The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 76

Now you're married I wish you joy, Father and mother you must obey; Love one another like sister and brother, And pray, young couple, come kiss one another.

-Colchester (Miss G. M. Frances).

III. Here stands a lady on a mountain, Who she is I do not know; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man.

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

Now Sally's got married we wish her good joy, First a girl and then a boy; Twelve months a'ter a son and da'ter, Pray young couple, kiss together.

-Berrington (_Shropshire Folk-lore_, pp. 509, 510).

IV. Stands a lady on the mountain, Who she is I do not know; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young beau.

Take her by the lily-white hand, Lead her across the water; Give her kisses, one, two, three, For she is her mother's daughter.

-Shipley, Horsham (_Notes and Queries_, 8th series, i. 210, Miss Busk).

V. There stands a lady on a mountain, Who she is I do not know; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man.

Now she's married I wish her joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after son and daughter, Pray young couple kiss together.

Kiss her once, kiss her twice, Kiss her three times three.

-Wrotham, Kent (Miss D. Kimball).

VI. There stands a lady on the ocean [mountain], Who she is I do not know her; All she wants is gold or silver, All she wants is a nice young man.

Choose once, choose twice, Choose three times over.

Now you're married I wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years old a son and daughter, Play and cuddle and kiss together.

Kiss her once, kiss her twice, Kiss her three times over.

-Deptford (Miss Chase).

VII. There stands a lady on the mountain, Who she is I do not know: Oh! she wants such gold and silver!

Oh! she wants such a nice young man!

Now you're married I wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after a son and a daughter, Kiss your bride and come out of the ring.

-Berkshire (Miss Thoyts, _Antiquary_; xxvii. 254).

(_b_) A ring is formed, one child in the centre. The ring sing the first verse, and then the centre child chooses one from the ring. The chosen pair kiss when the ring has sung the second. The first child then joins the ring, and the game begins again. In the Barnes version the centre child calls one to her from the ring by singing the second verse and naming the child she chooses.

(_c_) A version from Lady C. Gurdon's _Suffolk County Folk-lore_ (p. 62) is the same as previous versions, except that it ends-

Now you're married you must be good Make your husband chop the wood; Chop it fine and bring it in, Give three kisses in the ring.

Other versions are much the same as the examples given.

(_d_) This game has probably had its origin in a ballad. Miss Burne draws attention to its resemblance to the "Disdainful Lady" (_Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 561), and Halliwell mentions a nursery rhyme (No.

cccclxxix.) which is very similar. Mr. Newell (_Games_, p. 55) prints words and tune of a song which is very similar to that ballad, and he mentions the fact that he has seen it played as a round by the "Arabs of the street." He considers it to be an old English song which has been fitted for a ring game by the addition of a verse.

See "Lady on Yonder Hill."

Lady on Yonder Hill

I. Yonder stands a lovely lady, Whom she be I do not know; I'll go court her for my beauty, Whether she say me yea or nay.

Madam, to thee I humbly bow and bend.

Sir, I take thee not to be my friend.

Oh, if the good fairy doesn't come I shall die.

-Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 387).

II. There stands a lady on yonder hill, Who she is I cannot tell; I'll go and court her for her beauty, Whether she answers me yes or no.

Madam, I bow vounce to thee.

Sir, have I done thee any harm?

c.o.xconian!

c.o.xconian is not my name; 'tis Hers and Kers, and Willis and Cave.

Stab me, ha! ha! little I fear. Over the waters there are but nine, I'll meet you a man alive. Over the waters there are but ten, I'll meet you there five thousand.

Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid, You're only in a trance; Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid, And we will have a dance.

-Lady C. Gurdon's _Suffolk County Folk-lore_, p. 65.

(_b_) In the Suffolk game the children form a ring, a boy and girl being in the centre. The boy is called a gentleman and the girl a lady. The gentleman commences by singing the first verse. Then they say alternately the questions and answers. When the gentleman says the lines commencing, "Stab me," he pretends to stab the lady, who falls on the ground. Then he walks round the lady and sings the last verse, "Rise up," and lifts up the lady. In the Derbyshire game only three children play, the lover, lady, and fairy. The girl stands a little distance off.

The lover says the first four lines, then approaches the lady, falls on one knee, and says the next line. The lady replies, and retires further away. The lover then falls on the ground and says the next line. As this is said the good fairy appears, touches the fallen lover with her hand, and he is immediately well again.

(_c_) This is a curious game, and is perhaps derived from a ballad which had been popular from some more or less local circ.u.mstance, or more probably it may be a portion of an old play acted in booths at fair times by strolling players. It is not, as far as I can find out, played in any other counties. The lines-

Over the water at the hour of ten, I'll meet you with five thousand men; Over the water at the hour of five, I'll meet you there if I'm alive,

are portions of a dialogue familiar to Mr. Emslie, and also occur in some mumming plays. It may also be noted that the curing of illness or death from a stab is an incident in these plays, as is also the method of playing. The first lines are similar to those of "Lady on the Mountain," which see.

Lag

A number of boys put marbles in a ring, and then they all bowl at the ring. The one who gets nearest has the first shot at the marbles. He has the option of either "knuckling doon" and shooting at the ring from the prescribed mark, or "ligging up" (lying up)-that is, putting his taw so near the ring that if the others miss his taw, or miss the marbles in the ring, he has the game all to himself next time. If, however, he is. .h.i.t by the others, he is said to be "killed."-Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.

Lammas

A party of boys take a few straws, and endeavour to hold one between the chin and the turned-down under-lip, p.r.o.nouncing the following rhyme-

I bought a beard at Lammas fair, It's a' awa' but ae hair; Wag, beardie, wag!

He who repeats this oftenest without dropping the straw is held to have won the game (Chambers' _Popular Rhymes_, p. 115). This game-rhyme has an interesting reference to Lammas, and it may also refer to the hiring of servants. Brockett (_North Country Words_, p. 221) says, "At a fair or market where country servants are hired, those who offer themselves stand in the market-place with a piece of straw or green branch in their mouths to distinguish them."

Lamploo