Wall-flowers, wall-flowers, growing up so high,
All you young ladies will soon have to die;
Excepting ——, and she’s the best of all.
She can dance, she can skip, she can turn the mangle quick;
Hi, ho! fie for shame! turn your back to the wall again.
—Cambridge (Mrs. Haddon).
Wally, wally wall-flower, growing up so high,
We are all maidens, and we shall die;
All except the youngest one, and that is [child’s name].
Choose for the best, choose for the worst,
Choose the one that you love best.
Now you’re married, I wish you joy,
First a girl and then a boy,
Seven years after son and daughter,
Now, young couple, kiss together.
—Hersham, Surrey (Folk-lore Record, v. 84).
Wally, wally wall-flowers,
Growing up so high;
We’re all ladies,
We shall all die.
Excepting little ——,
She’s the only one;
She can hop, she can skip,
She can play the herald,
Fie! fie! fie for shame!
Turn your back to the wall again.
—Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).