The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2) / With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.

by Alice Bertha Gomme

Loving each other like sister and brother,
Sister and brother, sister and brother,
Loving each other like sister and brother,
About the merry-ma-tansa.

We pray this couple may kiss thegither,
Kiss thegither, kiss thegither,
We pray this couple may kiss thegither,
About the merry-ma-tansa.

[If any lad was left without a partner, the ring sing—]

Here’s a silly auld man left alone,
Left alone, left alone,
He wants a wife and can’t get none,
About the merry-ma-tansa.

—Biggar (William Ballantyne).

II.

Here we go the jingo-ring,
The jingo-ring, the jingo-ring,
Here we go the jingo-ring,
About the merry-ma-tansie.

Twice about, and then we fa’,
Then we fa’, then we fa’,
Twice about, and then we fa’,
About the merry-ma-tansie.

Guess ye wha’s the young goodman,
The young goodman, the young goodman,
Guess ye wha’s the young goodman,
About the merry-ma-tansie.

Honey is sweet, and so is he,
So is he, so is he,
Honey is sweet, and so is he,
About the merry-ma-tansie.