| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
f |
||
|
MOTHER, MAY I GO OUT TO PLAY |
||
|
A piece of bread and cheese so big as a house, and a
piece of plum cake so big as a mouse. Where's my share ? Up in higher cupboard. It's not there. Up in lower cupboard. It's not there. Then the cat have eat it. Where's the cat ? Up in heath. Where's the heath ? The fire burnt it.
[The rest is the same as in the last version, p. 393.]
—Dorsetshire (Folk-lore Journal, vii. 221-222).
VI. Mother, mother, may I (or we) go out to play ? No, child ! no, child ! not for the day. Why, mother ? why, mother ? I won't stay long. Make three pretty courtesies, and away begone. One for mammy, one for daddy, one for Uncle John. Where, child ! where, child ! have you been all the day ? Up to granny's. What have you been doing there ?
[The answer to this is often, " Washing doll's clothes," but anything may be mentioned.]
What did she give you ? [The reply is again left to the child's fancy.] Where's my share ? The cat ate it [or, In the cat's belly]. What's in that
box, mother? Twopence, my child. What for, mother ?
To buy a stick to beat you, and a rope to hang you, my child. —Cornwall (Folk-lore Journal, v. 55, 56).
VII. Grandmother, grandmother grey, May I go out to play ? No, no, no, it is a very wet day. |
||