A History of Nursery Rhymes Part 6

"We won't surrender, we won't surrender To the King of the Barbarines."

"We'll make you surrender, we'll make you surrender To the King of the Barbarines."

"You can't make us surrender, you can't make us surrender To the King of the Barbarines."

"We'll go to the King, we'll go to the King, To the King of the Barbarines."

"You can go to the King, you can go to the King, To the King of the Barbarines."

The rebels now build an imaginary castle by joining hands. The king's soldiers surround the place, and after a skirmish break it down.

"We'll break down your castle, we'll break down your castle For the King of the Barbarines."

A LANCAs.h.i.+RE ROUND GAME.

Two rows of la.s.sies and lads face each other; the boys, hand in hand, move backwards and forwards towards the girls, saying--

"I've got gold, and I've got silver, I've got copper, and I've got bra.s.s, I've got all the world can give me, All I want is a nice young la.s.s."

"Fly to the east, fly to the west, Fly to the one you love the best."

In the scramble which takes place the young la.s.s of each one's choice is seized. A ring is formed, and a rollicking dance takes places to the characteristic chorus of--

"Fol th' riddle, I do, I do, I do; Fol th' riddle, I do, I do, dey."

ROUND GAME OF THE MULBERRY BUSH.

"Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush; Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning.

"This is the way we wash our hands, We wash our hands, we wash our hands; This is the way we wash our hands On a cold and frosty morning.

"This is the way we do our hair," etc.

"This is the way we mend our shoes," etc.

"This is the way we scrub our clothes," etc.

"This is the way we dust our room," etc.

"PRAY, MR. FOX, WHAT TIME IS IT?"

A child stands on a hillock, or slightly elevated ground. A party of children, hand in hand, approach him whom they denominate Mr. Fox with the question--

"Pray, Mr. Fox, what time is it?"

"One o'clock," answers Mr. Fox.

They are safe and fall back to their den.

Making another venture they repeat the question.

"Twelve o'clock," shouts Mr. Fox, at the same time bounding towards them and scattering them in all directions. Those he can catch before they get back to their den are his prisoners, and the game is played until one remains, who of course becomes the fox.

"Twelve o'clock," it is to be observed, is the sly, foxy answer to the question, "Pray, Mr. Fox, what time is it?"

"One," "two," "three," "four," etc., are but evasive replies.

"MOTHER, BUY ME A MILKING CAN."

A boisterous game, played by girls, especially favoured in Paddington and Marylebone.

"Mother, buy me a milking can, A, I, O.

Where's the money to come from, A, I, O?

Sell my father's feather bed.

Where must your father sleep?

Sleep in the boys' bed.

Where will the boys sleep?

Sleep in the cradle.

Where will the baby sleep?

Sleep in the thimble.

What shall I sew with?

Sew with the poker.

Suppose I burn myself?

Serve you right."

At the time of saying "serve you right" all the children scamper away from the girl who acts the part of mother. It is little more than a mild reproof on the over-indulgent mother who would sell or give anything to satisfy the fancies of her children, and the "serve you right" is a girl's idea of what a foolish mother deserves--less impudent than corrective.

The town and country boys' game of

"Bell horses, bell horses, what time of day, One o'clock, two o'clock, three and away,"

comes into fas.h.i.+on with all the reckless frivolity of early years, when the old English festivities of Maying take place, reminding one of the old custom of bringing the May-pole from the neighbouring woods, when each of the eighty oxen yoked to the May-pole waggon had a nosegay of wild-flowers tied to the horns.

"HERE COMES A POOR SAILOR FROM BOTANY BAY."

"Here comes a poor sailor from Botany Bay; Pray, what are you going to give him to-day?"

is played as a preliminary game to decide who shall join sides in the coming tug-of-war.

The chief delight of the youngsters playing "Here comes a poor sailor,"

is in putting and answering questions. All are warned before replying.