(c) The analysis of the game-rhymes is on [pp. 342-45]. It appears from this analysis that the [London version] is alone in its faithful reflection of an actual building episode. Three other versions introduce the incident of watching by a man, and failing him, a dog or cock; while five versions introduce a prisoner. This incident occurs the greatest number of times. It is not surprising that the [London] version seems to be the most akin to modern facts, being told so near the spot indicated by the verses, and on this account it cannot be considered as the oldest of the variants. There remain the other two groups. Both are distinguished by the introduction of a human element, one as watchman, the other as prisoner. The watchman incident approaches nearer to modern facts; the prisoner incident remains unexplained by any appeal to modern life, and it occurs more frequently than the others. In only one case, the [Shropshire], is the prisoner ransomed; in the others he is sent to prison. Besides this main line of criticism brought out by the analysis there is little to note. The [Hurstmonceux version] begins with taking lambs over London Bridge, and the [Shropshire version] with the players themselves going over; but these are doubtless foreign adjuncts, because they do not properly prefix the main incident of the bridge being broken. The [Belfast version] has a curious line, “Grant said the little bee or dee,” which the [Cork version] renders, “Gran says the little D.” To these there is now no meaning that can be traced, but they help to prove that the rhyme originated from a state of things not understood by modern players. In all the versions with the prisoner incident it comes quite suddenly, without any previous indication, except in the [Kent version], which introduces the exclamation, “Here’s a prisoner I have got!” As the analysis shows the prisoner incident to be a real and not accidental part of the game, and the unmeaning expressions to indicate an origin earlier than modern players can understand, we can turn to other facts to see if the origin can be in any way traced.
ANALYSIS OF GAME-RHYMES.
| No. | Belfast. | Halliwell. | Liphook. | Hurst- monceux. | Shrop- shire. | Kent. | Enborne. | Cork. | Crockham Hill. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | — | — | — | Where are these great baa-lambs going? | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2. | — | — | — | My fair lady. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3. | — | — | — | We are going to L. B. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4. | — | — | — | — | Over L. B. we go. | — | — | — | — |
| 5. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | — | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. |
| 6. | — | — | — | — | — | — | L. B. is falling down. | — | — |
| 7. | Grant said the little bee. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Says the little D. | — |
| 8. | — | Dance o’er my lady lee. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9. | — | — | My fair lady. | My fair lady. | — | My fair lady. | My fair lady. | Fair lady. | My fair lady. |
| 10. | — | With a gay lady. | — | — | Gay ladies, gay. | — | — | — | — |
| 11. | Where I’d be. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 12. | — | How shall we build it up again? | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13. | Stones and lime will build it up. | — | Build it up with bricks and mortar. | Mend it up with bricks and mortar. | Build it up with lime and sand. | — | Build it up with mortar and bricks. | Build it up with lime and stone. | — |
| 14. | — | — | Bricks and mortar will not stay. | — | Lime and sand will wash away. | — | Mortar and bricks will waste away. | Lime and stone would waste away. | — |
| 15. | — | — | Build it up with penny loaves. | Mend it up with penny loaves. | Build it up with penny loaves. | Build it up with penny loaves. | — | — | Build it up with penny loaves. |
| 16. | — | — | Penny loaves will mould away. | Penny loaves will wash away. | Penny loaves’ll get stole away. | Penny loaves will tumble down. | — | — | Penny loaves will melt away. |
| 17. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Build it up with silver and gold. | Build it up with silver and gold. | Build it up with silver and gold. |
| 18. | — | Silver and gold will be stole away. | — | — | — | — | Silver and gold will be stolen away. | Silver and gold would be stolen away. | Silver and gold I have not got. |
| 19. | — | Build it up with iron and steel. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20. | — | Iron and steel will bend and bow. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 21. | — | — | — | Mend it up with pins and needles. | — | Mend it up with pins and needles. | — | — | — |
| 22. | — | — | — | Pins and needles they will break. | — | Pins and needles rust and bend. | — | — | — |
| 23. | — | Build it up with wood and clay. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 24. | — | Wood and clay will wash away. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 25. | — | Build it up with stone so strong. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 26. | Get a man to watch all night. | — | — | — | — | — | — | We’ll set a man to watch all night. | Set a man to watch all night. |
| 27. | Perhaps that man might fall asleep. | — | — | — | — | — | Suppose the man should fall asleep. | If the man should fall asleep. | — |
| 28. | — | — | — | — | — | Here’s a prisoner I have got. | — | — | — |
| 29. | — | — | What has this poor prisoner done? | What has this great prisoner done? | O, what has my poor prisoner done? | What’s the prisoner done to you? | — | — | What has this poor prisoner done? |
| 30. | — | — | Stole my watch and lost my key. | Stole a watch and lost the key. | — | Stole my watch and broke my chain. | — | — | Stole my watch and broke my chain. |
| 31. | — | — | — | — | Robbed a house and killed a man. | — | — | — | — |
| 32. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Give him a pipe of tobacco to smoke. | — | — |
| 33. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Suppose the pipe should fall and break. | — | — |
| 34. | — | — | — | — | — | — | We’ll give him a bag of nuts to crack. | — | — |
| 35. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Suppose the nuts were rotten and bad. | — | — |
| 36. | Get a dog to watch all night. | — | — | — | — | — | — | Set a dog to bark all night. | — |
| 37. | If that dog should run away. | — | — | — | — | — | — | If the dog should meet a bone. | — |
| 38. | Give that dog a bone to pick. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 39. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Set a cock to crow all night. | — |
| 40. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | If the cock should meet a hen. | — |
| 41. | — | — | — | — | What will you have to set her free? | What will you take to let him out? | — | — | How many pounds will set him free? |
| 42. | — | — | — | — | Fourteen pounds and a wedding gown. | Ten hundred pounds will let him out. | — | — | Three hundred pounds will set him free. |
| 43. | — | — | — | — | — | Then a hundred pounds we have not got. | — | — | The half of that I have not got. |
| 44. | — | — | Off to prison you must go. | Off to prison you must go. | — | Then off to prison you must go. | — | — | Then off to prison he must go. |
| 45. | — | Huzza! it will last for ages long. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 46. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 47. | — | — | — | — | Stamp your foot and let her go. | — | — | — | — |
| 48. | — | — | — | — | — | — | We’ll give him a horse to gallop around. | — | — |
| 49. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Here comes my lord Duke, let everyone pass by but the very last one. | — |
| No. | Belfast. | Halliwell. | Liphook. | Hurstmonceux. | Shropshire. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | — | — | — | Where are these great baa-lambs going? | — |
| 2. | — | — | — | My fair lady. | — |
| 3. | — | — | — | We are going to L. B. | — |
| 4. | — | — | — | — | Over L. B. we go. |
| 5. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. |
| 6. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7. | Grant said the little bee. | — | — | — | — |
| 8. | — | Dance o’er my lady lee. | — | — | — |
| 9. | — | — | My fair lady. | My fair lady. | — |
| 10. | — | With a gay lady. | — | — | Gay ladies, gay. |
| 11. | Where I’d be. | — | — | — | — |
| 12. | — | How shall we build it up again? | — | — | — |
| 13. | Stones and lime will build it up. | — | Build it up with bricks and mortar. | Mend it up with bricks and mortar. | Build it up with lime and sand. |
| 14. | — | — | Bricks and mortar will not stay. | — | Lime and sand will wash away. |
| 15. | — | — | Build it up with penny loaves. | Mend it up with penny loaves. | Build it up with penny loaves. |
| 16. | — | — | Penny loaves will mould away. | Penny loaves will wash away. | Penny loaves’ll get stole away. |
| 17. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 18. | — | Silver and gold will be stole away. | — | — | — |
| 19. | — | Build it up with iron and steel. | — | — | — |
| 20. | — | Iron and steel will bend and bow. | — | — | — |
| 21. | — | — | — | Mend it up with pins and needles. | — |
| 22. | — | — | — | Pins and needles they will break. | — |
| 23. | — | Build it up with wood and clay. | — | — | — |
| 24. | — | Wood and clay will wash away. | — | — | — |
| 25. | — | Build it up with stone so strong. | — | — | — |
| 26. | Get a man to watch all night. | — | — | — | — |
| 27. | Perhaps that man might fall asleep. | — | — | — | — |
| 28. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 29. | — | — | What has this poor prisoner done? | What has this great prisoner done? | O, what has my poor prisoner done? |
| 30. | — | — | Stole my watch and lost my key. | Stole a watch and lost the key. | — |
| 31. | — | — | — | — | Robbed a house and killed a man. |
| 32. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 33. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 34. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 35. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 36. | Get a dog to watch all night. | — | — | — | — |
| 37. | If that dog should run away. | — | — | — | — |
| 38. | Give that dog a bone to pick. | — | — | — | — |
| 39. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 40. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 41. | — | — | — | — | What will you have to set her free? |
| 42. | — | — | — | — | Fourteen pounds and a wedding gown. |
| 43. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 44. | — | — | Off to prison you must go. | Off to prison you must go. | — |
| 45. | — | Huzza! it will last for ages long. | — | — | — |
| 46. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 47. | — | — | — | — | Stamp your foot and let her go. |
| 48. | — | — | — | — | — |
| 49. | — | — | — | — | — |
| No. | Kent. | Enborne. | Cork. | Crockham Hill. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | — | — | — | — |
| 2. | — | — | — | — |
| 3. | — | — | — | — |
| 4. | — | — | — | — |
| 5. | L. B. is broken down. | — | L. B. is broken down. | L. B. is broken down. |
| 6. | — | L. B. is falling down. | — | — |
| 7. | — | — | Says the little D. | — |
| 8. | — | — | — | — |
| 9. | My fair lady. | My fair lady. | Fair lady. | My fair lady. |
| 10. | — | — | — | — |
| 11. | — | — | — | — |
| 12. | — | — | — | — |
| 13. | — | Build it up with mortar and bricks. | Build it up with lime and stone. | — |
| 14. | — | Mortar and bricks will waste away. | Lime and stone would waste away. | — |
| 15. | Build it up with penny loaves. | — | — | Build it up with penny loaves. |
| 16. | Penny loaves will tumble down. | — | — | Penny loaves will melt away. |
| 17. | — | Build it up with silver and gold. | Build it up with silver and gold. | Build it up with silver and gold. |
| 18. | — | Silver and gold will be stolen away. | Silver and gold would be stolen away. | Silver and gold I have not got. |
| 19. | — | — | — | — |
| 20. | — | — | — | — |
| 21. | Mend it up with pins and needles. | — | — | — |
| 22. | Pins and needles rust and bend. | — | — | — |
| 23. | — | — | — | — |
| 24. | — | — | — | — |
| 25. | — | — | — | — |
| 26. | — | — | We’ll set a man to watch all night. | Set a man to watch all night. |
| 27. | — | Suppose the man should fall asleep. | If the man should fall asleep. | — |
| 28. | Here’s a prisoner I have got. | — | — | — |
| 29. | What’s the prisoner done to you? | — | — | What has this poor prisoner done? |
| 30. | Stole my watch and broke my chain. | — | — | Stole my watch and broke my chain. |
| 31. | — | — | — | — |
| 32. | — | Give him a pipe of tobacco to smoke. | — | — |
| 33. | — | Suppose the pipe should fall and break. | — | — |
| 34. | — | We’ll give him a bag of nuts to crack. | — | — |
| 35. | — | Suppose the nuts were rotten and bad. | — | — |
| 36. | — | — | Set a dog to bark all night. | — |
| 37. | — | — | If the dog should meet a bone. | — |
| 38. | — | — | — | — |
| 39. | — | — | Set a cock to crow all night. | — |
| 40. | — | — | If the cock should meet a hen. | — |
| 41. | What will you take to let him out? | — | — | How many pounds will set him free? |
| 42. | Ten hundred pounds will let him out. | — | — | Three hundred pounds will set him free. |
| 43. | Then a hundred pounds we have not got. | — | — | The half of that I have not got. |
| 44. | Then off to prison you must go. | — | — | Then off to prison he must go. |
| 45. | — | — | — | — |
| 46. | — | — | — | — |
| 47. | — | — | — | — |
| 48. | — | We’ll give him a horse to gallop around. | — | — |
| 49. | — | — | Here comes my lord Duke, let everyone pass by but the very last one. | — |
(d) This game is universally acknowledged to be a very ancient one, but its origin is a subject of some diversity of opinion. The special feature of the rhymes is that considerable difficulty occurs in the building of the bridge by ordinary means, but without exactly suggesting that extraordinary means are to be adopted, a prisoner is suddenly taken. The question is, What does this indicate?
Looking to the fact of the widespread superstition of the foundation sacrifice, it would seem that we may have here a tradition of this rite. So recently as 1872, there was a scare in Calcutta when the Hooghly Bridge was being constructed. The natives then got hold of the idea that Mother Ganges, indignant at being bridged, had at last consented to submit to the insult on condition that each pier of the structure was founded on a layer of children’s heads (Gomme’s Early Village Life, p. 29). Formerly, in Siam, when a new city gate was being erected, it was customary for a number of officers to lie in wait and seize the first four or eight persons who happened to pass by, and who were then buried alive under the gate-posts to serve as guardian angels (Tylor’s Primitive Culture, i. 97). Other instances of the same custom and belief are given in the two works from which these examples are taken; and there is a tradition about London Bridge itself, that the stones were bespattered with the blood of little children. Fitzstephen, in his well-known account of London of the twelfth century, mentions that when the Tower was built the mortar was tempered with the blood of beasts. Prisoners’ heads were put on the bridge after execution down to modern times, and also on city gates.
These traditions about London, when compared with the actual facts of contemporary savagery, seem to be sufficient to account for such a game as that we are now examining having originated in the foundation sacrifice. Mr. Newell, in his examination of the game, gives countenance to this theory, but he strangely connects it with other games which have a tug-of-war as the finish. Now in all the English examples it is remarkable that the tug-of-war does not appear to be a part of the game; and if this evidence be conclusive, it would appear that this incident got incorporated in America. It is this incident which Mr. Newell dwells upon in his ingenious explanation of the mythological interpretation of the game. But apart from this, the fact that the building of bridges was accompanied by the foundation sacrifice is a more likely origin for such a widespread game which is so intimately connected with a bridge.
This view is confirmed by what may be called the literary history of the game. The verses, as belonging to a game, have only recently been recorded, and how far they go back into tradition it is impossible to say. Dr. Rimbault is probably right when he states “that they have been formed by many fresh additions in a long series of years, and [the game] is perhaps almost interminable when received in all its different versions” (Notes and Queries, ii. 338). In Chronicles of London Bridge, pp. 152, 153, the author says he obtained the following note from a Bristol correspondent:—“About forty years ago, one moonlight night in the streets of Bristol, my attention was attracted by a dance and chorus of boys and girls, to which the words of this ballad gave measure. The breaking down of the Bridge was announced as the dancers moved round in a circle hand in hand, and the question, ‘How shall we build it up again?’ was chanted by the leader while the rest stood still.” This correspondent also sent the tune the children sang, which is printed in the Chronicles of London Bridge. This was evidently the same game, but it would appear that the verses have also been used as a song, and it would be interesting to find out which is the more ancient of the two—the song or the game; and to do this it is necessary that we should know something of the history of the song. A correspondent of Notes and Queries (ii. 338) speaks of it as a “lullaby song” well known in the southern part of Kent and in Lincolnshire. In the Gentleman’s Magazine (1823, Part II. p. 232) appeared the following interesting note:—