The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 95

The versions printed here vary, it will be seen, from those printed in vol. i., princ.i.p.ally in the words used towards the end of the game, the earlier portions being very similar. The first one is an exceedingly interesting variant, the funeral details being fuller, and the idea of the spirit of the dead or Ghost surviving also.

The first lines of each verse are as follows:-

I've come to see Jenny Jones, How does she do?

She is washing, &c., you can't see her now.

I've come to see Jenny Jones, &c.

She is scrubbing, &c., you can't see her now.

I've come to see, &c.

She is ill, &c.

I've come to see, &c.

She's very ill, &c.

I've come to see, &c.

She's dying, &c.

I've come to see.

She's dead.

We'll come in blue, blue, blue. Will that suit?

Blue is for sailors, &c. That won't suit.

We'll come in red, &c.

Red is for soldiers, &c.

We'll come in white, &c.

White is for weddings, &c.

We'll come in black, &c.

Black is for mourning, &c. That will suit.

They then take up Jenny Jones, and carry her to a little distance off, lay her on the ground, and all stand round. One child stands over the grave, and while sprinkling Jenny with dust, says-

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

If G.o.d won't have you, the devil must.

Then Jenny jumps up and runs after the other children, who try to escape. The one she catches is "Jenny" next time.-Barrington (Dr. A. C.

Haddon).

In another version called "Georgina" one player selected to act as Georgina kneels down against a wall, and the others stand round to conceal her. Two go apart to act as callers, while another stands near the group as mother. The callers come forward and say-

We came to see Georgina, &c.

And how is she to-day?

She's upstairs washing, &c., And you can't see her to-day.

Farewell, ladies.

They then retire, but return in a little while, and put the question as before. She is then "starching," said as above; and next time she is "ironing," the fourth time the mother's answer is, "She fell downstairs and broke her arm, and you can't see her to-day;" the fifth time, "Two doctors are at her;" the sixth, she is "worse;" and the seventh, she is "dead." The two callers remain when this reply is given. At this point Georgina makes a noise by rapping two stones together. The two at once exclaim, "Oh! mother, mother, what's that knocking?" and she answers, "The coach going by." The knocking is repeated, and the question, and she says, "The wall falling down." On the knocking being heard a third time, she tells them to "take a candle and look." They pretend to do so, and "Georgina" starts up to chase them. They all run off shouting, "The Ghost."-Strichen and Fochabers (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

I came to see Georgina, Georgina, Georgina, I came to see Georgina, and how is she to-day?

She's upstairs ironing.

I came to see Georgina, &c. (as above).

She fell downstairs and broke her muckle toe.

I'm very sorry to hear that, &c.

She's dead.

Bad news, bad news, bad news to-day.

What shall we dress her in? &c.

Dress her in red.

Red is for the soldier, and that won't do, &c.

What shall we dress her in? &c.

Dress her in blue.

Blue is for the sailor, &c.

What shall we dress her in? &c.

Dress her in white.

White is for the angels, that will do, &c.

Mother, mother, what's that? &c.

A gig running past.

Mother, mother, what's that? &c.

The boys playing at marbles.

Mother, mother, what's that? what's that? what's that?

Mother, mother, what's that?

Georgina's ghost!!

Ending with a general stampede.

-Nairnshire (Mrs. Jamieson).

We've come to see poor Janet, And how is she to-day?

She's up the stairs washing, She can't come down to-day.

Very well, we'll call another day.

We've come to see poor Janet, And how is she to-day?

She's up the stairs ironing, &c.

Well, we'll call, &c.

We've come to see poor Janet, &c.

She's fallen downstairs and broken her horn toes, &c.

Poor Janet, we'll call, &c.

We've come, &c.

She's dead, &c.

What's she to be dressed in?

Red.

That's for soldiers; that won't do.

Blue.

That's for sailors; that won't do.

White.

That will do.

-Rosehearty (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Played in usual way until the end. Janet is then carried off and laid down on the ground, but she starts up and chases them.

Many other versions have been sent me, but none with different features.

The best is one from Mr. J. G. Carter, Dalry, Galloway, called "Jenny Jo," but presenting no fresh details, and where white is used for the burial. Four children stand on one side with Jenny at their back, the other players on the opposite. She is buried with great mourning. In a version from Hemsby (Mrs. Haddon) the words are the same, except: "White is the colour for weddings," and black is for funerals. Then Jenny is carried to the grave, the other children walking behind two by two; they kneel round Jenny, and have a good cry over her. Another version from Laurieston School (Mr. J. Lawson), called "Jerico," very similar to above, gives two additional verses. The first lines are, "Carry a poor soldier to the grave," and "Now the poor mother's weeping at the grave."

In one version, after Jenny has been carried to her grave, the children stand round and sprinkle earth over her, and say, "Dust and dust, dust and dust," and then pretend to strew flowers. This I got in London.

Another version from North Scotland begins, "I come to see _Geneva_"

continues in usual way until "she is lying" instead of "ill"; then "she's dying," followed by "she's dead"; then the funeral. In another version Dr. Haddon sent me, the game is only a fragment. After "Jenny Jo's dead and gone, all the day long," they continue, "Pipes and tobacco for Jenny Jo" (repeat twice), "Pipes and tobacco for Jenny Jo, all the day long."