Folk-games of Jamaica

Folk-Games of Jamaica

COLLECTED BY

MARTHA WARREN BECKWITH

WITH MUSIC RECORDED IN THE FIELD
BY

HELEN H. ROBERTS

VASSAR COLLEGE

POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK

1922

Copyright, 1922,

by

MARTHA WARREN BECKWITH

The Folk-lore Foundation gratefully acknowledges the generous gift
of Mrs. Lucien Ho*we, which has made possible the publication of this
number.

The games in this collection were gathered at odd moments during the
course of collecting tours in Jamaica, British West Indies, in the summer
of 1919 and the winter of 1921. They come for the most part from the
parishes of St. Elizabeth, Manchester and St. Ann. Those from Bethle-
hem and Claremont were dictated to me at a Sunday School picnic. The
songs from Ballard's Valley and those from the Beulah School, Chris-
tiana, were played by the children at school recess. The wake games from
Eacovia, Butler's, and Elgin were dictated by lads who were frequenters
of such gatherings — Hubert Millwood at Eacovia, Charles Williams at But-
ler's. At Christiana and Brown's Town the house-girls at our boarding-
place gathered after supper and taught us the games, words and music.
Leonora Sparks, Hilda and Adinah were our instructors at Christiana;
Elizabeth, Pearl and Ruth at Brown's Town. All the music except that
from Bethlehem, for which I employed the local organist, was recorded by
Miss Roberts, upon whose quick and accurate ear the value of this collec-
tion largely depends. The songs from Maroon Town (Accompong) were
sung into the phonograph by men who played the games, and were after-
wards transcribed by Miss Roberts. Such parallels as are here noted from
folk collections in Great Britain and America, although by no means ex-
haustive, give an idea of the distribution of some of the games and of the
variations they have undergone.

I am indebted to Professor Frans Boas of Columbia University for
advice and direction, and to Dr. Goddard of the American Museum of
Natural History for the loan of a collecting phonograph for recording
songs. My thanks are also due to Professor Dickinson of this college for
reading the music proof, to Professor Johnson for valuable advice in
editing, and to Miss Amy Reed and Miss Katharine Warren of the depart-
ment of English for the final details of printing and distribution.

MARTHA WARREN BECKWITH
Vassar College
November 14, 1922

FOLK GAMES OF JAMAICA

The folk-games of Jamaica preserved in this collection, al-
though taken down entirely from negroes in the country districts,
come for the most part from old English and Scotch rather than
from African sources. Song and dialogue games took the place,
among the better trained and more ambitious, of the African
merry-makings described by early historians of plantation life in
Jamaica * and still to be seen, I am told, at Christmas time at the
Maroon settlement of Moore Town above Port Antonio, and at
wakes for the dead in the more backward districts. They super-
seded the ring of onlookers about a bonfire, the endless rhythmi-
cal beating of drums and twanging of musical instruments as
two or three from the group sprang inside the circle and executed
a dance, often dramatic in character, and then gave place to a
succeeding couple. They were taught at Sunday School picnics
and in school recesses. To-day they are themselves giving place
to more modern amusements. The song and dialogue games of
the past are being abandoned for field sports and the latest dance
steps ; and the special festivals at which they provided entertain-
ment are looked upon as foolish and old-fashioned by the more
ambitious young people. Nevertheless, the games here set down
are still known and played in Jamaica.

The Christmas and New Year holidays, Emancipation day on
August first (since 1838), and the occasion of a death or a wed-
ding, are the times especially devoted to social game-playing.
During the holiday season, all-day picnics and all-night "tea-
meetings" are held for young and old alike. No group of pic-
nickers is more easily entertained. Assembled on some green,
they keep up the festivities all day long with much grace and
spirit, passing from one game to another without discussion and
pausing only for refreshments of sweetened water and biscuit.
I have watched a group of young men and women amusing them-
selves for an hour or more with a game called "Proposal," which
consisted in the mere repetition of a set form of proposal by a lad

1W. J. Gardner, History of Jamaica (1909) 184; 382-'3; Bryan Edwards, History
of the West Indies (1807), II, 102-'3.

6 Field Work in Folk-lore

to his lady or by a lady to her lad, the interest of which lay in
the dramatic dignity of each acceptance or refusal.

The "tea-meeting," now scarcely to be found except in remote
districts but highly popular a generation ago, is perhaps the most
elaborate entertainment borrowed from English sources. 2 Dances
are often given by individual hosts in which from four to eight
couples may hold the floor at a time, but for a tea-meeting more
elaborate preparations are made. It occurs during the Christmas
or the midsummer holiday season. A large booth is constructed,
consisting in a frame of poles firmly nailed or tied with withes,
over the top and along the sides of which cocoanut leaves are
laid. Inside, the floor is stamped down hard and level. Benches
occupy three sides of the rectangle, and a platform fills up the
other end, the whole forming a good imitation of an old-fashion-
ed country dance-hall. Sometimes a long table occupies the en-
tire floor, about which the company are seated. Certain features
of old English seasonal festivals still survive at the tea-meeting.
One of these is the veiled and elaborately dressed "queen," whose
identity is kept secret from everyone except the giver of the
party until the unveiling ceremony. Another is the cake, or
"show-bread," fashioned in some fanciful form, which is also
kept concealed and pieces of which are eventually distributed
among the guests. 3 The younger women all dress in fresh frocks
or ribbons of a prearranged color. A "chairman" presides, se-
lected for his skill as an entertainer. It is his business to keep
the company amused with recitations and speeches, assisted by a
"president" and a "secretary" also elected for the occasion, and
by volunteers from the company whose names he has secured
during the fore part of the evening. Finally he "crowns the
speaker" and at twelve responds to the request for the unveiling
of the queen. Refreshments follow and the "show-bread" is dis-
tributed. Games and dancing to the guitar, accordion, violin or
flute fill out the night. The expense of such an entertainment
does not fall entirely upon the host. A fee, sometimes of a shill-

2 My informants were especially James Robinson, a "tea-meeting chairman" of
Kilmarnock, Westmoreland, and Julia Gentle, an old woman of Malvern, St. Eliza-
beth. During my stay in the cock-pit country, the second week in January, a tea-
meeting was held, but I heard of it too late to attend. My hostess at Port Antonio,
recalled, when she was a child, the excitement among the maids when they were fash-
ioning new dresses for the "Tea-meeting."

3 See E. K. Chambers, The Mediaeval Stage, I, 141, 176-179, 260. In Oxfordshire,
a cake is carried in procession on the end of a sword at Whitsuntide, shown for
money, and slices distributed "to bring good luck." See Folk-lore, VIII (1897), 309-
314.

Folk Games of Jamaica 7

ing, is charged for admission to the house; for a peep at the
queen before her unveiling or at the marvelous workmanship of
the cake, another fee of a six-pence may willingly be paid. Nor
will the queen finally unveil until a sufficient sum has been col-
lected or until the privilege of unveiling her has been auctioned
off to the highest bidder. I am told that in the palmy days of
tea-meetings, the sum bid might even reach a pound under the
excitement of competition. An additional charge is made for re-
freshments, especially for the cake, of which every guest desires
a portion.

English custom is also followed at wedding festivities. The
ceremony is held in church in the morning. For the wedding
breakfast, a table is laid in a booth constructed for the purpose
outside the house. There is an elaborate cake to be cut by the
bride and toasts to be drunk. The afternoon is spent in games,
songs, dancing and riddling, or there may be a formal dance
given in the evening. At the wedding breakfast, as at the tea-
meeting, toast-making is an important feature, but from the spec-
imens I have heard recited I should judge that it had never devel-
oped into a true folk art. Perhaps the models which it imitated
were themselves too labored and tasteless. "High-sounding
words without any sense" is the description given me by an in-
telligent negro of the English rhymes and conceits, the elaborate
phrasing and the Latin quotations all used with particular intent,
which combine in the art of toast-making. Nevertheless, a few
examples may serve to show the particular turn which the Afri-
can taste for language takes upon occasions of social compli-
ment. Symbolism is popular ; it occurs also in the negro's daily
speech. Sound tickles the sense, a comic name winning applause
and secret languages, or "unknown tongues," being held in high
esteem among the folk. On the other hand, end rhyme is almost
unrecognized; a memorized jingle often loses the rhyme for a
form of the same meaning. The following specimens will suffi-
ciently illustrate the art :

1. Marriage has five golden parts. The first, the life of marriage is
sweet because its foundation is built in love and because of love it is sweet.
The life of marriage is honorable because it enters the king's palace ; the
king himself is married. The life of marriage is valuable because you can
not get it without marriage. The life of marriage is good because it pro-
ceeds from age to age. The fifth part, the life of marriage is strong be-
cause only death can break its hold.

8 Field Work in Folk-lore

2. To mistress Bride and Mr. Bridegroom and also to Mr. automat-
ical Chairman : I arise on this festival, domestical and matrimonial occa-
sion. I stand on my Hebrew gabister gabinastic, not to make a boast but
to give a toast ; not in pharsiological diametrical repugnant, but in Phila-
delphia. This I say unto you, "nonibus, domine, nonibus sed nominito de
gloria"

When fiercest storm are gone to rest
Shall by a gentle calm succeed,
I have a trouble mind to heal,
Sleep is the only balm I need.

Within these two line

You will in them a question find.

My meaning is plain, so find it out;

Love will direct you, though you be blind. 4

3. I was a traveller, travel all over de mountain in longin' t'irst for
water. De young girl show me de fountain. 5

4. We picture a star, the star of the wise men. It leads to Jerusalem.
Well, the star is Mr. and Mistress . A hearty welcome to their delib-
eration, travelling as good Christians to the New Jerusalem. Let their
love as long as they live grow stronger and stronger as the lily of the
valley . . . May this star of love lead to the New Jerusalem. 6

The wake or "set up" for the dead is probably the most strict-
ly popular of ajl Jamaican festivities and the one most closely
approaching old African customs. On the third night after
death — some say on the third to remain until the ninth night —
the spirit of the dead is believed to return at night "to visit his
relatives and associates and overlook all his possessions. " For
this reason, the friends must gather on this night — the third in
some districts, the ninth in others — and indulge in all sorts of
sports supposed to interest the ghost and prevent him from harm-
ing anyone until day dawns. 7 Such a festivity is called "Bakin-
ny," or "Back in i' " as I take to be the meaning with reference

4 This and the first toast were dictated by Alexander Townsend, an old enter-
tainer at Flamstead, St. Andrews. The meaning is: I stand on my feet, not in op-
position but in brotherly love (Philadelphia). This I say unto you, "not unto us, O
Lord, not unto us but to the glory of thy name."

5 "He was in love and he buck up with his lover — that's the meaning of the
fountain/' explained Hilda Bromwell, St. Ann, who dictated the toast from memory.

6 This toast was jotted down at a wedding breakfast in Maroon Town. Other
phrases from toasts of the occasion were : — "May you be as Adam and Eve when they
were happy in the garden. Hail to the east, hail to the west, hail to the girl I like
the best" ; "I have wrote my name in Switzerland and my name is Andrew Car-
negie, or Puff-puff."

7 See Cundell, Folk-lore, XV (1904), 38; XVI (1905), 70, 74, 209, 212; Gardner,
History of Jamaica (1904), 186. I found the people reticent about this special form of
the wake festival. My information came from several informants in a single parish —
St. Elizabeth; but these were positive it was common "over the whole island."

Folk Games of Jamaica 9

to the driving of the ghost back to the grave. A bonfire is
built outside the house, around which the men and boys gather in
a circle while the women sit by to watch the sport. Among the
games most commonly played are the stone-pounding and stone-
passing games, and such song-games as "Going through the
rocky road," "Thread the needle/' and "Hill and gully riding."
Games of wit with words are also popular at such times. Only a
few specimens of the innumerable games, songs and dances im-
provised for such an occasion are represented in this collection.

Both on this and on other occasions, forfeit-games are com-
mon, as illustrated in the collection which follows. The defaulter
must "pick three different kinds of leaves," to secure which he
must brave the darkness outside the circle, or he may suffer
blows and imprisonment; but ordinarily some task is set like
singing three songs, telling a story, giving three riddles or "three
lies." The lie is a performance calculated to tickle the fancy by
a juxtaposition of impossibilities recited with the utmost gravity. 8
A lad at Butler's gave me the following examples of Jamaica
lying:

I was going down to Maggotty. I see bull-frog a ride bicycle. I see
a boy lick a ball from here to Panama. I see pot tumble down off of fire
lef de water on lire boil now ... I see Patoo (owl) ride horse . . . See
maggot-fly ride bicycle . . . Hear Tumble-bug talk . . . See horse fly . . .
See horse jump four mile . . . See toad drawing buggy . . . Hear maggot-
fly whistle . . . Hear dry gunga-pea talk, ax me how far I going.

An old man from Malvern recited the following :

Las' Saturday night I was going to Mandeville an' when I catch to
Pepper, I forget me face lef 'pon table a yard . . . Las' night I stay at my
house an' hear a mosquito turn a bammie (cake of cassava) at Potsdam
. . . Las' week Sunday night I see a mosquito have Potsdam charity-
school 'pon him back.

The lie as an art form is common in folk collections, but I do not
recall its use elsewhere in games of forfeits.

The foregoing examples will show how large a part folk-
games have played in the development of social life among Afri-
can Jamaicans. The games which follow by no means include
all those still to be found among the negroes of Jamaica, but they

8 Cf. Grimm, 158, Story of Schlauraffen Land; 159, Ditmarsch Tale of Wonders;
Heywood's Four P's; the Baron Munchausen stories; perhaps the Paul Bunyan
stories of our own Northwest.

10 Field Work in Folk-lore

do suggest the direction which their develpoment has taken.
Games which depend upon quick wit in naming or in following
an order are never allowed to flag. Anyone who cannot keep up
must drop out as spectator. Rapid dialogue, especially that built
upon word-play, pleases the company. Scraps of homely drama
are readily absorbed into a game, as are bits of native wit into
the song or action. Especially does the repetition of a regular
and rhythmical movement appeal to the Jamaica negro. He takes
pleasure in "stepping/' and many of the games are little more
than a dance performed with special steps and accompanied by a
song which helps to dramatize the steps. For with the true sense
for a folk-dance, song and movement are linked together in his
mind. He never loses contact with the game as a group art,
although the individual may act out a solo part sure of the ready
appreciation of an audience who share the game and are stimu-
lated to competition by his achievement.

Finally it must be observed that the written page is never a
fair representation of a folk art. The lively and spontaneous
wit of a variation often lies in the manner of its recital, which
changes constantly with the individual reciter. To such adopted
games as "Going through the rocky road" with its haunting
melody, and the domestic incidents of "Dummy girl" and "Tin-
dal a raise an' fall," the African adds the zest of his own lively,
carefree spirit. He applies his own labor songs to the familiar
action of "Bull in the pen" and "Carry me half a hoe." Games
like "Aunty Mary" and "Ants a bite me" must belong to the old
dramatic dances about the fire ; and in the steady rhythm of the
stone-passing game we recognize the basic element which ex-
presses African social emotion. Hence, English as the collec-
tion still remains, it bears the impress of the particular race
among whom it is gathered and of the life and surroundings
which have been so long native to the African in Jamaica.

Folk Games of Jamaica 11

1. Tricks.

(Emanuel Johnson, Brown's Town.)

Pick'ny

a.

Sheep

Daddy

Mumma

T'ief come in steal two sheep. Pick'ny go see, Daddy go see, Mumma
go see. Pick'ny go back, Daddy go back, Mumma go back.

T'ief come in steal two sheep more. Pick'ny go see, Daddy go see,
Mumma go see. Pick'ny go back, Daddy go back, Mumma go back.

T'ief come in steal two sheep — six sheep now. Pick'ny go see, Daddy
go see, Mumma go see. Pick'ny go back, Daddy go back, Mumma go back.

Small round objects, all alike, are laid down to represent the
sheep and their owners. As the story proceeds, first the sheep
then the three owners are picked up one at a time, the hands
being used alternately. When all the sheep are stolen and the
three owners have come back for the last time, the six sheep
should all appear in one hand, and the other hand be empty.
"Both hands must work alike/' The trick is always to start
with one hand in taking away and with the other in putting back
the counters.

b. Take three beans in one hand, show them to the audience,
place two, one in each corner of the mouth, take them out with
the other hand, then put the third bean in the mouth. Blow
through the fist, knock the arm with an air of drawing down into
the hand the bean just put into the mouth. Open the hand and
show three beans. The trick is to conceal a bean in the mouth
before beginning the game and take it out when the two are re-
moved from the corners of the mouth.

c. Place a bottle on the floor. The player must stand in
front of it holding the right ear in front with the left hand and
the left toe behind with the right hand, or vice versa, and, stoop-
ing over, secure the bottle in his mouth and lift it from the floor.

To increase the sport, when all have made trial and one has
succeeded, the bottle is auctioned off ; for example : "Well, gen-

9 In JekylPs Jamaican Song and Story, Publications of the Folk-lore Associa-
tion, 55, a few ring-games are recorded from St. Andrew, above Kingston.

12 Field Work in Folk-lore

tlemen, this is a very nice article belonging to Mr. (the

successful player). What am I bid for it? A shilling? A shil-
ling more?" and so on, until it is knocked down to the highest
bidder, who must pay some forfeit — "sing three songs, or bring
three different leaves, or tell three lies."

2. Finger Games.

a. See my Basket.

(Lacovia and Brown's Town.)

"See me basket."

"Wha' fe go do?"
"Fe go t'ief Buckra peas an' corn."

"Suppose them catch you?"
"Me wi' jump."

"Jump mek a see !"

Cross third and fourth fingers. At the last line, uncross them
quickly. If they stick, the thief is caught.

b. Two Little Blackbirds. 10

(Christiana.)

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Two lit-tle blackbirds sit- tin' in a ring, one named Pe - ter,one named Panl.

Pg===S!E^

-frr-fr

Fly a-way Pe - ter, fly a-way Paul, come back Pe - ter, come back Paul.

Two little blackbirds sittin' in a ring,
One named Peter, one named Paul.

Fly away Peter, fly away Paul,

Come back, Peter, come back, Paul.

3. Jack, Jack, When You Coming Home?

(Christiana)

The players spread their fingers on the table and the leader
counts them out with the rhyme,

io This is played like "Jack and Jill" in Maclagan's Games of Argyleshire, 224.

Folk Games of Jamaica 13

Waterman Trinity's a very good man,
Catch up the hens and put them in the coop.
Some lay eggs and some lay none,
Ijttle foot, big foot, trip and be gone. 11

The one upon whom the count falls must go out. Comic
names are then given to all the players, and "Jack" is called in.
This dialogue follows : 12

Jack, Jack!

Sir, sir!
When you coming home?

Tomorrow evening.
What will you ride?

Whip and spur.
What will you leave?

Bow and arrow.
Who do you want to carry you home?

If Jack hits upon a name of one of the players, the player
named must take Jack upon his back and bring him in, otherwise
Jack must walk in. If a player brings him, the leader says,

What you bring?

Bag of sand !

and he throws Jack down as if he were a "bag of sand." The
counting out begins again, the players choose fresh names, and
the game goes on as before.

4. Master and Boy. 13

(James Robinson, Kilmarnock.)

Everybody gives a comic name, like Red-jacket or Rumple-
the-bed, Gold-cup, Bonka-sha, Bunch-of-keys. One man stands
up as master and one as boy.

11 See Parsons, "Folk-lore from Guilford Co., North Carolina." JAFL 30, 207.
A counting-out rhyme from Brownstown runs:

Jack the spinner

Went down to dinner

To taste the leg of the frog.

The grass is green,

The rose is sweet,

God bless King George, the noble king.

12 The allusion is to the superstition that the ghost of a man who has met his
death through foul play will return and "ride" his murderer. If foul play was sus-
pected, the dead man was clothed for burial in black; he was booted and spurred,
with a knife and a horse- whip in either hand. See Folk-lore, XV (1904), 88.

13 Cf. "Who Stole the Cardinal's Hat?" Newell, Games and Songs of American
Children, 145 ; "King Plaster Palacey," Gomme, Traditional Games of England, Scot'
land, and Ireland, 301. Suffolk County Folk-lore, 62.

14 Field Work in Folk-lore

Master. I was goin' up to town, I lose me funny cap. Some
say this, some say that, some say 's me boy have it.

Boy. Me, massa? me, massa?

Master. Who then?

Boy. Red- jacket.

Red- jacket. Me, massa? me, massa?

Master. Who then?

Red-jacket. Gold-cup.

If the accused does not think of the name of one of the other
players before the master counts three, he must give up some
article as a forfeit.

J}. (Brown's Town.)

Each one takes a comic name like Sweet-rose, Black-ribbon,
White-rose. One player is "Master boy," another is "Master
self."

Master. I have lost my funny cap. Some say this, some say

that ; some say it is master boy.

Boy. Me, master boy? me, master boy? I think it is Sweet-

rose.

Sweet-rose. Me? me? Sweet-rose? I think it is Blackbird.

5. Because, Yes and No. 14

(Brown's Town.)

The players are forbidden to say "yes," "no" or "because."
A master and a "boy" are chosen, the boy acting as "banker" for
the fines. The master goes to each in turn and asks questions
rapidly in order to trick the player into using one of the forbid-
den words. For example : — "What a pretty hat ! where you buy
that hat?"— "Mr. Brown's store."— "Why you buy that?" and
so on.

6. Pay Me Rent.

(Brown's Town.)

Players are arranged in a row, each with a partner, whose
business it is to answer all questions for the person addressed.
By passing quickly from one player to another, the master tries
to surprise one into answering for himself, when a forfeit must
be paid. The talk is all about "paying rent" ; for example : — "Pay
me rent." — "What I pay you rent for?" — "Rent for room," and
so on.

14 Cf. "Robbing the Hen-roost," Gomme II, 114; "The Plough," Maclagan
(Argyleshire), 119; Udal, Dorsetshire Children's Games, Folk-lore Journal 7, 240.

Folk Games of Jamaica
7. Call for a Drink.

15

(Butler's.)

Each player takes the name of some liquor. All sit in a cir-
cle with the "teacher" in the center holding a stick. He says, "I
am going up to town ; my throat feel thirsty ; call for a drink
of" — and points with the stick at one of the players, who must
answer with his name before the teacher says "One, two, three
and a spar'," or pay a forfeit. After twelve forfeits are taken,
the game breaks up and the forfeits are redeemed.

8. Bird Fly; Horse Fly. 15

(Butler's.)

Any number of players sit about a table, both hands placed
before them on the table. Leader stands at the head with a stick.
All sing. Leader calls out "Bird fly !" or "Horse fly !" When he
names something with wings, all hands must be tossed up in the
air backwards; when he names something without wings, the
hands must remain motionless. Anyone who makes a mistake,
gets struck with the switch or pays a forfeit.

9. Spin the Penny. 16

(Butler's.)

1. Take it, put it there me go-vao-nie, Take it, put it there me go - van -nie,

2. Take it, put it here me go-van-nie, Take it, put it here me go - van - nie,

k — & — j ^ — ^

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IV-

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Take it, put it there me go -van -nie, Take it, put it all o-ver.
Take it, put it here me go -van -nie, Take it, put it all o-ver.

(1) I : Take it, put it there, me govannie, : 1 [three times]
Take it, put it all over.

I : Take it, put it here, me govannie, : | [three times]
Take it, put it all over.

15 Cf. "Ducks fly," Newell, 119.

3 6 Cf. "Truckle the Trencher," Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 238.

16

Field Work in Folk-lore

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There's a riy - er bank

$&

o - yer there. Yes me goy - er - ness.

Take it, put

it

all

ver.

(2) There's a river-bank over there,

Yes, me governess.
Take it, put it all over.

Players sit around a table, the "teacher" at the head hold-
ing a whip. All sing as above. The teacher says,

"Some one rise and break
That bloody pupa's neck."

Some one rises and spins a penny on the table. If the penny does
not spin, the teacher beats him and calls another. If it spins he
calls one player by name: "John, that pupa's neck broke?" —
"Yes." — "Why the reason?" — If the player does not think of a
reason quickly, he must pay a forfeit.

J -76.

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10. Aunty Mary.

(Butler's.)

1

ta

fjazr ^n

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-- - -^V-*- 4 -* w 3_ — iH-J-gk

Aunt - y Mar - y, hear me tune tune, warn - bam hoe.

Aunty Mary, hear me tune tune,
Warn bam hoe !

A number of men with sticks in their hands are digging. One
man sings the song He is covered over with "bush" — old trash
and grass tied all over him. One man is the "butler." The men
dig by note, raise the stick at "Aunty Mary" and dig in at "Warn
bam hoe!" Anyone who is thirsty calls "Butler!" and the boy
comes to him with a glass of water.

Folk Games of Jamaica

17

11. Cut Cotton Tree. 1

(Butler's.)

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ad infinitum.

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John-son dead, Oh a nig - ger kiirim. Cut cot-ton tree con-trar-y oh.

Johnson dead,
Oh, a nigger kill him.
Cut cotton-tree
Contrary, oh.

A man holds up a stick, called the "cotton tree." Four men
stand about it with sticks to represent axes. Two sing "Cut
cotton tree," two others "Contrary, oh," and all four sing, "John-
son dead, oh, a nigger kill him." My informant says :

"As the men cut at the cotton tree, the tree fall on top of the
man who hold it. He fall down as if dead. Send off for the doc-
tor. The doctor is a colored man (not black) afraid of anything
at all. Dress him up in grass. He will say, 'Is there any goat in
the way?' Tell him no. Nearly catch up to the dead man, some
one will holla 'ma-a-a' like a goat. Doctor will run. Have a boy
to coax him to come. Then come in again, ask if there is any
cow in the way. Another go 'ma-a-a' like a cow. He run again.
The boy still coax him. Ask if there is any dog in the way. Tell
him no. Nearly at the gate one will bark like a dog, then he run
again. At last he come. Send for 'life-sneeze' remedy to work
on dead man, or any quality oil for rubbing the dead man. Then
he blow into dead man nostril and hold the hand and raise him
up. Then quite better. Then doctor come to man that was fell-
ing the tree, ask his pay. Draw a match and light the trash that
cover the doctor, and doctor run going out. End of the game."

12. Raise, Aunty, Raise.

(Boys' wake game, Elgin.)

Raise, Aunty, raise and fa' down,
Raise, Aunty, raise, —

Ten dollar.
You lick him off a hillside
By dem brim.
Raise, Aunty, raise, —

Ten dollar.

it The game is taken from the mumming play of The Doctor, which strolling
companies perform at Christmas time in Jamaica, and which follows very closely the
English Mummers' play, for bibliography and discussion of which see Chambers,
Mediaeval Stage, I, 205-227.

18 Field Work in Folk-lore

Boys set up an image wearing a mask. One player tries to
knock it over twice while the song is sung in chorus; another
tries to protect the image.

13. Pupa Tarn.

(Boys' wake game, Elgin.)

Do, Pupa Tarn,

Do, Pupa Tarn,

Do, Pupa Tarn,

You lef one 'tump behind.

Do, Pupa Tam,

You lef one 'tump behind.

Set up a stick or "stump." One boy is "Pupa Tarn." A boy
from the group runs behind the "stump" and sings the lines, the
whole chorus joining. "Pupa Tam" tries to catch him before the
song is sung over twice.

14. Haddy, hoddy. 18

(Margaret Morris, Maroon Town.)

Haddy hoddy, nobody for you.

Who, then?
Tenant, sah.

Who sah?
Sah Kavias.

Who 'vias?
Vias steal.

Wha' steal?
Steal an* go.

Wha' go?
Go fallee.

Who fallee?
Fallee mama.

Who mama?
Mama Bugle?

Who Bugle?
Bugle swash.

Who swash?
Swash man dee all alone.

18 Mrs. Morris is over 80 years old. No action is recorded for this game.
Cf. Maclagan (Argyleshire), 32-35.

Folk Games of Jamaica 19

15. Children, children. 19

(Claremont.)

All the "children" line up before "mama." At the end, all run
and "mama" tries to catch and beat them.

Children! children!

Yes, mama.
Where have you been to?

Grandmama.
What have she given you ?

Bread and cheese.
Where's my share?

Up in the air.
How shall I reach it?

Climb on a broken chair.
Suppose I fall?

I don't care.
Who learn you such manners?

Dog.
Who is the dog?

You, mama.

16. King's Cupboard, or Post. 20

C. (Eva Henriquez, Brown's Town.)

The players are grouped about a table. Each puts down a fist
one on top of the other. Some one asks the person whose hand
is on top "What is that?" According to his answer he is told to
"throw it away," "put it aside/' and so on.

19 See "Old Mother Tipsy-toe," Newell 143; "Old W T itch," 217; "Mother,
Mother, the Pot Boils Over," Gomme I, 396, dialogue, 398; "Mother, Mother, may
I go out to play," Courtney, Cornish Folk-lore, Folk-lore Journal 5, 55.

The dialogue between Father Christmas and Bet in the Christmas mumming of
Dorsetshire (Folk-lore Record, 3, part I, 109), reads :
Wher'st thou been, Bet?

In the land of Nod, John.

Where there's devil, man, nor dog, John.
Dissen see nobody at all there, Bet?

No, John, only an old man chewing baccy.
DideUer gee thee norry quid, Bet?

Yes, John.
Where's my sher?

Up in higher cupboard.
Not there, Bet.

Down in lower cupboard.
Tidden there, Bet ....

I have fired it through a nine-inch wall, knocked down a puppy-dog;

hear 'un say "bow wow" nine times ooder he was dead.

20 "Dump," Gomme, I, 117; II, 419; "Hewley Puley," I, 207; "Mother, may
I go Out to Play," I, 390; "Sacks," II, 146; "Club Fist," Newell, 134; Maclagan
(Argyleshire), 255; "Garden Gate," Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 219;
"May I Go Out to Play?", Ibid., 221; "Club Fist," Parsons (Guilford Co., North

Carolina), JAFL 30, 207.

20 Field Work in Folk-lore

What is that?

Rotten cheese.
Throw it away. What is that?

White rose.
Put it aside. What is that?

Good fish, etc.

When only one hand is left, the dialogue runs —

What is that?

The king's cupboard.
What is in it?

Bread and cheese.
Where is my share?

The cat eat it.
Where is the cat?

Gone in a tree.
Where is the tree?

The ax spoil it.
Where is the ax?

Fire burn it.
Where is the fire?

Water out it.
Where is the water?

Bull drink it.
Where is the bull?

The butcher kill it.
Where is the butcher?

Dead and buried in the old churchyard and ii

anybody laugh, get a box and a pinch.

The speaker suits her action to the words at the end. The
dramatic humor with which she concludes, sets the crowd
laughing.

fy^ (Claremont.)

What is this ?

A post.
Take it off. What is this?

Bread and cheese.
Where's my share?

The cat eat it.
Where is the cat?

It run in the wood.
Where's the wood?

Fire burn it.
Where's the fire?

The water out it.

Folk Games of Jamaica

21

Where's the water?

The bull drank it.
Where's the bull?

The butcher kill it.
Where's the butcher?

The butcher get a piece of corn-pork and run

round the churchyard, and who laugh get a

box and a pinch.

17. Mr. Salmon. 21

(Miss Sullivan, Mile Gully.)

Good-morning, Mr. Salmon, how are you?
And how is your neighbor next to you?

All are seated in a row or circle. Each repeats the line in
turn, moving an arm up and down meanwhile and continuing to
move the arm in the same way throughout the game, which con-
tinues about the circle until both arms, both feet, the head and
the body are in motion.

J =104.

H

18. Stone Pounding.

(Emanuel Johnson, Brown's Town.)

. T- '?- -*- -•- - -*- -?- -*-

-t—$-

z*kz

fc^=t

tz

m

±1

ttt

It

5-fr-4 :

=t=

T 'ree stone a stone, den a free stone, a stone, den a freestone a stoae say,

m — p — £ — M — * — P—E—E-.

bamboo-lay an' dey quar - rel. Yon no hear - e wha' me yer-ry?You no

-9- -+■ -•- _ -#- -#- -*- 9- m » m

3M.

=&=£

£

i£

t-

hear - e wha' me yer - ry? Yon no hear - L e wha ? me heah, say

— * — _*_^_f • ■*- -*■

L_--^__-a. k. -^ — U 1 —

qdfz

=«

bam-boo-lay an' dey quar - rel. T'ree stone a stone, den a freestone

!*— P m

3E

m^

t/=t

:*=*!r^

a stone, den a free stone a stone, say bam-boo4ay an* dey quar -rel.

21 Cf. "The Afflicted," Maclagan (Argyteshire), 1; "Quaker, How is Thee?"
Newell, 130.

22

Field Work in Folk-lore

Tree stone a stone, free stone a stone,
Den a free stone a stone,

Say bam-boo-lay an' dey quarrel.
You no hearie wha' me yerry?
You no hearie wha* me heah?

Say bam-boo-lay an' dey quarrel.
Tree stone a stone, den a free stone a stone,

Say bam-boo-lay an' dey quarrel.

Three players kneel in a circle holding a stone in each hand.
As they sing, they beat the ground with a regular rhythm.

a. Ten a Day.

(Butler's.)
J = 92.

$

M

19. Stone Passing.

e3

^v=fc

3&

A— *■

:M^*

Ten a day me hen a lay,

Hen a lay a bamboo road.

"Mudder Banner, you hen a lay a bamboo road."
"How much he lay?" "Ten a day."
"Let me go see if a true !"

Twelve players kneel on the ground in a ring. The "master"
in the center carries a switch. Each player holds a stone in his
right hand on the ground in front of him. All sing and pass the
stone right with a thud in time to the beat of the song. Anyone
Who fails to keep time, gets his fingers struck by the passing
stone and is switched by the master in the center.

b. Girl from another Bay.

(Elgin.)

Gal from anudder bay, come powder me knee,
Bring de powder-pan, powder me knee,
Bring de powder-pan, powder me knee-pan.

The game here is played with three players, each with a circle
in front, within which the stone is struck.

Folk Games of Jamaica

23

c. Hardy, Hardy.

(Bethlehem.)

*#

3*=$=£

SE*

Hard - y, Hard - y, Hard - y , Hard

y man, Hard-y gwine break rock •
Several times.

l

^

Z3tn

stone at Mand - e - ville. Kick - e

ty - tee, Bom!

Hardy Hardy Hardy Hardy-man,
Hardy gwine break rock-stone at Mandeville,
Rickety-tee, bom !

Any number of players in a circle. Each player places a stone
in a small circle drawn in the ground in front of him. All sing.
At the word "bom" all pass the stone to the right and continue
singing "Rickety-tee, bom" until some one fails to get his stone
out in time, when he pays a forfeit and the game begins again.

d. So We Plant the Corn.

(Ballard's Valley.)

So we plant de corn,

O wah, oh!
De breeze come blow it down,

Wah, oh, wah, oht
De breeze come blow it down,

Wah, oh!
De bull from Pepper Pen,

Wah, oh!

e. Dicky Saloman.

(1) (Christiana.)

J-80.

4 J i —4~

-^t^hH

Dick - j, oh, Dick - y, oh, Dick • y

Sal

man.

tF * ,r ^ ♦ 3T3? -+ -+ -+ ■*-

Plant corn yon get peas, Dick - y Sal - o - man, Yon

24 Field Work in Folk-lore

Se^^e^^^^ee^ee^^^=$:

s^^^^

W^ 1 -*-*-* 2 * J +

plant peas you get corn, Dick-y Sal - o- man. Oo-man bad, bnt man

5E^ferSi^ri^^^^^33=^^^fc^r^&r3

beat,Dick-y Sal - o-man. Kill de Cool-ie man dead,Dick-y Sal - o-man.

Dicky, oh, Dicky, oh,

Dicky Saloman,
Plant corn, you get peas,

Dicky Saloman,
You plant peas, you get corn,

Dicky Saloman,
Woman bad but man beat,

Dicky Saloman,
Kill de Coolie man dead,

Dicky Saloman,

(2) (Ballard's Valley.)

Dicky, oh, Dicky, oh,

Dicky Solomon,
Send Dicky go to school,

Dicky Solomon,
Dicky go oY man room,

Dicky Solomon,
M for mon and G for goose,
Dicky couldn't spell mongoose,

Dicky Solomon,
C-O-C-K cock,

Dicky Solomon,
F-O-O-T foot,

Dicky Solomon,
Dicky couldn't spell cock-foot,

Dicky Solomon.

f. One Stone, two Stone.

(Ballard's Valley, Christiana, Maroon Town.)

One stone, two stone,
And a di'mond stone
And a silver stone
Gwine roll, Matilda,
Mash you hand no cry,

Matilda,
Because a play we are play,

Matilda.

Folk Games of Jamaica

25

g. Daliman, Daliman.

(Hubert Mil wood, Lacovia.)
J -88.

i

fezfc

£8=

-$—?-

rn^-Vj— *=%— y— iP-^

fiufc:

zSri

Dal -i- man- a Dal- i-man two, Dal - i-man. Me mud-derplay wid

m

$=F-

W

play, Dal - i-man, Mash yo' fin-ger an' you cry, Dal - i-man,

^ k .

^£

mnd-der play wid a play, Dal - i-man. Dal- i-man -a,

S

M

i - man two, Dal - i- man. Dal - i - man - a, Dal - i - man

^ . ^ *

i

i-man, Him mud-der play wid a play, Dal - i-man.

:£=fc

t

±3t

Mash yo' fin - ger an' you cry, Dal - i-man, Mash yo' fin-ger an' yon

^-f-^^=f=^^=-^^^

=5-pt^

cry, Dal - i-man. Him mnd-der play wid a play, Dal - i-man.

Dal-i-man-a Dal-i-man, one, Dal-i-man,
Me mudder play wid a play, Dal-i-man,
Mash yo' finger an' you cry, Dal-i-man,
Me mudder play wid a play, Dal-i-man.

Dal-i-man-a Dal-i-man, two, Dal-i-man,
Dal-i-man-a Dal-i-man, two, Dal-i-man,
Him mudder play wid a play, Dal-i-man,
Mash yo* finger an* you cry, Dal-i-man,
Mash yo' finger an* you cry, Dal-i-man,
Him mudder play wid a plajr, Dal-i-man.

26

O. (Christiana.)

Field Work in Folk-lore
20. Dalimon, Dalimon. 22

£3*

- ft r* I

g__J — ^srzfs — n — k_^_^ — , — qs" — ^

Dal-mon, Dal-mon, Dalmon one, Dal-mon, Dal-mon, Dal-mon two. Oh,dere's

*-

_£„_ N-~ a_

^^-£^2

:qz

H

9 9 -#- -#- -#-
»©me«t'ing Ta-cu - ma say, Ta-cu - ma say * 'Brudder Char - He, draw it in. ' '

Dal'mon, Dal'mon, Dal'mon one,
Darmon, Dal'mon, Dal'mon two,
Oh, dere's something Tacuma say,
Tacuma say, "Brudder Charlie, draw it in."

All sit in a row and stretch out their feet. The leader counts
cut until only one foot remains. The owner must kneel with head
in the lap of the leader. One object after another is laid upon
his back while he guesses what it is in the following dialogue :

Jacky, Jacky, my boy, what over you?

(Makes a guess like "Hat")
Make buncra (if the object is a basket) stay until hat come.

The one hiding his eyes must remain in this position until he
guesses correctly the object on his back, even "if he guess all
night."

-•- -*- -•- -#- ~r

b. (Butler's.)
J -76.

^m.

A IV v

A-A-

A-A-A-

-1-*-

A— N— fc-

A-A-

t=t

_fc~.X-._jV_

W&

Dal - i-mo,Dal - i - mo,Dal-i-mo one, Dal- i- mo, Dal- i -mo, Dal -i - mo two,

ad infinitum.

*~A-

A-4

A-A-

=N— ^~A~-P

j .^^ i — __

-A — PS

3=3=

fct

Same something Ta-cuma want, Sarah, eom«, come, take it,Sarah,take one, leave one.

Dal-i-mo, Dal-i-mo, Dal-i-mo one,
Dal-i-mo, Dal-i-mo, Dal-i-mo two.
Same something Tacuma want,
Sarah, come, come take it,
Sarah, take one, leave one.
22 "Aonadan, Dhanadan," Maclagan (Argyleshire), 100.

Folk Games of Jamaica

27

C. (Brown's Town.)

J = 88.

£ 3 - ft--fr

w«

ft^

332

gl* *-

Dal - i«ma,Dal- i-ma, one, Dal - i-ma. Dal - i - ma, Dal - i - ma, two, Dal -i-ma,Dere's

t=^&

-fr>—*-

i

^S z£ JU..J.

eomet'ing An-an - si tell me Char-lie say, tell me Char-lie say "Draw up one."

Dalima, Dalim*a, one, Dalima.

Dalima, Dalima, two, Dalima.

Dere's somet'ing Anansi tell me Charley say,

Tell me Charlie say, "Draw up one."

d. (Bethlehem.)

Dalema, dalema,

One dalema, two dalema,

Three dalema, four dalema,

Five dalema, six dalema,

Seven dalema, eight dalema,

Nine dalema, ten dalema,

Unco Quasiba tell Massa Charley

To tell Br'er Nansi, "Draw it out."

Players sit around a table with their hands placed flat, palms
downwards, on the table in front of them. Leader stands at the
head. As they sing, he points to each hand in succession and the
hand on which the last word falls is drawn from the table until
only one hand remains. This person is leader for the next game.

21. Biddy, Biddy, Hold Fast. 23

(Lacovia.)

m

ifczfc

^

e

m—*-m-

£

:*±j£

3_^ yi yl ^_

Bid-dy,Bid-dy hof fas' Jos' ma goFring, One go to London Come back again.

T*-1*- fr

Jrf=

^=^

r*~S

«=*=£

€— f'FPF

* * *

U . y V ~~ *

*±3tZZM±3iZ

V yi yi yi-.

Bid-dy,BM-dy hoi' fas'llos' ma gol'ring, One go to London Come back a -gain.

23 "Hold Fast my Gold Ring," Newell, 150.

28 Field Work in Folk-lore

Biddy, Biddy, hoi' fast,

L,os' ma gold ring,
One go to London,

Come back again.

Players sit about a table with fists on the table, held close to-
gether. "Master" goes from player to player as they sing and
drops the gold ring into one of the closed hands. Then he says,
"Jack, find your master g*old ring." Jack, who stands watching,
guesses into which hand the ring is dropped.

Or the following dialogue ensues : 2

.24

Master. Jack, my boy, fin' yo' master gold ring.

Jack. Some say this, some say that, I fink it is master boy

got it.
Boy. No, I t'ink it master self.

Master. Me? Me? I deny that.

Boy. Well, it mus' be Blue-bell got it then.

Jack. No, no, I t'nk it is Ground Dove got it.

Ground Dove. What is that? me, Ground Dove? No no, no me,

Ground Dove don* have it at all.
Jack. It is Coney-on-the-beach have it.

Coney. No no no, 'tis not Coney-on-the-beach.

b. (Ballard's Valley.)

One player hides his eyes or goes out of the room. All sing
while the ring is being hidden —

Biddy, Biddy, hoi' fast,
Last night gold ring,
Go over land
And come back again.

They call "Biddy, Biddy, Biddy." The one outside returns and
says to the one in whose hand he guesses it hidden, "Give it to

me."

C. (Butler's.)

J - 76.

4s — rv— 4v

-fr-4-

M=ttE?E?E^

-£— ^— £— £— b>-

Bid-dy Bid-dy hoi' fas', las' night go in, went up to Kingston,come back again,

24 "Mrs. Macpherson's Ring," Maclagan (Argyleshire), 118. Cf. "Master and
Boy," No. 4.

Polk Games of Jamaica

$

3&=k

29

ad infinitum.

-a_- j\ — v_q_

=g=5

htzMz

^H*-

-0 — — 0—0-

V—&—9 • v V-

Bid-dy,Bid-dy hoi' fas', las' night go ia,went up to KingstoiijCome back a-gain.

Biddy Biddy, hoi' fas',
Las' night go in,
Went up to Kingston,
Come back again.

d. (Christiana.)

J = 72.

^-2— ir

-&-

~"fcr

=fc~

— ft

\

_i__

_»_

-£-

-•

V-

-*-

-0.

«

— p — iy-

=5=
-•-

Bil-

iy.

Bil-

ly, wha'

me ring? ma

gol'

ring? If

you

lost it you

Pifc -v~

t HV

"S *

"fr"

-r

ad infinitum.

i# $-

i

i — ( —

— N-
— }—

-1

-•-

^

— ev

-L — )_

=-$ ^

find it, ma goV ring. One fe mas - sa,one fa bwa, ma go!' ring.

Billy, Billy, wha ma ring?

Ma goV ring.
If you lost it you find it,

Ma goV ring.
One fe massa, one fe bwa,

Ma goV ring.

22. Drop, Peter, Drop, Drop. 25

(Martha Murray, Lacovia.)

Drop, Peter, drop, drop, my gold ring.

Send a letter to my love, I drop it on the way,

Some one pick it up, and won't give it up.

Players form a ring with hands behind backs and pass some
article from hand to hand. One called the "searcher" tries to find

25 The last part of the song- commonly belongs to the game of "Drop the Hand-
kerchief" or of "Kiss in the Ring." The introductory lines do not occur in English
collections. In America the popular formula is "Tisket a tasket, a green and yellow-
basket," for which see County Folk-lore (Northumberland), 113: "Hisket a hasket,
Buy a penny basket." See "Drop the Handkerchief" and "Kiss in the Ring," Gomme
I, 109, 305; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 211, 212; Courtney (Cornish),
Folk-lore Journal 5, 52; Allen (Surrey), Folk-lore Record 5, 87; Maclagan (Argyle-
shire), 214; "Hunt the Squirrel," Newell, 168; "Drop the Handkerchief," Gardner
(Michigan), JAFL 33, 96; "Itiskit," Wolford, Play-party in Indiana, 59.

30

Field Work in Folk-lore

it. Sometimes the "master" beats him until he finds it, or the one
upon whom the article is found gets a beating or pays a forfeit

b.

Sammy lost his gold pocket-knife. 26
Oh, Sammy can't find it !

J=72.

^m

23. Hunt the Slipper. 2

(Brown's Town.)

F®=P

9 • -J- J-

Cob -bier, Cob -bier, make ma shoe, Let it done by ah! pas' two,

#

**

£e£

~A-

AJbf pas' two is at c!e do% Let it done by ahf pas' two.

Cobbler, cobbler, make ma shoe,
Let it done by 'ahf pas' two.
'Ahf pas' two is at the do',
Let it done by 'ahf pas' two.

The players are seated and pass the slipper behind their backs.

24. Pass the Ball/

d, (Christiana.)

J- 72.

m frtr rn

=R=I=

»tJ:

i _ t

:*-ft

S=3

^

fcfe

Pass de ball an' de ball gwine roun ' . Manga Nannie show me how de ball gwine ronn' .

Drill bwa, drill bwa, drill bwa, drill, oh, Manga Nannie show me how de ball gwine ronn!

I

T

*-~fc-

-fr—fr-^

g=^=

-*~A

■N — V — \ — >■

-•-*-- K-~ gz: H— £ — ft — |-
Zf. ,0. _*_ .0. .j. jq. .qr

fj

-#- -#- -4- w w -jj- -ih

Pass de ball an' de ball yan' fin', oh, Mauga Nannie tell me say de ball gwine ronn'.

26 Cf. Jekyll's "Me los* me gold ring, fin' an' gi' me," in Jamaican Song and
Story, 197.

27 Gomme I, 241; XJdal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 237.

28 Jekyll, Jamaican Song and Story, 196. "Mauga" means thin ; "bwa" means boy.

m

Folk Games of Jamaica 31

:*::&:

fr^-^~-*^-^~-iir--*-

-#. • -#- -#- -#- » -#- # -^- ~#-

Drill bwa, drill bwa, drill bwa,drill, oh, Mauga Nannie tell me say de ball gwine roan*.

Pass de ball an' de ball gwine roun',
Mauga Nannie show me how de ball gwine roun\
Drill bwa, drill bwa, drill bwa, drill, oh,
Mauga Nannie show me how de ball gwine roun\

Pass de ball an* de ball kyan' fin', oh,
Mauga Nannie tell me say de ball gwine roun\
Drill bwa, drill bwa, drill bwa, drill, oh,
Mauga Nannie tell me say de ball gwine roun\

b. (Bethlehem.)

Pass de ball and de ball gwine round,
Maugre Nanny show me how de ball gwine round.

De ball gwine round with a bunch of rose,
Maugre Nanny show me how de ball gwine round.

Players stand in a ring and pass a small object from hand to
hand behind their backs exactly as in "Drop, Peter, Drop, Drop."
One in the center searches for the "ball" while another beats her
until she finds it,

25. Pass the Light 29

(Butler's.)

76.

K

■fr-tr

■*r-fr-tr-t*--frHfr-^

ad infinitum.

fr-jr

V L- L_ ff #— J JJ

Ilfcit

-V— v-

-^

Pass the light ; and the light will go. An - y - bod-y out the light, the light will go.

Pass the light and the light will go.
Anyone out the light, the light will go.

Players seated in a ring or row pass a lighted candle from
hand to hand. The person in whose hand the light goes out, pays
a forfeit or gets a beating.

29 This game, under the name of "Jack's Alive," is very wide- spread. See
Gomme, I, 256; Maclagan (Argyleshire), 129; Gutch (East Riding of Yorkshire),
145; Black (Orkney and Shetland Isds.), 216; "Robin's Alive," Newell, 135.

32

Field Work in Folk-lore

26. Postman. 30

d. (Christiana.)

-> = 184.

Post-man a - wait - in' for 9ail - in* boat, sail - in' boat, sail - in* boat,

IbeS

-*--*-

*

3=*=

£-r- JJ

Post-man a -wait- in* for sail - in* boat, Good-bye, Post-man,good-bye.

Song Post-man a-waitin* for sailin* boat,
Sailin' boat, sailin* boat.
Post-man a-waitin' for sailin* boat,
Good-bye, Post-man, good-bye.

Dialogue.

Who is there? Postman.
What you bring? Letter.

For whom ? For .

How many? Two.

Postman stands by the door, all the boys outside, all the girls
in. The girls form a line and sing as they advance and retreat.
The one called goes outside the door to receive her letters, which
are kisses.

b. (Ballard's Valley.)
Song.

Dialogue.

Post-boys are waiting for sailing on,
Sailing on, sailing on.
Post-boys are waiting for sailing on,
So take up your anchor and go.

Who is there? Letter post.
How many? Four and twenty.
For whom? Miss .

Players join hands in a ring and sing while one player as
"Postboy" runs around outside the ring. At the word "go," the
postboy takes hold of the player he has reached and the dialogue
ensues. If he gives the right name, the player from the ring has
to take his place as postboy.

30 "American Post," Gomme II, 404; "Glasgow Ships,"
shire), 81; "Sailing at High Tide," Newell, 23S.

Maclagan (Argyle-

Folk Games of Jamaica

33

27. Hen and Chickens. 31

(Bethlehem.)

One player crouches behind a small pile of brush in the atti-
tude of an old woman building a fire. The others scatter about
nearby. One addresses the old lady.

\ Together >

Mother Hen. { Together
s+j • l 1 several

Chicks. ( times

Mother Hen.

Old Lady.

Hen.

Chicks.

Mother Hen.

Old Lady.

Mother Hen.

Old Lady.

Mother Hen.

Old Lady.

Mother Hen.

Old Lady.

Mother Hen.

Old Lady. ( Together \

Chicks. ( repeated \

Cluck! cluck! cluck!

Pee, pee, pee, pee.

Old Lady, what is the time ?

Half past twelve.

Cluck ! cluck ! cluck !

Pee, pee, pee, pee.

Old Lady, what you making up that fire for

To roast a chick.
To roast what chick?
Those maugre maugre chick.
Those fat fat chick!
I must have a chick !
You shan't have a chick!
I must have a chick !
You shan't have a chick!
Chick, chick, chick.
I want no corn.

[do?

The "chicks" hurry into line behind the mother hen, each
holding the one in front around the waist. The old lady tries to
catch the last one, crying "I must have a chick." The mother
tries to keep in front of her, at the same time repeating "You
shan't have a chick." The old lady calls "Chick !" and the chick-
ens cry "I want no corn !" until the "chick" at the end of the line
is caught.

28. Puss and Rat

a. (Eva Henriquez, Brown's Town.)

J=72.

$

=2:

ESS5

£5

-*— *— •+•

-^ -a- -•-

Jump,Brudder Rat,Brudder Puss a go catch you, lay, lay, jump an' de-lay.

=r*

Jump, jump, jump fo' yo' life, lay, lay, jump an' de - lay.

31 Gomme I, 201; Maclagan (Argyleshire), 132; Newell,
Gomme I, 139; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 217;
(East Riding of Yorkshire), 144.

155; "Fox & Goose,"
"Fox & Hen," Gutch

34 Field Work in Folk-lore

Jump, Brudder Rat, Brudder Puss a go catch you,

Lay, lay, jump an' delay.
Jump, jump, jump fo' you life,

Lay, lay, jump an J delay.

Players form a long line. Puss and Rat are on opposite sides
of the line and are not allowed to run around it. They face each
other.

Good-morning, Brother Rat.

Good-morning, Brother Puss.
I hear you get into my corn last night and broke
out the last ear of corn.

Yes, and if you heard about it, come and lump it.

Rat stoops down one side and Puss stoops down the other and
attempts to get at Rat between the players, who stand still and
sing.

O. (Christiana.)

J- 74.

M

HiriHfc^-ft-VlHt

4?— N-

jL/^.^^^-AV^-j^-4-

-•—-#-

Brudder Ratta, Brudder Pussa, go jump ehande-lay, Lay, lay, jump shan-de-lay.

Is*

-fr N N -ft— ft-- ft— ft— ft— ft

S— K— S— K-a— R-A— S— S— ft

fc^

Brudder Pussa, Brudder Ratta, go to corn-piece, Lay, lay, jump shan - de - lay.

Brudder Rat an* Brudder Puss a go jump shan-de-lay,

Lay, lay, jump shan-de-lay.
Brudder Puss an' Brudder Rat a go to corn-piece,

Lay, lay, jump shan-de-lay.

Players form in a ring. Rat is outside, Cat inside. Cat tries
to dodge about a player to hit Rat, while the player in the ring
endeavors to prevent her by keeping in front of her. All sing.

C. (Bethlehem.)

Lay, lay, jump shan-de-lay,

Lay, lay, jump shan-de-lay,

If I jump shan-de-lay I make no delay,

Brudder Rat an' Brudder Puss a jump shan-de-lay,

If I catch Brudder Rat I wi' gi' him pom-pom !

Players form a line holding each other firmly about the waist.
Puss and Rat stand on each side of the line. All sing. Puss

Folk Games of Jamaica

35

tries to dodge about the line to catch Rat while the players try to
prevent her by keeping directly in front of her. Puss meanwhile
sings the last line.

29. Bull ia the Pen. 3

a. Bull-o.

(Christiana.)
J=96.

=£=^

4=*

TOSEQ

*:

E&

.

Ball - o,

ball, meNan-na, bull-o,

bull, me Nan - na, Beg you

qst

£=33=

-A fc-

HS-A-

&£

me

^**-»

^

-0±-r

-0 <f-

len' me one rope fe go cast me bull, me Nan - na, Bull - o mash up

i

q=

qj-N-

— 3. :i~ *

-9- -m~

groun', Nan - na, Beg you len' me one rope ie

go cast

me bull.

Bull-o, bull, w^ Nanna,

Bull-o, bull, me Nanna,

Beg you len' me one rope fe go cast me bull, me Nanna.

Bull-o mash up me groun', Nanna.

Beg you ten* me one rope fe go cast me bull.

Players form a ring holding hands. Two in the center take
the parts of the "driver," who holds a whip, and the "bull." The
driver goes to each link of hands in turn to see if the "fence" is
firm. In Lacovia, the following dialogue is used : "What kind of
fence?" "Iron fence." "What kind of fence?" "Plantain
fence." These words are a challenge for the bull to break
through. When the game is played by boys, a chase follows and
the "bull" is brought home in the arms of the players.

b. Ring ding darling.

(Christiana.)

IS

33=

-I - 4. -C

*-*-

-± -± -d- m w -& w -J- -I- — r -i- -J-

Dis amestrongfence.ringdingdar-lin'.dis a me strong fence.ring ding darlin',

32 Gomme I, 50. Cf. Garden Gate, I, 146. Sec Jekyll, Jamaican Song and Story, 201.

36

Field Work in Folk-lore

tt

¥

ad infinitum.

s=3*al

_J* — c h r _ l\ — ^

N -N — fct—N — f^-

fcrfc

Howme fe get out here,ring ding dar-lin'. Bull in a pen, oh, ring ding dar-lin'.

Dis a me strong fence,

Ring ding darlin\
Dis a me weak fence,

j?iw(7 ding darlin'.
How me f e get out here ?

i?in<7 ding darlin*.
Bull in a pen, oh,

Ring ding darlin\

c. May-pen Bull.

(Bethlehem.)

fc~f>-

*

fefi

1F=*

Z-±~~*r^z

±=E

Z&Z9Z

_^_- A-H-

^-4-

-#— • — #-

Lay! lay! lay! me say lay! lay! May pen bull is a ver-y bad bull.

Lay! lay! lay! me say "lay! lay!"
May-pen bull is a very bad bull.

30. Going through the Rocky Road/

a. (Ballard's Valley.)

As I ride through the rocky road, oh, Marley, Marleyf
As I ride through the rocky road, oh, Marley, Marley!
All the handsome girls no fe you one, 34 Marley, Marley!
All the handsome girls no fe you one, Marley, Marley!
Ride through the rocky road, Marley, Marley!
Open the gate and count it through, Marley, Marley!

33 I take this game to be a version of "How Many Miles to Babylon?" In Udal
(Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 23, "How many miles to Gandigo?", "all the other
pairs hold up their hands as high as they can and the king and queen run through
the arch-way and back again, and so on with the next pair, and other pairs in turn."
See Gomme I, 231. In Newell's version (p. 153) the song runs:

Marlow, marlow, marlow bright,

How many miles to Babylon?
Gomme (II, 230) discusses the relation of the game to that of "Thread the Needle,"
which is played in a similar manner. Chambers describes the same dance as taking
place at village festivals at May-Time. See Mediaeval Stage I, 165. See note to
game 31.

34 "For you alone."

Folk Games of Jamaica

37

b. (Maroon Town.)

3=

47^i=-

$7 -!= tz +■

#=&

4=— F-

47-

*

p^^

Ef^rt

±r

Mar - ley, Mar - ley, A walk - in' t'rough de rock - y road, oh,

47-

L £ *

r t t tt

£»

V — Z5__£:

y ^_

S

Mar - ley, Mar - ley, A walk - in' t'rough de rock - y road, oh,

• *

Jt-

-9- -»- - ^- _

3 Ftg=t^g4nr-^-to=gr^

-t-

^JS

It

Mar - ley, Mar - ley

47-

47 r-

z£=£=^=g

t T7 T7

Mar - ley, Mar - ley
-•- -ft.

47-

£

pi^z^=e-^— *

3S

O-pen de ring so make me jump it so, Mar - ley, Mar - ley. A

?- ^ -* -»- -f»-

4= — f r r r-

^

47—47-

1

SiteK

goin' t'rongh de rock - y road, oh, Mar - ley, Mar - ley, A

£ £ £: .*. _,. ^.. .,.

47-47—17-47-

47-4=-

^M£

-V i/_

-fc/ r

it

walk - in' for a rock - y road, oh, Mar - ley, Mar - ley, A

i^4^4=-4^Jr4=-J^-

#- ■#- -#- -

t=£= feq3r=tczfc

£=

^i^~*— -*-— *— *— *-v — ^— £-[r

eS

walkin' t'rough de rocky road, oh, Mar - ley, Mar - ley, A walk-in* t'rough de

47-47-

=fc

47-47-

-£

47-4=

m

i

i^id^=*=E=*t=k

5L— ^ {^^^ZJJZZJ^.

rock-y road, oh, Mar - ley, Mar - ley ? ?

A-walkin' t'rough de rocky road,

Oh, Marley, Mar ley!
A-walkin' t'rough de rocky road,

Oh, Marley, Marley!
Open de ring so make me jump it so, (?)

Marley, Marley.

Players stand in two rows facing each other, their hands
joined above their heads forming an arch. As they sing, the two

38

Field Work in Folk-lore

at the end run through under the arch and take their places at the
lower end while the other couples skip through in turn, keeping
time to the song.

31. Thread the Needle/

a. Thread Needle.

(1) (Maroon Town.)

fHt£

*+"T "+T ~^r

M-M-

^~^-

IS

_U__V-

5ZZ5_^_^_5Z^:

He

T'read needle, t'read needle,long,long t'read.Nannie got to t'read, oh, long, long t'read.

Tread needle, t'read needle, long long t'read,

Nannie got to t'read, oh, long long t'read.

Players join hands in a curved line. The end player passes
under his own and the second player's linked hands, then, fol-
lowed by the second player, under the hands of the third and
fourth, and so on until all are wound up in a coil.

(2) (Bethlehem.)

Annie, Annie, thread the needle, reel and sew,
Thread the needle, thread the needle, reel and sew.

b. Bruk foot.

(Bethlehem.)

i^i

SSE

Bruk foot Sen - ior, Sen - ior, Sen - ior, can-ter a - long Sen - ior.
The players move "as if each one had a broken leg."

35 See Folk-lore Record 5, 88. This is perhaps the "interesting dance movement"
which Mrs. Gomme fails to find in versions of the "Babylon" game. The words "Dan,
Dan, thread the needle, Dan, Dan, sew," as well as other references to "threading the
needle" are found attached in some songs to the game of "How Many Miles to Baby-
lon?" See Gomme I, 234; County Folk-lore (Suffolk), 63. In this it resembles the
familiar

Open the gates as wide as high
And let King George and I go by,

Folk Games of Jamaica

39

c. Pana Marley.

(Maroon Town.)

J -100.

m

'r4-*-*-

ES:

s=¥

=£

i

w-y— g-^— H-H-t-

-»-*-

ei

Pa-na Mar-ley,Mar-ley,Mar-Iey, oh, Pa-na Mar-Iey,Mar-ley,Marley, oh, Pa-na

3E

=*--<§=

42=51-5^.8^3

■*~~Vr

t

Mar- ley,Mar-ley,Marley,oh, Pa-na Mar-ley, Mar - ley,Mar-ley, oh, Pa - na

Pana Marley, Marley, Marley,

Pana Marley, Marley, Marley,

You see me Beaver hat,

You see me criers boot,

Oh, Pana Marley, Marley, Marley!

d. Land goes up and down.

(Maroon Town.)

J=96.

i

±±

■*-?-

y ~v ~w-

* *-

^P£

$-*

v * v-

#-#-

*=p=

fcK~J~V 1^— rj n v-r

-y— »

5=P=

■V— *-

Lan' goes up an'down,ho-ke, Lan' goes up an'down wid you,Nannie. Lan'goes up an'

-£-*-

#__#_

=p=S

-9-

±:

r f*— #-

£

ije=pc

^

■y — a — ^ — b^~

z*%t&z

-9-V-

down ho - ke. Lan' goes up an'down, ho- ke. Lan' goes up an' down wid you,Nannie.

Lan* goes up an' down, ho-ke,

Lan' goes up an* down wid you, Nannie.

32. Hill and Gully Riding, 36

a, (Maroon Town.)

*2^Zjt£

T* ff ft -

^1|4

-?— £-

-p— jH pr_^_

lg P --*

:4z

-£— £-

Hill an' gul-ly rid - er, hill an' gul-ly, If you tumble down you broke yo' neck,
* * . - - -

py=^H=

id=i=t=t

=0

vM-K — *4-

=&=

-V — -

hill an' gul-ly. If you tumble down you broke yo' neck, hill an' gul-ly. Oh,

36 The action of this game resembles that of the last except that the players
jump over not under the clasped hands and it hence becomes a vigorous athletic
game for men and boys.

40

Field Work in Folk-lore

-*- =£ *

m^^^^^^^=H

.*. -)»-

■g—m.

+—t—%~U-V hr

V — u — ^ — £

hill an' gul - ly rid - er t

■ ., * a> an

hill an' gul - ly. Oh, hill an' gul - ly rid - er,

P * P m ft ft P P ~fi~ y

.f\*"'. 9 B w w y

V V & i u P a P P P P S & -

*i«<" / r > r S p

tf S S ^ D ff * Pi & . * ^

-^ " p V 2 y "

„v !• i/ . ^ • y v P t? a J

r ■ ^ • — n ^ ^ ^ ■ ^

hill an' gul - ly. If you tum-ble down you broke yo' neck, hill an' gul - ly. If you

-Aflir

...»

5-

5-

_0-

— p—

tf

— •-

1-

'%

9-

-t

.15=

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it

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15=

U

5=

c?

__y_

-V-

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*=

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=fc

break yo' neck you go to hell, hill an' gul-ly. If you go to hell be deb - ii glad,

-.*- ~*r m -p- -hr -£- * « « _« g -f :

pNeS^N;

=t

=p=p=

-P— £

hill an' gul-ly. Oh, hill an' gul-ly rid-er, hill an' gul-ly. Oh,

3i

-s±e

feg

p « e p p p.

.p P p.

^E^=£=£=g:

#=3=*=±:

=£

P=g-

hill an' gul-ly rid-er, hill an' gul-ly. If you tumble down yon broke yo' neck,

^§ ^==^ ==:^^^==B=Et^= =^==g== :g=g=grr fc g^gEgEM ;

hill an' gul-ly. If you broke yo' neck you go to hell, Hill an' gul-ly, If you

■*-«— -*-?-

^rizrthtbb-^ -p=g=b=:^

g=jg£3**EM=£t

* — «»— p — «— *-

5zp_

£

1

go to hell de debil glad,hillan' gul-ly. Oh, hill an' gul-ly rid - er, hill an' gul-ly.

Hill an' gully rider, hill an' gully.

If you tumble down you broke yo' neck,

hill an' gully.
Oh, hill an' gully rider, hill an' gully,
If you tumble down you broke yo* neck,

hill an' gully.
If you break yo* neck you go to hell,

hill an' gully.
If you go to hell de debbil glad,

hill an' gully.
Oh, hill an' gully rider, hill an' gully.

Players (male) form a curved line holding hands. As they
keep time to the song, one and then another player leaps over and
passes under the joined hands without breaking the line.

Folk Games of Jamaica

41

b. (Brown's Town.)

J=80.

i

3fcJMfc-fri*-&

T$ -g — ••

3£=3*-

-ff- -0- -^~
Hill an' gui-ly rid - er, hill an' gul-ly. If you broke yo' neck you go to hell.

^

Hill

an' gul - ly. Hill an' gul - ly rid - er, hill an' gul - ly. If you

M

-£-1— -^^S.— •~=^ C ^— -2~

F#

& _ h _N_

-=P"3^T

-«- -*- -*- -*•
broke yo' neck you go to hell, hill an' gul - ly. It's a long, long way;

| 2 Fine.

Jc I

i

"tff'S 'N l\ \ 1 ~'t ft ~fe"

f* & *s &. fc h. '\ fv ^ -I -1 8

7\*s K i S 1 * * m

J J^ K £ ft .p K i N -»■■

t) -*> -J- -J* -J- # *

w * .J} _js _fs 4 .^ J. -*-• .J.

hill an' gul-ly. It's a long way to go to. hell. Hill an' gul-ly.

33. Two Gully Meet Up.

a. (Lacovia.)

J = 160.

m--

^

£%=F

5E

-#-=•-

£:

Two gul-ly meet, oh, one goes so, one comes so. Two gul - ly

rt

T-

meet,

oh,

one

goes

so

one comes

I

so.

Meet on

a Mon - day,

Vi i i

-J . -l -

. \ \

JLh

1

P •

a

-a \

'■■ m *

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r

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r I r

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[/

m

: •

m

- y «

£T

"

m

one goes so, then they meet on Mon - day, one goes so, then they

4-

*=n

=3=

3=

meet on] Tnes - day, one goes so, then they meet on Wednesday,

qzzzqi

£

T

*=

4=

:*=

^ * — *__.

one goes so, then they meet on Thurs-day, one goes so, then they

42

Field Work in Folk-lore

i

3:

=3=

rp

$

meet on Fri - day, one goes so, then they meet on Sat - ur - day,

D. C ad infinitum.

-T-

=1=

^=

*=

_£

4=

t:

one goes so, then they meet on Son - day, one goes

so.

Two gully meet, oh, one goes so, one comes so.
Two gully meet, oh, one goes so, one comes so.
Then they meet on Monday, one goes so .
Then they meet on Tuesday, one goes so.
Then they meet on Wednesday, one goes so .
Then they meet on Thursday, one goes so.
Then they meet on Friday, one goes so.
Then they meet on Saturday, one goes so.
Then they meet on Sunday, one goes so.

Players stand in a ring, every two facing each other. As they
sing, they make a step forward and clap hands, first with their
partners, then, turning, with the one behind.

b. (Butler's.)

J = 76.

I

*=t

*£

«—£

R — rv-

-*-•-

-K-S-

JSfcp^, — L— =-^— = -

Two gul-lymeet up, I comethrough,two gul-lymeet up, I come through,

ad infinitum.

l

$=^=±z

-fc-#^

two gnl - ly meet np, I come through, two gnl -ly meet up, I come through.

C. (Maroon Town.)
J=92.

£ t f

.£-

-!=£:

*=

r f f — »

I come show. Two gul - ly meet up, I come show.

affe fefefe^

— h—

4^—4=-

4; -# -

_^ 1 —

4^

Two gul - ly meet np, I come show. Two gnl - ly meet up,

m

r t t~ -

Folk Games of Jamaica

3= £ jfL. M +. .M.

43

-F-

-1=

* ^ g ^^ — f

m

I come show. Hi me gul - ly meet up, I come show, oh,

i

-y V y y ^ ■ V ~h

Two gul-ly meet up, I come show. Two gul -ly meet up, I come show,

34. Back, Back, Train. 37

(Wake song, Elgin.)

Back ,back, train, not a pulley never lay.
Back ,back, train, not a pulley never lay.

Players stand in line one behind the other with hands on the
shoulder of the one in front, heels together, toes out. The "train"
moves back or to the front without taking toes from the ground.

35. Dummy Girl.

a. (Christiana.)

J«72.

i V ffi^tt A k

h. K

JL u tf*.^ if*

*. c K

-V i\

uii ** C A J .

fc j s *

, s*

^

IS

K „

JU£ , ff^t » •

N # •

• J

...fv

N

ft

1 £r

) Cry,

\ Bobbin

•
me dam - my

ga!, cry,

Sa .

•J-

bi -

1»-

na,

Yo'
Yo'

JLtfir'i A

jZlT fi "W^"

l BtK " MA

\ WJ 1 *T ^

9

m

&

^ n > ■

S— N— ^^S-

-N— t

bus - ban' jig-gah nev-ah poll, Sa - bi - na,
hus - ban' shirt nev-ah patch, Sa - bi - na,

-0 <) ^ £ 1 u.

m

m

Yo'

%

=£

Oh, oh, oh, Sa-bi-na!

37 In Lacovia, the step is danced to the song of "Dicky Solomon." Occasion-
ally the leader makes a sudden dip of the body which all must follow.

44

Field Work in Folk-lore

if>— -&— &~zfr-

=5= 2j

hus - ban' foot nev- ah wash, Sa - bi - na,

Yo'

* f\-

-=tr

Oh, oh, oh, Sa-bi - na!

Ht

^

-*—-*-

tt—t:

*T

T*T^

hus • ban' head nev - ah comb,

?Tt

bi - na,

H

Pi

=£=£

•=* —

Oh, oh, oh,

_-i ^ — 1_

• bi - na!

Cry, me dummy gal, cry, Sabina,

Yo' husban' jiggah nevah pull, Sabina,

Yo' husban' shirt nevah patch, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabina!
Yo* husban' foot nevah wash, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabina!
Yo' husban* head nevah comb, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabina!

(Lacovia.)

Cry, me dummy gal, cry, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Look yo' husband foot, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Husband foot never wash, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Husband jigger never pull, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Look yo* husband shirt, Sabina.

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Husband shirt never patch, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Look yo' husband head, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal
Husband head never comb, Sabina,

Oh, oh, oh, Sabinal

Folk Games of Jamaica

45

Brag, me dummy gal, brag, Sabina,
And cry, dummy gal, cry.
Laugh, me dummy gal, laugh, Sabina,
Jump, me dummy gal, jump.

A dramatic song and dance performed by three girls. One
with a switch in her hand sings the lines in reproof of the dumb
Sabina, who meanwhile examines the foot, shirt and head of her
blind husband, who sits in a chair in the center of the group. The
entire circle sing the refrain.

36. I Come to See Jennie/

(l. (Christiana.)

> = 184.

d&

WB.

-*— ^r

-=T

I come to see Jen - ny, I come to see Jen - ny, I
She's wash - in* her clothes, she's wash - in' her clothes, she's

. I'.i

ad infinitum.

y

JN N

K 1

>5L K K \ k.

f(YS IS i i 1 i^ IS

i- J J

* * • ; ■

"Vl> P J J J 2 (

tf J- 9 * * * -J-

come to see Jen - ny, an' how is

she now?

wash - in' her clothes, an' can - not

he seen.

b. (Ballard's Valley.)

I come to see Jennie,

I come to see Jennie,

I come to see Jennie,

And where is she now?

She's gone to the river,

She's gone to the river,

She's gone to the river,

And cannot be seen.

Good-by, good-by, good-by, good-by,

Good-by, I come back again.

She's washing some clothes . . . [repeat

as above]

She's starching some clothes . . . [repeat

as above]

She's ironing some clothes . . . [repeat

as above]

She's sick, she's sick . . . [repeat

as above]

She's dead, she's dead . . .

[repeat

as above]

38 This is one of the most wide-spread of all folk>games. See Gomme I, 260;
Maclagan (Argyleshire), 123; (Essex), Folk-lore Record 3, part 2, 171; Newell, 63,
243; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33, 104. Cf. "Janet Jo," Chambers, Popular Rhymes
of Scotland (1870), 140.

46

Field Work in Folk-lore

What shall we bury her in? : | [three times]

Bury her in red.
Red is for soldiers : | [three times]

And that will not suit.

What shall we bury her in? : | [three times]

Bury her in blue.
Blue is for sailors : | [three times]

And that will not suit.

What shall we bury her in? : | [three times]

Bury her in black.
Black is for mourners : | [three times]

And that will not suit.

What shall we bury her in? : [ [three times]

Bury her in white.
White is for the duppy : | [three times]

And that will suit.

One girl lies down, her face covered with a hat. In some
sections she is hidden with leaves. Half the players stand in a
line behind her, the others advance in line toward them singing
the questions, to which the other players sing the answers. At
the last line, the "duppy" rises and chases them, while the players
scatter.

37. Here is a Lady from Barbaree. 39

d. (Brown's Town.)

»

3=

:3-£

Here is

la - dy from Bar - bar - ee, Bar - bar - ee,

P

s

f

Bar - bar - ee, Here is a la - dy from Bar - bar - ee, Her

$

25

is

7 ^— =s -

Js±3z

3=3=5

■*- -•- -•-

-=t

t- It

chil-dren by her side. One can wash de od-der can patch, de

39 "Lady of the Land," Gomme I, 313; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7,
227; "Here's a Poor Widow," Maclagan (Argyleshire), 63; "Here Comes a Poor
Woman from Baby-land," Early English Poetry, Percy Society IV (1841), 116; "Lady
from Babylon," County Folk-lore (Northumberland), 113; "Widow of Babylon,"
Chambers, 136; "Lady from Barbary," Newell, 56, 255.

Folk Games of Jamaica

47

i=**

£*=

T

-•- -•- -•- -•- -#•

=S=q=

=*s=?fi

"35 *

od-der can make a dol-Iy white dress. Come take one ob ma daughters.

fcfc

3=

£E

-fv-

^

±3t

-j # _-

*"

Poor lit - tie Sar - ah is goin' a -way, goin' a- way, gora* a -way,

mi

im-

m

-P~-i-

=gzzi=

£=£=:*

Poor lit -tie Sar -ah is goin' a-way, goodbye, Sar - ah, good - bye.

Here is a lady from Barbaree, Barbaree, Barbaree,
Here is a lady from Barbaree, her children by her side.
One can wash, de odder can patch, de odder can make a
Come take one of my daughters. [dolly white dress,

Poor little Sarah is goin* away, goin* away, goin' away,
Poor little Sarah is goin* away, good-bye, Sarah, good-bye.

Players form a ring. One in the center sings at the same time
that she counts out from player to player by waving a hat in
front of each. The one upon whom the seventh line falls is taken
away from the ring and her name substituted in the farewell song,
which is sung by all the other players.

b. (Christiana.)

m

iFF>-f^

^=t

¥

S3EEI

Heah comes an oP la - dy from Ba - ba - lay, Ba - ba-lay, Ba - ba-lay, Heah

qi

— *— ^— «— ai-^-:^
comes an ol' la - dy from Ba - ba - lay, she has two daughter at home.

+^-F—r—+r. V-Jr— f-^r =*? S> ?

Oth - ers can wash, Oh yes, Oth - era can patch, Oh yes, No one to

48

Field Work in Folk-lore

-3— -

1-^7

make me a dan - dy white shirt. Come take one o! my daugh - ters an'

3=

E^E

m^

*

*^=^

E

3t=f±

mar-ried an' take her a - way. Poor lit -tie Nor -a is gone a -way,

:R=*

=1=

S

±T3t

d > -

gone a -way, gone a -way. Poor lit -tie Nor -a is gone a -way, good-

I

3=f

15^

9

T

-#-=-

^33* u *- s *"

bye, Nor - a, good - bye. Good - bye, good-bye, Nor - a, good-bye.

Heah comes an ol' lady from Babalay, Babalay, Babalay,
Heah comes an ol' lady from Babalay, she has two

daughters at home.
Others can wash, oh, yes ! others can patch, oh, yes !
No one to make me a dandy white shirt,
Come take one of my daughters an' married an' take her away.

Poor little Nora is gone away, gone away, gone away,
Poor little Nora is gone away; good-bye, Nora, good-bye.
Good-bye, good-bye, Nora, good-bye.

The players form a line facing a single player and advance
and retreat singing the lines, as in the next game.

38. Ten Jews Arriving. 40

(Bethlehem.)

Ten Jews arriving,
Ten Jews arriving,
Ten Jews arriving,
With a handsome handsome sailor.

And what is your intention?
And what is your intention?
And what is your intention?
With a handsome handsome sailor.

40 "Three Dukes," Gomme II, 233; Newell, 47; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33,
129; "Four Dukes," Wolford, Play-party in Indiana, 52; "Duke of Rideo," Udal
(Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 222; "Dukes a-riding," (Essex), Folk-lore Record 3,
part 2, 170.

Folk Gaines of Jamaica

49

My intention is to marry,
My intention is to marry,
My intention is to marry,
With a handsome handsome sailor.

And who will you have to marry?
And who will you have to marry?
And who will you have to marry?
With a handsome handsome sailor.

I'll have Miss to marry,

I'll have Miss to marry,

I'll have Miss to marry,

With a handsome handsome sailor.

And who will you have to take her away ?
And who will you have to take her away?
And who will you have to take her away?
With a handsome handsome sailor.

I'll jump myself and take her away,
I'll jump myself and take her away,
I'll jump myself and take her away,
With a handsome handsome sailor.

The players form in two lines. One line sings the questions,
the other the answers. Both advance and retreat with a dancing
step as one or the other sings. At the last, one of the players is
carried over to the other line and the song begins with "eleven
Jews."

39. Nuts in May. 41

(Christiana and Bethlehem.)

>»200.

»

^=^=^s

9 -#-

2 ^ 9 9 ^—

Here we go gath-er - in' nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May.

#

5=

5=5

1=t

3 s J J-

Here we go gath-er- in' nuts in May, so ear • ly in demawn-in'.

Here we come gathering nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May,
Here we come gathering nuts in May, so early in the morning.

41 Gomme I, 424; "Gathering nuts away," Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Jour-
nal 7, 224; (Surrey), Folk-lore Record 5, 85; (Essex), Folk-lore Record 3, part 2, 170;
Newell, 89, 236; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33, 99.

50 Field Work in Folk-lore

And who will you have for nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May,
And who will you have for nuts in May, so early in the morning?

We'll have Miss for nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May,

We'll have Miss for nuts in May, so early in the morning.

And who will you have to take her away, take her away, take her away,
And who will you have to take her away, so early in the morning?

We'll have Miss to take her away, take her away, take her away,

We'll have Miss to take her away, so early in the morning.

Players form in two lines and advance and retreat, singing
question and answer in turn. A line is drawn midway between
the two lines and the last girl named in the song tries to draw the
first across the line to join her company.

40. Jacky Knee Won't Bend. 42

a. (Brown's Town.)

1 _

72.

P 2

F^=f

:£— *-

~3-

^-H. ^ ^S—jp—^-j

Zach-y, yo' knee won* ben', Me Zach - y Pon, Ben' i' lak a

I

piece ob 'tick, Me Zach-y Pon, Ben' it down to grown', Me Zach - y Pon.

Zachy, yo' knee won't bend,

Me Zachy Pon.
Ben' i lak a piece ob 'tick,

Me Zachy Pon.
Ben* it down to groun',

Me Zachy Pon.

Players form a line one behind the other, each with his hands
on the shoulders of the one in front. All sing and bend their
knees slightly or to the ground according to the words of the
song. The "master" goes about from one to the other beating
with a stick whoever fails to bend at the proper command.

42 Jekyll, Jamaican Song and Story, 214.

Polk Games of Jamaica

51

fo^ (Hubert Milwood, Lacovia.)

J = 76.

1

rfE*-

-$-*-

¥

ESE

Jack - y Lo - do, Jack - y knee won't bend, Jack - y Lo - do, Jack- y

ad infinitum.

-ft-fr-fr

=^=ft=*

p

EQ=£3E23

ft~~ft- -jv--N -f

-N-#-

-*_*

los-ing lov-er,Jack-y Lo - do, Jack-y knee won't bend, Jacky Lo - do.

Jacky ld > do\

Jacky losing lover,

Jacky lo y do\

Jacky knee won't bend,

Jacky lo y do\

Players form a ring, one player stands outside with a switch,
"Jacky" stands in center beating time with a bell. He sings the
lines, players dance in time to the beats and sing the chorus.
When Jack sings "Jacky knee won't bend," all must bend knees
or get switched by the "master" outside. The fun of the game
consists in bringing in the line unexpectedly.

(Lacovia.)

Jacky knee won't bend, Jacky Spaniel,
Yo knee too stiff, Jacky Spaniel,
Bend, you gal, Jacky Spaniel,
Rock yo' waist, Jacky Spaniel,
Oh, jump around, Jacky Spaniel.

J = 72.

^

41. Tindal.

(Christiana.)

— "H^sfl -

ir^

1

*=£=

Tin - dal, tin - dal, tin - dal, tin - dal, Tin-dal a raise an' fal!,make a la - dy,

i

i

H?-* *-*-.

£--*-

rv J? — ?

_£_=S„PV_

-&--A-

-J 0-0

tr

Tindal a raise an' fall. make a la - dy, Tindal a raise an' fall, asodey wash.

52 Field Work in Folk-lore

Tindal, tindal, tindal,
Tindal a raise an' fall,

Make a lady,
Tindal a raise an' fall,

Make a lady,
Tindal a raise an' fall.

An* so dey wash,
Tin-dal a raise an' fall . . .

An* so dey sew,
Tin-dal a raise an' fall . . .

An' so dey plane,
Tin-dal a raise an* fall . . .

An' so dey beat,
Tin-dal a raise an' fall . . .

An* so dey shave,
Tin-dal a raise an* fall . . .

All form a ring with one player in the center. All sing the
first lines, rising and falling with the words "raise and fall."
Each player has been assigned a particular action — washing,
sewing, planing, beating, shaving — which she must keep up.
The one in the center stands before her and tries to make her fol-
low some different motion by singing and acting herself some
other command. If anyone is caught she must pay a forfeit, and
the following formula is used in redeeming the articles given as
forfeits :

Goods are mine.

Coarse or fine?
Very very coarse (or fine).

The owner of the goods stands up.

You want it in cash or in job?

Want it in job.
You must (here a task is assigned like singing four songs or
telling two lies) and my boy will see it's well done.

If he takes it "in cash," he gets a blow.

Folk Games of Jamaica
42. Bessie Down.

53

a. (Christiana.)
J- 66.

£

-i-

s=*

W

:4-

_V ^ !J : ^ I -«? # ^-p^-

ry - bod - y go to mar-ket, Bay sweet sop, come out.

Eb

gc=i=

►=fc

t>

Eb

___V ^ _: _ 1 - ~ ^_

- ry - bod - y go to mar - ket, Bay sweet sop, come oat.

i

=X— V-

- ie down, Miss Dix - on, Bess - ie down, Bess - ie

— srf-* *-

— \-Uh 1 —

3F*

down like a pong pong, Bess-ie

down, Bess - ie down, Miss Dix - on,

Dal. .$: ad infinitum.

1

3*^3^

1 #-. 3^— sr-

Bess - ie down, Bess - ie down, like a pong pong, Bess - ie down.

Eb'rybody go to market,
Buy sweet-sop, come out.
Eb'rybody go to market,
Buy sweet-sop, come out.

Bessie down, Miss Dixon, Bessie down,
Bessie down like a pong pong, Bessie down.
Bessie down, Miss Dixon, Bessie down,
Bessie down like a pong pong, Bessie down.

Bessie up, Miss , Bessie up,

Bessie up like a pong pong, Bessie up.

Bessie walk, Miss , Bessie walk,

Bessie walk like a pong pong, Bessie walk.

Bessie jump, Miss , Bessie jump,

Bessie jump like a pong pong, Bessie jump.

Bessie wheel, Miss , Bessie wheel,

Bessie wheel like a pong pong, Bessie wheel.

The players form a big ring with one in the center, and all
sing. During the first four lines the one in the center claps time

54

Field Work in Folk-lore

to the song*. At "Bessie down," she goes to each player in turn
and places her hands on her shoulders. The player obeys the
words of the song by crouching. At the next round they sing
"Bessie up" until all are standing again.

Jy m (Brown's Town.)

J=72.

I

«

*

±L

5=fcSc=feE*

-fc£ -z M E

S-P

I- m —J.^ — u

:*<—*-

t#z#*

FT

«=

Bess-ie down,Miss Jones,Bessie down,Bessie up, Miss Jones, Bessie up. Bess-ie

=-$^F?

^r-^r

-K-^

_ i _ - _

R***

• tt -» _^_ ^ _ # . _^.

walk it roan' walk it roun',BeBS - ie jump it roun', jump it roun'. Bess-ie

=3=

=£=

r ^ — tr

^ * _| -T z p -fl .,?

-*- -• -i/- v -*-

wheel it roun', wheel it roun', Bess-ie roun' an'roun',roun'an'roun'. Bess-ie

i

*

T h h JM -

^^

_^. .^. _^-. + - "i * :j :£
roun' an' roun', roun' an' roun', Bess-ie roun' an' roun* , roun' an' roun'.

Bessie down, Miss Jones, Bessie down,
Bessie up, Miss Jones, Bessie up,
Bessie walk it roun', walk it roun',
Bessie jump it roun', jump it roun',
Bessie wheel it roun', wheel it roun',
Bessie roun* an' roun', roun' an' roun'.

Played as above but without the introductory song. After the
first two rounds everybody takes a partner and follows about in
a ring singing and acting out the words of the song, until at
"round and round" the ring breaks up and they waltz together.

43. Hand and Foot in There.

(Bethlehem.)

Have an aunty over sea-port town,

Play, boys, play.
Take my aunty sheet,

Dash it out of window

Folk Games of Jamaica 55

Take my aunty cap,

Dash it out of window.
Take my aunty shoe,

Dash it out of window.
Take my aunty frock,

Dash it out of window.
Miss , what you call it?

Hand an' foot in deah.
Take it out, take it out!

Hand an' foot in deah.
Take it out, take it out!

Hand an' foot in deah. [ad infinitum]

Players form a ring, clasping arms. Leader walks about in-
side the ring placing her hand on the shoulder of each player in
turn, as leader and chorus repeat (or sing) alternate lines. Sud-
denly she calls the name of one of the players, who must answer
the question without hesitation. Leader and chorus then repeat
simultaneously the next two lines, the players dancing in place
by putting one foot rapidly before the other.

44. Yes, Belinda.

(Claremont.)

Cloth cheap at home? Yes, Belinda.
Two-pence gill a yard. Yes, Belinda.
Want a girl to court? Yes, Belinda.
Bring him come to judge. Yes, Belinda.
Gal, you know me name? Yes, Belinda.
The name a taught her Joe. Yes, Belinda.
Bad man you know. Yes, Belinda.
Have you house and land? Yes, Belinda.
Have you pig a sty? Yes, Belinda.
Have you dray an' mule? Yes, Belinda.
Walk around the ring. Yes, Belinda.
Wheel her round the ring. Yes, Belinda.
Wheel her put her back. Yes, Belinda.
Bring another one. Yes, Belinda.
Right up to judge. Yes, Belinda.
That's not the one. Yes, Belinda.
Wheel her put her back. Yes, Belinda.
Bring another one. Yes, Belinda.

Players join hands in a ring. One girl as "judge" recites the
lines, all joining in the response, "Yes, Belinda." One or two
girls inside the ring act out the directions of the song. They

56

Field Work in Folk-lore

choose partners, come and stand before the judge, or walk or
wheel their partners within the ring, then put back the partner
and choose another, whose success with the "judge" seems to be
a matter of improvisation.

45. Beg You One Gill, Ma'am.

(Bethlehem.)

*

W=F

£

^

*=*

Beg you one gill, ma'am, to buy me los - tar

— «> — *•*

£

Beg you one gill, ma'am, to buy me los - tar.

Beg you one gill, ma'am, to buy me lo'star,
Beg you one gill, ma'am, to buy me lo'star,
Beg you one gill, ma'am, to buy me lo'star,

So so gill, ma'am, to buy me lo'star.
Not a boot to me foot, to buy me lo'star,

Lend me one gill, to buy me lo'star.
Not a hat to me head, to buy me lo'star,

Lend me one gill, to buy me lo'star.
Not a band to me waist, to buy me lo'star,

Lend me one gill, to buy me lo'star.
Jig it round a' round, to buy me lo'star,

Jig it round a' round, to buy me lo'star.

All sing. One dances about inside the ring presenting a hat
to each one in turn. At the lines "Jig it round," all begin to
dance and wind about the central figure until the ring breaks up
in confusion.

46* Carry Me Half a Hoe.

a. (Claremont.)

Bring me half a hoe, from Bristol.

Bring me half a hoe, come gimme.

Bring me half a hoe, come gimme 'cause I want it.

Bring me half a hoe, let me weed up me cornpatch !

Players all form a ring about two girls who stand within the
circle. They select two other girls from the ring and dance with
them across from side to side. These two select two others,
whose places the first two fill, and the game goes rapidly forward.

Folk Games of Jamaica

57

b, (Christiana.)

m&z& m

1-0-

Car-ry me half a hoe, la, come gi'e me a, Car-ry me half a hoe..

^fe-f-t-

ft 6 -M; 1T~J\

IT - ^ *

. }y (^

fc~— .

\% s > - .

-J^-J x —*~l'-r L —' i - L -

-JV-^J—

, ^. j

ST *

=^

come gi'e me a. Bush - a want - ed fe go plant po - ta - to,

i

ft fr — fr"

¥

fc£

zMz±

Z3t=X=XZ3t

Car-ry me half a hoe, come gi'e me a. Dis yeah done, yon tee me

m

*=

-N--N-

hab ex - ze - ma, Car - ry me half a hoe, Come gi'e me a.

*=*=£

Dis yeah done, yon see me hab 'cratch -y 'cratch - y, Car-ry me

<

£

se

half

hoe,

Come gi'e me a. Bush - a

*

want - ed i e

Fine.

*=#

E\ »\-

5=

4=

zMzutz

go plant po-ta -to. Car-ry me half a hoe, Come gi'e me a.

^^

3

3*=F

m

fcr £~fc

-N~fr

F

1—y 1 ^-*

Ride, oh, ride,me kyan' 'tan' you,Car-ry me half a hoe, Come gi'e me a.

Carry me half a hoe , la, come gi'e me a,

Carry me half a hoe, come gi'e me,

Busha want it fe go plant potato,

Carry me half a hoe , come gi'e me a,

Dis yeah done, you see me hab eczema,

Dis yeah done, you see me hab 'cratchy-'cratchy.

Ride, oh, ride, oh, me kyan* stan' heah,

Carry me half a hoe, come gi'e me.

Dis yeah done, you see me hab eczema,

Dis yeah done, you see me hab 'cratchy-'cratchy,

Carry me half a hoe, come gi'e me.

58

Field Work in Folk-lore

Players form a ring. All sing. One in the center has a stick
in her hand like a hoe with which she touches two players, "a
lady and a gentleman," who, at the words "Ride, oh, ride, oh,"
must wheel around in a dance together and go back in the ring
in each other's places.

C. (Bethlehem.)

BWz

jkz

E£E£

My la - dy, my

la -

dy, I change yon for la - dy,

1 — 1 *i 1 a m 1 rl ft

%} _*-_-H_jHr • £~

—

1 lU — IS — S5 1

Bring me hall o ? hoe, come give me. My la - dy, my la - dy, I

i

=t

E

change you for la - dy, Bring me half o' hoe, come give me.

My lady, my lady, I change you for lady,
Bring me half o' hoe, come give me.

47. Lady and Gentleman.

(Miss Sullivan, Mile Gully.)

J=80.

n-

w$

±L

La - dy, la - dy, do me la - dy, La - dy,

IP

la

dy,

do me la - dy, cut-chey fe la - dy, bow fe gen -tie -man.

Lady, lady, do, me lady,

Cutchey fe lady, bow fe gentleman.

Two rings are formed, one within the other, men outside,
women inside. Grand right and left.

Folk Games of Jamaica
48. Old Mother Fibbie. 43

59

(I. (Christiana.)
> = 176.

1

Sfl= fr— fr-fr:

3=£

fcirHEIEE*

01' Mud-der Fib -trie, how hap -py yon be, when you at un-deh a

u=t

K

~* * 4 il .J. .J— ^ * * *-

ju - ni - per tree an' a ju - ni - per tree

you.

Come

m

^=q:

rfczzts:

2

^

]*=3t

3Jt=jrz3fc

=3=dt

take dis hat, an* keep yo' head wahm,conp-le o' kiss-es will do you no

j — g> .

~1 f

_-l fe J

' | J r

\ \

# * * *

*

-f-- ^-v

!/• J. -J!!

~9Z^.lF'

t> -•-

-*.

'9 ' m 4 --9

hahm, will do you nohahm a you.

B-i-n-g-o, B

t— i«-t

I

^zz=$=qi

i=te-*

n - g - o,

B - i

g - o, an' Bing - o was his name.

Or Mudder Fibbie, how happy you be
When you sit undah a juniper tree,

An' a juniper tree a you!
Come take dis hat an' keep yo' head wahm,
Couple o' kisses will do you no hahm,

Will do you no hahm a you.
B-i-n-g-o, B-i-n-g-o, B-i-n-g-o,

An' Bingo was his name.

One girl in the center of the ring goes about the circle shak-
ing a hat at each in turn, while all sing the first lines of the song.
At line four, she offers the hat to one of the players, leads her
within the circle and holds the hat over her head while she gives
her a kiss. The one chosen remains in the ring for the next
round.

(Bethlehem.)

Old Mother Fibia, how happy we'll be,
When we meet a jollifer tree. . . .

43 This seems to be an American game-song,
igan), JAFL 33, 107.

For references see Gardner (Mich-

60

Field Work in Folk-lore

49. Bingo. 44

(Christiana and Bethlehem.)

There was a farmer had a dog
And his name was Bobbie Bingo.
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,
And his name was Bobbie Bingo.

Players form a ring about one girl in the center who points
with a stick at each in turn while the song is sung in chorus. The
one at whom the song stops goes into the center for the next
round.

50. One August Morn.

d. (Christiana.)

J -72.

\^ zj: -*- -••

:=f*=ls=3q

-* a *

I went for a walk,

I met a

One Aug-ns' mora

m

l£E±

- s ^— ^-

=*=?=

4L-±Jbspz

One Aug-ns 9 mora

I went for a walk

I

m

- s h^±E

SrBtfe:

fcte

?

-»-«r

-**~*-J.

~=t

-^*

an' she gave me

widabunchob f raits, I beg her one

§-*— IV— A— IV— V ^-

^

I beg her one

I met a

two,

I know, I know dat de gal was true.

I

.— — 3_

~z£ ij.

I know, I know

One August morn, one August morn,
I went for a walk, I went for a walk,

44 Gomme I, 29; (Cornish), Folk-lore Journal 5, 58; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL
33, 93.

Folk Games of Jamaica 61

I met a girl, I met a girl

Wid a bunch ob fruits.
I beg her one, I beg her one,

An' she gave me two ,
I know, I know, I know, I know,

Dat de girl was true.

In Bethlehem they sing, "I meet my love with a bunch of
roses." The game is played like "Bingo" as a counting-out
game.

51. Berry Low.

(Christiana.)

-f- % * * K *-T#-S K * * E w £ £ *

-fc£

fcfc:

Ber-ry Low,Ber-ry Low,me young man,Ber-ry Low,Ber-ry Low,me young man.

Cock-a kill-a Ber-ry hill fe me dinner now. Berry Low, Berry Low,me young man.

Berry Low, Berry Low, me young man,
Berry Low, Berry Low, me young man,
Cock a kill a Berry Hill fe me dinner now,
Berry Low, Berry Low, me young man.

Players in couples in a ring in position for dancing. At the
last line the ring is broken up and all dance with a peculiar
shuffling step called "riding," one flat foot, one toe, without mov-
ing the feet from the ground, and turning slowly.

52. Ants a Bite Me.

(Wake game, Lacovia.)

Ants a bite me,
Beg you 'cratch yourself, sir,
'Cratchin', 'cratchin', 'cratchin',
'Cratch you, 'cratch yo'self,
Ants a bite a me a so !

Players dance in a ring with the motion of rubbing the abdo-
men. At the words " 'cratchm', 'cratchin'," they bend and
scratch the knee.

i

62

Field Work in Folk-lore

53. Merry Gousan.

a. (Christiana.)

'=184.

*Em

-N-

De grass so green, de lem - on so sweet, De come we go bounce up,Mar - y Gou-

±=fc

=s=r

:*=£

£-A-

■^3r*r.

r &-

gon, Gou-son, Gou-son, Mar -y Gou-son. 1 How we go bounce up, Mar-y Gouson.

De grass so green, de lemon so sweet,
De come we go bounce up, Mary Gouson,

Gouson, Gouson, Mary Gouson,
How we go bounce up, Mary Gouson.

Players form a ring in couples, facing each other, arms
crossed over breasts. All sing. At the second line each couple
approaches her partner and bumps against her in time to the
music.

b. (Claremont.)

| : The rose so sweet, the lemon so sour : |
Then come let us join the merry Gousan,
Gousan, Gousan, the merry Gousan.

[three times]

Players form two lines facing and clap hands to the time of
the song. Later they march and sing, winding up into a coil and

then unwinding- again.

54. Green Guava. 45

(Christiana.)

> = 138.

Z$I

:*=£

Green gua -va,green gua-va, green gua-va so sweet. Miss Dix - on,Miss Dix-on yo'

£

Effi

-ai \~

w -0-

lov - er is dead. He wrote me a let - ter to turn ont your face.

45 "Green Gravel," Gomme I, 170; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 214;
County Folk-lore (Northumberland), 117; Maclagan (Argyleshire), 83; (Surrey)
Folk-lore Record 5, 84; Newell, 71, 242; Wolford, Play-party in Indiana, 80; Gardner
(Michigan), JAFL 33, 100 and references.

Folk Games of Jamaica 63

Green guava, green guava, green guava so sweet.
Miss Dixon, Miss Dixon, yo* lover is dead,
He wrote me a letter to turn out your face.

Players form a ring. As the song proceeds, the player named
in the song turns and faces outward. The game continues until
all have their faces so turned.

55. How de do, Ma'am*

(Christiana.)

J = 66.

I

S£fe

$=£

~& #~

m

_0-i-

1. How de do,ma'am,how de do? How de do,ma ? arn,faow de do? How de
2&5. Queen a She - ba sen' fe me, Queen a She - ba sen* fe me, Queen a

|T1!2~

IN

fcid

*— ir-q^-j^-d— :Mr

:£-=]-

— i-

3;

zfel

do, ma'am, how de do? Fe go tell eb - ry-bod - y "bow de do."3&6. Me
she - ba sen' fe me, Fe go tell eb - ry-bod - y "how de do."
Chorus.

Ifcfc

ztrifr-

-£--&-

3=

dtts

-A~A-

e/ -•- -*-• -&• -&- -&- -0- -G-' -e* -o~

jus - a come^a'amjme jus-a come, Me jus- a come,ma'am,me jus' a come, Me

Fine.

HMV-

*=£db

3t3t

jns-a come,ma'am,mejug-a come Fe go tell eb - ry-bod - y "how de do."

-N-

ifc*

^=d=

=e

.^. - _ tf . .^. _ tf _ .g, • _£. _ tf . •■ - -

4. How de do, sah, how de do? How de do, sab, how de do?

B.C.

ifclfc

£

=5=

'=)>— z^-zt"

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«^{nr

-#-•

-#- -^- -#- -<gf- -^- -jj- -j|- -#-

How de do, sah, how de do? Fe go tell eb - ry-bod - y "how de do."

How de do, ma'am, how de do?
How de do, ma'am, how de do?
How de do, ma'am, how de do?
Fe go tell eb'rybody "How de do ?"

64 Field Work in Folk-lore

Queen a Sheba sen' fe me,
Queen a Sheba sen* fe me,
Queen a Sheba sen* fe me,
Fe go tell eb'rybody "How de do ?"

Me jus' a come, ma'am, me jus' a come,
Me jus' a come, ma'am, me jus' a come,
Me jus' a come, ma'am, me jus' a come,
Fe go tell eb'rybody "How de do?"

How de do, sah, how de do.
How de do, sah, how de do.
How de do, sah, how de do.
Fe go tell eb'rybody "How de do?"

Players form a ring, one outside. One enters at the end of
the first stanza and shakes hands all around the ring, addressing
the players as "ma'am" or "sir" according to sex.

56. Turn the Water-wheel, oh, Matilda.

d, (Christiana.)

J=72.

pBipg

-A-

e£

-g--*-

-A 12

-i-

Ma- til - da mammy los' him gol'ring,Turn de wa-teh wheel, oh, Ma-til - da.

m^^ ==v=z;

zt ^—+ j^Ett

Turn de wateh wheel,turn it , make me see you, turn de wateh wheel, oh, Ma til -da .

(LL ^ k_

l^ g^? t ■ i ?M l

zfcirafci:

«7

Wheel, oh, wheel, oh, Ma-til - da, turn de wa-teh wheel, oh, Ma-til - da.

Matilda mammy los* him goY ring,

Turn de wateh-wheel, oh, Matilda !
Turn de wateh-wheel, turn it, make me see you,

Turn de wateh-wheel, oh, Matilda !
Wheel, oh, wheel, oh, Matilda!

Turn de wateh-wheel, oh, Matilda !

Players stand in a circle two by two in position for dancing.
All sing and rock forward and back. Every time they sing "Turn
the water-wheel," each couple swings, wheels, and changes
partners.

Folk Games of Jamaica

65

b. (Bethlehem.)

1. Matilda, your mama lost her gold ring,
Turn the water-wheel, oh, Matilda.
Wheel-o, wheel-o, Matilda,

Turn the water-wheel, oh, Matilda.

2. Matilda, your mama find her gold ring,
Turn the water-wheel, oh, Matilda, etc.

The players dance about in a ring and sing while one player
looks for a bangle thrown upon the ground within the circle.
When she finds it she catches it up on a stick while all sing the
second stanza.

57. Wheel with a Willing Mind.

a. (Brown's Town.)
J-96.

tf

m

* -=£ -f J J '

rzfr-

Zf ZgL -*. .#- .+. ZJL Zj! m Zf
tt it

Go oat -side de ring, an' bow yo' knee on degronn', An'

4

«=

**-$ j m i ^Yitwm

*

«t

it T^

jus' as yon heah yo' name call, yon o - pen de ring come in.

3t

f^=^^

-+•

Sam-my say he won' wheel de gals, Wheel wid a will - in' min', oh,

&

Sam-my lay he won' wheel de gals

3"*-

-+-

, Wheel, wid a will - in' min'.

Go outside de ring, an* bow yo' knee on de groun',
An* jus* as you heah yo* name call, you open de ring, come in.
Sammy say he won't wheel de gals, wheel wid a willin' mind,
Sammy say he won't wheel de gals, wheel wid a willin' mind.
Wheel-o, wheel-o, wheel wid a willin' mind.

Players form a ring. One goes outside the ring, kneels, at
line four breaks into the ring. She takes a partner and the circle
breaks up, all take partners and wheel them about as they sing.

66

Field Work in Folk-lore

(Bethlehem.)

Outside the ring with Georgie,
Bend your knee on the ground,
When you hear the notice call,
You open the ring come in.
Georgie say he won't wheel Rosa,
Wheel with a willing mind!
Georgie say he won't wheel Rosa,
Wheel with a willing mind!

58. When you See an Ugly One.

(I. (Christiana.)

J=92.

as

f£

£

:J=*

ttc

*

When you see de ug - ly one, when you see de ug - ly

one,
3 times.

35=tZ

^=^

i^ii

—*-

when you see de ug - ly one you cut yo' eye an' pass

dem.

**-'

a— ^

WZ

-v— 5— 5— £-

-K-4

■%=?=$=Z=?=C9=9--

-0—0 0—0-

-V—Y-

-k

Dis is de way ma lick - a-money go, dis is de way ma lick-a-mon-ey go,

LtH^^

X—X—fV-

3=

^-^V-^-^-H-

dis is deway ma lick-a-mon-ey go to buy a cro-chet nee - die.

When you see de ugly one,
When you see de ugly one,
When you see de ugly one,
You cut yo' eye an' pass dem.

When you see de pretty one,
When you see de pretty one,
When you see de pretty one,
You take yo' finger, call dem.

Ride him Johnnie, ride him boy,
Ride him Johnnie, ride him boy,
Ride him Johnnie, ride him boy,
For kisses count by favor.

Dis is de way ma lick-a-money go,
Dis is de way ma lick-a-money go,
Dis is de way ma lick-a-money go
To buy a crochet needle.

Folk Games of Jamaica 67

b. (Bethlehem.)

(First two stanzas as above)

Wheel her round and turn her round,
Wheel her round and turn her round,
Wheel her round and turn her round,
For kisses go by favor.

That's the way my funny money goes,
That's the way my funny money goes,
That's the way my funny money goes
To buy a crochet needle.

Then polka, Johnnie, polka, boy,
Polka, Johnnie, polka, boy,
Polka, Johnnie, polka, boy,
For kisses go by favor.

Players form a ring about two girls. All sing. At the line
"You take y«ur finger call her," the players in the ring choose
two from the circle and dance with them through the rest of
the song.

59. Walking Round the Valley. 46

d. (Brown's Town.)

W

TO f £ £ J * >

fff4 : : E f. ft f j - f-: h - ft—ft-fc

-+-

■4- V^ vt_^, -#-

Go walk -in' roan' de val-ley, go walk -in' roan' de val-ley, go

*$

3H* — : — d — ±3 — ^~ d H id — -* — • — •— J* J P -

— f t • • ' • — * — »

walk - in roan' de val • ley an' fol- low in de depths so sweet.

Go walkin* rotm* de valley,
Go walkin* rotm' de valley,
Go walkin , rotm* de valley
An' follow in de depths so sweet.

46 "Round and Round the Village," Gomme II, 122; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL
33, 121; "Round about tke Valleys," Maclagan (Argyleshire), 65; Newell, 128;
"Walking on the Levy," Newell, 229; Ames (Missouri), JAFL 24, 306; Wolford
(Indiana), 47. See Gardner, 120, for other references. The version from Ballard's
Valley, "In and Out the Window," is mentioned by Maclagan, Gomme, and others.

68 Field Work in Folk-lore

Go breakin* frough de window,
Go breakin* t'rough de window,
Go breakin' t'rough de window
An* follow in de depths so sweet

Go face an* front yo* lover,
Go face an* front yo' lover,
Go face an' front yo* lover
An* follow in de depths so sweet.

An* now we are married,
An* now we are married,
An' now we are married
An* follow in de depths so sweet.

Players form a ring- with one outside, who walks about the
circle, then enters, chooses a partner and dances with her accord-
ing to the words of the song. The one selected then goes outside
the ring and the game proceeds as before.

b. (Ballard's Valley.)

In and out the window,
In and out the window,
In and out the window,
For sinner rose again.

Oh, you stand and face your lover,
You stand and face your lover,
You stand and face your lover,
For sinner rose again.

Oh, you bow because you love her,
You bow because you love her,
You bow because you love her,
For sinner rose again.

Oh, you dip because you love her,
You dip because you love her,
You dip because you love her,
For sinner rose again.

Oh, you kneel because you love her,
You kneel because you love her,
You kneel because you love her,
For sinner rose again.

One or two players run in and out of the ring while the first
stanza is sung, then choose partners before whom they stand,
bow, dip', and kneel according to the words of the song.

Folk Games of Jamaica
60. Little Blue-bell. 47

69

a.

J=72.

(Beulah School, Christiana.)

m

^=3t

H3^.=

-*-*-

*=fc

1. Out-side Blue -bell, thro'dewin-dow, Out-side Blue -bell, thro'dewin-dow,

2. Welcome Blue- bell, thro 'de win-dow, Wei-come Blue- bell , thro Me win-dow,

^m^ ^mm m ^m^

Out-side Bluebell thro 'de win-dow, tra la la la la.
Welcome Bluebell thro'de win-dow,tra la la la la.

Den you take a little girl ari

±^:

-A— N-

^^^

pat her on de shoul-der, take a lit - tie girl an' pat her on de shoul-der,

m

W=£

EE

=2EiE

^-*

take a lit - tie girl an' pat her on de shoul-der, tra la la la la.

0. (Bethlehem.)

Outside, Bluebell, through the window,
Outside, Bluebell, through the window,
Inside, Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Outside, Bluebell, through the window,
Inside, Bluebell, through the window,
Welcome, Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Pick a little Bluebell, through the window,
Pick a little Bluebell, through the window,
Pick a little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Pick a little Bluebell and pat her on the shoulder,
Pick a little Bluebell and pat her on the shoulder,
Pick a little Bluebell and pat her on the shoulder,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you ride little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you ride little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you ride little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

47 Newell, 118; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33, 94.

70

Field Work in Folk-lore

Then you run little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you run little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you run little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you wheel little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you wheel little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you wheel little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

Then you bruck little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you bruck little Bluebell, through the window,
Then you bruck little Bluebell, through the window,
Tra-la-la-la-la.

The players form a circle, Little Bluebell runs in and out of
the circle according to the words of the song, then "picks" a part-
ner and "pats," "rides," "runs," "wheels" and "bruks" with her
while all sing. The partner chosen becomes "Little Bluebell" in
the next game.

61. Mother Roland's Daughter.-

(J. (Christiana.)

J=69.

Ate

£=

-&--•

:fc

fc^=#

w

-A— •-

m

De grass so green, de lem - on on de tree, de bunch ob ros - es

__fr N-

fe^^

EH

*=#=

V- v-

_£__2_

m

u

fall - in' down, turn to de eas' an* turn to de wes' an' turn to de

m

JFfc^

¥

.=*-& — 5 — 5 — 5 — * — ^-

Hdt

pret-ty lit-tle sum-ber gal. Take

a El- y an' a HI - y white rose,

«

2r

±=.$=jz

Give her a -cross de o - cean. Give her a kiss an' a

48 "Rosy Apple, Lemon and Pear," Gomme II, 117; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-
lore Journal 7, 210; County Folk-lore (Suffolk), 64; (Surrey) Folk-lore Record 5, 85.
Cf. "Tread, tread the Green Grass*' and "Uncle John," Newell, 50, 72. In some
Versions, the name of the player is substituted for "Madame Roland." In Dorset-
shire, the song runs "old mother's runaway daughter"; in Suffolk it reads "Mrs.
Kilburn's daughter."

Folk Games of Jamaica

71

IS

CHORUS.

-N--A-

-0 — m —

t&

one, two, free an' brack Mudder Ro-lan's daugh-ter. Brack Mudder Ro - lan's

W

3=

IE

3E

3E

*=?E

i=4c

daugh - ter, Brack Mud -der Ro-lan's dangh -ter, Brack Mud-der Ro - Ian,

*

i

brack Mud - der Ro - Ian, brack Mud - der Ro - lan's daugh - ter.

De grass so green, de lemon on de tree,
De bunch ob roses fallin' down,
Turn to de east an* turn to de west,
An* turn to de pretty little somber gal.
Take a lily an* a lily white rose,
Give her a-cross de ocean,
Give her a kiss an* a one, two, free,
An* bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter.

Bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter,

Bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter,

Bruck Mudder Rolan', bruck Mudder Rolan',

Bruck Mudder Rolan's daughter.

b. (Ballard's Valley.)

The grass so green, the lemon on the tree,
The bunch of roses we all can see.
Turn to the east, turn to the west,
Turn to the very one you love the best.
Oh, take a lily an* a lily-white girl,
And skip her across the ocean,
Give her a kiss and a one, two, three,
And jig Mother Roland's daughter.

(1) Jig Mother Roland's daughter,
Jig Mother Roland's daughter,

Jig Mother Roland, jig Mother Roland,
Jig Mother Roland silly girl.

(2) Dip Mother Roland's daughter. . . .

(3) Bruck Mother Roland's daughter . . .

(4) Wheel Mother Roland's daughter. . . .

72

Field Work in Folk-lore

Players join hands in a ring, two inside. All dance and sing.
At line six, the two in the center choose two out of the ring and
"skip," "jig," "dip," "brack," and "wheel" with them according
to the words of the song, which may be varied to suit the players.

62. Out on the Green Grass.

(Beulah School, Christiana.)

J=104.

?«p4-J — j-.->-J jv_J^.^_A-^^ —$-* "--j*~

Oat on de green grass we nab a jol - ly place. We all sho' be

p=Jsz

r

*

dere, when you take her by her lit - tie han' an' put her in de

$=t

b£K

£

^

=$=$=£

ring, Oh, Miss Nan - cy hab a ba - by Sweet like sug-ar an' bran -dy

^ ad infinitum.

3E

*=

m

^Efcfc

Wheel, oh,wheel, oh, wheel a -way, sweet like rag-ar an' bran - dy,

Out on de green grass we hab a jolly place.
We all shall be dere,
When you take her by her little han'
An' put her in de ring.

Oh, Miss Nancy hab a baby,
Sweet like sugar an' brandy.

Wheel, oh, wheel, oh, wheel away,
Sweet like sugar an' brandy.

Dance, oh, dance, oh, dance away,
Sweet like sugar an' brandy.

Waltz, oh, waltz, oh, waltz away,
Sweet like sugar an 7 brandy.

Two girls outside the ring- enter at line three, choose a partner
at four, wheel at five, and dance together, then "jig," "wheel,"
"dance," "waltz" according to the words of the song.

Folk Games of Jamaica

73

63. Jane and Louisa.

(Beulah School, Christiana, and Bethlehem.)

I

«

m

&z

Jane an' Lou- i - sa will soon come home, soon come home, soon come home.

i

i*

35=

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Jane an' Loo - i - sa will soon come home, in - to de beau - ti - fnl

y=

B^^ g^^l^

ee

■»-*-

fr

-a-

M

gyar - din. Ma deah, ma love, will yon 'low me to pick a rose, to

=t

m

qi

■ *-+■

5=3=

A^

^

a rose? Ma deah, ma love, will yon

HA

pick a rose, to pick

s-

4s — *

*-r4-

~R * hr — t * «n — -i tl

^=qz

fi:

:fi:

fit

'low me to pick a rose, in - to de beau-ti - ful gyar - din?

Jane and Louisa will soon come home,
Soon come home, soon come home,
Jane and Louisa will soon come home,
Into the beautiful garden.

My dear, my love, will you 'low me to pick a rose,
Pick a rose, pick a rose,
My dear, will you 'low me to pick a rose,
Inside the beautiful garden?

My dear, my love, will you 'low me to walk with you,
Walk with you, walk with you,
My dear will you 'low me to walk with you,
Inside the beautiful garden?

My dear, my love, will you 'low me to wheel with you,
Wheel with you, wheel with you,
My dear, will you 'low me to wheel with you,
Inside the beautiful garden?

My dear, my love, will you 'low me to dance with you,
Dance with you, dance with you,
My dear, will you 'low me to dance with you,
Inside the beautiful garden?

74

Field Work in Folk-lore

The players form a circle. All sing. As the song begins,
one or two girls walk about outside the ring, entering at the last
line. Each chooses a partner with whom she "walks," "wheels"
and "dances" according to the words of the song.

64. There's a Brown Girl in the Ring. 49

d, (Christiana.)

a— &

J«88.

A-*~

*-*■

* i. Ev. ft.

*rSc

-fr—tr

*

f^T***

t3t=3JEMt

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u

Dere's a brown gal in dc ring, tra la la la la,Dere's a brown gal in dering,

P

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mEjEE& E&E

*—*-

m

tra la la la la. Dere's a brown gal in dering, tra la la la la, Fo'

wm

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she like sug-ar an' I like plum. Den you wheel an'takeyo' pard-ner,

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tra la la la la, Den yon wheel an'takeyo 'pardner, tra la la la la, Den yon

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wheel an ? take yo'pardner, tra la la la la, Fo' she like sug-ar an' I like plum.

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Dere's a brown gal in de ring, tra la la la la,
Dere's a brown gal in de ring, tra la la la la,
Dere's a brown gal in de ring, tra la la la la,
Fo' she like sugar an' I like plum.

Den you wheel an' take yo' pardner, tra la la la la,
Den you wheel an' take yo' pardner, tra la la la la,
Den you wheel an' take yo' pardner, tra la la la la,
Fo' she like sugar an' I like plum.

(Bethlehem.)

There's two girls in the ring, tra la la la la,
There's two girls in the ring, tra la la la la,
There's two girls in the ring, tra la la la la,

For she likes sugar and I like plum (or rum).

49 Jekyll, Jamaican Song and Story, 208.

Folk Games of Jamaica

75

Then skip across the ocean, tra la la la la,

Then skip across the ocean, tra la la la la,

Then skip across the ocean, tra la la la la,

For she likes sugar and I like plum.

Then show you me your motion, tra la la la la,
Then show you me your motion, tra la la la la,
Then show you me your motion, tra la la la la,
For she likes sugar and I like plum.

Then run and take a partner, tra la la la la,

Then run and take a partner, tra la la la la,

Then run and take a partner, tra la la la la,

For she likes sugar and I like plum.

Then dance with your partner, tra la la la la,

Then dance with your partner, tra la la la la,

Then dance with your partner, tra la la la la,

For she likes sugar and I like plum.

Then jig with your partner, tra la la la la,
Then jig with your partner, tra la la la la,
Then jig with your partner, tra la la la la,
For she likes sugar and I like plum.

The "ocean" is the space within the circle,
a kind of cake-walk.

The "motion" is

65. Under the Carpet. 50

a. (Beulah School, Christiana.)
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Un - dah de car - pet we mas' go, Like

a Jack's-bird in de air.

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Eise an' stand off on yo' laigs An' ch'ice de ver - y one you

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likes de bes ? . Den Sal - ly when you mar-ried I give you joy,

50 "Pretty Little Girl of Mine," Gomme II, 67; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore
Journal 7, 207; "King William," Gomme I, 302; Newell, 73, 247; Wolcott (Indiana),
62; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33, 107, and references; "Down on the Carpet,"
Maclagan (Argyleshire), 5S; "Poor Mary sat a-weeping," Gutch (East Riding of
Yorkshire), 146.

76

Field Work in Folk-lore

*

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Firs' de boy an' se - con* de gal, Seb - en days af - tab,

ad infinitum.

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break firs', kiss an' come out.

Undah de carpet we mus' go,

Like a Jack-bird in de air.

Rise an* stand off on yo' laigs

An* ch'ice de very one you likes de bes\

Den, Sally, when you married I give you joy,

Firs' de boy an' secon' de gal.

Seben days aftah, seben days ago,

Break firs', kiss an* come out.

Players form a ring about one or two players. All sing. At
line three, the two within the ring dance outside and back at line
four, kneel at line five, rise at six, take a partner at seven and
dance through the remainder of the song.

(Christiana.)
= 76.

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Sal-ly when yon mar- ried I will give yon joy, Firs' de boys an*

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kiss an' come ont. Neb - n - chad-naz - zah de king of Bab - y - Ion

Folk Games of Jamaica

77

7 Pread him bed in a Sardine pan. Turn him 'pon him right turn him 'pon him

5. # jp » : # . ^. . # . # .^ .^. _ # . ^. ^.
De deb - il in a Lud - dy green a lick an* go 'long.

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Lick an' go 'long, me bud-die, lick an' go 'long, De deb - il in a Lud-dy green a

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wheel an' come out, Fo' de deb - il in a Lud - dy green a wheel an' come out.

Undah de carpet we mus' go,

Like a jasper in de sky.

Rise an* stand up on yo' laigs

An* ch'ice de very one you like de bes\

Den, Sally, when you married, I will give you joy,
Firs' de boys an* secon' de gals,
Seben years aftah, seben years ago,
Break fas' kiss an' come out.

Nebuchadnezzah de king of Babylon,

'Pread him bed in a sardine-pan.

Turn him 'pon him right, turn him 'pon him left,

De debbil in a Luddy green an' lick an' go long.

Lick an' go long, me buddie, lick an' go long,

De debbil in a Luddy green an' lick an' go long.

Wheel an' come out, oh, wheel an' come out,

Wheel an' come out, oh, wheel an' come out,

Fo' de debbil in a Luddy green a wheel an' come out.

(Bog.)

Now, sister Jane, you have jus' got marry,

Marry to be a boy and a girl.

First you were one but now you are two,

Under de carpet you must go

Like a grasshopper in de ear,

78

Field Work in Folk-lore

Arise and stand up on your feet
And choose de one you love de best.
Seven years after, seven years ago,
Breakfast kiss and be done.

d m (Bethlehem.)

(Lacovia.)

Two little blackbirds in a ring,

One named Peter, one named Paul.

Fly away, Peter, fly away, Paul;

Come back, Peter, come back, Paul.

Under the carpet we must go

Like a jack-bird in the ring.

Rise and stand up ©n your legs

And choice the very one you love the best.

Wheel her round and turn her round,

And put her in the beds of room.

Tilly, when you marry, I give you joy,

Firs' de boy and second de gal.

Seven year after, seven year ago,

Kiss, kiss, kiss and come out.

Boy wha* yo* lover?

See him in a ring der.

Das yo' lover, das yo' lover,

Take yo' lover, take yo' lover,

See him in a ring der.

Now, wheel him and turn him round,

Den toss yo* lover, den toss yo* lover,

Wheel him and put him out.

Holloa, Quacu, wha' yo' lover?

Toss de gal!

CL. (Christiana.)
J- 132.

A

66. Little Sally Water/

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Lit -tie Sal- ly Wa- ter,sprink-le in a sau-cer, rise Sal-ly rise an'

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wipe yo eyes. Turn to deeas', Sal-ly, turn to de wes% turn to de

51 Gomme II, 149; Udal (Dorsetshire), Folk-lore Journal 7, 207; (Surrey), Fotk-
lore Record 5, 88; Jekyll, Jamaican Song and Story, 190; Newell, 70; Wolford
(Indiana), 86; Gardner (Michigan), JAFL 33, 122, and references.

Folk Games of Jamaica

79

m

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ver-y one you like de bes'. Denyon hug her up, an' kiss her up an'

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wheel her roun' an' roun

', ma dar - lin\ Johnnie was a rogue - in,

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John-nie was a rouge-in, Johnnie was a rogue-in, Johnnie was a rogue-in boy.

(Bethlehem.)

Little Sally Water, sprinkle in the saucer,

Rise, Sally, rise and wipe your eyes,

Turn to the east, Sally, turn to the west,

Turn to the very one you love the best.

Then you step them John-crow step,

Jump up on the wall,

Then you broaden, make them see you,

Then you laugh "Ha ! ha ! ha !"

You turn to the very one you love the best,

Then you hug her up, then you kiss her up,

Put her in a young girl's style.

Johnny was a-rogue-in\ Johnny was a-rogue-in',

Johnny was a-rogue-in' by from morning,

Johnny was a-rogue-in', Johnny was a-rogue-in\

Johhny was a-rogue-in' man.

INDEX

Page

Ants a Bite Me -------- 61

Aunty Mary --------- 16

Back Back, Train --------43

Beg You One Gill, Ma'am ------ 56

Because, Yes and No ------- 14

Berry Low 61

Bessie Down ---------53

Biddy Biddy, Hold Fast ------- 27

Bingo ---------- 60

Bird Fly ; Horse Fly - - - - - - - 15

Bruck Foot --------- 38

Bull in the Pen -------- 35

Call for a Drink -------- 15

Carry Me Half a Hoe ------- 56

Children Children -------- 19

Cut Cotton- tree -------- 17

Daliman Daliman --------25

Dicky Saloman _-_-_-__ 23
Drop, Peter, Drop Drop -------29

Dummy Girl ---------43

Finger Games --------12

Girl from Another Bay -------22

Going Through the Rocky Road ----- 36

Green Gravel ---------62

Haddy, Hoddy -------- 18

Hand and Foot in There -------54

Hardy Hardy ---------23

Hen and Chickens --------33

Hill and Gully Riding ------- 39

Hunt the Slipper -------- 30

I Come to See Jennie -------45

In and Out the Window -------68

Jack, Jack, When You Coming Home? 12

IHDEX— Continued

Page

Jack the Spinner - - - - - - - - 13

Jacky Knee Won't Bend - - - - - - 50*

Jane and Louisa --------73

King's Cupboard --------19

Lady from Barbaree ------- 46

Lady and Gentleman -------58

Land Goes Up and Down ------ 39

Little Bluebell -------- 69

Master and Boy -------- 13

Merry Gousan - ______ 62

Mother Roland's Daughter ------ 70

Mr. Salmon --------- 21

My Lady, My Lady ------- 58

Nuts in May --------- 49

Old Mother FibHe -------- 59

One August Morn --------60

Out on the Green Grass -------72

PanaMarley --------- 39

Pass the Ball --------- 30

Pass the Light -------- 31

Pay Me Rent --------- 14

Post ---------- 19

Postman ---------32

Pupa Tarn --------- 18

Puss and Rat ---------33

Raise, Aunty, Raise --------17

Sally Water --------- 78

See My Basket -------- 12

So We Plant the Corn ------- 23

Spin the Penny - - - - - - - - 15

Stone Passing --------22

Stone Pounding --------21

Ten Jews Arriving -------48

Ten a Day --------- 22

The Grass So Green ------- 70

INDEX— Continued

Page

There's a Brown Girl in the Ring - - -\ " - 74

Thread the Needle -------- 38

Tindal a Raise and Fall - - - - - - -.51

Tricks ---------- 11

Turn the Water-wheel ------- 64

Two Gully Meet Up ------- 41

Two Little Blackbirds ------- 12

Under the Carpet - - - - - - - 75

Walking 'Round the Valley ------ 67

Waterman Trinity --------13

Wheel with a Willing Mind ------ 65

When You See an Ugly One ------ 66

Yes, Belinda --------- 55

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223-233 Union St.,
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