The game of _Sally Waters_ calls for further comment. In this game, as already mentioned, the players stand in a circle, boy and girl alternately choose a partner, while the friends stand around and chant the verses. In these lies the interest of the game. For these words in the fifty variations collected by Mrs. Gomme, all give expression to the same sequence of ideas. There is the call to Sally to go through the ceremony of sprinkling the pan or watering the can. This is followed by a chorus that urges that a choice be made. When this is made and sealed by joining hands, or by kneeling, or by a kiss, the chorus utters wishes for a prosperous union. Similar traits appear in the games known as _Pretty Little Girl of Mine_, _The Lady of the Mountain_, and _Kiss in the Ring_, which, in a less pronounced form, give expression to the same ideas. The verses used in playing _Sally Waters_ in Dorsetshire are among the most meaningful, and stand as follows:-- Sally, Sally Waters, sprinkle in the pan, Rise, Sally; rise, Sally, and choose a young man; Choose [_or_ bow] to the east, choose [_or_ bow] to the west [_Or_ choose for the best one, choose for the worst one], Choose the pretty girl [_or_ young man] that you love best. And now you're married, I wish you joy, First a girl and then a boy; Seven years after son and daughter, And now young people, jump over the water. (1894, Nr. 1.) These verses and the fact that _Sally Waters_ is related to the Cushion Dance that is danced at weddings, render it probable that _Sally Waters_ originated in a marriage celebration of heathen times. The formula in the Dorsetshire version of the game concludes with a direction to the young couple to "jump over the water." In the Somersetshire version the direction is "kiss each other and come out of the water" (1894, No. 3); in the Shropshire variation, "kiss and shake hands and come out" (1894, No. 14); in the London variation, "kiss before you go out of the water." (Appendix.) Dipping was an accepted ceremonial during heathen times, which recovered or revealed a person's true identity as in the case of Tam Linn, or of the suspected witch who was thrown into the water. Dipping constituted part of definite celebrations. For the ceremonial of "dipping" formed part of the May-Day festival as it was kept in Northampton, while in Cornwall the saying is current: "The first of May is dipping day" (1876, p. 235). May-Day was a great day for contracting matrimonial alliances in the heathen past, and is at present avoided because of its riotous associations.