ay, gold ring,
And adieu to you, my darlings.

The formula is repeated as above until every boy has chosen a lady-mate,
when all march round arm-in-arm in pairs, and the game is ended.

* * * * *

"~Here Comes a Poor Sailor from Botany Bay~." This is played as a
preliminary game to decide who shall join, and which side they will
take, in a coming tug-of-war. The chief delight derived is in putting
and answering questions. Two principals, standing as rival chiefs, and
acting together as catechists, begin the play; and all are warned before
replying:--

You must say neither "Yes," "No," nor "Nay,"
"Black," "White," nor "Grey."

Then, as each child approaches, the formula proceeds:--

Here comes a poor sailor from Botany Bay;
Pray, what are you going to give him to-day?
A pair of boots [may be the answer].
What colour are they?
Brown.
Have you anything else to give him?
I think so.
What colour is it?
Red.
What is it made of?
Cloth.
And what colour?
Blue.
Have you anything else to give him?
I don't think so.
Would you like a sweet?
Yes.

Now he is trapped. He has given one of the fatal replies; and the child
who answered "Yes" goes to a den. After all have gone through a similar
form, the youngsters are divided into two classes--those who avoided
answering in the prohibited terms, and the little culprits in the den,
or prison, who had failed in the examination. The tug-of-war now begins,
the one class being pitted against the other. No rope is used; but arms
are entwined round waists, or skirts, or coat-tails are taken hold of;
and the victors crow over the vanquished.

* * * * *

"~Janet Jo~," widely played, has for _dramatis personae_, a Father, a
Mother, Janet, and a Lover. Janet lies stretched at full length behind
the scenes. The father and mother stand revealed to receive the visits
of the lover, who approaches singing, to an air somewhat like "The Merry
Masons":--

I'm come to court Janet jo,
Janet jo, Janet jo;
I'm come to court Janet jo--
How is she the day?

Parents reply together:--

She's up the stair washin',
Washin', washin';
She's up the stair washin'--
Ye canna see her the day.

The lover retires, and again, and yet again, advances with the same
announcement of his object and purpose, to which he receives similar
evasive answers from Janet's parents, who