"The miller, he stole corn; To keep these three rogues warm. "The miller was drown'd in his dam ; The weaver was hung in his loom; And the devil ran away with the little tailor, P. 64, 1.17. There was a lady all skin and bone. The following version was obtained from Yorkshire, where it is used in a nursery game: "There was an old woman she went to church to pray; She sat her down to think a little while; She look'd above, she look'd below, She saw a dead man lying low; The worms crept in, and the worms crept out; She ask'd the parson, may I go out?' Yes, you may," &c. P. 70, 1. 7. There was a frog liv'd in a well. The tune to this is given in a scarce work, called "The Merry Musician, or a Cure for the Spleen," 12mo., and also in "An Antidote to Melancholy," 1719. The well-known song, "A frog he would a wooing go," appears to have been borrowed from this. See Dauney's" Ancient Scottish Melodies," p. 53. P. 72, 1. 12. There was an old woman. Sung to the air of Liliburlero. See "Musick's Handmaid," 1673, where the air is called, "Liliburlero, or Old Woman whither so high." P. 79, 1. 10. Ding, dong, bell. The burden to a song in the "Tempest," act i. scene 2; and also to one in the "Merchant of Venice." P. 80, 1.2. Dog with long snout. Sometimes, "Little Johnny Grout." P. 84, 1. 5. Another version runs thus: "Give a thing, Take a thing, That's the devil's golden ring." P. 86, No. 124. A game. P. 87, 1. 9. Tommy Tibule. A game on a child's toes. P. 90; 1. 5. knee. Ride to the market. A game on the nurse's P. 100, 1. 1. Bisiter. That is, Bicester, in Oxfordshire. P. 103, 1. 19. Was. Probably "wasn't." P. 104, 1.3. This is said to have been written by Dr. Wallis. P. 105, 1. 14. The charm in the Townley Mysteries, to which I refer, is as follows: "For ferde we be fryght a crosse let us kest, For dreede. Jesus o' Nazorus, Crucyefixus, Marcus, Andreas, God be our spede." P. 106, 1. 5. The two last lines of this charm are perhaps imitated from the following in Bishop Ken's Evening Hymn: 66 Let my blest guardian, while I sleep, His watchful station near me keep." P. 107, 1.1. We are three brethren. Sometimes "knights." The versions of this game vary considerably from each other. P. 109, 1. 1. Girls and boys. The tune to this may be found in all the late editions of Playford's "Dancing Master.” P 112, No. 194. The following is a Scotch version of this game: "1. Buff says Buff to all his men. 2. I say Buff to you again. And passes the staff to another." P. 116, 1. 1. A game on a slate. P. 113, 1. 17. Queen Anne. A different version of No. 184, p. 108. P. 114, 1. 15. down." P. 117, 1. 6. Then comes. Sometimes, "Then comes Eleven comets in the sky. This ought to be said in one breath. The following is another version of it: 66 'Eight ships on the main, I wish them all safe back again; Seven eagles in the air, I wonder how they all came there; I don't know, nor I don't care. Six spiders on the wall, Close to an old woman's apple-stall; Five puppies in Highgate Hall, Who daily for their breakfast call; Four mares stuck in a bog; Three monkies tied to a log; Two pudding-ends will choke a dog, With a gaping, wide-mouthed, waddling frog." P. 133, 1. 5. The rule of the road. I am told that this is a very modern composition. P. 131, 1. 1. For "dee," read "D." P. 131, 1. 3, No. 123. See page 124. P. 133, 1. 4. E. with a figure fiftie. This ought to be thus: "E. with a figure of L. fiftie." This is probably an epigram on one of the family of the Noels, or Nowels. P. 134, 1. 9. Cowslips. Some read "muscles." I have a copy of the date 1797, which has "cuckolds," probably the genuine old reading. P. 137, No. 251. When I was a little girl. A friend has kindly furnished me with a different version of these curious lines: "WHEN I was a little girl, I wash'd my mammy's dishes: I put my finger in my eye, "My mammy call'd me good girl, And pull'd out fourscore-ten." It is a singular fact, that a comparatively modern discovery in physiology was anticipated in the original version of this song. P. 142, No. 263. This is a game. P. 144, 1. 1. We'll go a shooting. This is an English version of a very curious song, used on the occasion of "hunting the wran," on St. Stephen's Day, in the Isle of Man. On that day the children of the villagers procure a wren, attach it with a string to a branch of holly, decorate the branch with pieces of ribbon that they beg from the various houses, and carry it through the village, singing these lines. An extract from an Irish work, from which it appears that this custom is likewise prevalent in Ireland, is given in Sir Henry Ellis's edition of Brand's "Popular Antiquities," vol. ii. p. 516 :— "The Druids represented this as the king of all birds. The great respect shown to this bird gave great offence to the first Christian missionaries, and, by their command, he is still hunted and killed by the peasants on Christmas Day, and on the following (St. Stephen's Day) he is carried about hung by the leg in the centre of two hoops, crossing each other at right angles, and a procession made in every village, of men, women, and children, importing him to be the king of birds.” I am glad to be able to give the genuine traditional song, as recited in the Isle of Man: THE HUNTING OF THE WRAN. "We'll hunt the wran, says Robin to Bobbin; "Where shall we find him? says Robin to Bobbin ; "In yon green bush, says Robin to Bobbin; "How shall we kill him? says Robin to Bobbin; How shall we kill him? says Richard to Robin; says Jack o' th' land; "With sticks and stones, says Robin to Bobbin; With sticks and stones, says every one. |