Volume Ii Part 15 (1/2)

XIV. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the gra.s.s grows in the field; Stand up, stand up upon your feet, And tell me whom you love so sweet.

Now you're married I wish you joy, First a girl, and then a boy; Seven years after son and daughter, Come, young couple, come kiss together.

-Middles.e.x (Miss Winfield).

XV. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the gra.s.s grows in the field; Stand up, stand up on your feet, Show the girl you love so sweet.

Now you're married I hope you'll enjoy A son and a daughter, so Kiss and good-bye.

-Long Eaton, Nottinghams.h.i.+re (Miss Youngman).

XVI. Down on the carpet you shall kneel, While the gra.s.s grows on your field;[3]

Stand up straight upon your feet, And choose the one you love so sweet.

Marry couple, married in joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years come, Please,[4] young couple, kiss and have done.

-Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

XVII. On the carpet you shall kneel, While the gra.s.s grows fresh and green; Stand up straight upon your feet, And kiss the one you love so sweet.

Now they're married, love and joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years ago, Now's the time to kiss and go.

-Liverpool and neighbourhood (Mrs. Harley).

XVIII. On the carpet you shall kneel, As the gra.s.s grows in the field; Stand up, stand up on your feet, And shew me the girl you love so sweet.

Now Sally's married I hope she'll enjoy, First with a girl and then with a boy; Seven years old and seven years young, Pray, young lady, walk out of your ring.

-Derbys.h.i.+re (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 385).

XIX. On the carpet you shall kneel, Where the gra.s.s grows fresh and green; Stand up, stand up on your pretty feet, And show me the one you love so sweet.

-Berrington (Burne's _Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, p. 509).

[Same ending as Eccleshall version.]

XX. On the carpitt you shall kneel, While the gra.s.s grows in the field; Stand up, stand up on your feet, Pick the one you love so sweet.

-Wakefield, Yorks. (Miss Fowler).

XXI. King William was King David's son, And all the royal race is run; Choose from the east, choose from the west, Choose the one you love the best.[5]

Down on this carpet you shall kneel, While the gra.s.s grows in yond field; Salute your bride and kiss her sweet, Rise again upon your feet.

-Hanging Heaton, Yorks. (Herbert Hardy).

XXII. On the carpet you shall kneel, while the gra.s.s grows at your feet; Stand up straight upon your feet, and choose the one you love so sweet.

Now Sally is married, life and joy, first a girl and then a boy; Seven years after, seven years ago, three on the carpet, kiss and go.

-Hanbury, Staffords.h.i.+re (Miss Edith Hollis).

XXIII. I had a bonnet trimmed wi' blue.

Why dosn't weare it? Zo I do; I'd weare it where I con, To teake a walk wi' my young mon.