II. How many miles to Babylon? Three score and ten. Will we be there by candle-light? Yes, and back again. Open your gates and let us go through. Not without a beck and a boo. There’s a beck, and there’s a boo, Open your gates and let us go through. —Nairn, Scotland (Rev. W. Gregor). III. How far to Banbury Cross? Four score and ten. Can I get there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs are long and light. Please to let me go? Not without you bend and bow [pronounced bo]. Here’s my bend [curtseys], And here’s my bow [touches forehead], Now will you let me go? —Fernham and Longcot (Miss I. Barclay). IV. How many miles to Babylon? Three score and ten. Can we get there by candle-light? Yes, and back again. Open your gates as wide as you can, And let King George and his family go through. Not without a back, not without a bow, Not without a curtsey, and then I’ll let you through. —South Shields (Miss Blair). V. How many miles to Babylon? Three score and ten. Can I get there o’ candle-light? There and back again. Here’s my black [raising one foot], And here’s my blue [raising the other], Open the gates and let me through. —Annaverna, Ravendale, co. Louth, Ireland (Miss R. Stephen). VI. How many miles to Barney Bridge? Three score and ten. Will I be there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs are long. A curtsey to you, another to you, If you please will you let the king’s horses go through? Yes, but take care of your hindmost man. —Belfast (W. H. Patterson). VII. How many miles to Gandigo? Eighty-eight almost, or quite. Can I [we] get there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs are long and light. Open the gate as high as the sky, And let the king and his queen go by. —Dorsetshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 230, 231). VIII. How many miles to Banbury? Three score and ten. Can I get there by candle-light? Yes, and back again. But mind the old witch doesn’t catch you. —London (Miss Dendy). IX. How many miles to Barley Bridge? Three score and ten. Can I get there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs be long. A courtesy to you, and a courtesy to you, If you please will you let the king’s horses through? Through and through shall they go, For the king’s sake; But the one that is the hindmost Will meet with a great mistake. —Halliwell’s _Popular Rhymes_, p. 217.