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CCXV.

[Children hunting bats.]

BAT, bat (clap hands),

Come under my hat,

And I'll give you a slice of bacon;

And when I bake,

I'll give you a cake,

If I am not mistaken.

CCXVI.

[THIS is acted by two or more girls, who walk or dance up and down, turning, when they say, "turn, cheeses, turn." The 66 green cheeses," as I am informed, are made with sage and potatoe-tops. Two girls are said to be "cheese and cheese."]

GREEN cheeses, yellow laces,
Up and down the market-places,
Turn, cheeses, turn!

CCXVII.

[Two of the strongest children are selected, a and B. within a ring of the children, B being outside.]

A. Who is going round my sheepfold?

B. Only poor old Jacky Lingo.
A. Don't steal any of my black sheep.

A stands

B. No, no more I will, only by one,

Up, says Jacky Lingo. (Strikes one.)

[The child struck leaves the ring, and takes hold of B behind; B in the same manner takes the other children, one by one, gradually increasing his tail on each repetition of the verses, until he has got the whole. A then tries to get them back; B runs away with them; they try to shelter themselves behind B; A drags them off, one By one, setting them against a wall, until he has recovered all. A regular tearing game, as children say.]

CCXVIII.

[CHILDREN stand round, and are counted one by one by means of this rhyme, which I have already given in a different form at p. 89. The child upon whom the last number falls is out, for "Hide or Seek," or any other game where a victim is required. A cock and bull story of this kind is related of the historian Josephus.]

HICKORY (1), Dickory (2), Dock (3),

The mouse ran up the clock (4),
The clock struck one (5),

The mouse was gone (6);

O (7), u (8), T (9), spells OUT!

CCXIX.

[A number of boys and girls stand round one in the middle, who repeats the following lines, counting the children until one is counted out by the end of the verses.]

RING me (1), ring me (2), ring me rary (3),

As I go round (4), ring by ring (5),

A virgin (6) goes a maying (7),

Here's a flower (8), and there's a flower (9),
Growing in my lady's garden (10);
If you set your foot awry (11),
Gentle John will make you cry (12),
If you set your foot amiss (13),
Gentle John (14) will give you a kiss.

[The child upon whom (14) falls, is then taken out and forced to select one of the opposite sex. The middle child then proceeds.]

This [lady or gentleman] is none of ours,

Has put [his or her] self in [the selected child's] power, So clap all hands, and ring all bells, and make the wedding o'er. [All clap hands.]

[If the child taken by lot joins in the clapping, the selected child is rejected, and, I think, takes the middle place. Otherwise, I think, there is a salute.]

CCXX.

SEE-SAW, sacradown;

Which is the way to London town?

One foot up, and the other down,

And that is the way to London town.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

I caught a hare alive;

6, 7, 8, 9, 10,

I let him go again.

CCXXI.

HIGHTY Cock O!

To London we go,

To York we ride;

And Edward has pussy-cat tied to his side;
He shall have little dog tied to the other,

And then he goes trid trod to see his grandmother.

CCXXII.

SEE-SAW, jack a daw,

What is a craw to do wi' her;

She has not a stocking to put on her,
And the craw has not one for to gi' her.

ССХХІІІ.

[Another version of No. 219.]

As I go round ring by ring,

A maiden goes a maying,

And here's a flower and there's a flower,

As red as any daisy. If you set your foot awry,

Gentle John will make you cry;

If

you set your foot amiss,

Gentle John will give you a good kiss.

CCXXIV.

ONE old Oxford ox opening oysters;

Two tee totums totally tired of trying to trot to Tad

berry ;

Three tall tigers tippling ten-penny tea;

Four fat friars fanning fainting flies;

Five frippy Frenchmen foolishly fishing for flies;
Six sportsmen shooting snipes!

Seven Severn salmons swallowing shrimps;

Eight Englishmen eagerly examining Europe;
Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nonpareils ;

Ten tinkers tinkling upon ten tin tinder-boxes with ten tenpenny tacks;

Eleven elephants elegantly equipt;

Twelve typographical topographers typically translating types.

CCXXV.

[A stands with a row of girls (her daughters) behind her; B, a suitor advances.]

B. TRIP trap over the grass; If you please will you let one of your [eldest] daughters come,

Come and dance with me?

I will give you pots and pans, I will give you brass,
I will give you anything for a pretty lass.

[blocks in formation]

B. I will give you gold and silver, I will give you

pearl,

I will give you anything for a pretty girl.

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