He has to express sincere thanks to the friends, in different parts of the country, whose kind assistance has rendered possible this volume, in which almost every one of the older states is represented; and he will be grateful for such further information as may tend to render the collection more accurate and complete.

The melodies which accompany many of the games have been written from the recitation of children by S. Austen Pearce, Mus. Doc. Oxon.

[CONTENTS.]

PAGE
Editor's Note.[v]
INTRODUCTORY.
I.The Diffusion and Origin of American Game-rhymes.[1]
II.The Ballad, the Dance, and the Game.[8]
III.May-games.[13]
IV.The Inventiveness of Children.[22]
V.The Conservatism of Children.[28]
I. LOVE-GAMES.
No.
1.Knights of Spain.[39]
2.Three Kings.[46]
3.Here Comes a Duke.[47]
4.Tread, Tread the Green Grass.[50]
5.I will Give You a Paper of Pins.[51]
6.There She Stands, a Lovely Creature.[55]
7.Green Grow the Rushes, O![56]
8.The Widow with Daughters to Marry.[56]
9.Philander's March.[58]
10.Marriage.[59]
II. HISTORIES.
11.Miss Jennia Jones.[63]
12.Down She Comes, as White as Milk.[67]
13.Little Sally Waters.[70]
14.Here Sits the Queen of England.[70]
15.Green Gravel.[71]
16.Uncle John.[72]
17.King Arthur was King William's Son.[73]
18.Little Harry Hughes and the Duke's Daughter.[75]
19.Barbara Allen.[78]
III. PLAYING AT WORK.
20.Virginia Reel.[80]
21.Oats, Pease, Beans, and Barley Grows.[80]
22.Who'll be the Binder?[84]
23.As We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.[86]
24.Do, do, Pity my Case.[87]
25.When I was a Shoemaker.[88]
26.Here we Come Gathering Nuts of May.[89]
27.Here I Brew and Here I Bake.[90]
28.Draw a Bucket of Water.[90]
29.Threading the Needle.[91]
IV. HUMOR AND SATIRE.
30.Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me?[93]
31.Quaker Courtship.[94]
32.Lazy Mary.[96]
33.Whistle, Daughter, Whistle.[96]
34.There were Three Jolly Welshmen.[97]
35.A Hallowe'en Rhyme.[98]
36.The Doctor's Prescription.[99]
37.Old Grimes.[100]
38.The Baptist Game.[101]
39.Trials, Troubles, and Tribulations.[102]
40.Happy is the Miller.[102]
41.The Miller of Gosport.[103]
V. FLOWER ORACLES, ETC
42.Flower Oracles.[105]
43.Use of Flowers in Games.[107]
44.Counting Apple-seeds.[109]
45.Rose in the Garden.[110]
46.There was a Tree Stood in the Ground.[111]
47.Green![113]
VI. BIRD AND BEAST.
48.My Household.[115]
49.Frog-pond.[116]
50.Bloody Tom.[117]
51.Blue-birds and Yellow-birds.[118]
52.Ducks Fly.[119]
VII. HUMAN LIFE.
53.King and Queen.[120]
54.Follow your Leader.[122]
55.Truth.[122]
56.Initiation.[122]
57.Judge and Jury.[123]
58.Three Jolly Sailors.[124]
59.Marching to Quebec.[125]
60.Sudden Departure.[126]
61.Scorn.[126]
VIII. THE PLEASURES OF MOTION.
62.Ring Around the Rosie.[127]
63.Go Round and Round the Valley.[128]
64.The Farmer in the Dell.[129]
65.The Game of Rivers.[130]
66.Quaker, How is Thee?[130]
67.Darby Jig.[131]
68.Right Elbow In.[131]
69.My Master Sent Me.[131]
70.Humpty Dumpty.[132]
71.Pease Porridge Hot.[132]
72.Rhymes for a Race.[132]
73.Twine the Garland.[133]
74.Hopping-dance.[133]
IX. MIRTH AND JEST.
75.Club Fist.[134]
76.Robin's Alive.[135]
77.Laughter Games.[136]
78.Bachelor's Kitchen.[137]
79.The Church and the Steeple.[138]
80.What Color?[138]
81.Beetle and Wedge.[138]
82.Present and Advise.[139]
83.Genteel Lady.[139]
84.Beast, Bird, or Fish.[140]
85.Wheel of Fortune.[140]
86.Catches.[141]
87.Intery Mintery.[142]
88.Redeeming Forfeits.[143]
89.Old Mother Tipsy-toe.[143]
90.Who Stole the Cardinal's Hat?[145]
X. GUESSING-GAMES.
91.Odd or Even.[147]
92.Hul Gul.[147]
93.How Many Fingers?[148]
94.Right or Left.[149]
95.Under which Finger?[149]
96.Comes, it Comes.[150]
97.Hold Fast My Gold Ring.[150]
98.My Lady Queen Anne.[151]
99.The Wandering Dollar.[151]
100.Thimble in Sight.[152]
XI. GAMES OF CHASE.
101.How Many Miles to Babylon?[153]
102.Hawk and Chickens.[155]
103.Tag.[158]
104.Den.[159]
105.I Spy.[160]
106.Sheep and Wolf.[161]
107.Blank and Ladder.[161]
108.Blind-man's Buff.[162]
109.Witch in the Jar.[163]
110.Prisoner's Base.[164]
111.Defence of the Castle.[164]
112.Lil Lil.[165]
113.Charley Barley.[165]
114.Milking-pails.[166]
115.Stealing Grapes.[167]
116.Stealing Sticks.[168]
117.Hunt the Squirrel.[168]
XII. CERTAIN GAMES OF VERY LITTLE GIRLS.
118.Sail the Ship.[170]
119.Three Around.[170]
120.Iron Gates.[170]
121.Charley Over the Water.[171]
122.Frog in the Sea.[171]
123.Defiance.[172]
124.My Lady's Wardrobe.[173]
125.Housekeeping.[173]
126.A March.[174]
127.Rhymes for Tickling.[174]
XIII. BALL, AND SIMILAR SPORTS.
128.The "Times" of Sports.[175]
129.Camping the Ball.[177]
130.Hand-ball.[178]
131.Stool-ball.[179]
132.Call-ball.[181]
133.Haley-over.[181]
134.School-ball.[182]
135.Wicket.[182]
136.Hockey.[182]
137.Roll-ball.[183]
138.Hat-ball.[183]
139.Corner-ball.[183]
140.Base-ball.[184]
141.Marbles.[185]
142.Cat.[186]
143.Cherry-pits.[187]
144.Buttons.[187]
145.Hop-Scotch.[188]
146.Duck on a Rock.[189]
147.Mumblety-peg.[189]
148.Five-stones.[190]
XIV. RHYMES FOR COUNTING OUT.
149.Counting Rhymes.[194]
XV. MYTHOLOGY.
150.London Bridge.[204]
151.Open the Gates.[212]
152.Weighing.[212]
153.Colors.[213]
154.Old Witch.[215]
155.The Ogree's Coop.[221]
156.Tom Tidler's Ground.[221]
157.Dixie's Land.[222]
158.Ghost in the Cellar.[223]
159.The Enchanted Princess.[223]
160.The Sleeping Beauty.[224]
APPENDIX.
Collections of Children's Games.[229]
Comparisons and References.[232]

[GAMES AND SONGS]
OF
AMERICAN CHILDREN.