Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales Part 16

T' oxen drunk it.

Where's the oxen?

T' butcher kill'd 'em.

Where's t' butcher?

Upon the church-top cracking nuts, and you may go and eat the sh.e.l.ls; and _them as_ speak first shall have nine nips, nine scratches, and nine boxes over the lug!

Every one then endeavours to refrain from speaking, in spite of mutual nudges and grimaces, and he who first allows a word to escape is punished by the others in the various methods adopted by schoolboys. In some places the game is played differently. The children pile their fists in the manner described above; then one, or sometimes all of them sing,-

I've built my house, I've built my wall; I don't care where my chimneys fall!

The merriment consists in the bustle and confusion occasioned by the rapid withdrawal of the hands.

DANCING LOOBY.

Now we dance looby, looby, looby, Now we dance looby, looby, light.

Shake your right hand a little And turn you round about.

Now we dance looby, looby, looby, Shake your right hand a little, Shake your left hand a little, And turn you round about.

Now we dance looby, looby, looby, Shake your right hand a little, Shake your left hand a little, Shake your right foot a little, And turn you round about.

Now we dance looby, looby, looby, Shake your right hand a little, Shake your left hand a little, Shake your right foot a little, Shake your left foot a little, And turn you round about.

Now we dance looby, looby, looby, Shake your right hand a little, Shake your left hand a little, Shake your right foot a little, Shake your left foot a little, Shake your head a little, And turn you round about.

Children dance round first, then stop and shake the hand, &c., then turn slowly round, and then dance in a ring again.

DROP-GLOVE.

Children stand round in a circle, leaving a s.p.a.ce between each. One walks round the outside, and carries a glove in her hand, saying,

I've a glove in my hand, Hitt.i.ty Hot!

Another in my other hand, Hotter than that!

So I sow beans, and so they come up, Some in a mug, and some in a cup.

I sent a letter to my love, I lost it, I lost it!

I found it, I found it!

It burns, it scalds!

Repeating the last words very rapidly, till she drops the glove behind one of them, and whoever has the glove must overtake her, following her exactly in and out till she catches her. If the pursuer makes a mistake in the pursuit, she loses, and the game is over; otherwise she continues the game with the glove.

NETTLES GROW IN AN ANGRY BUSH.

Nettles grow in an angry bush, An angry bush, an angry bush; Nettles grow in an angry bush, With my High, Ho, Ham!

This is the way the lady goes, The lady goes, the lady goes; This is the way the lady goes, With my High, Ho, Ham!

The children dance round, singing the first three lines, turning round and clapping hands for the fourth line. They curtsey while saying "this is the way the lady goes," and again turn round and clap hands for the last line. The same process is followed in every verse, only varying what they act,-thus, in the third verse, they _bow_ for the gentleman,-

Nettles grow in an angry bush, &c.

This is the way the gentleman goes, &c.

Nettles grow in an angry bush, &c.

This is the way the tailor goes, &c.

And so the amus.e.m.e.nt is protracted _ad libitum_, with shoemaking, was.h.i.+ng the clothes, ironing, churning, milking, making up b.u.t.ter, &c.

GAME OF THE GIPSY.

One child is selected for Gipsy, one for Mother, and one for Daughter Sue. The Mother says,-

I charge my daughters every one To keep good house while I am gone.

You and _you_ (_points_) but specially _you_, [_Or sometimes_, but specially _Sue_.]

Or else I'll beat you black and blue.

During the Mother's absence, the Gipsy comes in, entices a child away, and hides her. This process is repeated till all the children are hidden, when the Mother has to find them.

GAME OF THE FOX.

One child is Fox. He has a knotted handkerchief, and a home to which he may go whenever he is tired, but while out of home he must always hop on one leg. The other children are geese, and have no home. When the Fox is coming out he says,-

The Fox gives warning It's a cold frosty morning.

After he has said these words he is at liberty to hop out, and use his knotted handkerchief. Whoever he can touch is Fox instead, but the geese run on two legs, and if the Fox puts his other leg down, he is hunted back to his home.

THE OLD DAME.

One child, called the Old Dame, sits on the floor, and the rest, joining hands, form a circle round her, and dancing, sing the following lines:

_Children._ To Beccles! to Beccles!

To buy a bunch of nettles!

Pray, Old Dame, what's o'clock?

_Dame._ One, going for two.

_Children._ To Beccles! to Beccles!

To buy a bunch of nettles!

Pray, Old Dame, what's o'clock?

_Dame._ Two, going for three.

And so on till she reaches, "Eleven going for twelve." After this the following questions are asked, with the replies.-C. Where have you been? D. To the wood. C. What for? D. To pick up sticks. C. What for? D.

To light my fire. C. What for? D. To boil my kettle. C. What for? D. To cook some of your chickens. The children then all run away as fast as they can, and the Old Dame tries to catch one of them. Whoever is caught is the next to personate the Dame.