See how Victoria reigns o'er us!
She has health, she has wealth, to adore us (!)
In the merry merry month of May,
All so lively, hlithe, and gay!
Will you follow? will you follow?
To the sound of the merry merry horn!
Souling Songs.
It is customary in Staffordshire, Cheshire, and North Shropshire to go about on the 1st November (All Saints Day—the Eve of All Souls), and sometimes also on the 2nd, begging for cakes, apples, or ale. This practice, called "souling," is now almost confined to the children, who sing or drawl the following ditties. (See Shropshire Folk-Lore, pp. 381-388.)
Sing-song on two notes.
Soul, soul, for an apple!
Pray, good missis, a couple!
One for Peter, two for Paul,
And three for Him as made us all!
Allaby, allaby, eeby ee!
Christmas comes but once a year.
When it's gone it's never the near!
For goodness sake,
A soul cake!
Up with your kettle and down with your pan,
Give me an apple and I'll be gone!
Air No. 20, Shropshire Folk-Lore, p. 656.
The cock sat up in the yew-tree,
The hen came chackling by,
I wish you all good morning,
And a good fat pig in the sty.
A good fat pig in the sty!
The lanes are very dirty,
My shoes are very thin,
I pray good missis and master
To drop a penny in!
To drop a penny in!
Air No. 21, Shropshire Folk-Lore, p. 657.
Here comes one, two, three, jolly boys,
All in a mind,
We are come a souling
For what we can find.
Both ale, beer, and brandy.
And all sorts of wine.
(Would ye be so kind, would ye be so kind?)
