It rains, it hails, it's cold stormy weather,
In comes the farmer drinking all the cider;
You be the reaping-boy and I'll be the binder;
I've lost my true love, and don't know where to find her.
Each girl then lets go of her partner's arm, and takes the arm of the
one in advance, and the solitary player endeavors meanwhile to slip
into the line.
The following is a variation:
It snows and it blows, and it's cold frosty weather,
Here comes the farmer drinking all his cider;
I'll be the reaper, who'll be the binder?
I've lost my true love, where shall I find her?
It is played by children in New York city as a kissing-game in the ring,
as follows:
[Illustration]
In comes the farmer, drinking all the cider;
I have a true love and don't know where to find her.
Go round the ring, and see if you can find her;
If you cannot find her, go and choose another one.
We meet our game once more in North Germany. But its prettiest form is
among the Fins of the Baltic coast, where it is extremely pleasing and
pastoral:
Reap we the oat harvest,
Who will come and bind it?
Ah, perhaps his darling,
Treasure of his bosom.
Where have I last seen her?
Yesterday at evening,
Yesterday at morning!
When will she come hither,
With her little household,
With her gentle escort,
People of her village?
Who has not a partner,
Let him pay a forfeit!
It is a remarkable fact that, even where this simple people have
borrowed the dramatic idea of an amusement from their more civilized
neighbors, they have developed it with a sweetness and grace which put
the latter to shame.
No. 23.
_As We Go Round the Mulberry Bush._
[Illustration]
As we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush;
As we go round the mulberry bush,
So early in the morning.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
All of a Monday morning.
This is the way we iron our clothes,
All of a Tuesday morning.
This is the way we scrub our floor,
All of a Wednesday morning.
This is the way we mend our clothes,
All of a Thursday morning.
This is the way we sweep the house,
All of a Friday morning.
This is the way we bake our bread,
All of a Saturday morning.
This is the way we go to church,
All of a Sunday morning.