Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/155

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CHILDREN'S AMUSEMENT.
147

(u)—"'John Smith, a fellow fine,
Can ye shee a horse o' mine ?'
'Yes, an that I can,
As weel as ony man ;
We'll ca a bit upon the tae
T' gar the horsie clim' the brae ;
An we'll pit a bit upo' the heel
T' gar the horsie trot weel ;
An we'll pit a bit upo' the sole
T' gar the horsie hae a foal.'" (Banff.)


3.—"The Twa Dogies."

The child is placed on the knee of the mother or nurse, with the back to her, and the legs hanging over her knees. She then takes a leg in each hand, and moves them across and across each other, first to one side and then to another, as if going a journey. Then she holds them as licking meal, and, after that, as drinking water. On the return journey she crosses them over each other with great rapidity. All the time she keeps repeating the words that correspond to each action of running, licking, and drinking:[1]

(a)—"There wiz twa dogies geed awa' t' the mill,
An they took a lick oot o' this wifie's pyock,
An a lick oot o' the next wifie's pyock,
An a drinkie oot o' the dam,
An geed awa' hame, loupie for spang, loupie for spang." (Pitsligo.)

(b)—"Twa little doggies geed tae the mull,
They took a lick oot o' this wife's pyock,
An doon t' the lade,
An a drink oot o' the dam,
An geed hame again, hame again, loupie for spang."

(c)—"Twa dogies geed t' the mill,
They took a lick oot o' this wife's pyock,
An a lick oot o' the next wife's pyock,
An a bite oot o' the bank,
An a leb oot o' the dam,
An they geed hame loupie for spang." (Strichen.)

  1. Popular Rhymes of Scotland, by R. Chambers, p. 17. Compare "The Dog of the Kill," Nursery Rhymea and Nursery Tales of England, by Halliwell, p. 205.