The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 94

II. O, have you seen the m.u.f.fin man, The m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man; O, have you seen the m.u.f.fin man Who lives in Drury Lane O?

-N. W. Lincolns.h.i.+re (Rev. -- Roberts).

III. Have you seen the m.u.f.fin girl, The m.u.f.fin girl, the m.u.f.fin girl?

O have you seen the m.u.f.fin girl Down in yonder lane?

-Congleton Workhouse School (Miss A. E. Twemlow).

IV. Don't you know the m.u.f.fin man?

Don't you know his name?

Don't you know the m.u.f.fin man That lives in our lane?

All around the b.u.t.ter Cross, Up by St. Giles's, Up and down the Gullet Street, And call at Molly Miles's!

-Burne's _Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, p. 571.

V. Have you seen the nutting girl, The nutting girl, the nutting girl?

Have you seen the nutting girl, Down in yonder lane O?

-Holmfirth (H. Hardy).

(_b_) A ring is formed by the players joining hands; one child, who is blindfolded and holds a stick, stands in the centre. The ring dance round, singing the verse. They then stand still, and the centre child holds out the stick and touches one of the ring. This player must take hold of the stick. Then the m.u.f.fin Man asks this player any questions he pleases, "Is the morn s.h.i.+ning?" "Is ink white?" &c. The child who holds the stick answers "Yes" or "No" in a disguised voice, and the m.u.f.fin Man then guesses who it is. He is allowed three tries. If he guesses right he joins the ring, and the child who was touched takes his place in the centre. In the Yorks.h.i.+re versions no questions are asked; the blindfolded child goes to any one he can touch, and tries to guess his or her name. The other version, sent by Mr. Hardy, is played in the same way, and sung to the same tune. In the Congleton version (Miss Twemlow), the blindfolded child tries to catch one of those in the ring, when the verse is sung. The lines, with an additional four from _Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, are given by Miss Burne among nursery rhymes and riddles.

See "Buff with a Stick," "Dinah."

Mulberry Bush

[Music]

-Miss Harrison.

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

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 clothes, Wash our clothes, wash our clothes, This is the way we wash our clothes, On a cold and frosty morning.

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 go to school, We go to school, we go to school, This is the way we go to school, On a cold and frosty morning.

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.

-Liphook, Hants (Miss Fowler).

(_b_) The children form a ring, all joining hands and dancing round while singing the first verse. When singing the last line they unclasp their hands, and each one turns rapidly round. They then sing the next verse, suiting their actions to the words they sing, again turning round singly at the last line. This is done with every alternate verse, the first verse being always sung as a chorus or dance in between the different action-verses. The verses may be varied or added to at pleasure. The actions generally consist of was.h.i.+ng and dressing oneself, combing hair, was.h.i.+ng clothes, baking bread, sweeping the floor, going to and returning from school, learning to read, cleaning boots, and lacing stays. When "going to school," the children walk two by two in an orderly manner; when "coming home from school," jumping and running is the style adopted; "lacing stays," the hands are put behind and moved first one and then the other, as if lacing; "this is the way the ladies walk," holding up skirts and walking primly; "gentlemen walk," walking with long strides and sticks. The dressing process and cleaning boots preceded "school."

(_c_) This game is well known, and played in almost all parts of England. It is always played in the same way. There is so little variety in the different versions that it appears unnecessary to give more than one here. In the many versions sent the only variants are: In Sporle, Norfolk, Miss Matthews says the game is sometimes called "_Ivy_ Bush,"

or "_Ivory_ Bush;" and Mr. C. C. Bell, of Epworth, sends a version, "Here we go round the Mulberry _Tree_" In Notts it is called "Holly Bush" (Miss Winfield). A version given in the _Folk-lore Record_, iv.

174, is called the "_Gooseberry_ Bush," and Halliwell (_Popular Nursery Rhymes_, p. 224) records a game, the "Bramble Bush." "The bush," he says, "is often imaginative, but is sometimes represented by a child in the centre." Chambers (_Popular Rhymes_, pp. 134, 135) gives the game as a form of the "Merry-ma-tanzie"-a kind of dance. They sing while moving round to the tune of "Nancy Dawson," and stopping short with courtesy at the conclusion.

Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush, And round the merry-ma-tanzie.

Disjoining hands, they then begin, with skirts held daintily up behind, to walk singly along, singing-

This is the way the ladies walk, The ladies walk, the ladies walk; This is the way the ladies walk, And round the merry-ma-tanzie.

At the last line they reunite, and again wheel round in a ring, singing as before-

Here we go round the mulberry bush, &c.

After which, they perhaps simulate the walk of gentlemen, the chief feature of which is length of stride, concluding with the ring dance as before. Probably the next movement may be-

This is the way they wash the clothes, Wash the clothes, wash the clothes; This is the way they wash the clothes, And round the merry-ma-tanzie.

After which there is, as usual, the ring dance. They then represent was.h.i.+ng, ironing clothes, baking bread, was.h.i.+ng the house, and a number of other familiar proceedings.

Chambers quotes a fragment of this "little ballet," as practised at Kilbarchan, in Renfrews.h.i.+re, which contains the following lines similar to those in this game:-

She synes the dishes three times a day, Three times a day, three times a day; She synes the dishes three times a day, Come alang wi' the merry-ma-tanzie.

She bakes the scones three times a day, Three times a day, three times a day; She bakes the scones three times a day, Come alang wi' the merry-ma-tanzie.

She ranges the stules three times a day, Three times a day, three times a day; She ranges the stules three times a day, Come alang wi' the merry-ma-tanzie.

This game originated, no doubt, as a marriage dance round a sacred tree or bush. As it now exists it appears to have no other character than the performance of duties such as those enumerated in the description. In no version that I am acquainted with do the elements of love and marriage or kissing occur, otherwise the resemblance it bears to the Scotch "Merry-ma-tanzie" would suggest that it is a portion of that game. This game possesses the centre tree, which is not preserved in "Merry-ma-tansa." Trees were formerly sacred to dancing at the marriage festival, as at Polwarth in Berwicks.h.i.+re, where the custom once prevailed, which is not unworthy of notice. "In the midst of the village are two thorn trees near to each other; round these every newly-married pair were expected to dance with all their friends; from hence arose the old song, 'Polwarth on the Green'" (_New Statistical Account of Scotland, Polwarth, Berwicks.h.i.+re_, ii. 234). Holland (_Ches.h.i.+re Glossary_), under "Kissing Bush," says, "A bush of holly, ivy, or other evergreens, which is hung up in farm kitchens at Christmas, and serves the purpose of mistletoe. The kissing bushes are usually prepared by the farm lads on Christmas Eve, and they are often tastefully decorated with apples, oranges, and bits of gay-coloured ribbon. I have occasionally seen them made upon a framework of hoop iron something in the form of a crown, with a socket at the bottom to hold a lighted candle." Brand (ii.

15) also describes how in Ireland men and women dance round about a bush in a large ring on the Patron Day. Newell (_Games_, p. 86), gives this game, and also mentions one in which "barberry bush" is named. The tune in all versions is the same. See "Merry ma-tansa," "Nettles."

Munshets or Muns.h.i.+ts

Is played by two boys as follows:-One of the boys remains "at home," and the other goes out to a prescribed distance. The boy who remains "at home" makes a small hole in the ground, and holds in his hand a stick about three feet long to strike with. The boy who is out at field throws a stick in the direction of this hole, at which the other strikes. If he hits it, he has to run to a prescribed mark and back to the hole without being caught or touched with the smaller stick by his playfellow. If he is caught, he is "out," and has to go to field. And if the boy at field can throw his stick so near to the hole as to be within the length or measure of that stick, the boy at home has to go out to field. A number of boys often play together; for any even number can play. I am told that the game was common fifty years ago. In principle it resembles cricket, and looks like the rude beginning of the game.-Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.

See "Cat," "Cudgel," "Kit-cat," "Tip-cat."

Musical Chairs

A line of chairs is placed in a row down a room (one chair less than the number of children who are playing) in such a way that every alternate chair only is available on either side for the players to seat themselves. The children walk or dance round the chairs, keeping quite close to them. The piano or other musical instrument is played while they are dancing round. The music is continued for any length of time the player pleases, the children running round the chairs as long as the music goes on. The player stops the music suddenly, when all the children endeavour to take seats. One will be unable to find a seat, and this player remains "out." A chair is then taken away, and the music and dancing round begins again. There should always be one chair less than the number of players.-A. B. Gomme.

In Ellesmere, Miss Burne says, "Snap-tongs," called in other circles "Magic Music" or "Musical Chairs," is thus played. Five players take part; four chairs are set in the middle, and one of the players, who holds a pair of tongs, desires the others to dance round them till the clock strikes a certain hour, which is done by snapping the tongs together so many times. While they dance, a chair is taken away, and the player who cannot find a seat has to become the "snap-tongs" next time.-_Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, p. 525.

Nacks

A game in which pegs of wood play a similar part to the well-known object "Aunt Sally."-Robinson's _Mid Yorks.h.i.+re Glossary_.