The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 57

Now we've got a pretty maid, a pretty maid, a pretty maid; Now we've got a pretty maid, to help us with the dancing.

-Waterford (Miss H. E. Harvey).

(_b_) The players stand in two lines, facing one another, three boys on one side and the girls (any number) on the other. The boys advance and retire dancing, and saying the first two lines. The girls stand still, one who personates a mother answers with the next two lines. The boys then advance and reply. When they are retiring the mother says the next lines and the boys reply; they then choose a girl and take her over to their side. The dialogue is generally spoken, not sung. The boys turn their toes outwards to show their spurs. The number of players on the girls' side is generally an uneven one, the odd one is the mother and says the dialogue. This is the most general way of playing, but there are interesting variations. Chambers says two parties play, one representing a dame and her daughters, the other the suitors. The suitors move backwards and forwards with their arms entwined. The mother offers her daughters when she says "Smell my lilies," and the game ends by some little childish trick, but unfortunately, he does not describe this. Miss Ellis (Leicester) says if the number of players suited, probably all the boys, instead of three, would be on one side and the girls on the other, but there is no hard and fast line. They turn out their toes to show their spurs: when they sing or say, "Pa.s.s through the kitchen," &c., the girls stretch out their arms, still keeping hold of hand, and the boys, forming a long tail, wind in and out under their arms as they stand. Having previously decided among themselves which girl they shall seize, they go up and down the lines several times, until the period of suspense and expectation is supposed to have lasted long enough. Then the last boy in the line puts his arms round the chosen girl's waist and carries her off. This goes on until there is only one girl left, who recommences the game on her part by singing the first lines, choosing first a boy, who then becomes a Spaniard. In the first version from Belfast, the first girl who is asked to go refuses, and another is asked, who consents. In the Manchester version (Miss Dendy), the girl refuses twice, then accepts. The "mother" is seated in state with her "daughters" round her in the Bexley Heath (Miss Morris) version. The two "gentlemen" advance to her and turn haughtily away when refused. Then they choose a girl and take her over to their side.

In the Shropshire (Edgmond) version, two girls, one from each end of the line of "daughters," goes over to the knights' side, who also "bow" and "bend" when saying the lines, and the game is repeated saying five, seven, &c., knights. Here, also, the last player left on the girls' side takes the knight's part in the next game. Miss Burne adds, at other places the knights call only one girl by name each time. Both lines in the Shropshire game advance and retire. In the Dublin game (Mrs.

Lincoln), three young boys are chosen for the suitors, one girl is the mother, and any number from three to six personate the daughters. The first boy only speaks the lines. At "Return, return, your coat is white," he, with the other two "suitors," takes the girl, brings her back, and says the last verse. They then sit down, and the second suitor does the same thing, then the third one. Then the game is begun again [with three other boys] until all the daughters have been taken. In the version quoted from _Notes and Queries_, two children, mother and daughter, stand on one side, the other players opposite to them, and advance and retire. The contributor says they chant the words to a pleasing old melody. The Yorkshire version (Miss E. Cadman) is played in the usual way, both sides advancing and retiring in turn, and at the end one of the "knights" tries to catch one of the girls. They cross the room to each other's places. In Co. Down, at Ballymiscaw, Miss Patterson says one player refuses when asked, and another consents, this one and the "lord" then join hands and dance round together, saying the last words. The Annaverna version is sung by one on each side-"king and the mother." The Berwickshire game was played by six children, one on one side, five on the other. The first lines are sung on both sides; then the rest is dialogue until the girl refuses, when the "Jew" dances round by himself, singing the words; she then consents, and the two dance round with joined hands as in a reel, singing the last verse. The dialogue is spoken with animation, and the "Jew steps his foot" and prances away when saying these words. Twelve children in the Perth version stand in a row, another stands a little in advance, who is called "daughter Jane," another is the "mother." Three more stand in front of the twelve and are the "Dukes." These dance forwards and backwards before "Jane and her mother," singing the first lines. The mother answers. When they sing the last line the "Dukes" choose one of the twelve, and sing the words over again until all the twelve are on the "Dukes'" side. Then they try to carry off "Jane" and the "mother,"

and run until they are caught. In the Clapham school version (Mrs.

Herbertson), the "Duke" tries to drag by force the chosen girl across a handkerchief or other boundary, if successful she goes on his side. In the Cornwall version the "Dukes" retire and consult before choosing a girl, then select one. When all have been taken they bring them back in the same order to the "mother," saying the last verse, and the "mother"

replies in the last two lines. In the London version, the "Dukes" take the girl and rob her, then bring her back. In the Fochabers version (Rev. W. Gregor), the two "sailors" join hands crosswise, walk backwards and forwards, and sing the words. The girl crosses over to them when chosen. When all are chosen the "sailors" bring all the girls before the mother, singing the last verse. The mother searches the daughters one after the other, finding neither money nor ring. She then chases the sailors, and the one caught becomes mother next game.

(_c_) This game has been said by previous collectors, and at first sight may be thought to be merely a variant of "Three Dukes," but it will on investigation, I think, prove to be more than this. In the first place, the obvious borrowing from the "Three Dukes" of a few words, as in versions Nos. 29, 30, and 31, tells against the theory of ident.i.ty of the two games. Then the form of marriage custom is different, though it is still marriage under primitive conditions of society. The personal element, entirely absent from the "Three Dukes," is here one of the princ.i.p.al characteristics. The marriage is still one without previous courtship or love between two individuals, but the parental element is present here, or at any rate that of some authority, and a sanction is given, although there is no trace of any actual ceremony. The young men, or suitors, apparently desire a particular person in marriage, and although there is no wooing of that person a demand is made for her.

These suitors are, I think, making the demand on the part of another rather than for themselves. They are the amba.s.sadors or friends of the would-be bridegrooms, and are soliciting for a marriage in which purchase money or dowry is to be paid. The mention of "gold and silver"

in many versions, and the line, "she must be sold," is important.

All these indications of purchase refer to a time when the custom of offering gold, money, or other valuables for a bride was in vogue.

While, therefore, the game has traces of carrying off the bride, this carrying off is in strict accord with the conditions prevalent when marriage by purchase had succeeded to marriage by capture. The bargaining spirit is not much "en evidence" in this game, not, that is to say, in the same sense as is shown in "Three Sailors," p. 282, but there is sufficient evidence of a mercantile spirit to prove that women and girls were too valuable to be parted with by their own tribe or family without something deemed equivalent being given in return. There is a desire shown to possess the girl for her beauty; and that a choice of a suitor could or would be made is shown by the remarks that she is too young and does not know the language and customs of this suitor.

The mention of the spurs conveys the suggestion that the suitors or amba.s.sadors are men of quality and renown. To win their spurs was an object greatly desired by all young men. Their reply to the taunt that their spurs are "dull" may mean that they are not bright from use, and may also show the idea that these men have come on a journey from some distance for a bride or brides, and this only is responsible for their spurs not being as bright as usual. Again, being "richly wrought" is probably an indication of wealth or consequence. Mention must be made of the mead not being made nor the cake yet baked, which occurs in two versions. If these two versions can be considered old ones, this would tend to show evidence of the ceremony of the eating together of particular food, which forms the most important element in primitive marriage ceremonies.

There occurs in some versions the incident of asking the girl to come, and the dancing round when she consents, mostly in connection with the incident of invitation to dance. This may not therefore belong, and I do not think it does, to the early forms of this game; but we must remember that dancing formed a part of the marriage ceremonies down to quite a late date, and it is therefore not surprising it should be found in many versions.

It has been suggested that this game has for its origin an historical event in the reign of Edward III., whose daughter Jane married a prince of Spain. There is some possibility in this, as doubtless the marriage was conducted by amba.s.sadors first of all with pomp and ceremonial, but I think the game really dates from a much earlier period, and if there are any grounds for connecting it with this particular royal marriage, it may merely have altered and fixed some of the words, such as "daughter Jane," "Lords from Spain," "Spanish gold," in people's minds, and in this way tended to preserve the game in its modern form.

Mr. Addy, in his _Sheffield Glossary_, considers that the mention of the three knights and gifts of gold is a fragment of some old pageant of the Three Kings of Cologne, who, according to ancient legend, brought gifts to the infant Jesus, but I can see no evidence of this.

It is somewhat curious that this game is very rarely sung to a tune, nor have I succeeded in obtaining one. It is usually said to a sort of sing-song chant, or else it is spoken in dialogue, and that with a good deal of animation.

Mr. Newell gives versions, as played in America, similar to many here given, and Mr. Northall (_Folk Rhymes_, p. 385) gives one from Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.

[10] Incomplete, there is more of the game, but the maid could not remember it.

[11] Probably once "boy," p.r.o.nounced "by" in Ess.e.x.

Three Little Ships

[Music]

-London (A. B. Gomme).

[Music]

-Rimbault's _Nursery Rhymes_.

I. Three little ships come sailing by, Sailing by, sailing by; Three little ships come sailing by, New Year's day in the morning.

Who do you think was in the ships, In the ships, in the ships; Who do you think was in the ships, New Year's day in the morning?

Three pretty girls were in the ships, In the ships, in the ships; Three pretty girls were in the ships, New Year's day in the morning.

One could whistle, and one could sing, One could play on the violin; One could whistle, and one could sing, New Year's day in the morning.

-London (A. B. Gomme).

II. I saw three ships come sailing by, Come sailing by, come sailing by; I saw three ships come sailing by On New Year's day in the morning.

And what do you think was in them then, In them then, in them then; And what do you think was in them then, On New Year's day in the morning?

Three pretty girls were in them then, &c.

One could whistle, and one could sing, The other could play on the violin; Such joy was there at my wedding, On New Year's day in the morning.

-Rimbault's _Nursery Rhymes_.

III. As I sat on a sunny bank, A sunny bank, a sunny bank; As I sat on a sunny bank On Christmas day in the morning.

I saw three ships come sailing by, Come sailing by, come sailing by; I saw three ships come sailing by On Christmas day in the morning.

And who do you think was in those ships? &c.

But Joseph and his lady.

And he did whistle, and she did sing, And all the bells on earth did ring For joy our Saviour he was born On Christmas day in the morning.

-Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 564.

[The above verses, except the last one, are sung at Oswestry with these additional ones:-]

Pray, whither sailed those ships all three? &c.

Oh! they sailed unto Bethlehem, &c.

They combed his hair with an ivory comb, &c.

They washed his face in a golden cup, &c.

They wiped his face with a lily-white cloth, &c.

They brushed his shoes with a hairy brush, &c.

-Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 564.

(_c_) In the London version, which I obtained from a maid-servant-two lines of children stand, hand in hand, facing one another. They advance and retire in line, with dancing steps, alternately. The children sing the lines. When the last verse is sung a girl from the end of each line advances, and the two dance round together. This is continued until all have danced in turn in the s.p.a.ce between the lines.

(_d_) It will be seen that there is a probability of the version I collected as a dance game and Rimbault's nursery song being derived from the Christmas carol, a variant of which I reprint from Miss Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_. A version of this carol from Kent is given in _Notes and Queries_, 3rd series, iii. 7. Mr. A. H. Bullen, in _Carols and Poems_, gives an older version of the same. In this version there is no mention of whistling, singing, or playing the violin; but in the Kent version, the third verse is the same as the fourth of that collected by Miss Burne, and the dance collected by myself. In the _Revue Celtique_, vol. iv., Mr. Fitzgerald considers this carol to have been the original from which the pretty words and dance, "Duck Dance," were derived, see _ante_, vol. i. p. 113. If these words and dance owe their origin to the carol, they may both show connection with an older form, when the carol was danced as a dramatic round.

Three Old Bachelors

Here come three old bachelors, Walking in a row, Seeking wives, and can't find 'em; So open the ring, and take one in.

Now you're married, you must obey; You must be true to all you say; You must be kind, you must be good, And help your wife to chop the wood.

-Earls Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).

Mr. Hardy suggests that this is a variant of "See the Farmer Sow his Seed," but it more nearly resembles "Silly Old Man," although the marriage formula is that of "Oats and Beans."