The People's Songbag The Mulberry Bush

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 5

The People's Songbag

The Mulberry Bush

(Specially written for “The

Pre»»“ by

DERRICK ROONEY.)

Around and around the mulberry bush. The mulberry bush. the mulberry bush. Around and around the mulberry bush. On a cold and /rosty morning. So says a verse from a very old courting game still popular among children in this country. Children in some ways are better guardians of tradition than adults; for while adults tend to be selfeonScfous and to follow fashion and fads, generation after generation of children respond to the same games, the same nursery rhymes, the sum stories. The mulberry bush game came to us, presumably, from Scotland, where it is one of many similar courtship games. The reason for the

use of the mulberry in the refrain is not dear, although it probably has something to do with the mulberry’s connexion with silk-worms, and the consequent association with the silk and satin Of bridal garb. In Scotland girts join bands in a circle, and stag the refrain while moving around, breaking apart for the verses —as do (or used to do) children here. But for the last line, which is constant throughout verses and ref rain, Scottish children substitute the words “And round the merry-ma-tanzie.” ■Merry-ma-tanzle” is the name of another Scottish game, and the exptossion is used in many more. It appears to have no meaning to speak of, although a reasonable explanation of it is that it comes from the German “mit mir tanzen,”meaning “dance with me.” In all these games the participants go through elaborate rituals, miming first courtship and marriage and then everyday chons ■— ironing, baking,

cleaning the house, and so on. In one game, from Renfrewshire, the children sing with what may be apprehension of their future housewifely duties:

She Mines the dishes three times d day. Three times a day. these times a day; She syncs the dishes three times a day. Come along wi’ the merry-ma-tansie. But romance wins out in most games. The participants many themselves off, In their imaginations, to princes, dukes and kings, or, in one, to i Three brethren come from Spain, Alt in French garlands; Come to coart your daughter Jean, And adieu to you. my darlings. In this game the dramatic personae splits Into two parcourtly dame and her daughters, the other the daughters’ suitors. The parties approach each other while the writers sing for the daughters, and recede while the mother, less insistently each time, refuses to part witt them. Finally the matter is settled to the satisfaction of all: In every pocket a thousand pounds, AH tn French garlands; On every Unger a gay gold rtng. And adieu to you. my darlings.