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BELLIE-MANTIE—BELLY-BLIND |
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II. Bellasay, bellasay, what time of day ?
One o'clock, two o'clock, three, and away.
—Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes, p. 283.
(b) The children form long trains, standing one behind the other. They march and sing the first four lines, then the fifth line, when they stand and begin again as before.
(c) Miss Burne suggests a connection with the old pack-horses. Mr. Addy (Sheffield Glossary) gives the first two lines as a game. He says, "The first horse in a team conveying lead to be smelted wore bells, and was called the bell-horse." I remember when a child the two first lines being used to start children a race (A. B. G.). Chambers (Pop. Rhymes, p. 148) gives a similar verse, used for starting a race :—
Race horses, race horses, what time of day ?
One o'clock, two o'clock, three, and away; and these lines are also used for the same purpose in Cheshire (Holland's Glossary) and Somersetshire (Elworthy's Glossary). Halliwell, on the strength of the corrupted word " Bellasay," connects the game with a proverbial saying applied to the family of Bellasis; but there is no evidence of such a connection except the word-corruption. The rhyme occurs in Gammer Gurton's Garland, 1783, the last words of the second line being " time to away."
Bellie-mantie
The name for "Blind Man's Buff" in Upper Clydesdale. As anciently in this game he who was the chief actor was not only hoodwinked, but enveloped in the skin of an animal.— Jamieson.
See "Blind Man's Buff."
Belly-blind
The name for "Blind Man's Buff" in Roxburgh, Clydesdale, and other counties of the border. It is probable that the term is the same with " Billy Blynde," said to be the name of a familiar spirit or good genius somewhat similar to the brownie.— Jamieson.
See "Blind Man's Buff." |
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