Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/232

208 &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;A bottle of wine she gave me too; &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;See what this little girl can do. &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;On the carpet she shall kneel &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;As the grass grows on the fiel’; &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;Stand upright on your feet; &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;And choose the one you lore so sweet.”

Here the girl must select her favourite from the ring and lead her to the centre, whilst the others, moving round, continue their song:

Here the two must kiss and separate; the first girl going to form part of the ring, whilst her companion takes her place in the centre, and the game goes on as before. Boys and girls often play this together, and then the words are changed to suit the circumstances. (Symondsbury.)

The following somewhat peculiar variant of this last was contributed by Miss M. G. A. Summers, of Hazelbury Bryan, to the Dorset County Chronicle, in April last:

The sister kneels in the centre of the circle, and they all dance round her, saying: