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4o6 MULBERRY BUSH |
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ma-tanzie "—a kind of dance. They sing while moving round
to the tune of " Nancy Dawson," and stopping short with
courtesy at the conclusion.
Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush, And round the merry-ma-tanzie.
Disjoining hands, they then begin, with skirts held daintily
up behind, to walk singly along, singing—
This is the way the ladies walk, The ladies walk, the ladies walk; This is the way the ladies walk, And round the merry-ma-tanzie.
At the last line they reunite, and again wheel round in a ring, singing as before—
Here we go round the mulberry bush, &c.
After which, they perhaps simulate the walk of gentlemen, the chief feature of which is length of stride, concluding with the ring dance as before. Probably the next movement may be— This is the way they wash the clothes, Wash the clothes, wash the clothes; This is the way they wash the clothes, And round the merry-ma-tanzie. After which there is, as usual, the ring dance. They then represent washing, ironing clothes, baking bread, washing the house, and a number of other familiar proceedings.
Chambers quotes a fragment of this " little ballet," as practised at Kilbarchan, in Renfrewshire, which contains the following lines similar to those in this game:—
She synes the dishes three times a da)', Three times a day, three times a day; She synes the dishes three times a day, Come alang wi' the merry-ma-tanzie.
She bakes the scones three times a day, Three times a day, three times a day; She bakes the scones three times a day, Come aiang wi* the merry-ma-tanzie. |
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