ORANGES AND LEMONS.
Two of the company, one supposed to be an Englishman and the other a Frenchman, stand face to face, holding each other's hands so as to form a kind of bridge for the rest to pass under one by one. As the company pass under the bridge, the couple holding hands sing the following well-known rhyme:—
"Oranges and Lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's.
You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I'm sure I don't know,
Says the great bell of Bow.
Gay go up and gay go down
To ring the bells of London Town."
Just as the last player reaches the bridge, the bridge-holders utter the words—
"Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head."
At the same time keeping the last player a prisoner. The captive is then asked whether he will be English or French, and according to his decision he is placed behind either the Frenchman or the Englishman. Going round to their original starting place, the company again all pass under the bridge, while the rhyme is again being sung, the last one in the file, like his predecessor, being also detained and made a prisoner, and being compelled, too, to choose which country he will fight for. Thus the game proceeds until all have, one by one, been captured, and consequently two long lines have been formed of Englishmen and Frenchmen. The grand conclusion consists in these two powers vieing with each other as to which is the stronger, the test being that those who can pull their opponents from their position have won the game.