Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales Part 38

_King._ Cursed Christian! what is this thou'st done?

Thou hast ruined me, and slain my only son.

_St. George._ He gave me a challenge, why should I it deny?

How high he was, but see how low he lies!

_King._ O Hector! Hector! help me with speed, For in my life I never stood more need!

_Enter_ HECTOR.

And stand not there with sword in hand, But rise and fight at my command!

_Hector._ Yes, yes, my liege, I will obey, And by my sword I hope to win the day; If that be he who doth stand there, That slew my master's son and heir; If he be sprung from royal blood, I'll make it run like Noah's flood!

_St. George._ Hold, Hector! do not be so hot, For here thou knowest not who thou'st got, For I can tame thee of thy pride, And lay thine anger, too, aside; Inch thee, and cut thee as small as flies, And send thee over the sea to make mince-pies; Mince-pies hot, and mince-pies cold, I'll send thee to Black Sam before thou'rt three days old.

_Hector._ How canst thou tame me of my pride, And lay mine anger, too, aside?

Inch me, and cut me as small as flies, Send me over the sea to make mince-pies?

Mince-pies hot, mince-pies cold; How canst thou send me to Black Sam before I'm three days old?

Since my head is made of iron, My body's made of steel, My hands and feet of knuckle-bone, I challenge thee to field.

[_They fight, and_ Hector _is wounded._

I am a valiant knight, and Hector is my name, Many b.l.o.o.d.y battles have I fought, and always won the same; But from St. George I received this b.l.o.o.d.y wound.

(_A trumpet sounds._) Hark, hark! I hear the silver trumpet sound, Down yonder is the way (_pointing_).

Farewell, St. George, I can no longer stay. [_Exit._

_Enter_ FOOL.

_St. George._ He comes from post, old Bold Ben.

_Fool._ Why, master, did ever I take you to be my friend?

_St. George._ Why, Jack, did ever I do thee any harm?

_Fool._ Thou proud saucy c.o.xcomb, begone!

_St. George._ A c.o.xcomb! I defy that name!

With a sword thou ought to be stabbed for the same.

_Fool._ To be stabbed is the least I fear!

Appoint your time and place, I'll meet you there.

_St. George._ I'll cross the water at the hour of five, And meet you there, sir, if I be alive. [_Exit._

_Enter_ BEELZEBUB.

Here come I, Beelzebub, And over my shoulders I carry my club; And in my hand a dripping-pan, And I think myself a jolly old man; And if you don't believe what I say, Enter in, Devil Doubt, and clear the way.

_Enter_ DEVIL DOUBT.

Here come I, little Devil Doubt, If you do not give me money, I'll sweep you all out: Money I want, and money I crave; If you do not give me money I'll sweep you all to the grave.

NEW YEAR'S DAY.

G.o.d bless the master of this house, The mistress also, And all the little children That round the table go; And all your kin and kinsmen, That dwell both far and near; I wish you a merry Christmas, And a happy new year.

_Wa.s.sel or Wa.s.sal._-A remnant of this part of our Saxon manners still exists at Yarmouth, and strange to say, in no other part of the Isle of Wight. On the first day of the new year the children collect together and sing wa.s.sel or wa.s.sal through the streets; the following is their song (see p. 249):

Wa.s.sal, wa.s.sal, to our town!

The cup is white and the ale is brown; The cup is made of the ashen tree, And so is the ale of the good barley; Little maid, little maid, turn the pin, Open the door and let us come in; G.o.d be here, G.o.d be there.

I wish you all a happy new year!

TWELFTH-NIGHT.

The following verses are said to be in some way or other connected with the amus.e.m.e.nts of this festival. They refer probably to the choosing the king and the queen on Twelfth-night:

Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green, When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen: Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?

'Twas mine own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.

Call up your men, dilly dilly, set them to work, Some with a rake, dilly dilly, some with a fork; Some to make hay, dilly dilly, some to thresh corn, Whilst you and I, dilly dilly, keep ourselves warm.

If you should die, dilly dilly, as it may hap, You shall be buried, dilly dilly, under the tap; Who told you so, dilly dilly, pray tell me why?

That you might drink, dilly dilly, when you are dry.

Another version may be given for the sake of adding the traditional tune to which it was sung:

[Ill.u.s.tration: Song with musical symbols, shown here as an Abc-notation; see Transcriber's Note.]

t.i.tle: Lavender blue.

Time signature: 6/8.

Default note length: 1/16.

Key: C.

c2 c2 d2 c2 _B A G F Lavender blue, fiddle faddle,

f2 e2 d2 c3 Lavender green.

c2 c2 d2 c2 _B A G F When I am king, fiddle faddle,

G2 G2 A2 G3 You shall be queen.

c2 e2 d2 c2 A A A A Call up your men, fiddle faddle;

c2 e2 d2 c3 Set them to work-

c2 =B2 A2 G2 C C C C Some with a rake, fiddle faddle-

c2 d2 =B2 c3 Some with a fork-