A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/Mary Brown
VII. MARY BROWN
Here we all stand round the ring,
And now we shut poor Mary in.
Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown,
And see your mother go through the town.
MARY. I will not stand upon my feet
To see my mother go through the street.
CHILDREN. Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown,
And see your father go through the town.
[Mary declines similarly to rise to see her father. Next she is invited to rise and see her brother, then her sister. She refuses to rise and see cousins, uncles, aunts, beggars, etc. At last she is invited to rise and see her sweetheart. The right chord is touched, and Mary answers:—]
I will get up upon my feet
To see my sweetheart go through the street.
[And makes a rush to break the ring that encompasses her.]