The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 2 of 2) / With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes, and Methods of Playing etc.

—Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

Or,

—Ellesmere, Berrington, Wenlock (Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 513).

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

—Dyke (Rev. W. Gregor).

XXX.

XXXI.

Or,

XXXII.

XXXIII.

XXXIV.

XXXV.

—Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

(c) The children form a ring by joining hands. They all dance slowly round, singing the words. When the one child is named by the ring she turns round, so that her face is turned to the outside of the ring and her back inside. She still clasps hands with those on either side of her, and dances or walks round with them. This is continued until all the players have turned and are facing outwards.

This concludes the game in many places, but in others the game is continued by altering the last line of the verses, and the children alternately turning round when named until they all face inside again. In some of the versions the first child to turn her face to the wall is the youngest, and it is then continued by the next youngest, until the eldest is named. This obtains in Hampshire (Miss Mendham), Nottingham, Symondsbury, Shropshire, Beddgelert, Sheffield, Connell Ferry, Oban, Hersham, Surrey, Dyke. In the London (Miss Chase) and Sheffield versions the child named leaves the ring and turns with her face to a wall. In the Wakefield version Miss Fowler says a child stands in the middle, and at the fifth line all the children say their own name. At the end of the verse they all unclasp hands, and turn with their faces outside the circle; the verse is repeated, when they all turn again facing inwards, and so on over again. In the Nairn version, after all the players have turned their faces outside the ring, they all throw their arms over their heads, and turn so as to face inwards if possible without disjoining hands. The children at Ogbourne, Wilts, clap hands when singing the last two lines of the verses. At Enbourne School it is the tallest child who is first named, and who turns her back; presumably the next tallest is then chosen. In the Suffolk game one child stands outside the ring; the ring sings the first four lines, and the child outside sings the rest. At Wenlock Miss Burne says each child is summoned in turn by name to turn their heads when the last line is said. At Hurstmonceux a girl chooses a boy after her face is turned to the wall.

(d) The most interesting point about this game is that it appears to refer to a custom or observance which particularly concerns young girls. We cannot say what the custom or observance was originally, but the words point to something in which a young maiden played the principal part. “We are all maidens” and “she’s the youngest here” runs through most of the versions. A death seems to be indicated, and it may be that this game was originally one where the death of the betrothed of the youngest maiden was announced. This would account for the “turning the face to the wall,” which is indicative of mourning and great sorrow and loss. The mention of the girl’s accomplishments may mean that being so young and accomplished she would quickly get another suitor, and this might also account for the “fie for shame!”—shame to be thinking of another lover so soon; or, on the other hand, the other maidens may regret that by the loss of her lover and betrothed this young maiden’s talents will be lost in “old maidenhood,” as she will not now be married, and this will be “a shame.” She will be, in fact, “on the shelf” or “out of sight” for the rest of her life, and through no fault of her own. The “we are all maidens” might refer to the old custom of maidens carrying the corpse of one of their number to the grave, and the words may have originally been the lament over her death.

With reference to the words “turn the candlestick,” which occurs in six versions, “M. H. P.,” in Notes and Queries (7th ser., xi. 256), says: “Turning the Candlestick.—A candlestick in the game of ’See-saw’ is the Yorkshire name for the child who stands in the centre of the plank, and assists the motion by swaying from side to side.” Toone (Etymological Dictionary) says—Before the introduction of the modern candlestick, the custom was to have the candle held by a person appointed for that purpose, called a candle-holder, and hence the term became proverbial to signify an idle spectator.

“I’ll be a candle-holder and look on.”—Romeo and Juliet.

“A candle-holder sees most of the game.”—Ray’s Proverbs.

If this should be the meaning of the phrase in these rhymes, “she can turn the candlestick” may have originally meant that now this maiden can be nothing but a “looker on” or “candle-holder” in the world. The meaning has evidently been forgotten for a long time, as other expressions, such as “she can turn the organ,” have had to be adopted to “make sense” of the words.

Aubrey (Remaines of Judaisme, p. 45) mentions the sport called “Dancing the Candlerush,” played by young girls; in Oxford called “Leap Candle,” which consisted of placing a candle in the middle of the room and “dancing over the candle back and forth” saying a rhyme. This may be the “dance” referred to in the rhymes.

The tune of most versions is the same. It is pretty and plaintive, and accords with the idea of mourning and grief. The Rev. W. D. Sweeting says the tune in Northants seems to be lost. The game is sung to a sort of monotone.

Northall gives a version from Warwickshire similar to several given here, and Mr. Newell (Games and Songs of American Children) gives a version and tune which is similar to that of Hurstmonceux, Surrey.

See “Green Grass.”

Warney

See “Stag,” “Whiddy.”

Way-Zaltin

See “Weigh the Butter.”

We are the Rovers

[Play]

[Play]

[Play]

I.

—Ellesmere (Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 518).

II.

—Wrotham, Kent (Miss D. Kimball).

III.

IV.

V.

—Enbourne School, Berks. (Miss M. Kimber).

VI.