I chose this nursery rhyme for the coming たどくらぶ. You probably know why.
Curly locks, Curly locks, Wilt thou be mine? Thou shalt not wash dishes Nor yet feed the swine; But sit on a cushion And sew a fine seam, And feed upon strawberries, Sugar and cream.
A little difficult because it has some old English words. "Wilt thou be mine" means "Will you be mine." "Thou shalt not wash dishes" means "You shall not wash dishes."
This is an old proposal rhyme. Have a happy St. Valentine's day!
今回はオンライン開催で、参加者は7名でした 通常のマザーグース、本の紹介の他に、最近流行りの英単語当てゲームの紹介がありました。みんなで頭をひねって、結構盛り上がりました。その他の話題もあり、バラエティに富んだ内容の回になりました。 私は、昨年miyaさんが紹介された The Journey That Saved Curious George を楽しく読んだ報告をしました
Do you remember the nursery rhyme which I talked about at the last たどくらぶ? It was a marriage proposal rhyme. And this time I’ll show you another one. I like it because the conversation between the man and the pretty woman is interesting.
******************************************** Where are you going to, my pretty maid? I’m going a-milking, sir, she said, Sir, she said, sir, she said, I’m going a-milking, sir, she said.
May I go with you, my pretty maid? You’re kindly welcome, sir, she said.
Say, will you marry me, my pretty maid? Yes, if you please, kind sir, she said.
What is your father, my pretty maid? My father’s a farmer, sir, she said.
What is your fortune, my pretty maid? My face is my fortune, sir, she said.
Then I can’t marry you, my pretty maid. Nobody asked you, sir, she said. **********************************************
How do you like it? “My face is my fortune.” Hooray!!!
Here are some Youtube videos about this rhyme. Please enjoy.
This is an old English nursery rhyme I found in THE NURSERY RHYMES OF ENGLAND (Collected by James Orchard Halliwell, 1886)
The fair maid who, the first of May, Goes to the fields at break of day, And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree Will ever after handsome be.
This is about May Day (First of May). For people in Japan, May Day is Workers’ Day, isn’t it? In U.K. and Ireland however, May Day marks the first day of summer, and many people celebrate May Day with some traditions and customs.
According to Celtic calendar, a year is divided into two, the Light Season (May 1 to October 31) and the Dark Season (November 1 to April 30). The halfway points between the two seasons have magical meanings. “Beltane” (May 1) and Samhain (Nov. 1) .
Some people say that veil between this world and the other world becomes thinner on these points, and the presence of supernatural beings is particular strong.
Hawthorn tree is believed to have powerful fairy magic and called “tree of magic and enchantment”(魔法の木). Branches of Hawthorn blossom are gathered early on May Day. It is very important to catch the dew and wash your face for beauty’s sake. The branches are used as decorations outside houses.
(Beautiful white blossoms in May)
May Day is celebrated in many different ways such as Maypole dancing, Morris dancing, crowning May Queen, processions with Green man or Jack in the Green, fire festivals, and so on.