[37] The ending is like ours--
"Prenez la plus jolie de toutes."
"Voilà la plus jolie de toutes."
[38]
Eco la Nina al campo--fra tanti suoni e canti;
Eco la Nina al campo--olà, olà, olà.
Faciamo un bel' inchino--profondo al suo rispeto;
Faciamo un bel' inchino--olà, olà, olà.
[39] A New Hampshire fragment has here,
"The _scornful maid_, she won't come out,"
which seems more genuine.
[40] An English variety, printed a century since in "Gammer Gurton's
Garland," has as the first line of the refrain,
_My-a-dildin, my-a-daldin_;
and as the alternate line,
_Lily white and shine-a_.
The last phrase comes to us as the fragment of a game in Massachusetts,
about 1800. We are reminded of the songs of Autolycus in "A Winter's
Tale," "with such delicate burdens of _dildos_ and fadings."
[41] Here verses may be improvised at pleasure; for instance, said the
little reciter,
"I'll give to you a dress of black,
A green silk apron and a white cap,
If you will marry," etc.
[42] In the English version "to ring up _your maidens_."
[43] Variation: "Here comes an old woman from Sunderland," or
"Cumberland."
[44] In Canada the game goes:
J'ai tant d'enfants à marier!
J'ai tant d'enfants à marier!
Grand Dieu! je n' sais comment
Pouvoir en marier tant.
Mademoiselle, on parle à vous;
On dit que vous aimez beaucoup;
Si c'est vrai que vous aimez,
Entrez dans la danse, entrez!
[45] See Note; also No. 154, and Note.
[46] Usually plural.
[47] Or, dialectically, "every one his true lover _sarching_."
[48] "Were his men like him, he'd command a regiment of Damons and
_Philanders_."--"Two Faces under One Hood," by Thomas Dibdin.
[49] From another version.
[50] As Lodge has it--
Footing it featlie on the grassie ground,
These damsels circling with their brightsome faires--
[51] Fifty years ago the corresponding French game was still played as
a "game of society"--
Eh! qui marirons-nous?
Mademoiselle, ce sera vous:
Entrez dans la danse;
J'aimerai qui m'aimera, j'aimerai qui m'aime.