl can do.
Down on the carpet she shall kneel, While the grass grows on her field; Stand upright upon your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.
Now you are married you must obey, Must be true in all you say; You must be kind and very good, And help your wife to chop the wood.
--Maxey (_Northants Notes and Queries_, i. 214).
V. Here's a pretty little girl of mine, She's cost me many a bottle of wine; A bottle of wine and a guinea too, See what my little girl can do.
Down on the carpet she must kneel, As the grass grows in the field; Stand upright upon her feet, And choose the one she loves so sweet.
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. Oh! this pretty little girl of mine, She bought me many a bottle of wine, A bottle of wine she gave me too, So see what my little girl could do.
Stand up, stand up upon your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.
--Liphook, Hants (Miss Fowler).
VII. See what a pretty little girl have I, She brings me many a bottle of wi'; A bottle of wine and a biscuit too, See what a little girl can do. On the carpet she shall kneel, As the grass grows in the fiel'; Stand upright upon your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.
Now you're married we wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy, Seven years after, son and daughter, May you couple kiss together.
--South Devon (_Notes and Queries_, 8th series, i. 249; Miss R. H. Busk).
VIII. See what a pretty little girl I am, She gave me many a bottle of wine, Many a bottle of wine, and a biscuit too, See what a pretty little girl can do. On the carpet you shall kneel, Stand up straight all in the field, Choose the one that you love best.
Now we are married and hope we enjoy, First a girl and then a boy, Seven years after and seven years to come, May young company kiss have done.
--Holywood, Co. Down (Miss C. M. Patterson).
IX. See what a pretty little girl I am! Brought me many a bottle o' wine! Bottle o' wine to make me shine! See what a pretty little girl I am!
Upon the carpets we shall kneel, As the grass grows in yonder field; Stand up lightly on your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.
Now these two are going to die, First a girl, and then a boy; Seven years at afterwards, seven years ago, And now they are parted with a kiss and a go.
--Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).
X. See this pretty little maid of mine! She's brought me many a bottle of wine; A bottle of wine, a good thing, too; See what this pretty maid can do!
Down on the carpet she must kneel, Till the grass grows on her feet; Stand up straight upon thy feet, Choose the very one that you love sweet.
Take her by her lily-white hand, Lean across the water; Give a kiss,--one, two, three,-- To Mrs. ----'s daughter.
--Suffolk (Mrs. Haddon).
XI. See what a pretty little girl I am! They brought me many a bottle of wine-- Bottle of wine to make me shine; See what a pretty little girl I am!
On the carpets we must kneel, As the grass grows in yonder field; Rise up lightly on your feet, And kiss the one you love so sweet.
My sister's going to get married, My sister's going to get married, My sister's going to get married, Ee! Ii! Oh!
Open your gates as wide as high, And let the pretty girls come by, And let the {jolly} matrons[2] by. {bonny} One in a bush, Two in a bush, Ee! Ii! Oh!
--Colleyhurst, Manchester (Miss Dendy).
XII. On the carpet you shall kneel Where the grass grows fresh and {green; {clean; Stand up, stand up on your pretty feet, And show me the one you love so sweet. Now Sally's got married, we wish her good joy, First a girl, and then a boy; Seven years arter, a son and darter, So, young couple, kiss together.
Or,
Seven years now, and seven to come, Take her and kiss her and send her off home.
--Eccleshall, Staffs. (Miss Burne).
XIII. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the grass grows on the field; Stand up straight upon your feet, And tell me the one you love so sweet.
---- is married with a good child, First with a girl and then with a boy; Seven years after son and daughter, Play with a couple and kiss together.
--Tean, North Staffs. (from a Monitor in the National School).
XIV. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the grass grows in the field; Stand up, stand up upon your feet, And tell me whom you love so sweet.
Now you're married I wish you joy, First a girl, and then a boy; Seven years after son and daughter, Come, young couple, come kiss together.
--Middlesex (Miss Winfield).
XV. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the grass grows in the field; Stand up, stand up on your feet, Show the girl you love so sweet.
Now you're married I hope you'll enjoy A son and a daughter, so Kiss and good-bye.
--Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire (Miss Youngman).
XVI. Down on the carpet you shall kneel, While the grass grows on your field;[3] Stand up straight upon your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet. Marry couple, married in joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years come, Please,[4] young couple, kiss and have done.
--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).
XVII. On the carpet you shall kneel, While the grass grows fresh and green; Stand up straight upon your feet, And kiss the one you love so sweet.
Now they're married, love and joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years ago, Now's the time to kiss and go.
--Liverpool and neighbourhood (Mrs. Harley).
XVIII. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the grass grows in the field; Stand up, stand up on your feet, And shew me the girl you love so sweet. Now Sally's married I hope she'll enjoy, First with a girl and then with a boy; Seven years old and seven years young, Pray, young lady, walk out of your ring.
--Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 385).
XIX. On the carpet you shall kneel, Where the grass grows fresh and green; Stand up, stand up on your pretty feet, And show me the one you love so sweet.
--Berrington (Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 509).
[Same ending as Eccleshall version.]
XX. On the carpitt you shall kneel, While the grass grows in the field; Stand up, stand up on your feet, Pick the one you love so sweet.
--Wakefield, Yorks. (Miss Fowler).
XXI. King William was King David's son, And all the royal race is run; Choose from the east, choose from the west, Choose the one you love the best.[5]
Down on this carpet you shall kneel, While the grass grows in yond field; Salute your bride and kiss her sweet, Rise again upon your feet.
--Hanging Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).
XXII. On the carpet you shall kneel, while the grass grows at your feet; Stand up straight upon your feet, and choose the one you love so sweet. Now Sally is married, life and joy, first a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years ago, three on the carpet, kiss and go.
--Hanbury, Staffordshire (Miss Edith Hollis).
XXIII. I had a bonnet trimmed wi' blue. Why dosn't wëare it? Zo I do; I'd wëare it where I con, To tëake a walk wi' my young mon. My young mon is a-gone to sea, When he'd come back he'll marry me. Zee what a purty zister is mine, Doan't 'e think she's ter'ble fine? She's a most ter'ble cunnèn too, Just zee what my zister can do. On the carpet she can kneel, As the grass grow in the fiel'. Stand upright upon thy feet, And choose the prettiest you like, sweet.
--Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 208).
XXIV. Kneel down on the carpets, we shall kneel; The grass grows away in yonder fiel', Stand up, stand up upon your feet, And show me the one you love so sweet.
Now they get married, I wish they may joy Every year a girl or a boy; Loving together like sister and brother, Now they are coupled to kiss together.
--Galloway, N.B. (J. G. Carter).
(_c_) This game is played in the same way in all the different variants I have given, except a slight addition in the Suffolk (Mrs. Haddon). A ring is formed by the children joining hands--one child stands in the centre. The ring dances or moves slowly round, singing the verses. The child in the centre kneels down when the words are sung, rises and chooses a partner from the ring, kisses her when so commanded, and then takes a place in the ring, leaving the other child in the centre. In those cases where the marriage formula is not given, the kissing would probably be omitted.
(_d_) Of the twenty-four versions given there are not two alike, and this game is distinguished from all others by the singular diversity of its variants; although the original structure of the verses has been preserved to some extent, they seem to have been the sport of the inventive faculty of each different set of players. Lines have been added, left out, and altered in every direction, and in the example from Hazelbury Bryan, in Dorsetshire (No. xxiii.), a portion of an old song or ballad has been added to the game rhyme. These alterations occur not only in different counties, but in the same counties, as may be seen by the Dorset, Hants, Staffordshire, and Northants examples. Mr. Carter says of the Galloway game that the kissing match sometimes degenerates into a spitting match, according to the temper of the parties concerned. In the Suffolk version (Mrs. Haddon), at the words "Lean across the water," the two in the centre lean over the arms of those forming the ring. These words and action are probably an addition. They belong to the "Rosy Apple, Lemon and Pear" game.
These peculiar characteristics of the game do not permit of much investigation into the original words of the game-rhyme, but they serve to illustrate, in a very forcible manner, the exactly opposite characteristics of nearly all the other games, which preserve, in almost stereotyped fashion, the words of the rhymes. It appears most probable that the verses belonged originally to some independent game like "Sally, Sally Water," and that, when divorced from their original context, they lent themselves to the various changes which have been made. The minute application of modern ideas is seen in the version from Gambledown, where "A bottle of wine and a guinea, too," becomes "A bottle of wine and a biscuit, too;" and at West Haddon, in Northamptonshire, a variant of the marriage formula is given in _Northants Notes and Queries_, ii. 106, as--
Now you're married, we wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Cups and saucers, sons and daughters, Now join hands and kiss one another.
Another version from Long Itchington, given in _Notes and Queries_, 7th series, x. 450, concludes with--
Up the kitchen and down the hall, Choose the fairest of them all; Seven years now and seven years then, Kiss poor Sally and part again.
[2] Matron is _not_ a word in common use among Lancashire people.
[3] _d_ not sounded.
[4] Another version has "pree," which means in Scotch, _taste_, hence _kiss_.
[5] At Earls Heaton two verses or lines are added, viz.:--
"If she is not here to take her part, Choose another with all your heart."
Pretty Miss Pink
Pretty Miss Pink, will you come out, Will you come out, will you come out? Pretty Miss Pink, will you come out, To see the ladies dancing?
No, I won't.
Pretty Miss Pink, she won't come out, Won't come out, won't come out, &c. She will come out. Pretty Miss Pink, she has come out, &c.
--Winterton, Lincs and Nottinghamshire (Miss M. Peacock.)