Shropshire.
It is customary, says a correspondent of N. & Q. (1st S. vol. iv. p. 381) for the village children to go round to all their neighbours Souling, collecting contributions, and singing the following doggrel:—
“Soul! soul! for a soul-cake;
Pray, good mistress, for a soul-cake.
One for Peter, and two for Paul,
Three for them who made us all.
Soul! soul! for an apple or two;
If you’ve got no apples, pears will do.
Up with your kettle, and down with your pan,
Give me a good big one, and I’ll be gone.
Soul! soul! for a soul-cake, &c.
An apple or pear, a plum or a cherry,
Is a very good thing to make us merry.
Soul! soul! &c.”
The soul-cake referred to is a sort of bun, which at one time it was an almost general custom for persons to make, to give to one another on this day.