Chapter 2 of 33 · 3986 words · ~20 min read

Part 2

Alice made a pudding, She made it nice and sweet, Up came Charley, cut a slice off-- A slice, a slice, we don't say No; The next Monday morning the wedding goes (or "is our wedding day"). I've got knives and forks, I've got plates and dishes, I've got a nice young man, He breaks his heart with kisses.

If poor Alice was to die, Wouldn't poor Charley, he _would_ cry. He would follow to the grave With black buttons and black crape, And a guinea for the church, And the bell shall ring.

Up came the doctor, up came the cat, Up came the devil with a white straw hat. Down went the doctor, down went the cat, Down went the devil with a white straw hat.[1]

--Deptford (Miss Chase).

III. Up the heathery mountains and down the rushy glen We dare not go a-hunting for Connor and his men; They are all lusty bachelors but one I know, And that's [Tom Mulligan], the flower of the flock; He is the flower of the flock, he is the keeper of the glen, He courted [Kate O'Neill] before he was a man; He huggled her, he guggled her, he took her on his knee, Saying, My bonnie [Kate O'Neill], won't you marry me?

So ---- made a pudding so nice and so sweet, Saying, Taste, love, taste, and don't say no, For next Sunday morning to church we will go.

With rings on our fingers and bells on our toes, And a little baby in her arms, and that's the way she goes. And here's a clap, and here's a clap, for Mrs. ----'s daughter.

--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

IV. Up the plain and down the plain, As stippy [slippery] as a glass, We will go to Mrs. ---- To find a pretty lass.

[Annie] with her rosy cheeks, Catch her if you can, And if you cannot catch her I'll tell you who's the man.

[Annie] made a pudding, She made it very sweet; She daren't stick a knife in Till George came home at neet [night].

Taste [George], taste, and don't say Nay! Perhaps to-morrow morning'll be our wedding day. [The bells shall ring, and we shall sing, And all clap hands together.][2]

--Earls Heaton (Herbert Hardy).

(_b_) A full description of this game could not be obtained in each case. The Earls Heaton game is played by forming a ring, one child standing in the centre. After the first verse is sung, a child from the ring goes to the one in the centre. Then the rest of the verses are sung. The action to suit the words of the verses does not seem to have been kept up. In the Hampshire version, after the line "As a bird upon a tree," the two children named pair off like sweethearts while the rest of the verse is being sung.

(_c_) The analysis of the game rhymes is as follows:--

+---+----------------------+ | |Earls Heaton (Yorks.).| +---+----------------------+ | 1.|Roving life. | | 2.| -- | | 3.| -- | | 4.|Seeks for a bride. | | 5.| -- | | 6.|Catch the bride. | | 7.| -- | | 8.| -- | | 9.|Girl makes a pudding. | |10.|Asks boy to taste. | |11.|Fixing of wedding day.| |12.| -- | |13.| -- | |14.| -- | |15.| -- | |16.|Applause for bride. | +---+----------------------+

It appears by the analysis that all the incidents of the Hants version of this game occur in one or other of the versions, and these incidents therefore may probably be typical of the game. This view would exclude the important incidents of bride capture in the Earls Heaton version; the bride having a baby in the Belfast version, and the two minor incidents in the Deptford version (Nos. 13 and 15 in the analysis), which are obviously supplemental. Chambers, in his _Popular Rhymes of Scotland_, pp. 119, 137, gives two versions of a courtship dance which are not unlike the words of this game, though they do not contain the principal incidents. Northall, in his _English Folk Rhymes_, p. 363, has some verses of a similar import, but not those of the game. W. Allingham seems to have used this rhyme as the commencement of one of his ballads, "Up the airy mountain."

(_d_) The game is clearly a marriage game. It introduces two important details in the betrothal ceremony, inasmuch as the "huddling and cuddling" is typical of the rude customs at marriage ceremonies once prevalent in Yorkshire, the northern counties, and Wales, while the making of the pudding by the bride and the subsequent eating together, are clearly analogies to the bridal-cake ceremony. In Wales, the custom known as "bundling" allowed the betrothing parties to go to bed in their clothes (Brand, ii. 98). In Yorkshire, the bridal cake was always made by the bride. The rudeness of the dialogue seems to be remarkably noticeable in this game.

See "Mary mixed a Pudding up," "Oliver, Oliver, follow the King."

[1] Miss Chase says, "I think the order of verses is right; the children hesitated a little."

[2] Mr. Hardy says, "This was sung to me by a girl at Earls Heaton or Soothill Nether. Another version commences with the last verse, continues with the first, and concludes with the second. The last two lines inserted here belong to that version."

All the Fishes in the Sea

A Suffolk game, not described.--Moor's _Suffolk Glossary_. See "Fool, fool, come to School," "Little Dog, I call you."

All the Soldiers in the Town

[Music]

All the soldiers in the town, They all bop down.

--Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

The children form into a ring and sing the above words. They "bop down" at the close of the verse. To "bop" means in the Suffolk dialect "to stoop or bow the head."--Moor.

Allicomgreenzie

A little amusing game played by young girls at country schools. The same as "Drop Handkerchief," except that the penalty for not following exactly the course of the child pursued is to "stand in the circle, face out, all the game afterwards; if she succeed in catching the one, the one caught must so stand, and the other take up the cap and go round as before" (Mactaggart's _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_). No explanation is given of the name of this game.

See "Drop Handkerchief."

Alligoshee

I. Betsy Blue came all in black, Silver buttons down her back. Every button cost a crown, Every lady turn around. Alligoshi, alligoshee, Turn the bridle over my knee.

--Middleton (Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 523).

II. Barbara, Barbara, dressed in black, Silver buttons all up your back. Allee-go-shee, allee-go-shee, Turn the bridle over me.

--Shepscombe, Gloucestershire (Miss Mendham).

III. All-i-go-shee, alligoshee, Turn the bridle over my knee. My little man is gone to sea, When he comes back he'll marry me.

--Warwickshire (Northall's _Folk Rhymes_, p. 394).

IV. Darby's son was dressed in black, With silver buttons down his back. Knee by knee, and foot by foot, Turn about lady under the bush.

--Hersham, Surrey (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 87).

V. Darby and Joan were dressed in black, Sword and buckle behind their back. Foot for foot, and knee for knee, Turn about Darby's company.

--Halliwell's _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 121.

(_b_) The children form pairs, one pair following the other, with their arms linked behind. While the first four lines are repeated by all, they skip forward, and then skip back again. At the end of the last line they turn themselves about without loosing hands.

(_c_) Miss Burne includes this among obscure and archaic games, and Halliwell-Phillips mentions it as a marching game. The three first versions have something of the nature of an incantation, while the fourth and fifth versions may probably belong to another game altogether. It is not clear from the great variation in the verses to which class the game belongs.

Almonds and Reasons

An old English game undescribed.--_Useful Transactions in Philosophy_, 1709, p. 43.

Angel and Devil

One child is called the "Angel," another child the "Devil," and a third child the "Minder." The children are given the names of colours by the Minder. Then the Angel comes over and knocks, when the following dialogue takes place.

Minder: "Who's there?"

Answer: "Angel."

Minder: "What do you want?"

Angel: "Ribbons."

Minder: "What colour?"

Angel: "Red."

Minder retorts, if no child is so named, "Go and learn your A B C." If the guess is right the child is led away. The Devil then knocks, and the dialogue and action are repeated.--Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).

See "Fool, fool, come to School."

Auntieloomie

The children join hands, and dance in a circle, "with a front step, a back step, and a side step, round an invisible May-pole," singing--

Can you dance the Auntieloomie? Yes, I can; yes, I can.

Then follows kissing.--Brigg, Lincolnshire (Miss Peacock).

Babbity Bowster

[Music]

--Biggar (Wm. Ballantyne).

Wha learned you to dance, You to dance, you to dance? Wha learned you to dance Babbity Bowster brawly?

My minnie learned me to dance, Me to dance, me to dance; My minnie learned me to dance Babbity Bowster brawly.

Wha ga'e you the keys to keep, Keys to keep, keys to keep? Wha ga'e you the keys to keep, Babbity Bowster brawly?

My minnie ga'e me the keys to keep, Keys to keep, keys to keep; My minnie ga'e me the keys to keep, Babbity Bowster brawly.

One, twa, three, B, ba, Babbity, Babbity Bowster neatly; Kneel down, kiss the ground, An' kiss your bonnie lassie [or laddie].

--Biggar (W. H. Ballantyne).

(_b_) Mr. Ballantyne describes the dance as taking place at the end of a country ball. The lads all sat on one side and the girls on the other. It began with a boy taking a handkerchief and dancing before the girls, singing the first verse (fig. 1). Selecting one of the girls, he threw the handkerchief into her lap, or put it round her neck, holding both ends himself. Some spread the handkerchief on the floor at the feet of the girl. The object in either case was to secure a kiss, which, however, was not given without a struggle, the girls cheering their companion at every unsuccessful attempt which the boy made (fig. 2). A girl then took the handkerchief, singing the next verse (fig. 3), and having thrown the handkerchief to one of the boys, she went off to her own side among the girls, and was pursued by the chosen boy (fig. 4). When all were thus paired, they formed into line, facing each other, and danced somewhat like the country dance of Sir Roger.

[Illustration: Fig. 1.]

[Illustration: Fig. 2.]

[Illustration: Fig. 3.]

[Illustration: Fig. 4.]

(_c_) Chambers' _Popular Rhymes_, p. 36, gives a slightly different version of the verses, and says they were sung by children at their sports in Glasgow. Mactaggart alludes to this game as "'Bumpkin Brawly,' an old dance, the dance which always ends balls; the same with the 'Cushion' almost."

Wha learned you to dance, You to dance, you to dance, Wha learned you to dance A country bumpkin brawly?

My mither learned me when I was young, When I was young, when I was young, My mither learned me when I was young, The country bumpkin brawly.

The tune of this song is always played to the dance, says Mactaggart, but he does not record the tune. _To bab_, in Lowland Scottish, is defined by Jamieson to mean "to play backward and forward loosely; to dance." Hence he adds, "Bab at the bowster, or Bab wi' the bowster, a very old Scottish dance, now almost out of use; formerly the last dance at weddings and merry-makings." Mr. Ballantyne says that a bolster or pillow was at one time always used. One correspondent of _N. and Q._, ii. 518, says it is now (1850) danced with a handkerchief instead of a cushion as formerly, and no words are used, but later correspondents contradict this. See also _N. and Q._, iii. 282.

(_d_) Two important suggestions occur as to this game. First, that the dance was originally the indication at a marriage ceremony for the bride and bridegroom to retire with "the bowster" to the nuptial couch. Secondly, that it has degenerated in Southern Britain to the ordinary "Drop Handkerchief" games of kiss in the ring. The preservation of this "Bab at the Bowster" example gives the clue both to the origin of the present game in an obsolete marriage custom, and to the descent of the game to its latest form. See "Cushion Dance."

Bad

A rude kind of "Cricket," played with a bat and a ball, usually with wall toppings for wickets. "Bad" seems to be the pronunciation or variation of "Bat." Halliwell says it was a rude game, formerly common in Yorkshire, and probably resembling the game of "Cat." There is such a game played now, but it is called "Pig."--Easther's _Almondbury Glossary_.

Baddin

The game of "Hockey" in Cheshire.--Holland's _Glossary_.

Badger the Bear

A rough game, sometimes seen in the country. The boy who personates the Bear performs his part on his hands and knees, and is prevented from getting away by a string. It is the part of another boy, his Keeper, to defend him from the attacks of the others.--Halliwell's _Dictionary_.

This is a boys' game, and is called "Buffet the Bear." It may be taken

## part in by any number. One boy--the Bear--goes down on all fours, and

lowers his head towards his breast as much as possible. Into his hand is placed one end of a piece of cord, and another boy, called the Keeper, takes hold of the other end in one hand, while he has in the other his cap. The other boys stand round, some with their caps in hand, and others with their neckties or pocket-handkerchiefs, and on a given signal they rush on the Bear and pelt him, trying specially to buffet him about the ears and face, whilst the Keeper does his best to protect his charge. If he happens to strike a boy, that boy becomes the Bear, and the former Bear becomes the Keeper, and so on the game goes.--Keith, Banffshire (Rev. W. Gregor).

I saw this game played on Barnes Green, Surrey, on 25th August 1892. The boys, instead of using their hats, had pieces of leather tied to a string, with which they struck the Bear on the back. They could only begin when the Keeper cried, "My Bear is free." If they struck at any other time, the striker became the Bear. It is called "Baste the Bear."--A. B. Gomme.

Chambers (_Popular Rhymes_, p. 128) describes this game under the title of "The Craw." It was played precisely in the same way as the Barnes game. The boy who holds the end of the long strap has also a hard twisted handkerchief, called the _cout_; with this cout he defends the Craw against the attacks of the other boys, who also have similar couts. Before beginning, the Guard of the Craw must call out--

Ane, twa, three, my Craw's free.

The first one he strikes becomes the Craw. When the Guard wants a respite, he calls out--

Ane, twa, three, my Craw's no free.

(_b_) Jamieson defines "Badger-reeshil" as a severe blow; borrowed, it is supposed, from the hunting of the badger, or from the old game of "Beating the Badger."

Then but he ran wi' hasty breishell, And laid on Hab a badger-reishill.

--_MS. Poem._

Mr. Emslie says he knows it under the name of "Baste the Bear" in London, and Patterson (_Antrim and Down Glossary_) mentions a game similarly named. It is played at Marlborough under the name of "Tom Tuff."--H. S. May.

See "Doncaster Cherries."

Bag o' Malt

A bag o' malt, a bag o' salt, Ten tens a hundred.

--Northall's _English Folk Rhymes_, p. 394.

Two children stand back to back, linked near the armpits, and weigh each other as they repeat these lines.

See "Weigh the Butter."

Ball

I. Stottie ba', hinnie ba, tell to me How mony bairns am I to hae? Ane to live, and ane to dee, And ane to sit on the nurse's knee!

--Chambers' _Pop. Rhymes of Scotland_, p. 115.

II. Toss-a-ball, toss-a-ball, tell me true, How many years I've got to go through!

--Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 530.

(_b_) Children throw a ball in the air, repeating the rhyme, and divine the length of their lives by the number of times they can catch it again. In some places this game is played with a cowslip ball, thence called a "tissy-ball."

(_c_) I have heard other rhymes added to this, to determine whether the players shall marry or not, the future husband's calling, dress to be worn, method of going to church, &c. (A. B. Gomme). Strutt describes a handball game played during the Easter holidays for Tansy cakes (_Sports_, p. 94). Halliwell gives rhymes for ball divination (_Popular Rhymes_, p. 298) to determine the number of years before marriage will arrive. Miss Baker (_Northamptonshire Glossary_) says, "The May garland is suspended by ropes from the school-house to an opposite tree, and the Mayers amuse themselves by throwing balls over it. A native of Fotheringay, Mr. C. W. Peach," says Miss Baker, "has supplied me with the reminiscences of his own youth. He says the May garland was hung in the centre of the street, on a rope stretched from house to house. Then was made the trial of skill in tossing balls (small white leather ones) through the framework of the garland, to effect which was a triumph."

See "Cuck Ball," "Keppy Ball," "Monday."

Ball and Bonnets

[Illustration: Fig. 1.]

[Illustration: Fig. 2.]

This is a boys' game. The players may be of any number. They place their caps or bonnets in a row. One of the boys takes a ball, and from a fixed point, at a few yards' distance from the bonnets, tries to throw it into one of the caps (fig. 1). If the ball falls into the cap, all the boys, except the one into whose cap the ball has fallen, run off. The boy into whose cap the ball has been thrown goes up to it, lifts the ball from it, and calls out "Stop!" The other boys stop. The boy with the ball tries to strike one of the other boys (fig. 2). If he does so, a small stone is put into the cap of the boy struck. If he misses, a stone is put into his own cap. If the boy who is to pitch the ball into the cap misses, a stone is put into his own cap, and he makes another trial. The game goes on till six stones are put into one cap. The boy in whose cap are the six stones has to place his hand against a wall, when he receives a certain number of blows with the ball thrown with force by one of the players. The blows go by the name of "buns." The game may go on in the same way till each player gets his "buns."--Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).

See "Hats in Holes."

Ball in the Decker

A row of boys' caps is set by a wall. One boy throws a ball into one of the caps. The owner of the cap runs away, and is chased by all the others till caught. He then throws the ball.--Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln).

Ball of Primrose

[Music]

We'll wear yellow ribbons, yellow ribbons, yellow ribbons, We'll wear yellow ribbons at the Ball of Primrose; We'll all go a-waltzing, a-waltzing, a-waltzing, We'll all go a-waltzing at the Ball of Primrose.

--Epworth, Doncaster; and Lossiemouth, Yorkshire (Charles C. Bell).

(_b_) The children form a ring, joining hands, and dance round singing the two first lines. Then loosing hands, they waltz in couples, singing as a refrain the last line. The game is continued, different coloured ribbons being named each time.

(_c_) This game was played in 1869, so cannot have arisen from the political movement.

Baloon

A game played with an inflated ball of strong leather, the ball being struck by the arm, which was defended by a bracer of wood.--Brand's _Pop. Antiq._, ii. 394.

(_b_) It is spelt "balloo" in Ben Jonson, iii. 216, and "baloome" in Randolph's _Poems_, 1643, p. 105. It is also mentioned in Middleton's _Works_, iv. 342, and by Donne.

"'Tis ten a clock and past; all whom the mues, _Baloun_, tennis, diet, or the stews Had all the morning held."

--Donne's _Poems_, p. 133.

Toone (_Etymological Dict._) says it is a game rather for exercise than contention; it was well known and practised in England in the fourteenth century, and is mentioned as one of the sports of Prince Henry, son of James I., in 1610. Strutt (_Sports and Pastimes_, p. 96) gives two illustrations of what he considers to be baloon ball play, from fourteenth century MSS.

Bandy-ball

A game played with sticks called "bandies," bent and round at one end, and a small wooden ball, which each party endeavours to drive to opposite fixed points. Northbrooke in 1577 mentions it as a favourite game in Devonshire (Halliwell's _Dict. of Provincialisms_). Strutt says the bat-stick was called a "bandy" on account of its being bent, and gives a drawing from a fourteenth century MS. book of prayers belonging to Mr. Francis Douce (_Sports_, p. 102). The bats in this drawing are nearly identical with modern golf-sticks, and "Golf" seems to be derived from this game. Peacock mentions it in his _Glossary of Manley and Corringham Words_. Forby has an interesting note in his _Vocabulary of East Anglia_, i. 14. He says, "The bandy was made of very tough wood, or shod with metal, or with the point of the horn or the hoof of some animal. The ball is a knob or gnarl from the trunk of a tree, carefully formed into a globular shape. The adverse parties strive to beat it with their bandies through one or other of the goals."

Bandy Cad or Gad

A game played with a nurr and crooked stick, also called "Shinty," and much the same as the "Hockey" of the South of England. "Cad" is the same as "cat" in the game of "Tip-cat;" it simply means a cut piece of wood.--Nodal and Milner's _Lancashire Glossary_.

Bandy-hoshoe