A mate is finally chosen, and the ring sings—
"Oh, what a beautiful choice you've made!
Don't you wish you'd longer stayed?
[Give her a kiss, and send her away,
And tell her she can no longer stay."[49]]
Salem, Mass.
The "green carpet" is, of course, the grass, on which the village dance proceeds in the summer-time,[50] and the remains of an ancient "carol" appear in the corrupt rhyme.
(3.) To the game of Marriage, as played in France and Italy, the following closely corresponds:
A boy and girl having been chosen by singing our No. 17, and standing in the centre of the ring, the game proceeds, with imitative motion and gesture—
"Row the boat! Row the boat!
Let the boat stand!
I think —— —— is a handsome young man;
I think —— —— is as handsome as he,
And they shall be married, if they can agree."[51]
Such short rhymes are not used independently, but joined to some fragment of a ballad, which they serve to turn into a game, as may be seen in our No. 12.
(4.) We take this opportunity to give one or two other familiar examples of kissing rounds: