Volume Ii Part 98 (1/2)

Andrews, Peterhead, though only consisting of the first verse, has preserved the refrains, ”Dance o'er the Lady Lee” and ”With a gay lady”

of Halliwell's version. The others commence ”broken bridges.” The Isle of Man version is still more incomplete. A version sent me by Dr. Haddon from Barrington is similar to the one given, vol. i. p. 338-9, from Enborne School, and is not therefore printed here.

Magician.

A mirror is covered with a cover, and a girl or boy is taken into the room. She or he is then asked what animal or thing they would like to see. As soon as the wish is stated, the cover is raised, and the child sees his or herself.-London (A. B. Gomme).

Mannie on the Pavement.

One player has charge of the pavement. It is his duty to keep the others off. The others try how often they can touch the wall, and when the ”mannie” catches one, that one becomes ”mannie.”-Aberdeen (Rev. Dr.

Gregor).

Merry-ma-Tansa.

[Vol. i. pp. 369-376; ii. 422-424.]

Here we go round by jingo ring, by jingo ring, by jingo ring, Here we go round by jingo ring, in a cold and frosty morning.

Twice about and then we fall, and then we fall, and then we fall, Twice about and then we fall, in a cold and frosty morning.

All bend down. The one who rises up last goes into the centre of the circle, and those in the circle sing-

Choose your maidens all around, all around, all around, Choose your maidens all around, on a cold and frosty morning.

The one in the centre chooses two from the ring, and retires with them a short distance away, when the name of a boy is selected as the lover.

During the time the three are standing apart, those in the ring let go each other's hands, and take hold of the sides of their dresses, and make as if they were sweeping a house, singing the while-

Swype the hoose till the bride comes hame, the bride comes hame, the bride comes hame, Swype the hoose till the bride comes hame, on a cold and frosty morning.

When the three come back, the one that was in the centre takes up the same position, and the two she picked out join those in the circle. Then all wheel round and sing-

A golden pin to tell her name, tell her name, tell her name, A golden pin to tell her name, in a cold and frosty morning.

The answer is-

-- (girl's name is given) is her name, is her name, is her name, -- is her name, in a cold and frosty morning.

Then comes the lover's name-

A golden watch to tell his name, tell his name, tell his name, A golden watch to tell his name, in a cold and frosty morning.

The answer is-

So-and-so is his name, is his name, is his name, So-and-so is his name, in a cold and frosty morning.

The one in the middle is then blindfolded, and all wheel round and sing-

Blindfolded dinna catch me, dinna catch me, dinna catch me, Blindfolded dinna catch me, on a cold and frosty morning.

The blindfolded tries to catch one in the ring. The ring should not break, but it is often broken by the one that is on the eve of being caught. The one caught takes her stand in the centre, and the game begins anew from that point.-d.y.k.e (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

This is a most interesting variant of this game-blindfolding the bridegroom in order that he must first catch his bride, and her attempts to elude his caresses, are significant of early custom.