The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 91

Where's the moo-cow?

Butcher killed it.

Where's the butcher?

Eating nuts behind the door, and you may have the nutsh.e.l.ls.

-London (Miss Dendy, from a maid-servant).

II. Please, mother, may I go a-maying?

Why, daughter, why?

Because it is my sister's birthday.

Make three pretty curtseys and walk away.

Where is your may?

I met puss, and puss met me, and puss took all my may away.

Where is puss?

Run up the wood.

Where is the wood?

Fire burnt it.

Where is the fire?

Water quenched it.

Where is the water?

Ducks have drunk it.

Where are the ducks?

Butcher killed them.

Where is the butcher?

Behind the churchyard, cracking nuts, and leaving you the sh.e.l.ls.

-Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

III. Please, mother, may we go out to play?

Yes, if you don't frighten the chickens.

No, mother, we won't frighten the chickens.

[They all go out and say, "Hus.h.!.+ hus.h.!.+" to pretended chickens.]

Where have you been?

To grandmother's.

What for?

To go on an errand.

What did you get?

Some plums.

What did you do with them?

Made a plum-pudding.

What did she give you?

A penny.

What did you do with it?

Bought a calf.

What did you do with it?

Sold it.

What did you do with the money?

Gave it to the butcher, and he gave me a penny back, and I bought some nuts with it.

What did you do with them?

Gave them to the butcher, and he's behind the churchyard cracking them, and leaving you the sh.e.l.ls.

-Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

IV. Mother, mother, may I go to play?

No, daughter, no! for fear you should stay.

Only as far as the garden gate, to gather flowers for my wedding day.

Make a fine curtsey and go your way.

[They all curtsey and scamper off, and proceed to plan some mischief. Then they return.]

Now where have you been?

Up to Uncle John's.

What for?

Half a loaf, half a cheese, and half a pound of b.u.t.ter.

Where's my share?

Up in cupboard.

'Tisn't there, then!

Then the cat eat it.

And where's the cat?

Up on the wood [_i.e._, the f.a.ggots].

And where's the wood?

Fire burnt it.

Where's the fire?

Water douted it [_i.e._, put it out].

Where's the water?

Ox drank it.

Where's the ox?

Butcher killed it.

And where's the butcher?

Behind the door cracking nuts, and you may eat the sh.e.l.ls of them if you like.

-Dorsets.h.i.+re (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 219).

V. Please may I go out to play?

How long will you stay?

Three hours in a day.

Will you come when I call you?

No.

Will you come when I fetch you?

Yes.

Make then your curtseys and be off.

The girls then scamper off as before, and as they run about the field keep calling out, "I won't go home till seven o'clock, I won't go home till seven o'clock." After they have been running about for some five or ten minutes the Mother calls Alice (or whatever the name may be) to come home, when the one addressed will run all the faster, crying louder than before, "I won't go home till seven o'clock." Then the Mother commences to chase them until she catches them, and when she gets them to any particular place in the field where the others are playing, she says-

Where have you been?

Up to grandmother's.

What have you done that you have been away so long?

I have cleaned the grate and dusted the room.

What did she give you?

A piece of bread and cheese so big as a house, and a piece of plum cake so big as a mouse.

Where's my share?

Up in higher cupboard.