The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2): With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.Gomme, Alice Bertha
History
The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2): With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.
Gomme, Alice Bertha
Folklore -- Great Britain; Games -- Great Britain
Where shall the father sleep?
Sleep in the servants’ bed.
Where shall the servants sleep?
Sleep in the pig-sty.
Where shall the pig sleep?
Sleep in the washing-tub.
What shall I wash in?
Wash in a thimble.
The shirts won’t go in.
Wash by the river side.
Supposing if I fall in?
Good job too!
—Hartley Wintney, Winchfield, Hants (H. S. May).
XII. Mother, buy the milk-pail, mother, dear mother of mine.
Where’s the money to come from, children, dear children of
mine?
Sell father’s feather bed, mother, dear mother of mine.
Where’s your father to sleep in?
Father can sleep in the servant’s bed.
Where’s the servant to sleep in?
Servant can sleep in the pig-sty.
Where’s the pig to sleep in?
The pig can sleep in the wash-tub.
Where shall we wash our clothes?
Wash our clothes at the sea-side.
If our clothes should swim away?
Then take a boat and go after them.
O what should we do if the boat should sink?
O then we should all of us be at an end.
—Swaffham, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).
XIII. We want to buy a wash-pan, wash-pan, wash-pan,
We want to buy a wash-pan, early in the morning.
Where will you get the money from, money from, money from?
We’ll sell my father’s feather bed, feather bed, feather bed.
Where will your father sleep?
Father’ll sleep in the boys’ bed.
Where will the boys sleep?
Boys will sleep in the girls’ bed.
Where will the girls sleep?
Girls will sleep in the pig-sty.
Where will the pigs sleep?
Pigs will sleep in the washing-pan.
—Cowes, Isle of Wight (Miss E. Smith)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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