Notes

mongoose, see the note to the dance tune "Mahngoose a come."

yours true lover, always yours. Generally it is "you" for "your." They say "this is yours" correctly and then add "and this is mines."

t'ing is, things.

which is going, etc., which he is going to make her a present of.

When, commenting on Tacoma's directions, I objected that the girl could not wear the grey horse, the boy who was telling the story saw it at once and said:—"No, he must carry it." When the story was done (it is reproduced exactly from his dictation) he sang all the missing verses with the girl's answer to each verse, and instead of his usual "carry" which did not fit he substituted "lead it in the street." The singer will see at once where to make the necessary alterations. The words "silver bangle" want four quavers instead of two crotchets, and it will be worn on the hand as they call the wrist or any part of the arm. "Just to keep it in your hand" follows "gold egg." "The silk dress is worn 'long the street," and after "the key of my heart" comes "just to keep it in your own." I was looking out in this last verse for a change in the words "for to let the people see," but none came. To the last verse the answer is:—"Yes, yes, dear, for the key of your heart I will ever be yours true lover." [Cf. Baring-Gould, Songs of the West, No. xxii.; Fuller-Maitland and Broadwood, English County Songs; and Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. ii., pp. 85-87. (C.S.B.)]