Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain

Subject: Lyr Add: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: Lighter
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:55 PM

Here's a jump-rope rhyme collected in England in 1967:

There came two Spaniards just from Spain,
Talking about your daughter Jane.
My daughter Jane is yet too young
To be controlled by anyone.
Be she young or be she old,
For all the money she must be sold.
Then don't let her gallop. Don't let her trot.
Don't let her play in the mustard pot.

The opening couplets are reminiscent of that song about "The German Officers." Is anybody out there familiar with this rhyme? How far back does it go?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'There came two Spaniards just from Spai
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 09:30 PM

According to Roger D. Abrahams' Jump-Rope Rhymes: A Dictionary (University of Texas Press, 1969, p. 190), this rhyme was collected by Norman Douglas in his London Street Games (1916). There's a variant "There came six Jews from Juda Spain" in Patricia Evans' Rimbles (1961) [from California].

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'There came two Spaniards just from Spai
From: masato sakurai
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 10:46 PM

The rhyme appeared in Mother Goose's Melody (1780?). Quoted below is the version from the edition (The Original Mother Goose's Melody) reprinted by Singing Tree Press (1969; from the 1785 ed., page 64):

WE'RE three Brethren out of Spain
Come to court your Daughter Jane:
My Daughter Jane she is too young,
She has no skill in a flattering Tongue,
Be she young, or be she old,
It's for her Gold she must be sold;
So fare you well, my Lady gay,
We must return another Day.

For more info, see Iona & Peter Opie, The Singing Game (pp. 92-103).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: GUEST,Lighter at work
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 07:57 AM

Masato, you have come through again. Thanks.

'Catters, are there other versions in circulation?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 09:02 AM

Try here THREE DUKES in the DT

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 09:22 AM

And another version here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 10:40 AM

From folktrax:

CAME FROM SPAIN - - "There come three brothers from the land of Spain - to call upon my sister Jane - My sister Jane is far too young - I cannot bear her clattering tongue - Go away, Corkscrew (stamps) - come back - choose the one you love the best (- dirty rat you'll not come out to help me with my washing)" - Children's Choosing game in lines - ROUD#8251 - GOMME 2 p257 (37variants) "Three Knights of Spain" (having only 2 versions with "Jews") - RITCHIE GC 1965 pp154-5 with descr - OPIE SG 1985 pp92- 108 "Three Brethren Out of Spain" incl separate Scots version and "Six Virgins" "just come from Spain" - POLWARTH 1969 p31 - GREIG-DUNCAN 8 2002 #1569 p118 (2variants 5v each) "We are three lovers come from Spain"/"The Lady from Spain" -- rec by Jean Ritchie Norton Park School, Edinburgh 20/3/49: RPL 13868/ rec by Alan Lomax 1952: 181/ rec by James Ritchie 16/12/53: RPL 19925 "There came three Jews" - Hugh QUINN rec by PK, Belfast 1955: 072 - Dominic BEHAN of Dublin: TOPIC 12-T-41 1959 - Children in street rec by Damian Webb, Northside, Workington Cumb 1962: DW-20/1/ 195 #16 "Sister Jane and Brother Jim" - Portuguese version rec by Damian Webb, Leocadia, Minho 1980 "Condessa, linda Condessa" (transl in OPIE 1985) - TOPIC 12-TS-237 1974 OLDHAM TINKERS "Two Jews" --- Group of children age 9-11 rec by Alan Lomax, Barataria AS.C School, Trinidad 1962: ROUNDER CD-1716 1997 "One Spaniard Came from Port of Spain"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 10:46 AM

THREE BROTHERS COME FROM SPAIN is in the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 01:07 PM

The Index in the Opies' "The Singing Came" lists 15 "There came..." and two "There comes..."
Included are a duke, three dukes, a gipsy, three gipsies, three knights, three fishermen, etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: There came two Spaniards just from Spain
From: Lighter
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 05:29 PM

One is led to suspect that the song, which features a single "little Dutch soldier" in the earliest versions, was influenced by the rhyme - but there's no way to know. It could have been vice versa.