Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/98

 82 Collectanea.

When ihe door began to crack, 'Twas like a stick about your back ; When your back began to smart, 'Twas like a penknife in your heart ; When your heart began to bleed, 'Twas time for you to die indeed.'"

I remember my grandfather singing the following old song, when he was over seventy. It was the only song he ever did sing, and I believe he had sung it ever since he was a young man : —

"When Adam was first created. And lord of the universe crowned, His happiness was not completed. Till for him a helpmate was found : She was not taken out of his head, sir. To rule and triumph over man ; And she was not taken out of his feet, sir. By man to be trampled upon : But she was taken out of his side, sir, His partner and equal to be, And him she was bound to obey, sir. For man was the top of the tree."

Those were not the days of suffragettes, and we used to listen meekly while he sang the last two lines with great gusto!

The two following old songs were frequently sung by the men at harvest homes : —

I. " I love a shilling, a jolly, jolly shilling, I love a shilling, as I love my life ; A penny I will spend, and a penny I will lend, And tenpence carry home to my wifi.-."

The next verse begins " I love a tenpence," and ends " And eightpence carry home to my wife"; and so on, until the last verse, which ends " And nothing carry home to my wife."

2. " Oliver Cromwell lies dead in his grave,

'Urn, ah, dead in his grave ; There grows a green apple-tree over his head,

'Um, ah, over his head ; The bridle and saddle are laid on the shelf,

'Um, ah, laid on the shelf; If you want any more you may sing it yourself,

'Um, ah, sing it yourself."