See “[Lady on Yonder Hill].”

Lady on Yonder Hill

I.

Yonder stands a lovely lady,
Whom she be I do not know;
I’ll go court her for my beauty,
Whether she say me yea or nay.
Madam, to thee I humbly bow and bend.
Sir, I take thee not to be my friend.
Oh, if the good fairy doesn’t come I shall die.

—Derbyshire (Folk-lore Journal, i. 387).

II.

There stands a lady on yonder hill,
Who she is I cannot tell;
I’ll go and court her for her beauty,
Whether she answers me yes or no.
Madam, I bow vounce to thee.
Sir, have I done thee any harm?
Coxconian!
Coxconian is not my name; ’tis Hers and Kers, and Willis and Cave.
Stab me, ha! ha! little I fear. Over the waters there are but nine, I’ll meet you a man alive. Over the waters there are but ten, I’ll meet you there five thousand.
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
You’re only in a trance;
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
And we will have a dance.

—Lady C. Gurdon’s Suffolk County Folk-lore, p. 65.

(b) In the [Suffolk game] the children form a ring, a boy and girl being in the centre. The boy is called a gentleman and the girl a lady. The gentleman commences by singing the first verse. Then they say alternately the questions and answers. When the gentleman says the lines commencing, “Stab me,” he pretends to stab the lady, who falls on the ground. Then he walks round the lady and sings the last verse, “Rise up,” and lifts up the lady. In the [Derbyshire game] only three children play, the lover, lady, and fairy. The girl stands a little distance off. The lover says the first four lines, then approaches the lady, falls on one knee, and says the next line. The lady replies, and retires further away. The lover then falls on the ground and says the next line. As this is said the good fairy appears, touches the fallen lover with her hand, and he is immediately well again.

(c) This is a curious game, and is perhaps derived from a ballad which had been popular from some more or less local circumstance, or more probably it may be a portion of an old play acted in booths at fair times by strolling players. It is not, as far as I can find out, played in any other counties. The lines—