Song-Games of Negro Children in Virginia by Mary Olmsted Clarke
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 3, No. 11 (Oct. - Dec., 1890), pp. 288-290
SONG-GAMES OF NEGRO CHILDREN IN VIRGINIA
Mary Olmsted Clarke
MR. W. H. BABCOCK has printed, in "Lippincott's Magazine," March and September, 1886, and in "The American Anthropologist," July, 1888, an interesting collection of song-games played by children of the District of Columbia. Many of these, which in the ear of a New Englander have a strangely foreign sound, I have heard repeated to my children by their colored nurse. One of the articles named I read aloud to a colored servant, born in Virginia. She recognized many of the games as old friends, and sang others, which are given below. These games are played by as many children as possible in some open field or common, and generally towards the close of the day.
A circle is formed with one or more in the centre, all the players singing, and as far as possible suiting the action of the body to the words. The following are examples of the songs:-
I. Skip, Angelina, so go home, so go home.
And get your wedding supper
You better not wait till ten o'clock, ten o'clock.
To get your wedding supper
Skip all around the cherry-tree, the cherry-tree.
And get your wedding supper
Walk, Angelina, you go home, you go home.
Ten o'clock will be too late to get your wedding supper.
2. Sweet pinks and roses,
Strawberries on the vine,
I choose you a partner,
And go along with me.
We 're walking on this green ground,
And round and round we go,
And if you want a lady,
Pray take yourself with me.
Hand me your lily-white hand,
And go along with me.
3. It's raining,
It's hailing,
A cold frosty morning,
In steps the farmer,
A-drinking of the cider,
I'll be the reaper,
You'll be the binder,
I lost my true love,
And where shall I find her.
In the following, called "Old Johnny Huntsman," the children form as for a quadrille. The two opposite couples walk forward in turn, singing:
4. Walk him Johnny Huntsman
You can't touch square.
Walk him Johnny Huntsman
You can't touch square.
Poor little Johnny was my son,
And I can bounce him all around
From my elbow to my thumb,
I'll never come here no more.
Run him Johnny Huntsman
You can't touch square.
Run him Johnny Huntsman
You can't touch square.
Poor little Johnny Huntsman
He 's down in the garden
You can't catch square.
He 's down in the garden
You can't catch square.
Poor little Johnny Huntsman
He 's hid among the daisies
You can't catch square.
He 's hid among the daisies
You can't catch square.
Poor little Johnny Huntsman.
While playing this, they march in twos, opening to form two lines:
5. Here we go, two by two,
Do you want to get married ?
Yes, I do.
Marry by love, and let it be true,
Salute your bride and pass on through.
The needle works finely
The thread runs through,
I courted many pretty girls
Before I courted you.
Hug so neat, kiss so sweet,
Take all of that to make it look neat.
The next is played in sets of four, eight, or twelve:--
6. Mosquito he fly high, sway the body.
Mosquito he fly low;
I get my foot on mosquito head, turn hands.
He 'll fly high no more.
Boil the cabbage down, whir.
Boil the cabbage down;
I 'm not after no foolishness now,
Boil the cabbage down.
Stop that tickling me,
Stop that tickling me;
I 'm not after no foolishness now,
Boil the cabbage down.
The following seems to be a curious medley:-
7. Go on, Lize,
Go on, Liza Jane,
The funniest thing I ever saw,
Buffalo kick off bell-cow's horn;
Go on, Liza Jane.
Go on, Lize,
Go on, Lize,
Go on, Liza Jane,
The funniest thing I ever saw,
The black cat skipping chine-e-o;
Go on, Liza Jane.
Go on, Lize,
Go on, Lize,
Go on, Liza Jane,
I'll tell my mother when I get home,
The boys won't let the girls alone;
Go on, Liza Jane.
In this the players take hold of hands while going round:-
8. Jennie loves brandy,
I love gin.
I had an old cow,
And she gave such milk,
She made me think I was as rich as silk.
The refrain used, while jumping rope, seems to be quite varied; the version my servant gave is this:--
9. The Bible is a holy and visible law,
I marry this Indian to this squaw,
By the point of my jack-knife,
I pronounce you man and wife.