Whom she be I do not know;
I'll go court her for my beauty,
Whether she say me yea or nay.
Madam, to thee I humbly bow and bend.
Sir, I take thee not to be my friend.
Oh, if the good fairy doesn't come I shall die.
--Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 387).
II. There stands a lady on yonder hill,
Who she is I cannot tell;
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Whether she answers me yes or no.
Madam, I bow vounce to thee.
Sir, have I done thee any harm?
Coxconian!
Coxconian is not my name; 'tis Hers and Kers, and Willis and
Cave.
Stab me, ha! ha! little I fear. Over the waters there are but
nine, I'll meet you a man alive. Over the waters there are
but ten, I'll meet you there five thousand.
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
You're only in a trance;
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
And we will have a dance.
--Lady C. Gurdon's _Suffolk County Folk-lore_, p. 65.
(_b_) In the Suffolk game the children form a ring, a boy and girl being
in the centre. The boy is called a gentleman and the girl a lady. The
gentleman commences by singing the first verse. Then they say
alternately the questions and answers. When the gentleman says the lines
commencing, "Stab me," he pretends to stab the lady, who falls on the
ground. Then he walks round the lady and sings the last verse, "Rise
up," and lifts up the lady. In the Derbyshire game only three children
play, the lover, lady, and fairy. The girl stands a little distance off.
The lover says the first four lines, then approaches the lady, falls on
one knee, and says the next line. The lady replies, and retires further
away. The lover then falls on the ground and says the next line. As this
is said the good fairy appears, touches the fallen lover with her hand,
and he is immediately well again.
(_c_) This is a curious game, and is perhaps derived from a ballad which
had been popular from some more or less local circumstance, or more
probably it may be a portion of an old play acted in booths at fair
times by strolling players. It is not, as far as I can find out, played
in any other counties. The lines--
Over the water at the hour of ten,
I'll meet you with five thousand men;
Over the water at the hour of five,
I'll meet you there if I'm alive,
are portions of a dialogue familiar to Mr. Emslie, and also occur in
some mumming plays. It may also be noted that the curing of illness or
death from a stab is an incident in these plays, as is also the method
of playing. The first lines are similar to those of "Lady on the
Mountain," which see.
Lag
A number of boys put marbles in a ring, and then they all bowl at the
ring. The one who gets nearest has the first shot at the marbles. He has
the option of either "knuckling doon" and shooting at the ring from the
prescribed mark, or "ligging up" (lying up)--that is, putting his taw so
near the ring that if the others miss his taw, or miss the marbles in
the ring, he has the game all to himself next time. If, however, he is
hit by the others, he is said to be "killed."--Addy's _Sheffield
Glossary_.
Lammas
A party of boys take a few straws, and endeavour to hold one between
the chin and the turned-down under-lip, pronouncing the following
rhyme--
I bought a beard at Lammas fair,
It's a' awa' but ae hair;
Wag, beardie, wag!
He who repeats this oftenest without dropping the straw is held to have
won the game (Chambers' _Popular Rhymes_, p. 115). This game-rhyme has
an interesting reference to Lammas, and it may also refer to the hiring
of servants. Brockett (_North Country Words_, p. 221) says, "At a fair
or market where country servants are hired, those who offer themselves
stand in the market-place with a piece of straw or green branch in their
mouths to distinguish them."
Lamploo
A goal having been selected and bounds determined, the promoters used to
prepare the others by calling at the top of their voices--
Lamp! Lamp! Laa-o!
Those that don't run shan't play-o!
Then one of the "spryest" lads is elected to commence, thus:--First
touching the goal with his foot or leaning against it, and clasping his
hands so as to produce the letter W in the dumb alphabet, he pursues the
other players, who are not so handicapped, when, if he succeeds in
touching one without unclasping his hands, they both make a rush for the
goal. Should either of the other boys succeed in overtaking one of these
before reaching that spot, he has the privilege of riding him home
pick-a-back. Then these two boys (_i.e._, the original pursuer and the
one caught), joining hands, carry on the game as before, incurring a
similar penalty in case of being overtaken as already described. Each
successive boy, as he is touched by the pursuers, has to make for the
goal under similar risks, afterwards clasping hands with the rest, and
forming a new recruit in the pursuing gang, in whose chain the outside
players alone have the privilege of touching and thus adding to their
numbers. Should the chain at any time be broken, or should the original
pursuer unclasp his hands, either by design or accident, the penalty of
carrying a capturer to the goal is incurred and always enforced. In West
Somerset the pursuing boys after starting were in the habit of crying
out the word "Brewerre" or "Brewarre;" noise appearing to be quite as
essential to the game as speed.--_Somerset and Dorset Notes and
Queries_, i. 186 (1888).
Another correspondent to the same periodical (i. 204) says that an
almost identical game was played at the King's School, Sherborne, some
fifty years ago. It was called "King-sealing," and the pursuing boy was
obliged by the rules to retain his hold of the boy seized until he had
uttered--
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
You are one of the king-sealer's men.
If the latter succeeded in breaking away before the couplet was
finished, the capture was incomplete.
The second game described is almost identical with "King Cæsar," played
at Barnes.
About twenty years ago the game was common in some parts of Bedfordshire
and Hertfordshire, where it was sometimes called "Chevy
Chase."--_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 233.
See "Chickidy Hand," "Hunt the Staigie," "King Cæsar," "Whiddy."
Lang Larence
That is, "Long Lawrence," an instrument marked with signs, a sort of
teetotum. A "Long Lawrence" is about three inches long, something like a
short ruler with eight sides; occasionally they have but four. On one
side are ten x's, or crosses, forming a kind of lattice-work; on the
next, to the left, three double cuts, or strokes, passing straight
across in the direction of the breadth; on the third, a zig-zag of three
strokes one way, and two or three the other, forming a W, with an
additional stroke or a triple V; on the fourth, three single bars, one
at each end and one in the middle, as in No. 2, where they are doubled;
then the four devices are repeated in the same order. The game, formerly
popular at Christmas, can be played by any number of persons. Each has a
bank of pins or other small matters. A pool is formed; then in turn each
rolls the "Long Lawrence." If No. 1 comes up the player cries "Flush,"
and takes the pool; if No. 2, he puts down two pins; if No. 3, he says
"Lave all," and neither takes nor gives; if No. 4, he picks up one. The
sides are considered to bear the names, "Flush," "Put doan two," "Lave
all," "Sam up one." It has been suggested that the name "Lawrence" may
have arisen from the marks scored on the instrument, not unlike the bars
of a gridiron, on which the saint perished.--_Easthers's Almondbury
Glossary._
See "Teetotum."
Leap Candle
The young girls in and about Oxford have a sport called "Leap Candle,"
for which they set a candle in the middle of a room in a candlestick,
and then draw up their coats into the form of breeches, and dance over
the candle back and forth, saying the words--
The taylor of Bicester he has but one eye,
He cannot cut a pair of green galagaskins
If he were to die.
This sport, in other parts, is called "Dancing the Candlerush" (Aubrey's
_Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme_, p. 45). Halliwell (_Rhymes_, p.
65) has a rhyme--
Jack be nimble,
And Jack be quick,
And Jack jump over
The candlestick,
which may refer to this game. Northall (_Folk Rhymes_, p. 412) says in
Warwickshire a similar game is called "Cock and Breeches."
Leap-frog
One boy stoops down sideways, with his head bent towards his body, as
low as possible. This is called "Tucking in your Tuppeny." Another boy
takes a flying leap over the "frog," placing his hands on his back to
help himself over. He then proceeds to a distance of some four or five
yards, and, in his turn, stoops in the same manner as the first boy, as
another frog. A third boy then leaps first over frog No. 1, and then
over frog No. 2, taking his place as frog No. 3, at about the same
distance onwards. Any number of boys may play in the game. After the
last player has taken his leap over all the frogs successively, frog No.
1 has his turn and leaps over his companions, taking his place as the
last in the line of frogs. Then No. 2 follows suit, and so on, the whole
line of players in course of time covering a good distance.--London (G.
L. Gomme).
Leap-frog is known in Cornwall as "Leap the Long-mare" (_Folk-lore
Journal_, v. 60), and in Antrim and Down as "Leap the Bullock"
(Patterson's _Glossary_).
See "Accroshay," "Loup the Bullocks," "Spanish Fly."
Leap the Bullock
See "Leap-frog," "Loup the Bullocks."
Leaves are Green
The leaves are green, the nuts are brown,
They hang so high they will not come down;
Leave them alone till frosty weather,
Then they will all come down together.
--Berkshire (Miss Thoyts, _Antiquary_, xxvii. 254).
These lines are sung while the children dance round in a circle. When
the last words are sung, the children flop down upon the ground. The
tune sung is, Miss Thoyts says, that of "Nuts in May."
Lend Me your Key
Please will you lend us your key?
What for?
Please, our hats are in the garden.
Yes, if you won't steal any beans.
Please, we've brought the key back; will you lend us your
frying-pan?
What to do with?
To fry some beans.
Where have you got them?
Out of your garden.
--Earls Heaton (H. Hardy).
One child represents an old woman, and the other players carry on the
dialogue with her. At the end of the dialogue the children are chased by
the old woman.
See "Mother, Mother, may I go out to Play," "Witch."
Letting the Buck out
This game was played seventy years ago. A ring being formed, the "Buck"
inside has to break out, and reach his "home," crying "Home!" before he
can be caught and surrounded. Afterwards these words were sung--
Circle: Who comes here?
Buck: Poor Johnny Lingo.
Circle: Don't steal none of my black sheep, Johnny Lingo,
For if you do
I shall put you in the pinder pin-fold.
--Stixwold, Lines. (Miss M. Peacock).
See "Who goes round my Stone Wall?"
Level-coil
Nares, in his _Glossary_, says this is "a game of which we seem to know
no more than that the loser in it was to give up his place to be
occupied by another." Minshew gives it thus: "To play at _levell coil_,
G. jouer à cul levé: _i.e._, to play and lift up your taile when you
have lost the game, and let another sit down in your place." Coles, in
his _English Dictionary_, seems to derive it from the Italian _leva il
culo_, and calls it also "Pitch-buttock." In his _Latin Dictionary_ he
has "_level-coil_, alternation, cession;" and "to play at _level coil_,
vices ludendi præbere." Skinner is a little more particular and says,
"Vox tesseris globulosis ludentium propria:" an expression belonging to
a game played with little round tesseræ. He also derives it from French
and Italian. It is mentioned by Jonson, _Tale of a Tub_, iii. 2:--
"Young Justice Bramble has kept _level-coyl_
Here in our quarters, stole away our daughter."
Gifford says that, in our old dramatists, it implies riot and
disturbance. The same sport is mentioned by Sylvester, _Dubartas_, IV.
iv. 2, under the name of _level-sice_:--
"By tragick death's device
Ambitious hearts do play at _level-sice_."
In the margin we have this explanation: "A kinde of Christmas play,
wherein each hunteth the other from his seat. The name seems derived
from the French _levez sus_, in English, arise up." Halliwell's
_Dictionary_ says that Skelton, ii. 31, spells it _levell suse_.
Libbety, Libbety, Libbety-lat
A child stands before a hassock, and as if he were going up stairs, he
puts on it first his right and then his left foot, gradually quickening
his steps, keeping time to the words--
Libbety, libbety, libbety-lat,
Who can do this? and who can do that?
And who can do anything better than that?
--Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 59).
Limpy Coley
A boy's game undescribed.--Patterson's _Antrim and Down Glossary_.
Little Dog I call you
A number of girls stand in a line with their backs to a wall. One of
their number is sent away to a distance, but remains within call.
Another girl, who stands in front of the line, asks the girls one by one
what they would like if they could obtain their desires. After she has
asked every one, she tells them to turn their faces to the wall, and
calls after the girl who was sent away, saying, "Little Dog, I call
you." The girl replies, "I shan't come to please you." "I'll get a stick
and make you," is the rejoinder. "I don't care for that." "I've got a
rice pudding for you." "I shan't come for that." "I've got a dish of
bones." "I'll come for that." The Dog then comes. The girls have been
previously told not to laugh whilst the one who stands out is talking to
the Dog. Then the girl says to the Dog--
All the birds in the air,
All the fishes in the sea,
Come and pick me out (for example)
The girl with the golden ball.
If the girl who desired the golden ball laughs, the Dog picks her out.
If nobody laughs, he guesses who the girl is that has wished for the
golden ball. If the Dog guesses correctly, she goes and stands behind
him, and if he guesses incorrectly she goes and stands behind the one
who has been asking the questions. They continue this until they get to
the last girl or girl at the end of the row, who _must_ have desired to
be--
A brewer or a baker,
Or a candlestick maker,
Or a penknife maker.
Then the questioner says--
All the birds in the air,
All the fishes in the sea,
Come pick me out
A brewer or a baker,
Or a candlestick maker,
Or penknife maker.
If the Dog guesses the right one, he takes that girl on his side, she
standing behind him. Then they draw a line and each side tries to pull
the other over it.--Sheffield (S. O. Addy). The game, it will be seen,
differs in several ways from the other games of "Fool, Fool, come to
School" type. The "fool" becomes a definite Dog, and the players _wish_
for any thing they choose; the Dog has apparently to find out their
wishes.
See "All the Birds," "Fool, Fool."
Lobber
There are three or more players on each side, two stones or holes as
stations, and one Lobber. The Lobber lobs either a stick about three
inches long or a ball--(the ball seems to be a new institution, as a
stick was always formerly used)--while the batsman defends the stone or
hole with either a short stick or his hand. Every time the stick or ball
is hit, the boys defending the stones or holes must change places. Each
one is out if the stick or ball lodges in the hole or hits the stone; or
if the ball or stone is caught; or if it can be put in the hole or hits
the stone while the boys are changing places. This game is also played
with two Lobbers, that lob alternately from each end. The game is won by
a certain number of runs.--Ireland (_Folk-lore Journal_, ii. 264).
See "Cat," "Cudgel," "Kit-Cat," "Rounders."
Loggats
An old game, forbidden by statute in Henry VIII.'s time. It is thus
played, according to Stevens. A stake is fixed in the ground; those who
play throw Loggats at it, and he that is nearest the stake wins.
Loggats, or loggets, are also small pieces or logs of wood, such as the
country people throw at fruit that cannot otherwise be reached.
"Loggats, little logs or wooden pins, a play the same with ninepins, in
which the boys, however, often made use of bones instead of wooden pins"
(Dean Miles' MS.; Halliwell's _Dictionary_). Strutt refers to this game
(_Sports_, p. 272).
London
A diagram (similar to Fig. 9 in "Hopscotch") is drawn on a slate, and
two children play. A piece of paper or small piece of glass or china,
called a "chipper," is used to play with. This is placed at the bottom
of the plan, and if of _paper_, is _blown_ gently towards the top; if of
glass or china, it is _nicked_ with the _fingers_. The first player
blows the paper, and in whichever space the paper stops makes a small
round [o] with a slate pencil, to represent a man's head. The paper or
chipper is then put into the starting-place again, and the same player
blows, and makes another "man's head" in the space where the paper
stops. This is continued until all the spaces are occupied. If the paper
goes a second time into a space already occupied by a "head," the player
adds a larger round to the "head," to represent a "body;" if a third
time, a stroke is drawn for a leg, and if a fourth time, another is
added for the second leg; this completes a "man." If three complete men
in one space can be gained, the player makes "arms;" that is, two lines
are drawn from the figures across the space to the opposite side of the
plan. This occupies that space, and prevents the other player from
putting any "men" in it, or adding to any already there. When all the
spaces are thus occupied by one player, the game is won. Should the
paper be blown on to a line or _outside_ the plan, the player is out;
the other player then begins, and makes as many "men" in her turn, until
she goes on a line or outside. Should the paper go into "London," the
player is entitled to make a "head" in every space, or to add another
mark to those already there.--Westminster (A. B. Gomme). This game
resembles one described by F. H. Low in _Strand Mag._, ii. 516.
London Bridge
[Music]
--Wrotham, Kent (Miss D. Kimball)
[Music]
--Rimbault's _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 34.
[Music]
--Enborne School, Berks. (Miss M. Kimber).
I. London Bridge is broken down,
Grant said the little bee,[4]
London Bridge is broken down,
Where I'd be.
Stones and lime will build it up,
Grant said the little bee,
Stones and lime will build it up,
Where I'd be.
Get a man to watch all night,
Grant said the little bee,
Get a man to watch all night,
Where I'd be.
Perhaps that man might fall asleep,
Grant said the little bee,
Perhaps that man might fall asleep,
Where I'd be.
Get a dog to watch all night,
Grant said the little bee,
Get a dog to watch all night,
Where I'd be.
If that dog should run away,
Grant said the little bee,
If that dog should run away,
Where I'd be.
Give that dog a bone to pick,
Grant said the little bee,
Give that dog a bone to pick,
Where I'd be.
--Belfast, Ireland (W. H. Patterson).
II. London Bridge is broken down,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady.
How shall we build it up again?
Dance o'er my lady lee,
How shall we build it up again?
With a gay lady.
Silver and gold will be stole away,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Silver and gold will be stole away,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with iron and steel,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Build it up with iron and steel,
With a gay lady.
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Build it up with wood and clay,
With a gay lady.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Wood and clay will wash away,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with stone so strong,
Dance o'er my lady lee,
Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,
With a gay lady.
--[London][5] (Halliwell's _Nursery Rhymes_, clii.).
III. London Bridge is broaken down,
Is broaken down, is broaken down,
London Bridge is broaken down,
My fair lady.
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
My fair lady.
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
Will not stay, will not stay,
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
My fair lady.
Build it up with penny loaves,
Penny loaves, penny loaves,
Build it up with penny loaves,
My fair lady.
Penny loaves will mould away,
Mould away, mould away,
Penny loaves will mould away,
My fair lady.
What have this poor prisoner done,
Prisoner done, prisoner done,
What have this poor prisoner done?
My fair lady.
Stole my watch and lost my key,
Lost my key, lost my key,
Stole my watch and lost my key,
My fair lady.
Off to prison you must go,
You must go, you must go,
Off to prison you must go,
My fair lady.
--Liphook, Hants (Miss Fowler).
IV. Where are these great baa-lambs going,
Baa-lambs going, baa-lambs going,
Where are these great baa-lambs going?
My fair lady.
We are going to London Bridge,
London Bridge, London Bridge,
We are going to London Bridge,
My fair lady.
London Bridge is broken down,
Broken down, broken down,
London Bridge is broken down,
My fair lady.
[Then verses follow, sung in the same way and with the same refrain,
beginning with--]
Mend it up with penny loaves.
Penny loaves will wash away.
Mend it up with pins and needles.
Pins and needles they will break.
Mend it up with bricks and mortar,
Bricks and mortar, that will do.
[After these verses have been sung--]
What has this great prisoner done,
Prisoner done, prisoner done,
What has this great prisoner done?
My fair lady.
Stole a watch and lost the key,
Lost the key, lost the key,
Stole a watch and lost the key,
My fair lady.
Off to prison you must go,
You must go, you must go,
Off to prison you must go,
My fair lady.
--Hurstmonceux, Sussex (Miss Chase).
V. Over London Bridge we go,
Over London Bridge we go,
Over London Bridge we go,
Gay ladies, gay!
London Bridge is broken down,
London Bridge is broken down,
London Bridge is broken down,
Gay ladies, gay!
Build it up with lime and sand,
Build it up with lime and sand,
Build it up with lime and sand,
Gay ladies, gay!
[Then follow verses sung in the same manner and with the same refrain,
beginning with--]
Lime and sand will wash away.
Build it up with penny loaves.
Penny loaves'll get stole away.
O, what has my poor prisoner done?
Robbed a house and killed a man.
What will you have to set her free?
Fourteen pounds and a wedding gown.
Stamp your foot and let her go!
--Clun (Burne's _Shropshire 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 cock to crow all night.
If the cock should meet a hen?
Here comes my Lord Duke,
And here comes my Lord John;
Let every one pass 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.