—Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

VI.

Silly old maid, she lives alone,
She lives alone, she lives alone;
[Silly old maid, she lives alone,]
Wants a husband but can’t get one.

So now go round and choose your own,
Choose your own, choose your own;
Now go round and choose your own,
Choose the very one you love best.

Now young couple, you’re married for ever,
Your father and mother you must obey;
Love another like sister and brother,
And now young couple, pray kiss together.

—Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln).

(c) The children form a ring, joining hands. A child, usually a boy, stands in the middle. The ring dances round and sings the verses. The boy in the centre chooses a girl when bidden by the ring. These two then stand in the centre and kiss each other at the command. The boy then takes a place in the ring, and the girl remains in the centre and chooses a boy in her turn. In the [Dublin] and [Isle of Man versions] a girl is first in the centre; in the [Manx version] (A. W. Moore) the two children hold hands when in the centre.

(d) In the Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, Mr. Carleton gives this game as one of those played by young people of both sexes at funeral wakes. It is played in the same way as the game now is; boys and girls stand alternately in a ring holding hands, choosing each other in turn, and kissing. The other versions do not differ materially from each other, except that the Lancashire version described by Miss Dendy has evidently been corrupted quite lately, because a [purer form] is quoted from the same county in Notes and Queries. The game seems to be one of the group of marriage games arising from the fact that at any gathering of people for the purpose of a ceremonial, whether a funeral or a festival, it was the custom to form matrimonial alliances. The words are used for kiss-in-the-ring games, and also in some marriage games when the last player is left without a partner.

Skin the Goatie

One boy takes his stand in an upright position at a wall. Another boy stoops with his head in the breast of the one standing upright. A third boy jumps stride-leg on his back, and tries to “crown,” i.e., put his hand on the head of the boy at the wall. The boy on whose back he is tries every means by shifting from side to side, and by throwing up his back, to prevent him from doing so, and to cast him off. If he succeeds in doing so, he takes his stand behind the stooping boy in the same position. Another boy then tries to do the same thing over the two stooping boys. If he succeeds in crowning the standing boy, he takes his station at the wall. If not, he takes his stand behind the two stooping boys. The game goes on till a boy “crowns” the one standing at the wall.—Banchory (Rev. W. Gregor).