Wall-flowers, wall-flowers
Growing up so high,
We are all young maidens
And we shall all die
Except for (kid's name)
She's the youngest of us all
She can dance and she can sing
And she can dance the wedding ring*
Fie ! fie ! for shame,
Turn your back to the wall again.
Notes
*Or "Hieland Fling"
*****
Here's another version which you can hear online:
Wall-flowers, wall-flowers
Growing up so high,
We are little children
And we shall surely die,
Excepting (kid's name)
And she's the youngest child,
She can hop and she can skip
And she can turn the mango stick.
Fie, fie, fie for shame,
Turn your face to the wall again.
Game Instructions
The children form a ring by joining hands. They all dance slowly around, singing the words. When one child is named by the ring she turns around, so that her face is turned to the outside of the ring and her back inside. She still clasps hands with those on either side of her, and dances or walks around with them. This is continued until all the players have turned and are facing outwards.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Diagram of how to play the game comes from "The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland" (1898) edited by Alice Bertha Gomme.
