Bluegrass Messengers

Yonder Stands a Lovely Lady- (Derb) 1883 R.C. Hope

[My title, "Yonder stands a lovely lady" collected by Robert Charles Hope from a Derbyshire servant-girl. From: The Folk-lore Journal,  Volume 1 - Page 387, 1883 by Folklore Society (Great Britain).

R. Matteson 2017]

DERBYSHIRE And CUMBERLAND COUNTING-OUT And CHILDREN'S GAME RHYMES

Copied down from word of mouth, by Robert Charles Hope. "A Derbyshire servant-girl taught this game to myself and some others when children many years ago."

VIII.

In this game only three players are required: the Lover, the Lady, the Fairy.

It commences in this manner. The lover seeing the lady a little way off, says,

"Yonder stands a lovely lady,
whom she be I do not know,
I'll go and court her for my beauty,
whether she say me yea or nay."

He approaches her, and falling on one knee says,
"Madam, to thee I humbly bow and bend," to which she replies,
"Sir, I take thee not to be my friend"; she then retires, and he falls to the ground, and, supposed to be dying at his rejection, cries,
"Oh, if the good fairy doesn't come I shall die."
Whereupon the good fairy appears, touches him with her wand, and he is immediately well again.