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
There is no description of the way this game is played, but it is
evidently a similar game to “Ring-a-Ring o’ Roses.”
Ringie, Ringie, Red Belt
Take a small splint of wood, kindle it, and when it is burning turn it
rapidly round in a circle, repeating the words—
Ringie, ringie, Red Belt, rides wi’ the king,
Nae a penny in’s purse t’buy a gold ring.
Bow—ow—ow, fat dog art thou,
Tam Tinker’s dog, bow—ow—ow.
—Corgarff (Rev. W. Gregor).
This goes by the name of “Willie Wogie” at Keith, but no words are
repeated as the splint is whirled.
See “Jack’s Alive.”
Ring-me-rary
I. Ring me (1), ring me (2), ring me rary (3),
As I go round (4) ring by ring (5),
A virgin (6) goes a-maying (7);
Here’s a flower (8), and there’s a flower (9),
Growing in my lady’s garden (10).
If you set your foot awry (11),
Gentle John will make you cry (12);
If you set your foot amiss (13),
Gentle John (14) will give you a kiss.
This [lady or gentleman] is none of ours,
Has put [him or her] self in [child’s name] power;
So clap all hands and ring all bells, and make the wedding
o’er.
—Halliwell’s _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 67.
II. As I go round ring by ring,
A maiden goes a-maying;
And here’s a flower, and there’s a flower,
As red as any daisy.
If you set your foot amiss,
Gentle John will give you a kiss.
—Halliwell’s _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 125.
(_b_) A number of boys and girls stand round one in the middle, who
repeats the lines, counting the children until one is counted out by the
end of the verse. The child upon whom (14) falls is then taken out and
forced to select one of the other sex. The middle child then proceeds to
say the three last lines. All the children clap hands during the saying
(or singing) of the last line. If the child taken by lot joins in the
clapping, the selected child is rejected, and, I believe, takes the
middle place. Otherwise, I think there is a salute.—Halliwell.
(_c_) This game is recorded by no authority except Halliwell, and no
version has reached me, so that I suppose it is now obsolete. It is a
very good example of the oldest kind of game, choosing partners or
lovers by the “lot,” and may be a relic of the May-day festival, when
the worship of Flora was accompanied by rites of marriage not in accord
with later ideas.
Ring-taw
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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