The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 93

[See "Auld Grannie."]

Green Gravel.

[Vol. i. pp. 170-183.]

Round apples, round apples, by night and by day, There stands a valley in yonder haze; There stands poor Lizzie with a knife in her hand, There's no one dare touch her, or she'll go mad; Her cheeks were like roses, and now they're like snow, Poor Lizzie! poor Lizzie! you're dying, I know, We'll wash you with milk, and we'll dry [or roll] you with silk, And we'll write down your name with a gold pen and ink.

-New Galloway (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Boys and girls take hands and go round saying-

Round the green gravel Gra.s.s grows green, Many's the lady fit to be seen, Washed in milk and dried in silk.

The last pops down!

The last boy or girl to pop down has to tell who he (or she) is courting.-Kiltubbrid, Co. Leitrim (L. L. Duncan).

Green Gra.s.s.

[Vol. i. pp. 153-169.]

All the girls arrange themselves in a line, and one stands in front. The one in front sings-

Dis-a-dis-a green gra.s.s, Dis-a-dis-a-dis; Come all ye pretty fair maids, And walk along wi' us.

Will ye have a duck, my dear (pointing to one of the girls in the line), Or will ye have a drake, Or will ye have a young man To answer for your sake?

The girl pointed to answers-

I'll neither have a duck, my dear, Nor will I have a drake; But I will have a young man To answer for my sake.

She now leaves the line and takes her stand beside the one that stands in front, and all begin to clap their hands and sing-

The bells will ring, And the psalms will sing, And we'll all claps hands together.

The two in front then begin to sing what the one first sang, and the same goes on till all are chosen.-Peterhead; St. Andrews (Mrs. Stewart, when a girl).

Here we go in a merry band, Round about the berry buss; Come all ye pretty fair maids, And dance along with us; We shall have a duck and drake, We shall have a dragon, We shall have a young man, The prince of the Saigen.

The young man dies, And leaves the girl a widow.

The birds shall sing, the bells shall ring, And we will all clap hands together.

Here we go a roving, A roving in a band; I will take my pretty Mary, I will take her by the hand.

-Perth (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Another version, very similar to that given in vol. i. pp. 161-162 from Congleton Workhouse School, and sent me by Mr. J. Lawson, Laurieston School, Kirkcudbrights.h.i.+re, begins, "Will you take silver and gold?"

Another Scottish version of this game is given in _Notes and Queries_, 3rd ser., v. 393, as follows:-

A duss, a duss of green gra.s.s, A duss, a duss, a duss; Come all you pretty maidens, And dance along with us; You shall have a duck, my dear, And you shall have a dragon, And you shall have a young gudeman, To dance ere you're forsaken.

The bells shall ring, The birds shall sing, And we'll all clap hands together.

Green Gra.s.s.

[A game so called by Dr. Gregor, but apparently not belonging to the one usually known under that name.]

The girls stand in a line, and one stands in front. All sing-

Green gra.s.s suits us, As my boots are lined with silver; E. I. O, E. I. O, my ain bonnie (a girl's Christian name).

The girl in front then chooses the girl named, and both girls join hands and wheel round, whilst all sing-

I kissed her once, I kissed her twice, I kissed her three times over.

Hop, hop, the butcher's shop, I cannot stay any longer.

If I stay my mother will say I played with the boys up yonder.

-Tyrie (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Another version is-

Green gra.s.s set her fair, a bunch of gold and silver, A white rosette upon her breast, a gold ring on her finger, A I O, my Jessie O; I wish I had my Jessie O.

I kissed her once, &c., as above.

Heap the Cairn.

[See "More Sacks to the Mill," vol. i. p. 390.]

One boy is thrown flat on the ground, then another is thrown over him, and then another and another, and the bigger boys dash the smaller ones on those that are down, while all keep shouting-

Heap the cyarn- Dirt and sharn.

-Keith (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Hear all! Let me at her.

Hear all! let me at her; Hear all! let me go; Hear all! let me at her, When my mammy will or no.

-- has ta'en a notion For to go and sail the sea; There he's left his own dear --, Weeping on the Greenland sea.

Hold your tongue, my own dear --, Take your baby on your knee.

Drink his health, my jolly sailors, I'll come back and marry thee.

I will buy thee beads and ear-rings, I will buy thee diamond stones, I will buy thee silken ribbons, When thy baby's dead and gone.

-- says she'll wear the ribbons, -- says she'll wear them a'- -- says she'll wear the ribbons When her baby's dead and gone.

A ring is formed, one player in the centre. When the verses are sung the girl in the middle chooses another to take her place.-Fochabers (Rev.

Dr. Gregor.)