The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 92

Gallant Ship.

[See "Round and Round the Gallant Ship," vol. ii. p. 143.]

Up spoke a boy of our gallant ship, And a well-spoken boy was he- I have a mother in London town, This night she'll be looking for me.

She may look, she may sigh, with the tear in her eye, She may look to the bottom of the sea.

Three times round went our gallant ship, And three times round went she!

And three times round went our gallant ship, Till she came to the bottom of the sea!

The players form a ring and dance round, getting quicker as they sing "Three times round," &c. When the last line is sung they let go hands and sink to the ground. The player who sinks down first is taken away by the others and asked whom he or she loves best. The ring is then reformed, and the child who has given her sweetheart's name is placed in the centre. The ring then dances round singing out the name of the sweetheart.

Mrs. Brown is new comed hame, A coach and four to carry hame.

-Galloway (J. G. Carter).

Galley, Galley Ship.

[See "Merry-ma-tansa," vol. i. pp. 369-376; ii. p. 443.]

Three times round goes the galley, galley ship, And three times round goes she; Three times round goes the galley, galley ship, And she sank to the bottom of the sea.

Choose your neighbours one or two, One or two, one or two; Choose your neighbours one or two, Around about Mary Matanzie.

A treacle scone to tell her name, To tell her name, to tell her name; A treacle scone to tell her name, Around about Mary Matanzie.

A guinea gold watch to tell his name, To tell his name, to tell his name; A guinea gold watch to tell his name, Around about Mary Matanzie.

(Name of boy) is his name, Is his name, is his name, -- is his name, Around about Mary Matanzie.

-Laurieston School, Kircudbrightshire (J. Lawson).

A version of "Merry-ma-tansa," incomplete. [See vol. i. p. 375.]

Another is-

Three times around goes our gallant ship, And three times around goes she, she, she; And three times around goes our gallant ship, And she sinks to the bottom of the sea.

Played in ring form with one child in centre. All sink down on the ground when the above lines are sung, and the last to rise must tell the name of her sweetheart. Then the circle forms around her, and all sing-

Here's the bride just new come in, Just new come in, just new come in; Here's the bride just new come in, Around the merry guid tanzy.

Guess wha's her guid lad, Her guid lad, her guid lad; Guess wha's her guid lad, Around the merry guid tanzy.

(Willie Broon) is his name, Is his name, is his name, (Willie Broon) is his name, Around the merry guid tanzy.

-St. Andrews and Howth (Miss H. E. Harvey).

Miss Harvey writes: I believe "tanzy" is the name of a kind of dance.

Glasgow Ships.

Glasgow ships come sailing in, Come sailing in, come sailing in; Glasgow ships come sailing in, On a fine summer morning.

You daurna set your foot upon, Your foot upon, your foot upon; You daurna set your foot upon, Or gentle George will kiss you.

Three times kiss you, four times bless you, Five times b.u.t.ter and bread Upon a silver salver.

Who shall we send it to, Send it to, send it to?

Who shall we send it to?

To Mrs. --'s daughter.

Take her by the lily-white hand, Lead her over the water; Give her kisses, one, two, three.

She is the favourite daughter.

-Perth (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Glasgow ships come sailing in, &c. (three times) Three times bless you, three times kiss you, Three times b.u.t.ter and bread upon a silver saucer.

Whom shall I send it to, I send it to, I send it to?

To Captain Gordon's daughter.

-Rosehearty (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

The Glasgow ships come sailing in, &c. (as first version).

Three times down and then we fall, then we fall, then we fall, Three times down and then we fall, in a fine summer morning.

Three times b.u.t.ter and bread, b.u.t.ter and bread, b.u.t.ter and bread, Three times b.u.t.ter and bread upon a silver saucer.

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

-Nairn (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Glasgow ships come sailing in, &c. (as first version) She daurna set a foot upon, &c.

Or gentle John will kiss her.

Three times round the ring, three times bless her, I sent a slice of bread and b.u.t.ter upon a silver saucer.

Whom shall we send it to? &c.

To Captain --'s daughter.

Her love's dead and gone, dead and gone, dead and gone, She turns her back to the wa's again.

She washes her face, she combs her hair, She leaves her love at the foot of the stair, She wears on her finger a guinea gold ring, And turns her back to the wa's again.

All join hands and form a ring. At the end of verses the girl named turns her back, and the game is resumed.-Fochabers (Rev. Dr. Gregor); Port William School, Wigtonshire.

In a version from Auchterarder, N. B., sent by Miss E. S. Haldane, the words are very similar to these. After all the children have turned their backs to the inside they have what is called the "pigs' race,"

which is running swiftly round in this position. See "Uncle John," vol.

ii. pp. 321-322.

Granny's Needle.