NOTES TO GAMES.
No. 1. English versions are numerous. Halliwell, Nurs. Rh. (6th ed.), Nos. 332, 333. Pop. Rh., pp. 123, 124. Chambers, p. 143; p. 141, "Janet jo." Notes and Queries, 1st ser. VI. 241; 5th ser. IV. 51, 157.—German, Meier, p. 107 (cited), 109: Handelmann, p. 62. Vernaleken, p. 55, etc.—Swedish, Arwiddson, iii. 175 f.—Icelandic, Arwiddson, iii. 182. Lyngbye, Faeröiske Quaeder, p. 37, introd. note.—Faroese, Antiq. Tids., 1849-51, p. 310, "Princes riding," compare No. 3.—Italian, Bernoni, p. 43, "L'Imbasciatore." Gianandrea, No. 23, "Il bel Castello."—Spanish (Catalan), Maspons y Labrós, p. 47, "La Conversa del rey Moro."—French, Ch. du Cambresis, i. 80.
2. A variety of No. 1. Corresponding is the Faroese version referred to, in which the suitors, after rejection as thralls, smiths, etc., are finally accepted as princes, with the expression "tak vid" (literally "take with"), be welcome, which may explain the peculiar use of the word "take" in our rhyme.
3. Also a variety of No. 1. Folk-lore Record, iii. 170. Chambers, p. 139 (cited). "I am a lusty wooer" (the version referred to, p. 49, note) is said to have been played by Charles II. See the Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1738; Nurs. Rh., No. 491.
4. Henderson, Folk-lore of the Northern Counties (Lond. 1879), p. 27. Compare French round in Celnart, p. 24.
5. Nurs. Rh., No. 479. Compare No. 31.
6. Nurs. Rh., No. 466, "The Keys of Canterbury." Chambers, p. 61, "The Tempted Lady."
7. French, Celnart, p. 15, sixth round, presents verbal correspondence.
8. These versions belong to a game, widely diffused through Europe, in which a "rich" mother begs away, one by one, the daughters of a "poor" mother, until she has secured them all.—German, Frischbier, No. 657.—French, Chabreul, p. 175, "Riche et Pauvre." Celnart, p. 382, "Olivé Beauvé et la voisine." Ch. du Camb., i. 77, "La Boiteuse." The celebrated song "Giroflé Giroflà" is of the same origin. In the Canadian round (Gagnon, p. 149), and in the English rhyme, for the sake of the dance, the mother whose daughters are begged away or stolen is turned into a mother whose object is to marry her many daughters; so the Swedish (Arwiddson, iii. 203), which presents verbal correspondence to the English song of our collection. Arwiddson, iii. 167, game of "Rich and Poor Birds." The first comes in limping, leaning on a cane, and with piteous gestures begs the train of the other. By comparing No. 154, and note, it will be seen that all the above games make up a single branch of the numerous outgrowths of a primitive root, which is responsible for no small part of the amusements of youth in Europe. Compare Nurs. Rh., No. 343.
10. Connected is a European game representing courtship—meeting, saluting, parting, etc.—German, Frischbier, No. 674.—Swedish, Arwiddson, iii. 257.—Flemish, Looten and Feys, No. 113. A different but related game is French, Celnart, p. 14 (cited). Chabreul, p. 157. Gagnon, p. 151.—Italian, Corazzini, p. 84.—The words "Rowe the boat" begin a waterman's roundel, A.D. 1453; see Chappell's Pop. Music of the Olden Time, p. 482.—(4.) French, Ch. du Camb., i. 221 (cited).