The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 2 of 2): With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes, and Methods of Playing etc.Gomme, Alice Bertha
General
The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 2 of 2): With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes, and Methods of Playing etc.
Gomme, Alice Bertha
Folklore -- Great Britain; Games -- Great Britain
III. Willy, willy wallflower,
Growin’ up so high,
We are all maidens,
We shall all die.
Excepting ——,
She’s the youngest daughter,
She can hop,
She can skip,
She can turn the candlestick.
Fee, fie, shame, shame,
Turn your backs together again:—,
——, your sweetheart is dead,
He’s sent you a letter to turn back your head.
—Wakefield, Yorks (Miss Fowler).
IV. Wallflowers, wallflowers,
Growing up so high,
We young ladies, we shall die.
Except ’tis ——,
She’s the youngest daughter.
She can hop, and she can skip,
She can play the wire,
Oh for shame, fie for shame,
Turn your back and have a game.
—Hampshire (Miss E. Mendham).
V. Wally, wally wallflower,
Growing up so high—
All ye young ladies
You must all die.
Excepting ——,
She’s the best of all—
She can hop, and she can skip,
She can turn the mangle,
Oh my, fie for shame,
Turn your back to the wall again.
—Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).
VI. Wall flowers, wall flowers, growing up so high,
We are all children, and we shall all die.
Excepting ——, she’s the youngest child,
She can hop, she can skip,
She can turn the wedding ring,
Fie, fie, fie for shame,
Turn your face to the wall again.
—Nottingham (Miss Youngman).
VII. Wally, wally wall-flower,
A-growen up so high,
All we children be sure to die.
Excepting [naming the youngest]
’Cause she’s the youngest,
Oh! fie! for shame! fie! for shame!
Turn your back to the wall again.
—Symondsbury, Dorset (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 215).
VIII. Wall-flowers, wall-flowers, growing up so high,
We are all living, and we shall all die.
Except the youngest here [naming her].
Turn your back to overshed. (?)
(This last line is repeated three times.)
—Symondsbury, Dorset (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 215).
IX. Wall-flowers, wall-flowers, growing up so high!
We shall all be maidens, [and so] we shall all die![13]
Excepting _Alice Gittins_, she is the youngest flower,
She can hop, and she can skip, and she can play the hour!
Three and four, and four and five,
Turn your back to the wall-side!
_Or_,
She can dance and she can sing,
She can play on the tambourine!
Fie, fie! fie, for shame!
Turn your back upon the game!
—Ellesmere, Berrington, Wenlock (_Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 513).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account