Round Apples 1. Round apples, round apples, by night and by day, There stands a valley in yonder haze; There stands poor Lizzie with a knife in her hand, There's no one dare touch her, or she'll go mad; Her cheeks were like roses, and now they're like snow, Poor Lizzie! poor Lizzie! you're dying, I know, We'll wash you with milk, and we'll dry [or roll] you with silk, And we'll write down your name with a gold pen and ink. 2. Round apples, round apples, by night and by day, The stars are a valley down yonder by day; The stars--poor Annie with a knife in her hand, You dare not touch her, or else she'll go mad. Her cheeks were like roses, but now they're like snow, O Annie, O Annie, you're dying I know. I'll wash her with milk, and I'll dry her with silk, I'll write down her name with a gold pen and ink. 3. Pine Apple, Pine Apple, By night and by day, I try to steal poor Lizzie away; But here comes her father, With a knife in his hand, Stand back! stand back! Or else you'll be stabbed. ________________________________________________________ (1) Gomme II (1898), 426, from New Galloway. (2) Maclagan GDA (1901), 85. One stands in the centre of a ring with a "knife" (chip of wood, e.g.) in her hand. The others move round her, singing the first 4 lines. The mother steps to the centre and pretends to weep as she sings the next part. They take their places in the ring, a new girl goes in, and the game begins again. (3) Rymour Club Misc. I (1906-11), 150 (4 lines), with music, from Gorgie School, Edinburgh. "The air is reminiscent of `Bonnie Dundee', `O Saviour Bless Us,' etc." [The latter hymn is often sung to Stella, an adaptation of the Bonny Dundee tune, i.e. that used for the bairnsang "Queen Mary, Queen Mary", q.v.] Cf. Opies Singing Game (1985), 243 (no. 55), with tune from Kerr's Guild of Play, 1912 (23). See also "Green Gravel", ibid., 239 (no. 54); and in Gomme I.170-83, with which Nicholson (Golspie, 1897, 135 ff.) connects "Queen Mary", q.v. In Fraser (1975), 108 is a version which concludes with the second stanza of "Queen Mary"; beginning "Red apples, red apples, by night and by day/ I love sweet Betty and Betty loves me." This is sung by a girl in front of a line; Betty joins her, they clasp hands and dance around while the others sing "I wash her in milk and I dry her with silk/ I write down her name with a gold pen and ink" [then the "Queen Mary" lines]; Betty replaces the original girl, and the game continues. MS
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