The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 31

Sprinkle, sprinkle, daughter, and you shall have a man; I cannot sprinkle, mother, but I'll do the best I can.

Pick and choose, but don't you pick me; Pick the fairest you can see.

The fairest one that I can see is --. Come to me.

Now you're married I wish you much joy; Your father and mother you must obey; Seven long years a girl and a boy; So hush, a bush, bush, get out of the way.

-Buckingham (Thos. Baker in _Midland Garner_, New Series, ii. 31).

XXIV. Little Sally Walker sitting in a sigh, Weeping and waiting for a young man.

Come choose you east, come choose you west, The very one that you love best.

-Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).

XXV. Little Sally Walker sitting on the sand, Crying and weeping for a young man.

Rise, Sally, rise, Sally, wipe away your tears, Try for the east, and try for the west, Try for the (little) very one you love best.

Now they're married I wish them joy, Every year a girl and boy, Loving each other like sister and brother, I hope to see them meet again.

-Fraserburgh (Rev. W. Gregor).

XXVI. Little Sally Sander Sitting in the sander, Weeping and crying for her young man.

Rise, Sally, rise And wipe away your tears; Choose to the east, Choose to the west, And choose to the very one that you love best.

Now you're married we wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Twelve months after son and daughter, All join hands and kiss together.

-Penzance, Cornwall (Mrs. Mabbott).

XXVII. Sally, Sally Walker, tinkle in a can; Rise up, Sally, and choose a young man.

Look to the east, and look to the west, Choose the one that you love the best.

-Settle, Yorkshire (Rev. W. S. Sykes).

XXVIII. Sally Water, Sally Water, Come sprinkle your fan; Sally, Sally Waters, sprinkle in a pan; Rise, Sally, rise, Sally, for a young man.

Choose to the east, and choose to the west, And choose the dearest one that you love best.

Now you're married, we wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Love one another like sister and brother, And never lose time by kissing one another.

-West Haddon (_Northamptonshire Notes and Queries_, ii. 104).

XXIX. Little Sally Waters, sitting in the sun, Crying and weeping for her young man.

Rise, Sally, rise, wipe up your tears, Fly to the east, fly to the west, Fly to the one that you love the best.

-Brigg, Lincolnshire (Miss Barker).

x.x.x. Hie Sally Walker, hie Sally Ken, Hie Sally Walker, follow young men.

Choose to the east, and choose to the west, Choose to the very one you love best.

Marriage comfort and marriage joy, First a girl and then a boy.

Seven years after, seven years to come, Fire on the mountain, kiss and run.

-Belfast, Ireland (W. H. Patterson).

x.x.xI. Little Alice Sander Sat upon a cinder, Weeping and crying for her young man.

Rise up, Alice, dry your tears, Choose the one that you love best, Alice my dear.

Now they have got married I hope they will joy, Seven years afterwards, seven years ago, Now is the time to kiss and go.

-Earls Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).

x.x.xII. Rise, Sally Walker, Rise if you can, Rise, Sally Walker, and follow your good man; Choose to the east, and choose to the west, Choose to the one you love best.

There is a couple married in joy, Past a girl and then a boy, Seven years after, seven years to come, Kiss you couple, kiss and be done.

A' the many hours to us a happy life, Except -- and he wants a wife.

A wife shall he have, And a widower shall he be, Except -- that sits on his knee, A guid fauld hoose and a blacket fireside, Draw up your gartens and show all your bride.

-(Rev. W. Gregor).

x.x.xIII. Arise, Sally Walker, arise, if you can, Arise, Sally Walker, and follow your good man; Come choose to the east, come choose to the west, Come choose to the very one you love best.

This is a couple married with joy; First a girl and then a boy, Seven years after and seven years to come, This young couple married and begun.

[The Christian name of a girl] made a pudding so nice and sweet, [Boy's Christian name] took a knife and tasted it.

Taste love, taste love, don't say No, The next Sunday morning To church we shall go.

Clean the brazen candlesticks, And clean the fireside, Draw back the curtains.

And lat's see the bride.

A' the men in oor toon leads a happy life, Except [a boy's full name], and he wants a wife.

A wife shall he hae, and a widow she shall be; For look at [a girl's full name] diddling on's knee.

He paints her cheeks and he curls her hair, And he kisses the la.s.s at the foot o' the stair.

-Tyrie (Rev. W. Gregor).

[The form of words at Cullen is the same for the first seven lines, and then the words are:-]

x.x.xIV. This young couple be married and be done, A' the men in oor toon leads a happy life, Except -- and he wants a wife.

A wife he shall have, and a widow she shall be, Except [a girl's name] that sits on his knee, Painting her face and curling her hair, Kissing [a girl's name] at the foot o' the stair.

-Cullen (Rev. W. Gregor).

x.x.xV. Rise, Sally Walker, rise if you can, Rise, Sally Walker, follow your gudeman.

Come choose to the east, come choose to the west, Come choose to the very one that you love best.

Now they're married I wish them joy, Every year a girl or boy, Loving each other like sister and brother, And so they may be kissed together.

Cheese and bread for gentlemen, And corn and hay for horses, A cup of tea for a' good wives, And bonnie lads and la.s.sies.

When are we to meet again?

And when are we to marry?

Raffles up, and raffles down, and raffles a' a dancin', The bonniest la.s.sie that ever I saw, Was [child in the centre] dancin'.

-Aberdeen Training College (Rev. W. Gregor.)

x.x.xVI. Sally, Sally Walker, sitting in the sun, Weeping and wailing for a young man, Rise, Sally, rise, and wipe away your tears, Fly to the east, fly to the west, And fly to the very one that you love best.

Uncle John is very sick, He goes a courting night and day; Sword and pistol by his side, Little Sally is his bride.

He takes her by the lily white hand, He leads her over the water; Now they kiss and now they clap, Mrs. Molly's daughter.