6th verse.
He calléd out for Hector to come and use his sword,
And do the very best he could to stab and slay St. George.
Chorus.
7th verse.
I wish you A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year
To friend and relations that live both far and near.
Chorus.
And a-mumming we will go, we'll go,
A-mumming we will go,
With a blue cockade all in our hats
We'll go to the Garland Show.
The End.
Some versions have only the one incident of the fight with, and slaying of. Slasher, and his healing by the Doctor, introduced of course by the Fool (Vice, Harlequin?) and closed by the Doctor's saying:
And now, gentlemen, I have cured this man, and made him safe and sound
As any man on England's ground:
And if you can't believe the words I say.
Step in, Beelzebub, and clear the way.
Then follow in turn Beelzebub (clown? club for toasting-fork, and the frying-pan for souls) and Little Devil Doubt with broom. (Puck: "I am come with broom before To sweep the dust behind the door.") The frying-pan is of course used for begging. The Garland Show is, presumably, the May Festival which is still celebrated with a Garland at Castleton: probably this play was given at the same time, though I believe it is now only given at Christmas.
The text was collected this year (1921) in the colliery district. It is possible that in less sophisticated parts,
