In a Fine Castle
This song is sung in the Caribbean. What's interesting is that it seems to come from the French song, "Ah ! Mon beau château," yet so far we haven't found it sung in English outside of the Caribbean.
Each verse is repeated.
Game Instructions can be found below.
In a Fine Castle
Circle Game
Group 1: In a fine castle,
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 2: Ours is the prettiest,
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 1: We want one of them,
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 2: Which of us do you want?
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 1: We want ***
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 2: What you going to give her?
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 1: We'll give her a bad rat (1)
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 2: That don't suit her
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 1: We will give her a wedding ring (2)
Do you hear, my sissie-o?
Group 2: Farewell ***
Go and take your wedding ring.
Notes
***Insert the name of a child from Group 2.
(1) You can say anything bad or lame here.
(2) You can say anything good/valuable, it's often a ring.
Game Instructions
The children hold hands and form 2 different circles. Group 1 in the 1st Circle sings the 1st verse. Group 2 sings the 2nd verse. They alternate verses. On We want ***, Group 1 chooses someone from the Group 2 (in the 2nd Circle). On the last verse the chosen person joins the 1st circle. The game continues until all the kids are in the 1st circle.
Comments
Here's an interesting variation of the game I found online:
"The rhyme is sung by two groups of children holding hands in two rings, with each group alternating verses. They get into haggling, all in rhyme, over which person they want from the other group, and what gift they will give her if s/he comes. That's where the children get to invent. There's much giggling over disgusting gifts that the group comes up with, with the other group responding in song, "That don't suit her, do you hear, my sissie-o?". When the supplicant group tires of it, they start offering appealing gifts until the other group agrees to send one of their number over, sings him or her a farewell, and the song starts again." –Nalo
There's a recording here by John Lomax, where the children first offer to give her "coconuts" and then "a motor car". In another round they offer to give her first "rotten things" and then a "motor car". In another round they offer to give a "wedding ring". In another round they offer a "mango"
and then a "gold chain".
Thanks!
