The ball is yours, and is not ours,And you’ve the right to take it.
The ball is yours, and is not ours,And you’ve the right to take it.
[Some of the children said this rhyme should be—]
The ball is ours, and none of yours,So you, black gipsies, sit in the sun,While we the fair ladies go as we come.
The ball is ours, and none of yours,So you, black gipsies, sit in the sun,While we the fair ladies go as we come.
—London (A. B. Gomme).
XI.
Queen Anne, Queen Anne, she sits in the sun,As fair as a lily, as white as a swan;I bring you three letters, so pray you choose one,I cannot read one without I read all,So pray —— give up the ball.
Queen Anne, Queen Anne, she sits in the sun,As fair as a lily, as white as a swan;I bring you three letters, so pray you choose one,I cannot read one without I read all,So pray —— give up the ball.
[If the wrong girl is asked, they say—]
The ball is ours, it is not yours,And we’ve the right to keep it.
The ball is ours, it is not yours,And we’ve the right to keep it.
[When the right one is guessed—]
The ball is yours, it is not ours,And you’ve the right to keep it.
The ball is yours, it is not ours,And you’ve the right to keep it.
—Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).
XII.
The lady Queen Anne she sat in a tan (sedan),As fair as a lily, as white as a swan;The Queen of Morocco she sent you a letter,So please to read one.I won’t read one except them all,So please, Miss ——, deliver the ball.
The lady Queen Anne she sat in a tan (sedan),As fair as a lily, as white as a swan;The Queen of Morocco she sent you a letter,So please to read one.
I won’t read one except them all,So please, Miss ——, deliver the ball.
—Hersham, Surrey (Folk-lore Record, v. 87).
XIII.
Queen Ann, Queen Ann,She sits in the sun,As fair as a lily, and bright as one;King George has sent you three letters,And desires you to read one.I cannot read oneWithout I read all,So pray, Miss ( ),Deliver the ball.
Queen Ann, Queen Ann,She sits in the sun,As fair as a lily, and bright as one;King George has sent you three letters,And desires you to read one.
I cannot read oneWithout I read all,So pray, Miss ( ),Deliver the ball.
[Rhyme when right is seldom in use, and the one when wrong forgotten.]
The ball is ours, and none of yours,So, black gipsies, sit in the sun,And we, fair ladies, go as we come.
The ball is ours, and none of yours,So, black gipsies, sit in the sun,And we, fair ladies, go as we come.
—Sussex, about 1850 (Miss Chase).
XIV.
Queen Ann, Queen Ann,She sat in the sun;A pair of white gloves to cover her hands,As white as a lily, as red as a rose,To which young lady do you propose?
Queen Ann, Queen Ann,She sat in the sun;A pair of white gloves to cover her hands,As white as a lily, as red as a rose,To which young lady do you propose?
—Devon (Miss Chase).
XV.
Here come seven sisters,And seven milken daughters,And with the ladies of the land,And please will you grant us.I grant you once, I grant you twice,I grant you three times over;A for all, and B for ball,And please [ ] deliver the ball.
Here come seven sisters,And seven milken daughters,And with the ladies of the land,And please will you grant us.
I grant you once, I grant you twice,I grant you three times over;A for all, and B for ball,And please [ ] deliver the ball.
—Bocking, Essex (Folk-lore Journal, vi. 211).
Playing Queen Anne
(b) Sides are chosen, and two lines are formed; the words are said by each line alternately. One line, in which is the Queen, standing still or sitting down, the other line advancing and retiring while singing the words. The latter line gives one of their number a ball or some other small object to hold in the hand in such a manner that it cannot be perceived. All the players on this side then assume the same position—either all put their hands behind them or fold their arms, put their hands under their armpits, or under their skirts or pinafores. The object of the other side is to guess which child in the line has the ball. The line which has the ball commences the game by advancing singing or saying the first three or four lines. Queen Anne answers, and then names one of the girls on the opposite side whom she suspects to have the ball, and if she be right in her guess the lines change sides. If she be wrong, the line retires in triumph, the girl who possesses the ball holding it up to show the Queen she is wrong. The children all curtsey when leaving the Queen’s presence. Another girl of the line then takes the ball and the game continues till the right holder of the ball is named. When the Queen tells the line of players to “turn,” they all spin round, coming back to face the Queen, and then stand still again. In theNorth Kelsey version(Miss Peacock) there is only one player on Queen Anne’s side, the rest form the line. This is also the case with theCornish game.
(c) The analysis of the game-rhymes is as follows:—
[96-99]
This game appears to be in such a state of decadence that it is difficult to do more than suggest an origin. It may be that “Queen Anne” represents an oracle, and the petition is addressed to her to discover the stolen treasure; but more probably the players represent disguised damsels, one of whom is a bride whose identity has to be found out by her showing or possessing some object which belongs to or has been given previously by her suitor. The “guessing” or “naming” a particular person runs through all the versions, and is undoubtedly the clue to the game. If theBelfast versionis the nearest to the original of those at present existing, and there is every probability that this is so, especially asChambers’ versionis so similar, an early form of the game might be restored, and from this its origin may be ascertained. Using the first four lines of one of Halliwell’s versions, and what appear to be the common lines of the other versions, the reading is—