Volume Ii Part 32 The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland

Volume Ii Part 32

-Nairn, Perth, Forfar (Rev. W. Gregor).

x.x.xVII. Sally, Sally Waters, why are you so sad?

You shall have a husband, either good or bad; Then rise, Sally Waters, and sprinkle your pan, For you're just the young woman to get a nice man.

Now you're married, we wish you joy, Father and mother and little boy, Love one another like sister and brother, And now, good people, kiss each other.

-Halliwell, _Popular Rhymer_, p. 229.

x.x.xVIII.Rise, Sally Walker, Rise if you can (Northumberland), Sprinkle in the pan (Yorks. and Midlands), Rise, Sally Walker, For a young man.

Choose to the east, Choose to the west, Choose to the { very one (Northumberland), { pretty girl (Yorks., &c.) You love best.

Now you're married, I wish you joy, First a girl, And then a boy.

Seven years after, } Seven years over, }(Northumberland).

Now's the time to } Kiss and give over. }

Five years after } A son and daughter, } (Yorks., &c.) Pray, young couple, } Kiss away. }

-Hexham (Miss J. Barker).

x.x.xIX. Sally Waters, Sally Waters, come rise if you can, Come rise in the morning, all for a young man; Come choose, come choose, come choose if you can, Come choose a good one or let it alone.

-Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

XL. Sally Waters, Sally Waters, Come rise if you can, Come rise in the morning, All for a young man.

First to the east, then to the west, Then to the bonny la.s.s that you love best.

Now, Sally, you are married, I hope you'll agree, Seven years at afterwards, seven years ago, And now they are parted with a kiss and a blow.

-Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

The last two lines were supplied by a girl in a very poor district of Manchester (note by Miss Dendy).

XLI. Rise, Sally Walker, rise, if you can, Rise, Sally Walker, and follow your gueedman, Choose to the east, and choose to the west, Choose to the one that you love best.

There is a couple married in joy, First a girl and then a boy, Seven years after, seven years to come.

-Rosehearty (Rev. W. Gregor).

XLII. Little Polly Sanders sits on the sand, Weeping and crying for her young man; Rise up, Polly, wipe your tears, Pick the one you love so sweet.

Now Polly's got married, we hope she'll have joy, For ever and ever a girl or a boy.

If one won't do, she must have two, So I pray you, young damsels, to kiss two and two.

-Liverpool (C. C. Bell).

XLIII. Here sits poor Sally on the ground, Sighing and sobbing for her young man.

Arise, Sally, rise, and wipe your weeping eyes, And turn to the east, and turn to the west, And show the little boys that you love best.

A bogie in, a bogie out, A bogie in the garden, I wouldn't part with my young man For fourpence ha'penny farthing.

-Long Eaton, Nottingham (Miss Youngman).

[In London the above is:]-

XLIV. A beau in front and a beau behind, And a bogie in the garden oh!

I wouldn't part with my sweetheart For tuppence (two) ha'penny farthing.

-London (Mrs. Merck).

XLV. Sally Walker, Sally Walker, Come spring time and love, She's lamenting, she's lamenting, All for her young man.

Come choose to the east, come choose to the west, Come choose the one that you love best.

Here's a couple got married together, Father and mother they must agree, Love each other like sister and brother, I pray this couple to kiss together.

-Morpeth (Henderson's _Folk-lore of Northern Counties_, p. 26).

XLVI. Rise, Sally Walker, rise if you can, Rise, Sally Walker, and choose your good man, Choose to the east, and choose to the west, And choose the very one you love best.

Now they're married, wish them joy, First a girl, and then a boy, Seven years after, seven years to come, Now's the time to kiss and be done.

-Gainford, Durham (Miss A. Edleston).

XLVII. Little Alexander sitting on the sand, Weeping and crying for a young man; Rise up, Sally, and wipe your tears, Pick the very one that you like best.

Now, Sally, now married, I hope she'll (or you'll) enjoy, For ever and ever with that little boy (or with her or your young boy).

-Beddgelert, Wales (Mrs. Williams).

XLVIII. Rice, Sally Water, rice if you can, Rice, Sally Water, and choose your young man; Choose to the east, choose to the west, Choose to the prettiest that you love.

Now you're married, we wish you good joy, First a little girl, and then a little boy; Seven years after, seven years to come, Seven years of plenty, and kiss when you done.

-Norfolk (Mrs. Haddon).

(_c_) A ring is formed by the children joining hands. One girl kneels or sits down in the centre, and covers her face with her hands as if weeping. The ring dances round and sings the words. The child in the centre rises when the command is given, and chooses a boy or girl from the ring, who goes into the centre with her. These two kiss together when the words are said. The child who was first in the centre then joins the ring, the second remaining in the centre, and the game continues.

All versions of this game are played in the same way, except slight variations in a few instances. Kissing does not prevail in all the versions. In the Earls Heaton game, the child who kneels in the centre also pretends to weep and dries her tears before choosing a partner.

Miss Burne, in _Shropshire Folklore_, says the girl kneels disconsolately in the middle of the ring. In the Stixwould version, the child stands in the centre holding in her hands something resembling a saucer; she then pretends to "knock it in a mortar," and gives the saucer to the one whom she chooses. This one exchanges places with her.

In the Northants version, at the words "clash the bells," the children dash down their joined hands to imitate ringing bells. Addy, _Sheffield Glossary_, says one girl sits in the middle weeping. When the girl has chosen, the young man remains in the centre, and the word "Sally" is changed to "Billy," or some other name, and "man" to "girl." In the Beddgelert version, the centre child wipes her eyes with a handkerchief in the beginning of the game. Several other versions have been sent me, all being the same as those printed here, or varying so slightly, it is unnecessary to repeat them.

(_d_) The a.n.a.lysis of the game-rhymes is as follows:-

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

No.

Dorsetshire.

Devonshire.

Somersetshire.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

Sally Water.

Sally Walker.

Sprinkle in pan.

Sprinkle water in the

Sprinkle in the pan.

pan.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Rise and choose a

Rise and seek a young

Hi, choose a young

young man.

man.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Choose east, west.

Turn east, west.

19.

Choose best, worst.

20.

21.

Choose the best loved.

22.

Now you're married,

&c.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

No.

London.

Fochabers.

Berkshire.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

Sally Waters.

Sally Walker.

Sprinkle in the pan.

Sprinkling in a pan.

Sprinkled in the pan.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Rise for a young man.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Choose east, west.

19.

Choose best, worst.

20.

21.

Choose the best loved.

22.

Now you're married,

&c.

23.

You must obey, &c.

24.

25.

26.

27.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

No.

Crockham Hill, Kent.

Wiltshire.

Northants.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

Sally Waters.

Sally Wallflowers.

Sprinkled in the pan.

Sprinkled in a pan.

Sprinkle in a pan.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Rise and choose a

young man.

14.

Cry for a young man.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Choose best, worst.

20.

21.

Choose the best loved.

22.

Now you're married,

&c.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

No.

Oxford.

Yorkshire.

Surrey.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

Sally Water.

Sally Waters.

Sally Water.

Sprinkle in the pan.

Sprinkle in a pan.

Sprinkle in the pan.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Rise for a young man.

14.

Cry for a young man.

15.

Is not - a nice young

man.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Choose fairest.

21.

Choose the best loved.

22.

Now she's married, &c.

23.

24.

They shall be married

if they agree, &c.

25.

26.

27.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

No.

Shropshire (1).

Shropshire (2).

Notts.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

Sally Water.

Sally Walker.

Sprinkle in your pan.

Sprinkle in your can.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Rise,for you shall

have a husband.

14.

15.

Down in the meadow

Why do you marry a

there's a nice young

foolish young man.

man.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Pick worst, best.

20.

Choose fairest.

21.

Choose the best loved.

22.

Now you're married,

&c.

23.

24.

25.

On the carpet she

shall kneel, &c.

26.

27.

+---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

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