Volume Ii Part 92 (1/2)

Gallant s.h.i.+p.

[See ”Round and Round the Gallant s.h.i.+p,” vol. ii. p. 143.]

Up spoke a boy of our gallant s.h.i.+p, 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 s.h.i.+p, And three times round went she!

And three times round went our gallant s.h.i.+p, 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 s.h.i.+p.

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

Three times round goes the galley, galley s.h.i.+p, And three times round goes she; Three times round goes the galley, galley s.h.i.+p, 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, Kircudbrights.h.i.+re (J. Lawson).

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

Another is-

Three times around goes our gallant s.h.i.+p, And three times around goes she, she, she; And three times around goes our gallant s.h.i.+p, 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 s.h.i.+ps.

Glasgow s.h.i.+ps come sailing in, Come sailing in, come sailing in; Glasgow s.h.i.+ps 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.