—Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).

XXIX.

Water, water, well stones,
Growing up so high,
We are all maidens,
And we must all die.
Except ——,
She’s the youngest of us all,
She can dance, she can sing,
She can dance the “Hielan’ Fling,”[14]
Oh fie, fie, for shame,
Turn your back to us again.

—Dyke (Rev. W. Gregor).

XXX.

Here’s a pot of wall-flowers,
Growing up so high;
We’re all maidens, and we shall die.
Excepting [girl’s name],
She can hop, and she can skip,
And she can play the organ.
Turn your back, you saucy Jack,
You tore your mother’s gown.

—Northants (Rev. W. Sweeting).

XXXI.

Wall-flowers, wall-flowers, growin’ up so high,
Neither me nor my baby shall ever wish to die,
Especially [girl’s name], she’s the prettiest flower.
She can dance, and she can sing, and she can tell the hour,
With her wee-waw, wy-waw, turn her face to the wall.