Journal of American Folk-Lore/Volume 12/Issue 44/Bibliographical Notes
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.
BOOKS.
The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland. With tunes, singing-rhymes, and methods of playing according to the variants extant and recorded in different parts of the kingdom. Collected and annotated by Alice Bertha Gomme. Vol. II. Together with a memoir on the study of children's games. London : D. Nutt. 1898. Pp. xv, 531,
This second volume of games, which forms the first part of Mr. Gomme's proposed "Dictionary of British Folk-Lore," completes a long-postponed and much needed task. So slender was the gathering of such games in Great Britain, that when the writer of this notice, in 1883, made a similar collection under the name of "Games and Songs of American Children," it appeared that many rhymes current in America were unrecorded in the mother country. The inference seemed to be that colonial life had been favorable to peculiar persistency of usage. The further collection, however, now made by Mrs. Gomme, shows that English survivals are abundant, and that the correspondence of American and British custom extends to the verbal form. No doubt there has been a constant influence through continued emigration, tending to assimilate the former to the latter. The same diffusion has been active in England, and alone can explain the coincidence of the words of a game in districts remote from one another. If the tradition had been isolated, and maintained without change from ancient time, the diversity must have been far greater. The same remark, in a wider field, must account for the resemblance of English and French practice. In truth, the games of Western Europe, like other folk-lore, form a whole in such wise that the habit of one district cannot be taken by itself as spontaneous or independent.
Of the games given in this second volume, a few may be selected as sub- jects for remark. The series begins with the song so familiar in the United States, in the ungrammatical rhyme "Oats, pease, beans, and barley grows." English versions are nearly identical, but the word "pease" is not included:—
The "amatory chorus" proceeds in the same way as in America:—
This rhyme had scarce been recorded in Great Britain; but Mrs. Gomme is able to give eighteen versions. Besides these, she furnishes another game, which is in fact no more than a variant, apparently more original, though without the love-making at the end:—
The words proceed to recite how the peasant reaps his barley and wheat, how he threshes, how he does when the seed-time is o'er, and when his labor is o'er. This is a ring dance, in which the action is suited to the words, the hands being unclasped at the end of each verse. Imitation of sleeping and marching conclude the performance. This version brings the game exactly into line with the similar French, Italian, and Spanish games, which also describe a series of actions, beginning with sowing the seed. The conclusion of Mrs. Gomme concerning the source of the rhyme is identical with that adopted by the present writer, namely, that it represents a song danced in sowing-time, with the intent of bringing a blessing on the labors of the year. But it is apparent that the game cannot have been of English village origin. If an origin is to be sought, this might be in ancient Roman usage.
There is a rude American song, still used by children, in "Games and Songs," printed under the name of "Old Grimes," as an "unintelligible round." The English round recites that an apple-tree grows over the head of Sir Roger; that a woman picks up the ripe apples, and (the ghost of) Sir Roger rises and maims her, making her go "hipperty hop." The story is acted out, one child personating Sir Roger, a second the apple-tree, a third the thief. The game is weird enough. But what is the meaning of the sport? We seem to see a survival of the belief that a sacred tree might absorb the soul of the person over whose grave it grew; but we are left in the dark as to the history. Some local tale must have been dramatized, and extended over England, and been transported to America.
In such love-rounds as "Poor Mary sits a-weeping," waiting for her sweetheart, and is bidden to choose her lover, it seems to us doubtful if we have anything more than a relatively modern courtship formula. Mrs. Gomme remarks that Christian ideas do not enter into marriage games, hence they must be very ancient. But wedding-bells are mentioned: "The bells will ring, and the birds will sing," occurs in a rhyme given by Chambers. However, in general, the idea of the purchase of the bride, or the stealing of the bride, constitute the chief feature of courtship games. But here again we are in the presence not merely of English but of European custom; as already noted, the origin is to be sought, according to our in remote usage, but not English usage: this, however, is not to say that ancient English customs may not have been identical.
A pretty example of the permanence of New England tradition is furnished by the game, "Here comes a duke;" The "duke" seeks a "fair maid" as partner, who at first refuses, but at last consents ; the chorus then sings:—
The English formula is ruder: "Now we 've got another girl to help us with our dancing" (p. 65). But a variant from Sussex has: "Now we 've got our bonny bunch (i. e. of flowers) to help us with our dancing." Another: "Now we've got a beautiful maid to join us in our dancing" (p. 173).
A familiar nursery rhyme is that relating to Queen Anne, "who sits in the sun." Mrs. Gomme furnishes an account of the manner of playing this game-rhyme. One side stands and advances, a ball being concealed with one of the players; the other, among which is my lady Queen Anne, remains seated. A player of the advancing line observes: "King George has sent you three letters, and desires you to read one," or equivalent words. The sitting queen answers, "I cannot read one unless I read all; so pray, Miss , deliver the ball." Mrs. Gomme thinks that the game may refer to the ancient custom of compelling the suitor to elect between several girls dressed like the bride.
Considered as ancient tradition, the most interesting of English games is that of "The Witch." Mrs. Gomme gives versions closely agreeing with American ones. She thinks that the source of the amusement may have been in fire-stealing, the conception being that to take new fire out of a house puts the inmates under the control of an evil spirit. But the feature of taking fire, or asking for a light, on the part of a witch, is only an incident of this most widely spread and very ancient European amusement. In an article on the "Game of the Child-stealing Witch," contained in this Journal, vol. iii., 1890, pp. 139–148, it is remarked: "An attempt to discuss the varieties of the witch-game would require a space far in excess of that which can here be devoted to the subject; this game-root has supplied at least one tenth of the amusements of European children, a fact which indicates its primitive antiquity. Its variations are infinite: in some forms, in place of Mother stands an angel or saint; in place of the Witch, the Devil; the sport takes the form of a game of chase, or of struggle, or of guessing, or of a simple love-dance; while, strange to say, its primitive character appears nowhere so distinctly as in English versions, though there are abundant indications that the English forms merely represent the most perfect survival of a world-old practice, so various and widely extended that it would be idle to ask in what land it originated, while it may reasonably be supposed that it has for thousands of years made the terror and pleasure of European youth." Reference is made here to this subject merely in order to point out how extended is the theme, and how difficult it may be to trace with certainty the derivation of a particular dramatic usage.
In the memoir appended to this very excellent and interesting collection, the editor analyzes and classifies, and cites evidence from many quarters in regard to the antiquity of similar practices. She perceives that these games were not originally invented by children, but are only a survival maintained by children of practices once belonging to grown persons. She considers, undoubtedly with correctness, that her gathering is so far complete that a gleaning from English districts not represented would not be likely to be completely different; so that we may now consider that we have a tolerably rich collection of this interesting kind of folk-lore. She distinguishes two great classes,—dramatic games, and those of skill and chance; the latter, she remarks, have usually been regarded as the property of boys, the former as especially practised by girls (but this rule is not to be regarded as very ancient, or as universal). That these dramas, now childish, might once have been ceremonial and religious, she fully recognizes.
Altogether, the volumes make an excellent beginning of the great undertaking in which Mr. Gomme has engaged.
W. W. Newell.
The Pre- and Proto-Historic Finns, both Eastern and Western, with the Magic Songs of the West Finns. By the Honorable John Abercromby. In two volumes (Grimm Library, No. 9). London: David Nutt. 1898. Vol. I. pp. xxiv, 363; Vol. II. pp. xiii, 400.
Of this elaborate work, the first volume is devoted to Finnish anthropology, prehistoric and early civilization, and the beliefs of the West Finns; the second volume contains the magic songs of the Finns, with an appropriate introduction, and a selection of magic formulae from neighboring races, Mordvin, Votiak, Lettish, Russian, and Swedish, given for the sake of comparison. The magic songs are at first distributed according to their varieties, as for defence, vengeance, deliverance from pain, or as they proceed by attempts to expel the evil influence, through reproach, boasting of the power of the operator, and the like ; then chapters are formed by "words of healing power," "formulæ," "prayers," and "origins or births." The source of the material is the collection of Lönnrot, published in 1880, under the title of "Suomen Kansan muinaisia Loitsurunoja," or " Bygone Songs of the Finns." Lönnrot, in his difficult task, did not proceed with the strictest modern severity of method, his songs being obtained by the putting together of many imperfect versions; according to the statement, it was impossible to induce any one singer to give in completeness the spell. Still, the abundance of the matter is such as to insure in general the accuracy of the tradition. The people from whom the songs were obtained lived chiefly in east and north Finland, and belonged to the orthodox church. Nevertheless, the ideas of the incantations are thoroughly heathen in character. They do not themselves contain mythology, but refer to mythic persons, and in some cases imply the existence of mythic tales.
The methods by which the exorciser undertakes to banish evil agencies are numerous. The reciter invokes the aid of stronger powers, deities, animals, or inanimate objects; he simply directs the spirit of disease to act in a certain manner, or he advises it to remove to a more suitable place; he extols his own irresistible power; or he lays upon the evil spirit an impossible task which must be accomplished before the apprehended ill can be done. One very curious manner of exorcism is by relating the genealogy of the disturbing influence. It is conceived, namely, that if the history of an evil thing is known, power is thereby acquired over the intruder, who may thus be shamed and exiled. Such are the spells set forth in the chapter on Origins, in which the supposed genesis is narrated in the most poetic and metaphorical manner. Thus, for instance, with charms against the bear. It would appear that, according to a myth not expressly related, the bear had originated in heaven (possibly the name of the constellation may have had something to do with this belief). Having been cradled and nursed by the forest spirits, he had received baptism, and taken an oath not to harm any innocent person. Naturally the notification of this contract would exercise a deterrent influence on any creature of the ursine race inclined to be hostile.
So, in order to tame and use fire, it is recounted how the element had a celestial birth, being a flash from the sword of the sky-god Ukko (Old Man). The fire-baby is given to be nursed by a nymph of the air, who carelessly drops it from the cradle ; it falls to earth, begins its evil career by burning a house with the family, sets a lake aboil, and consumes field and forest through half Bothnia, until it arrives at realization of its infamy, and in disgrace takes refuge in the hollow of a rotten stump (in tinder), whence it is taken indoors for use. It may be imagined what a wholesome effect the repetition of its history has on the element, if disposed to be stubborn or revolutionary.
The snake has a descent as curious. The wood-spirit, Hiisi, being weary with running, falls asleep and drops saliva, which is eaten by an ogress, who finds it too hot for comfort and spits it into the lake. Here the wind blows it into a spiral and wafts it ashore ; the sun dries it, and it excites the attention of the demons, who inspire it with life. Other formulæ, however, make the viper to be part of the thread spun by the daughter of Night, or to come from the golden ring lost by the god Väinämöinen while proving his sword.
A simpler story derives wasps from the hair of a maiden, lost in brushing; the toothache-worm is bred from the sweepings of the divine being, Luonnotar.
A single prayer emerges from the average formula to rise into the dignity of an invocation to the orb of day: "Welcome for showing thy countenance, for dawning forth, thou golden Sun, for rising now, thou 'morning star'! From under the waves thou hast escaped, hast mounted above the clumps of firs, like a golden cuckoo: like a silver dove hast risen up to the level sky, to thy former state, on thy ancient tour. Rise ever at the proper time, after this very day as well, bring as a gift on coming home; give us completest health; into our hands convey the game, the quarry to our thumb's tip, good luck to our hook's point; go on thy circuit pleasantly; conclude the journey of the day, at eve attain to happiness." Such an address might be considered to indicate an original sun-worship, probably from the practice of neighboring peoples; but the example is too isolated to be cited with confidence.
Like every collection of this sort, the songs of the Finns raise in the mind of the reader numerous questions as to origin, date, and the character of the religion to which they properly belong. The archæologic history of Finns is discussed by the translator in his first volume with great industry and carefulness, an examination on which only an expert could make comments. When the vast stores of Finnish folk-lore, gathered by many hands in recent years, shall have been sifted and classified, it may be that additional light will be obtained in regard to the dark problems involved. Meantime the very meritorious work of Mr. Abercromby will be welcomed as a most valuable addition to knowledge concerning peoples to whom small attention has been paid in Great Britain and America.
W. W. Newell.
JOURNALS.
1. The American Anthropologist. (Washington.) Vol. XL No. 12, December. 1898. An Apache medicine dance. F. Russell.—On the origin of religion. C. H. Henning—Bibliography of anthropologic literature. R. Fletcher..
2. The American Antiquarian and Oriental Journal. (Chicago.) Vol. XXI. No. 1, January-February, 1899. Social and domestic life of the cliff-dwellers. S. D. Peet.—Makutu or Maori witchcraft. E. Best.
3. Americana Germanica. (New York.) Vol. II. No. 1, 1898. Popular poetry of the Russian Jews (continued in No. 2). L. Wiener.
4. Southern Workman and Hampton School Record. Vol. XXVII. No. 12. December, 1898. The lost tree, an Indian legend as told by Jesse Hill.—Conjuration. D. W. Davis.—Vol. XXVIII. No. 1, January, 1899. Flotsam and jetsam from Aboriginal America. A. C. Fletcher.—The Young Dog's dance (continued in No. 2). G. B. Grinnell.—Folk-lore and ethnology. Why the crab has no head. Why there are moles. Why hens are afraid of owls. The snail's smartness. Old sayings.—No. 2, February. Echoes from a plantation party. D. W. Davis.—Folk-lore and ethnology. Sickness in slavery days.
5. Folk-Lore. (London.) Vol. IX. No. 4, December, 1898. The "High Gods" of Australia. A criticism of Mr. Andrew Lang's "Making of Religion." E. S. Hartland.—The Shrew Ash in Richmond Park. With three illustrations from photographs. M. C. Ffennell.—Reviews: Petrie, Religion and Conscience in Ancient Egypt; Macgowan, History of China; Hauttecceur, Le folk-lore de l'ile de Kythnos and l'ile de Siphnos. Schell, Bergische sagen; Kroll, Antiker aberglaube; Pedersen,Zur Albanesischen volkskunde; Inwards, Weather-lore; Drosihn, Deutsche kinderreime; Wechssler, Die sage vom Heiliger Gral.—Correspondence. Holy Week observance in the Abruzzi. Lincoln minster and the Devil. May-day in Lincolnshire. Kitty-witches. The jus primæ noctis. Pins and metal in Wells. Ropes of sand; asses; and the Danaides.—Miscellanea. Nibelung treasure in English.—Some Highland folk-lore. The Black Lad of Ashton-under-Lyne.—Bibliography.—Indexes to Vol. IX.
6. Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. (London.) New Series. Vol. I. Nos. 1, 2. August-November, 1898. Australian folk-lore stories. W. Dunlop.—On the natives of the upper Welle district of the Belgian Congo. G. Burrows.—Notes on the Jehris, Sobos, and Ijos of the Warri district of the Niger coast protectorate. R. K. Granville.—Remarks on totemism, with especial reference to some modern theories respecting it. E. B. Tylor.—Marriage laws and customs of the Cymri. R. B. Holt.
7. Mélusine. (Paris.) Vol. IX. No. 6, 1898. Un vieux rite médical: VII. Au tombeau de Saint-Menoux. H. Gaidoz.—La Fascination. (Continued.) J. Tuchmann.—Chansons populaires de la Basse Bretagne. LXV.—Les grues d'Ibycus à Orléans. A. Loquin.—Légendes contemporaires. III. Une prétendue "Dame Blanche." H. Gaidoz.—Bibliographic Works of Mrs. Gomme, of Zahler, and of Bottin.
8. Revue des Traditions Populaires. (Paris.) Vol. XIII. No. 11, November, 1898. Les cimetières. P. Sébillot.—Jeux et formulettes du pays nantais (continued in No. 12). Mad. Vaugeois.}}—Contes et légendes arabes. CLXIIL–CLXXVII. (Continued in No. 12.) R. Basset.—No. 12, December. Les légendes des forêts de la France. P. Sébillot.—L'âme separée du corps. R. Basset.—Les chasses fantastiques. XI.–XIII. A. Harou.—Vol. XIV. No. 1, January, 1899. Les mois en Franche-comté. C. Beauquier.—Les enfants morts sans baptême. II.–III.—La mer et les eaux. Quelques points à enquêter. P. Sébillot.—Petites légendes locales. CCLXXXI.–CCLXXXIV.—Médécine populaire arabe. A. Robert.—Contes et légendes de Haute-Bretagne. Le monde fantastique. P. Sébillot.
9. Archivio per lo Studio delle Tradizioni Popolari. (Palermo.) Vol. XVII. No. 3, July–September, 1898. La festa e la canzonetta di Piedigrotta nel 1898.—La metempsicosi nei fratelli gemelli nell Egitto superiore.,—Credenzi, pregiudizi, superstizioni, in Isnello. C. Grisanti.—Un giorno di mercato in Reggio di Calabria. M. Pitrè.—La festa di Santa Lucia in Siracusa. G. Pitrè.—La festa della Madonna della Providenza in Caltanisetta. F. Pulci.—La festa della Bruna in Matera, Potenza. G. Amalfi.—Chiapparelli veronesi. A. Ballodoro.—Danza guerriera e giuoco dei Dinka nel Sudan.—Del Salincerbio o Salincervio, giuoco fanciullescho dei Toscani. F. O. Rioli.—Giuochi fanciulleschi Maltesi. V. Busuttil.—Indovinelli mantavani. A. Trotter.—In Valtellina. Costumi, leggende, tradizioni. G. B. Marchesi.—Miscellanea.—Rivista bibliografica.
10. Volkskunde. (Ghent.) Vol. XI. Nos. 1, 2, 1898. Meigebruiken en Vlaams-Belgie. P. de Mons.—Nos. 3, 4. Fantastische menschen. A. de Cock.—No. 6. Begraven. (Continued in No. 7.) A. van Werveke.
11. Wallonia. (Liege.) Vol. VI. No. 12, December, 1898. Saint Nicolas. Bienfaiteur des enfants et des jeunes filles. O. Colson.—Usages funéraires.—Vol. VII. No. 1, January. Le folk-lore de la Wallonie prussienne. Le langage des fleurs et l'ouvrage de M. Vrindts. C. Semertier.—No. 2, February. Le carnaval de Malmédy. H. Bragard.
12. Der Urquell. (Leyden.) Vol. II. Nos. 9, 10, 1898. Von der wiedergeburt totgesagter. W. Caland.—Notizen zur geschichte der märchen und schwänke. J. Jaworskij.—Perchta. M. Höfler.—Der tote in glaube und brauch der völker. (Continued in Nos. 11, 12.)—Volksmedizin aus Österreich. J. Bok.—Unverstimmte zeit. A. Treichel.—Jüdendeutsche sprichworter aus Ostgalizien. I. Robinsohn.—Beiträge zur volksjustiz im Bergischen. O. Schell.—Fabeltiere in altjudischen volksglauben. L. Mandl.—Zum vogel Hein. Rabe.—Nos. 11, 12. Ein vorrecht der volkskunde. Krauss.—Alte sagen. O. Heilig.—Knicker-kugel-steinis.—Nachträge zu Wolf's Niederländischen sagen. W. Zuidema.—Jüdisch-deutsche schnurren. M. Weissberg.—Das kind in glaube und brauch der völker.—Von der hand, die aus dem grabe herauswächst.—Vom bücheritsch.
13. Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien. (Vienna.) Vol. XXVIII. No. 4, 1898. Beiträge zur ethnographie der südamerikanischen Indianer. J. v. Siemiradzki.—Untersuchungen zur Älteren flurverfassung. W. Levec.—Literaturberichte.
14. Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie. (Halle a. S.) Vol. II. No. 3, 1899. The life of Saint Finan. R. A. Stewart Macalester.
15. Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum und deutsche litteratur. (Berlin.) Vol. XXIV. No. 4, 1898. Über den nordischen fylgienglauben. Rieger.
16. Zeitschrift des Vereins für Volkskunde. (Berlin.) Vol. VIII. No. 4. 1898. Die Hüttemberger volkstracht. E. Otto.—Die krankheitsdämonen der Balkanvölker. K. L. Lubeck.—Volksmedizin in der grafschaft Ruppin und umgegend. (Continued.) K. E. Haase.—Aberglaube in Bayern. H. Raff.—Abzählreime aus der grafschaft Hohenstein. R. Reichhardt.—Uckermärkische kinderreime. M. Gerhardt and R. Petsch.—Heänzische Schwänke, sagen, und märchen. J. R. Bunker.}—Aus dem bauerlichen leben in Nordesteimke (Braunschweig). H. Beck.—Aus Steiermark. Volkstümliches in alphabetischen reihe. K. Weinhold.—Isländischer aberglaube. M. Lehmann-Filiés.—Kleine mitteilungen. Weiteres über die hölle auf Island. Das elben-kreuz.—Reisichtaufung in Nieder-Österreich. Das tausendjährige jubiläum der wurst. Personennamen auf kamp. Geheimsprachen. Die austellung niederländischer trachten in Amsterdam 1898. Bücheranzeigen.—Aus den sitzungsprotokollen des Vereins fiir Volkskunde.
17. Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Litteraturgeschichte. (Weimar.) Vol. XII. Nos. 5, 6, 1898. Über die sage von Siegfried und den Niebelungen. W. Golther.
18. The Calcutta Review. (Calcutta.) No. 214, October, 1898. A legend of old Burma.
19. The Indian Antiquary. (Bombay.) No. 334, January, 1898. Notes on the spirit basis of belief and custom. (Continued in Nos. 337, 338, 339.) J. M. Campbell.—Notes and Queries. Nicobar Islands. Latter-day folk-medicine. No. 335, February. Folk-lore in Salsette. (Continued in No. 336.) G. F. d'Penha.—A legend of the Jaina Stufa at Mathura. G. Bühler.—Notes and Queries. Birth-customs (Musalmans). No. 339, June. Folk-lore in Southern India. No. 45. S. M. Natesa Sastri.—Notes and Queries. Burning in effigy.—Notes on Southern India. G. F. d'Penha.—No. 340, July. Some remarks on the Swastika. Y. S. Vavkivar.—No. 337. A popular legend about Valmiki. R. C. Temple.
Correction of Address.—In the List of Members of the American Folk-Lore Society, printed in No. XLIII. October-December, 1898, the address of Dr. H. Carrington Bolton, life member, should have been given as Washington, D. C.