No. 10 Marriage
(1.) By this name was known in Massachusetts, at the beginning of the century, an elaborate dance (for such, though practised in a Puritan community, it really was) which has a very decided local flavor.
Partners having been chosen, the girl says—
“Come, my dearest partner, and join both heart and hand;
You want you a wife, and I want me a man.
So married we will be, if we can agree,
We’ll march down together, so happy are we.”
The partners now separate, the lad saying—
“Now I must part, and leave you alone,
So fare you well, my true love, till I return.”
The maid replies—
“I mourn, I mourn, for that is the cry,
I’m left all alone, and I’m sure I shall die.”
But, after walking round, rejoins her partner, who welcomes her—
“Oh, here comes my love, and how do you do?
And how have you been since I parted with you?”
The pair then address the row—
“There is a scene secure from all harm,
Please to give us joy by the raising of the arm.”
The other players, who stand each lad opposite his lass, raise arms, and the couple walk down under the arch so formed, pausing at the foot—
“Now we are married, and never more to part,
Please to give a kiss from the bottom of the heart.”
And the game proceeds with the next couple.
Scituate, Mass. (about 1800).
(2.) No better as respects poetry, but with more evidence of old English origin, is the following game, in which couples circle in a ring about two chairs, from time to time changing partners. We have not been clearly informed of the way of playing, but presume that at the time of the change the youth or girl in the ring must select a mate.
“On the green carpet here we stand,
Take your true love in your hand;
Take the one whom you profess
To be the one whom you love best.”
A change of partners.
“Very well done, said Johnny Brown,
Is this the way to London town?
Stand ye here, stand ye there,
Till your true love doth appear.”
A mate is finally chosen, and the ring sings—
“Oh, what a beautiful choice you’ve made!
Don’t you wish you’d longer stayed?
[Give her a kiss, and send her away,
And tell her she can no longer stay.”49]
Salem, Mass.
The “green carpet” is, of course, the grass, on which the village dance proceeds in the summer-time,50 and the remains of an ancient “carol” appear in the corrupt rhyme.
(3.) To the game of Marriage, as played in France and Italy, the following closely corresponds:
A boy and girl having been chosen by singing our No. 17, and standing in the centre of the ring, the game proceeds, with imitative motion and gesture—
“Row the boat! Row the boat!
Let the boat stand!
I think —— —— is a handsome young man;
I think —— —— is as handsome as he,
And they shall be married, if they can agree.”51
Such short rhymes are not used independently, but joined to some fragment of a ballad, which they serve to turn into a game, as may be seen in our No. 12.
(4.) We take this opportunity to give one or two other familiar examples of kissing rounds:
Had I as many eyes as the stars in the skies,
And were I as old as Adam,
I’d fall on my knees, and kiss whom I please,
Your humble servant, madam.
In Boston, half a century since, this ran—
As many wives as the stars in the skies,
And each as old as Adam, etc.
In Georgia, at the present day—
Many, many stars are in the skies,
And each as old as Adam, etc.
(5.) The following is yet more inane, yet it furnishes a curious example of correspondence—
“—— —— languishes.”
“For whom?”
“For —— ——.”
This is not much more crude than the French equivalent.52
(6.) We may add that the familiar American game, known as “Pillow,” or “Pillows and Keys” (why keys?), in which a player kneels on a pillow and solicits a kiss, is no doubt a descendant of the “Cushion Dance,” alluded to by old dramatists.
Footnotes
35 The game, half a century since, was played by boys as well as girls. New England variations are numerous; thus for the last line of verse 4, “I’ll turn my face another way.” For verse 7, “Go through the kitchen and through the hall, and choose the fairest one of all.” A New York variety puts the last words into the mouth of the bride: “I’m so happy that I could sing.”
36 So in an English variety:
“I will give you pots and pans, I will give you brass,
I will give you anything for a pretty lass.”
“No.”
“I will give you gold and silver, I will give you pearl,
I will give you anything for a pretty girl.”
“Take one, take one, the fairest you may see.”
Halliwell, “Nursery Rhymes.”
37 The ending is like ours—
“Prenez la plus jolie de toutes.”
“Voilà la plus jolie de toutes.”
38 Eco la Nina al campo—fra tanti suoni e canti;
Eco la Nina al campo—olà, olà, olà.
Faciamo un bel’ inchino—profondo al suo rispeto;
Faciamo un bel’ inchino—olà, olà, olà.
39 A New Hampshire fragment has here,
“The scornful maid, she won’t come out,”
which seems more genuine.
40 An English variety, printed a century since in “Gammer Gurton’s Garland,” has as the first line of the refrain,
My-a-dildin, my-a-daldin;
and as the alternate line,
Lily white and shine-a.
The last phrase comes to us as the fragment of a game in Massachusetts, about 1800. We are reminded of the songs of Autolycus in “A Winter’s Tale,” “with such delicate burdens of dildos and fadings.”
41 Here verses may be improvised at pleasure; for instance, said the little reciter,
“I’ll give to you a dress of black,
A green silk apron and a white cap,
If you will marry,” etc.
42 In the English version “to ring up your maidens.”
43 Variation: “Here comes an old woman from Sunderland,” or “Cumberland.”
44 In Canada the game goes:
J’ai tant d’enfants à marier!
J’ai tant d’enfants à marier!
Grand Dieu! je n’ sais comment
Pouvoir en marier tant.
Mademoiselle, on parle à vous;
On dit que vous aimez beaucoup;
Si c’est vrai que vous aimez,
Entrez dans la danse, entrez!
45 See Note; also No. 154, and Note.
46 Usually plural.
47 Or, dialectically, “every one his true lover sarching.”
48 “Were his men like him, he’d command a regiment of Damons and Philanders.”—“Two Faces under One Hood,” by Thomas Dibdin.
49 From another version.
50 As Lodge has it—
Footing it featlie on the grassie ground,
These damsels circling with their brightsome faires—
51 Fifty years ago the corresponding French game was still played as a “game of society”—
Eh! qui marirons-nous?
Mademoiselle, ce sera vous:
Entrez dans la danse;
J’aimerai qui m’aimera, j’aimerai qui m’aime.
The round then proceeds—
Eh! qui lui donnerons-nous?
Mon beau monsieur, ce sera vous.
Amans, embrassez-vous, etc.
52 “Qui est-ce qui languira?”
“Ce sera —— —— qui languira.”
“—— —— la guerira.”
French game in Cambrai.