Part 19 (1/2)

2. Toad. 3. Newt. 4. May not. 5, Brew. 6. Wrapped.

Ridin' t' Stang(1)

(Gra.s.sington Version)

Traditional

Hey dilly, how dilly, hey dilly, dang!

It's nayther for thy part, nor my part, That I ride the stang.

But it's for Jack Solomon, His wife he did bang.

He bang'd her, he bang'd her, He bang'd her indeed, He bang'd t' poor woman Tho' shoo stood him no need.

He nayther took stick, stain, wire, nor stower,(2) But he up wi' a besom an' knock'd her ower.

So all ye good neighbours who live i' this raw, I pray ye tak warnin', for this is our law.

An' all ye cross husbands Who do your wives bang, We'll blow for ye t' horn , An' ride for ye t' stang.

Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!

1 From B. J. Harker's Rambles in Upper Wharfedale. Other versions, more or less similar to the above, are to be found in R.

Blakeborough's Wit, Folklore, and Customs of the North Riding, and J. Nicholson's Folk Speech of the East Riding. In the Yorks.h.i.+re Dialect Society's Transactions, vol. iii., part xvi., will be found a racy account, in the Beverley dialect, of the custom of ”ridin' t'

stang.”

2. Pole.

Elphi Bandy-legs(1)

Traditional

Elphi bandy-legs, Bent, an' wide apart, Nea yan i' this deale Awns a kinder heart.

Elphi, great-heead, Greatest iver seen, Nea yan i' this deale Awns a breeter een.

Elphi, little chap, Thof he war so small, War big wi' deeds o' kindness, Drink tiv him yan an' all.

Him at fails to drain dry, Be it mug or gla.s.s, Binnot woth a pescod, Nor a buss(3) frae onny la.s.s.

1. Written in an old cook-book and signed ”J. L. 1699”; from Gordon Home's 'The Evolution of an English Town, p208.

2. Is not worth. 3. Kiss

Singing Games