The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 80

Stamp your foot and let her go!

-Clun (Burne's _Shrops.h.i.+re Folk-lore_, pp. 518-19).

VI. London Bridge is broken down, Broken down, broken down, London Bridge is broken down, My fair lady.

Build it up with iron bars, Iron bars, iron bars, Build it up with iron bars, My fair lady.

[Then follow verses with the same refrain, beginning with-]

 

Build it up with pins and needles.

Pins and needles rust and bend.

Build it up with penny loaves.

Penny loaves will tumble down.

Here's a prisoner I have got.

What's the prisoner done to you?

Stole my watch and broke my chain.

What will you take to let him out?

Ten hundred pounds will let him out.

Ten hundred pounds we have not got.

Then off to prison he must go.

-Kent (Miss Dora Kimball).

VII. London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady.

Build it up with mortar and bricks, Mortar and bricks, mortar and bricks, Build it up with mortar and bricks, My fair lady.

[Then follow verses in the same style and with the same refrain, beginning with-]

Bring some water, we'll wash it away.

Build it up with silver and gold.

Silver and gold will be stolen away.

We'll set a man to watch at night.

Suppose the man should fall asleep?

Give him a pipe of tobacco to smoke.

Suppose the pipe should fall and break?

We'll give him a bag of nuts to crack.

Suppose the nuts were rotten and bad?

We'll give him a horse to gallop around, &c.

-Enborne School, Berks (M. Kimber).

VIII. London Bridge is broken down, Gran says the little D, London Bridge is broken down, Fair la-dy.

Build it up with lime and stone, Gran says the little D, Build it up with lime and stone, Fair la-dy.

[Then follow verses beginning with the following lines-]

Lime and stone would waste away.

Build it up with penny loaves.

Penny loaves would be eaten away.

Build it up with silver and gold.

Silver and gold would be stolen away.

Get a man to watch all night.

If the man should fall asleep?

Set a dog to bark all night.

If the dog should meet a bone?

Set a c.o.c.k to crow all night.

If the c.o.c.k should meet a hen?

Here comes my Lord Duke, And here comes my Lord John; Let every one pa.s.s by but the very last one, And catch him if you can.

-Cork (Mrs. B. B. Green).

IX. London Bridge is broken down, Broken down, broken down, London Bridge is broken down, My fair lady.

[Other verses commence with one of the following lines, and are sung in the same manner-]

Build it up with penny loaves.