New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-01
ANCIENT GAMES.
SOME OF THEIR MODERN sURV1vALs.

SOME OF THEIR MODERN sURvIvALs
CEuI.DRENs SINGING GAMES. with the Tunes
TO Which They Are Sung COLLECTED ana En 1i,e
by Alice B. CONNIE; Pictures in Black ana Wnlte
by " inifred Smith. Pp. 70. London: David NUT;
New-York: Macmillan Co.
Miss CONNIE has given an earnest OF her ap-
probation OF the value and interest Of study
of children's games as branch OF folklore IN
her copious work entitled THE Traditional
Games Of England, Scotland and Ireland The
publication before u.s. though provided with a
series Of brief notes of scientific character. Is
designed simply for what we might call kinder
garten use Miss CONNIE wants to enable
parents TO stimulate the interest OF children in
the old-fashoped dramatic games. which. once
played by youths and madens on the village
greens, have now been relegated to the children
whose Fairgrounds chiefly the sidewalks
and courts Of our towns and cities. Ihere is
probably no danger Of these primitive dramas
(for such they are) ever being lost. The pas
sion which they exemplify has too strong
hold upon the human affections and magma
ton for that. So long as the human race ex-
lists there will live the love of mirnicry and
mummery which remains In our retrospective
vision no matter In what direction turn our
glance or how far back through the mists we
manage 10 project IT, Surroundings and actors
prediction for play-making which developed
the wayside dance-songs Of the ancient Greeks
into the classic tragedy and finally into the
lyric drama Of Richard Wagner is still alive,
and we are inclined TO think almost as fresh
and vigorous as ever 1t But the adult
play makers have given way to children. and
the hallowed spot around the Bacchic altar TO
the prosaic pavements in front Of our tenement
houses
The literature Of childrens games is already
extensive especially in Germany which country
has taken the lead in this department OF folk
lore as 1t did in tina, Of the ballad as soon as
Bishop Percy gave the impulse with his Re
Noues" Books like Miss Gomme's present work
have hitherto attracted but little attention partly
because there was nothing of the scientific spirit
1n their compilation But many Of them were as
handsomely Illustrated and most Of them were
more ingeniously treated in their musical part. 1t
Is proposition not yet sufficiently understood In
folklore circles themselves that Of the two ee-
ments consorted in folk songs Of all kinds the
musical is quite important as the verbal.
Indeed. there instances in which the music
IS the more valuable because the more truth
fully expressive element Of the two. a collector.
therefore if he is not himself musician, ought
always to associate with him In his work a
musician Of scientific training and habits OF
thought However, We are little inclined TO dwell
on this point here. for as has already been init
mated Miss CONNIE has not sent out this book as
a contribution to folklore. but, TO use her own
words "as message Of happiness and fun from
children who have played the games It contains
perhaps for centuries of time; and ii goes forth
to those who will use it to teach the games as
a memorial Of chdren's days which few Of US
can altogether afford 10 forget" 1t is only be
sh something concerning
some Of the songs in the book that we bring
Miss Gommes modest but quantity and artist
cally decked-out publication into court
The book contains eight songs. Of which four
are familiar in America. This proportion is not
large. The most significant Of these primitive
dramas are so widely spread among lndo-Euro-
pean peoples that ii does not seem extravagant
10 speak of them as universal Aryan possessions
like many features Of our mythical and legen-
dairy lore Mr.. William Wells Newell (whose
book, Games and Songs Of American Children"
Harper Brothers. 1884. is one Of the most sug-
gestive and valuable works Of its kind in eH-
istence) asserts that more than three-fourths OF
all chidrens games in the volumnous German
collections are paraeled in his volume. and that
the case is not very different in France. Italy
and Sweden. SO far the English and Scotch !
collections are concerned there are few games in
them that are without anaogues or parallels on |
this side Of the Atlantic. while there are |
numerous instances" says Mr. Newell. "in which !
rhymes of this sort still current in America. do
not appear 10 be known in the mOther-cOuntry. |
though they oftentimes have equivalents on the |
Continent Of Europe. In nearly all such cases
IL Is plain that the New World has pre- /
served but the Old World has forgotten; |
and the amusements of children to-day picture /
TO us the dances which delighted the court as
we'll as the people Of Old England before the de-
velopment OF the New
In the game called by Miss CONNIE Three
Dukes a-Rdng," there is an illustration OF how !
an extremely important element the one indeed |
which must have been It's original dramatic !
germ has been lost in the district from which |
It comes but preserved in portions of this coun-
try. 1t is plain that in it's primitive form this |
game dramatized marriage by purchase. The |
discussion will be better understood II the song |
be quoted This can be done without waste OF |
words for there is but one new line in each |
stanza except the last:
l. Here come three Dukes a-riding.
A-riding. a-riding.
Here come three Dukes a-riding.
With a nancy. fancy. tay!
q What is your good will. sirs. etc.
8 Our good will IS TO marry. etc.
T. Marry one Of u.s. sirs. etc.
You're all too black and dirty, etc.
g. We're good enough for you. sirs. etc.
T. You're all as stiff as pokers, ETC.
g. We can bend well as you sirs etc
O. Thro' the kitchen and thro' the hall
choose the farest Of you all;
The fairest one that l can See
Is pretty Miss -; walk with me.
This is but a variant Of the game known In |
various parts of the United States as knights (
OF Spain." of which analogues have been found |
in Germany Italy. Spain. France. Scotland. |
England and in an exceedingly primitive form,
obviously the Oldest Of all in Iceland. In all these
songs the knights. or lords. or dukes. or Herren
German: pa Kommen drei Herren aus Nine