No. 5 I’ll Give to You a Paper of Pins
This pretty and interesting, hitherto imprinted, children’s song is more or less familiar throughout the Middle States. We have heard it with many variations from persons of all classes and ages. It may often be listened to in the upper part of the city of New York, as it is sung (with a mere apology for a melody) by three or four girls, walking with arms entwined, or crooned by mere infants seated on the casks which, in the poorer quarters, often encumber the sidewalk.
There are also English and Scotch versions, generally inferior as regards poetical merit and antiquity of language. The English form, however, seems to contain the primitive idea, where the wooer appears as a prince, who by splendid presents overcomes the objections of a lady. This mercenary character being repugnant to modern taste, the Scotch rhyme represents the suitor as the Evil One in person; while in the United States the hero is, in his turn, made to cast off the avaricious fair, or else the lady to demand only love for love.
The numerous couplets of the American rhyme are completely in the ballad style. A “paper of pins” is substituted for a “pennorth of pins.” The “easy-chair” is modern, but the verse itself ancient, combing golden hair being a world-old occupation of beauties. The gown “trimmed with golden thread,” or “set off with a golden crown,” refers to the attire of olden times. The mediæval bride wore a crown on the head and flowing hair; a costume also mentioned in old ballads as the usual dress of a demoiselle of rank arrayed for the dance.
“I’ll give to you a paper of pins,
And that’s the way my love begins;
If you will marry me, me, me,
If you will marry me.”
“I don’t accept your paper of pins,
If that’s the way your love begins;
For I won’t marry you, you, you,
For I won’t marry you.”
“I’ll give to you an easy-chair,
To sit in and comb your golden hair.
“I’ll give to you a silver spoon,
To feed your babe in the afternoon.
“I’ll give to you a dress of green,
To make you look like any queen.41
“I’ll give to you the key of my heart,
For you to lock and never to part.
“I’ll give to you the key of my chest,
For you to have money at your request.”
“I do accept the key of your chest,
For me to have money at my request;
And I will marry you, you, you,
And I will marry you.”
“Ha, ha, ha, money is all,
And I won’t marry you at all;
For I won’t marry you, you, you,
For I won’t marry you.”
This is from a New York child; our next version is from Connecticut:
“Oh, miss, I’ll give you a paper of pins,
If you will tell me how love begins:
If you will marry, marry, marry,
If you will marry me.”
“I’ll not accept your paper of pins,
And I won’t tell you how love begins;
For I won’t marry, marry, marry,
For I won’t marry you.”
“O miss, I’ll give you a coach and six,
Every horse as black as pitch.
“O miss, I’ll give you a red silk gown,
With gold and laces hanging round.
“O miss, I’ll give you a little gold bell,
To ring for the waiter42 when you are not well.
“O miss, I’ll give you the key to my heart,
That we may lock and never part.
“O miss, I’ll give you the key to my chest,
That you may have money at your request.”
“I will accept the key of your chest,
That I may have money at my request.”
“Ah, I see, money is all,
Woman’s love is none at all;
And I won’t marry, marry, marry,
And I won’t marry you.”
Finally, we have a variation with a more tender conclusion:
“Will you have a paper of pins?
For that’s the way my love begins—
And will you marry me, me, me,
And will you marry me?”
“No, I’ll not have a paper of pins,
If that’s the way your love begins.”
“Will you have a little lap-dog,
Who may follow you abroad?
“Will you have a coach and four,
Footman behind and footman before?
“Will you have a dress of red,
All trimmed round with golden thread?
“Will you have a satin gown,
All set off with a golden crown?
“Will you have the key to my chest,
To draw out gold at your request?
“Will you have the key to my heart,
That we may love and never part?”
“Yes, I will have the key to your heart,
That we may love and never part,
And I will marry you, you, you,
And I will marry you.”
The same idea is contained in a song originally Scotch, but which comes to us (through an Irish medium) from Pennsylvania:
“Will you come to the Highland braes,
Bonny lassie, Highland lassie?
Will you come to the Highland braes,
My bonny Highland lassie?”
The reply is, “Na, na, it will not dee, bonnie laddie,” etc.: when the wooer gradually increases his offers:
“I will give you a golden comb,
If you will be mine and never roam;”
and finally inquires,
“Will you go to the kirk with me,
There to be my wedded wife?”
which is eagerly accepted:
“And them’s the words away to town,
And I will get my wedding-gown.”