Children's songs -- United States; Games with music
You promised to marry me six months ago,
I hold you to your bargain, "_you old rogue you_."
After a kiss, the first player takes his or her place in the ring, and
the partner selected is left to continue the game.
_Deerfield, Mass._ (about 1810).
To the same game, perhaps, belongs the following fragment:
Here stands a red rose in the ring--
Promised to marry a long time ago.
The comparison of a youth or maid to a rose is not uncommon in dances.
We have a pretty French example in the Canadian round cited below;[85]
and another English instance in our No. 62.
No. 46.
_There was a Tree Stood in the Ground._
[Illustration]
There was a tree stood in the ground,
The prettiest tree you ever did see;
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground;
And the green grass growing all round, round, round,
And the green grass growing all round.
And on this tree there was a limb,
The prettiest limb you ever did see;
The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,
And the green grass growing all round, round, round,
And the green grass growing all round.
And on this limb there was a bough,
The prettiest bough you ever did see;
The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree, etc.
And on this bough there was a twig,
The prettiest twig you ever did see;
The twig on the bough, and the bough on the limb, etc.
And on this twig there was a nest,
The prettiest nest you ever did see;
The nest on the twig, and the twig on the bough, etc.
And in this nest there were some eggs,[86]
The prettiest eggs you ever did see;
The eggs in the nest, and the nest on the twig, etc.
And in the eggs there was a bird,
The prettiest bird you ever did see;
The bird in the eggs, and the eggs in the nest, etc.
And on the bird there was a wing,
The prettiest wing you ever did see;
The wing on the bird, and the bird in the eggs, etc.
And on the wing there was a feather,
The prettiest feather you ever did see;
The feather on the wing, and the wing on the bird, etc.
And on the feather there was some down,
The prettiest down you ever did see;
The down on the feather, and the feather on the wing,
The feather on the wing, and the wing on the bird,
The wing on the bird, and the bird in the eggs,
The bird in the eggs, and the eggs in the nest,
The eggs in the nest, and the nest on the twig,
The nest on the twig, and the twig on the bough,
The twig on the bough, and the bough on the limb,
The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,
The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,
And the green grass growing all round, round, round,
And the green grass growing all round.
_Savannah, Georgia._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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