The mother then leaves her child, and says:
“I leave my daughter safe and sound,
And in her pocket a thousand pound,
And on her finger a gay ring,
And I hope to find her so again.”
This is repeated until all are similarly disposed of. A few days are supposed to pass, after which the mother calls to see her children, when the lady tells her she cannot see them. At last she insists upon seeing them, and the children are all “sat down” behind the lady, and the mother asks one child what the lady has done to her; and she tells her “that the lady has cut off her nose, and made a nose-pie and never give her a bit of it.” Each one says she has done something to her and made a pie, and when all have told their tale “they all turn on her and put her to prison.”
(xi.)—The following variant was contributed by Miss M. G. A. Summers, of Hazelbury Bryan, to the Dorset County Chronicle (April, 1889), to whom I am also indebted for the next two games.
One child takes seven or eight others whom she pretends are her children. Another child, presumably a mistress in want of servants, stands at a distance. The first child advances, holding the hand of her children, saying:
“There camed a lady from other land,
With all her children in her hand—
Please, do you want a sarvant, marm?”
The supposed mistress answers:
“Leave her.”
The mother before retiring says:
“I leaves my daughter zafe and zound,
And in her pocket a thousan pound,
And on her finger a goulden ring,
And in her busum a silver pin.
I hopes when I return,
To see her here with you.
Don’t’e let her ramble; don’t’e let her trot;
Don’t’e let her car’[1] the mustard pot.”
- ↑ Carry
