Spanish Highways and Byways Part 20

2. "Chowder of students Is sweeter than honey, But the gay Andalusians Have plenty of money.

1. "The gay Andalusians Have fiddle and ballad, But only two coppers To buy them a salad.

2. "In Saragossa --Oh, what a pity!-- Has fallen the tower, Pride of the city."

Unchildlike innuendoes pervade that curious game of many variants in which the priest and abbess play a leading part. Two children are chosen for these dignitaries, while the others call out the names of such flowers, fruits, or vegetables as each may decide to personate.

"I'm a cabbage." "I'm a jasmine." "I'm a cherry." Then the little sinners kneel in a circle, crying:--

"Through the door, up the stairs, On the floor, say your prayers!"

and chant some childish gibberish, during which no one must laugh on pain of a forfeit. After this, all sing:--

"The house of the priest it cracked like a cup.

Half fell down and half stood up.

Sir Priest, Sir Priest, now tell us aright, In whose house did you sleep last night?

_Priest._ With the rose slept I.

_Rose._ Fie, O fie!

I never saw your tonsured head.

_Priest._ Then with whom did you make your bed?

_Rose._ With the Pink.

_Pink._ I should think!

I never saw your petals red.

_Rose._ Then with whom did you make your bed?

_Pink._ With the lily.

_Lily._ Don't be silly!

I never heard your fragrant tread.

_Pink._ Then with whom did you make your bed?

_Lily._ With the priest.

_Priest._ Little beast!

If I went near you, may I fall dead!

_Lily._ Then with whom did you make your bed?

_Priest._ With the abbess, I.

_Abbess._ Oh, you lie!"

But this seems to be the conclusion of the game.

The most of these choral songs, however, are sweet and innocent, concerned with the natural interests of childhood, as this:--

"The shepherdess rose lightly Laran--laran--larito, The shepherdess rose lightly From off her heather seat--O.

"Her goats went leaping homeward, Laran--laran--larito, Her goats went leaping homeward On nimble little feet--O.

"With strong young hands she milked them, Laran--laran--larito, With strong young hands she milked them And made a cheese for treat--O.

"The kitty watched and wondered, Laran--laran--larito, The kitty crept and pondered If it were good to eat--O.

"The kitty sprang upon it, Laran--laran--larito, The kitty sprang upon it And made a wreck complete--O.

"Scat, scat, you naughty kitty!

Laran--laran--larito, Scat, scat, you naughty kitty!

Are stolen cheeses sweet--O?"

The baby girls have a song of their own, which, as a blending of doll-play, gymnastics, music, mathematics, and religion, leaves little to be desired.

"Oh, I have a dolly, and she is dressed in blue, With a fluff of satin on her white silk shoe, And a lace mantilla to make my dolly gay, When I take her dancing this way, this way, this way.

[_Dances Dolly in time to the music._

"2 and 2 are 4, 4 and 2 are 6, 6 and 2 are 8, and 8 is 16, And 8 is 24, and 8 is 32!

Thirty-two! Thirty-two!

Blessed souls, I kneel to you. [_Kneels._

"When she goes out walking in her Manila shawl, My Andalusian dolly is quite the queen of all.

Gypsies, dukes, and candy-men bow down in a row, While my dolly fans herself so and so and so.

[_Fans Dolly in time to the music._

"2 and 2 are 4, 4 and 2 are 6, 6 and 2 are 8, and 8 is 16, And 8 is 24, and 8 is 24!

Twenty-four! Twenty-four!

Blessed souls, I rise once more."

They have a number of bird-games, through which they flit and flutter with an airy grace that wings could hardly better. In one, the children form a circle, with "the little bird Pinta" in the centre.

The chorus, dancing lightly around her, sings the first stanza, and Pinta, while pa.s.sing about the circle to make her choice, sings the rest, with the suggested action. The child chosen becomes Pinta in turn.

_Chorus._ "The little bird Pinta was poising On a scented green lemon-tree spray.

She picked the leaf and the blossom, And chanted a roundelay.

_Pinta._ "Song in the land!

While April is yet a newcomer, O mate of my summer, Give to me a hand now, Both hands I seek, O!

Take a Spanish kiss, now, On the rosy cheek, O!"

Equally pretty and simple is the Andalusian play of "Little White Pigeons." The children form in two rows, which face each other some ten or twelve yards apart. One row sings the first stanza, dancing forward and slipping under the "golden arches" made by the lifted arms of the second row. The second row sings and dances in turn, pa.s.sing under the "silver arches" to Granada.

1. "Little white pigeons Are dreaming of Seville, Sun in the palm tree, Roses and revel.

Lift up the arches, Gold as the weather.

Little white pigeons Come flying together.