Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 17, 1906.djvu/113

 Collectanea. loi

Little Angels

Is of a somewhat similar character. An even number of players stand in two rows, facing each other. All but the pair at the one end form a bridged passage by holding each other's hands at the full stretch of their arms. The end pair, entering the passage prancing along, proceed to the other end, where they join hands so as to prolong it. As each pair become the last pair of the double row they follow the first who entered the passage, and in turn prolong it as they reach the other end. It will be seen that this makes a continuous procession. During the performance all sing :

" One and two and three little angels, Four and five and six little angels, Seven and eight and nine little angels. All passing through.

Open the gates and let them through, Let them through, let them through. Open the gates and let them through, My fair ladies."

The King of France

Is much the same game, played by a single row, all holding hands, their arms at full stretch. Commencing from one end they follow each other, bending through the intervals and prolonging the line as they get to the other end, while they

sing :

O'er the hills canary O, He set the sun before his face O'er the hills canary O."
 * ' The King of France ran a race

(P. 214, after line 24.)

The rhyme here is also given in the following form :

" I dropped it, I dropped it, I dree, I dree, I dropped it, I sent a letter to my love, And by the way I dropped it. I dropped it once, I dropped it twice, I dropped it three times over, over, over : "

continuing to repeat the word " over " till the napkin is dropped.