| U |ill«ffllllllillSMif^i^P. NIA - s ™ DIEGO 3 1822 00304 0300 /**5 Q •r <'M&2> | J |Hlllfl«?«TlllSHlF.I?H l ifi!?. N i A - SAN D'EGO 3 1822 00304 0300 There is no frigate like a good booh" . * ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. In Eommanj) WITH METRICAL ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS. BY CHARLES G. LELAND, PROFESSOR E. H. PALMER, AND JANET TUCKEY. J. I J. LIPPINCOTT & (' < '. i 75. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1SV.0, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT&CO. In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Dctucntrto (BY PERMISSION) TO ALFRED TENNYSON. PREFACE When writing "The English Gipsies and their Lan- guage," I was desirous of adding specimens of Rom- niany songs to the collection of proverbs and tales con- tained in the work, but could obtain none possessed of interest except as indifferent illustrations of the tongue. There is beyond doubt a great deal of singing in Bom- many, but it is like that of American Indians, without form and void, wanting in metre and rhyme, and chanted to what, only a very impressible disciple of Suggestive An could recogni e a a tune. I haw often heard this kind ofGipsy ballad — indeed, it is not many days since an old 'lame, full of gratitude for a shilling which I had bowed "ii her, having converted it into gin, ami ber- jelf into its receptacle, followed me through the street of Happy Hampton, singing mj praises in Rommany. i in another occasion, an old Gipsy told me that hi u lei had for ome time announced it a- her linn VI PREFACE. intention to die on the fifteenth day of the following month, had passed the previous evening in singing what she called her Death Song. All, however, that I could learn respecting it was, that it was a " werry lonesome " song, and " about a yard and a half long," as my infor- mant indicated by extending his arms. It had " no tune in pertick'ler" — and, her brother seemed to think, no meaning in particular cither. I am happy to say, by the way, that the prediction was not fulfilled, though the old woman's relations were quite persuaded that it would be so on the day appointed. Xot finding what I wanted, I had given up the inten- tion of forming such a collection, when the perusal of a few excellent Rommany ballads by a friend who may fairly claim to be among the " deepest" of the dee}) in the language, as well as others by Professor Palmer and Miss Janet Tuckey, suggested to me the idea that poetry, impressed with true ( ripsy spirit, and perfectly idiomatic, might be written and honestly classed as Rommany, even though not composed by dwellers in tents or cara- vans. The experiment was made, great care being taken to avoid anything like theatrical Gipsyism, or fanciful idealisation. With this constantly kept in mind, the writers have done their best to use simple Language and to keep strictly to real English Rommany. PREFACE. VI 1 both as regards words and expression. The difficulty of doing so was very great, it being often impossible to set forth new ideas correctly without exposing ourselves to the charge of making a new language, or creating, in the dilettanti spirit, an affected style. We have, I trust, done nothing towards forming a lengua del Aficim, or sham Gipsy, such as exists in Spain among sporting men, and is unintelligible to Gipsies. Not that I would regard this as an infallible test, for I have known Gipsies so ignorant that it was impossible without much explanation and many repetitions to make them under- stand the simplest English verse. But I venture to say thai in this collection there is hardly one poem which, if read in a natural and prosaic manner, without dwell- ing on the»rhymes or metre, will not be perfectly plain any intelligenl Gipsy ; indeed, I have amplj satisfied • If of this by experiment. There are many to whom writing ballads in a Language po no Literature, and almosl unknown, save to a few vagabonds, will jeem Like a mere eccentric fancy. I would saj in answer to this, thai of Late year Etom- m.r | been a subject of greal intere t bo the fir I philolo l iurope ; that in England it hai foi everal centurie been a dial incl dialed ; and thai il i- soft, musical, and ea -y bo acquire. A il i ontain an extra Y1U PREFACE. ordinary number of Hindi-Hindustani, Sanskrit, and' Persian words, it can be of some assistance to persons who would study those languages. This may be in- ferred from the fact that an Indian military friend of mine once visited a Gipsy camp, and did his best to talk with its occupants through the medium of Hindustani. Afterwards one of the Gipsies informed me privately that my friend talked " werry bad Rommanis, but it was Rommanis — such as it was — and the gentleman was a Rommany rye." The reader will find in this work, in addition to the poems, a Glossary, suggested by Mr Tennyson, and pic] >ared by Professor E. H. Palmer; also a Rhyming Vocabulary by Miss Janet Tuckey. The Introduction and Notes appended to the poems are by myself. Charles G. Leland. CONTENTS. Introduction .... Kdrri mullo y61 a lulled Home they brought her warrior dead i KnffliBaa Gav . Told near Windsor Jal ;in ! Move on ! . I Ki'rengri The IP I Iweller " Ijiiiniiiaiii Pusserben adro" o Puro Chlrufl A Gipsy Burial in the Old Time Tacho Bom The Eb '1 ' tipsy . OTover The II' Meriben for K&mmoben Gipsy Peatli for Lore . fengro . 'i !,■ I ' phi i Rdmmani ' lilli A Qipsy Song '» Livinengi i Tem thi ll ppii ;-time Charles G. Leland. E. II. Palmer. A. Tennyson. Janet Tuckey. Janet Tuckky. Charles Q. Leland. Charles G. Lelanh. E. ll. Palmer. E. 11. Palmer. Janet Tooket. Jam i Ti i key. Charles G Pi land. Charles <;. i.i land. E. ll. Palm b. E. IP Palmes. Janet Tooki \. .1 , ; 'I OKET. en lb] i - •■. Leland ( 'ii LBl SB C. I.i i \m>. P. II. I'M. Ml I. E. H. Palmi a. Jani i Tc< KEY. .1 M i Tl OBBT, X CONTENTS. I Shunali Rskli . The Wilful Girl . R<5rnan<5sto Ke"lloben The Gipsy Ball . A Tacho Cdwaben A Heal Incident . Romniani Cbiriclo The Gipsy Bird . Bdllovas an Y<5ras Bacon and Eggs . Miinsha tu ! Cheer up ! . Bdckelo Gilli . The Song of Starvation T&chopen te Wiifodipen Gipsy Morals Kairin Kammoben Gipsy Love-making Jukalo Rommanis Dog-Gipsy . Sfi o Rommani chal mukked piin LeVinor Why the Gipsy left off drinking Beer Kushto Dukkerin . The Pleasant Fortune . The Hunnalo o' the Panni The Roar of the Water Mullo Balor Dead Pig . Petuldngro te o Piiro Beng Smith and the Devil . Sa lis jinsa tu ? . How do you know it ? Charles G. Leland. Chahlks G. Leland. E. H. Palmer. E. H. Palmiou. Janet Tuckey. Janet Tuck i: v. Charles G. Leland. Janet Tuckiv. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. Janet Tuckey. Janet Tuckey. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. E. H. Palmer. E. H. Palmer. Janet Tuckey. Janet Tucki.y. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. E. H. Palmer. E. H. Palmer. .Ianet Tucket. Janet Tuckey. Matthew Cooper. Charles G. Leland. M. Coopeb. Charles G. Leland. E. H. Palmer. E. H. Palmer. Janet Tuckey. Janet Tuckey. CONTENTS. XI I Tani Mullos .... The Little Bubbles . I ChlrikI ..... The Stars I Puri Eommani Dye's Dui Chilvior The Old Gipsy Woman's Two Daught Lei Rfik ! . Look Sharp ! Miri Kameli Plrryni The Girl who Loves me Well Romrnani Jinaben y Philosophy Frank Cooper Frank Cooper Dfikkerin . bune-telling . The (Hvengroee . The Police . Rdmmania lei Sax All is Fi-li t.. the Gipsy Net Charlie ■> R&himeog ■■■ I'i- rlie I Rtoi te o Rye . The Lady and the Lord n Bdro Diwusko 1 1 The Judgment-] >ay Roi BLfimmobe I ( !hoi Ibftnl The Witch . Tn SI, .hi i CI The Moon, Soft-moving . Gharles G. Leland. . Charles G. Leland. . E. H. Palmer. . E. H. Palmer. . Janet Tcckey. . Janet Tuckey. . Charles G. Leland. . Charles G. Leland. E. H. Palmer. . E. H. Palmer. . Charles G. Leland. . Janet Tuckey. . E. H. Palmer. . E. H. Palmer. . Charles <;. Leland. . Charles G. Leland. . Janet Titki.y. . Janet Tuobj y. . E. EL Palmer. . E. EL Palm b. . From Miklobioh. . Ciiaim.i b GL Leland. M \ i mi v. C 1 B. . ( • 1 1 \ i i.l.i LAND. . Jam i 'I'i OBEY. . Jam t 'I'i OKXT. . CHAR] BB Q. I.i LAND. . CH \i:l I ' I I i i . Janet Ti i u r. . .1 ,.i I 'I'i obey, Xll CONTENTS. Kuinmoben, Tattoptn Love-time is Summer-time Shah The Shah Gilli . Song . Piitteran The Gipsy Sign . 1 Ratteskri Plrungri . The Seven Night-walkers Lei tiro Kam ! Help Yourself ! . Delaben . The Gift . < ) W;if ropen o' the Beshomdngroes The Injustice of Judges A Nasherin Covvaben . A Hanging Matter Trin Bitti Itommani Chile Three Little Gipsies . Desh TSni Chavis Duriken Ten Little Gipsies' Fate The Rawney on the Tober The Lady on the Road Gilli of a Rommani Juva A Gipsy Woman's Song Pronunciation . Rhyming Dk tionaby . Glossary . Janet Tuckky. .1 \xi:t Tdokey. Chables G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. Janet Tucket. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. Janet Tuckky. Janet Tuckkv. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. E. H. Palmeb. E. H. Palmeb. Charles G. Leland. Charles G. Leland. ], Charles G. Leland. H. Smith. H. Smith. From a Gii'.sv. From a Gipsy. From a Girsy. From a Gipsy. Charles G. Leland. .Janet Tuckky. E. H. Palmeb. INTRODUCTION ENGLISH-GlPSY, as now spoken, presents the appear- ance of a language which was perhaps never fully de- veloped, and is now in a state of rapid deterioration. At the end of the last century, J. C. C. Rudiger dis- covered that Koinmany, as the Gipsy tongue is pro- perly called in all countries, was of Hindu origin, and this he announced in a work entitled, " Neuester Zuwachs der Sprachkunde," Halle,- 1782. Later re- searches, among which 1 would specify those of Pott and Miklosich ("Ueber die Wanderungen der liner," &C, \\ i«n, LS7.'3), have more accurately determined that it belongs to the so-called "recent Indian" family, as a large proportion of its words aii- to ho found in Hindustani or Pei ian, and its grammar cables thai of the e language . STet its difference i on tin- whole . o marked, that it must !"■ ranked by it eli as a language. Whether it was originally formed in INTRODUCTION, India, previous to the exodus of the Gipsy race, between the tenth and fourteenth centuries, or whether it assumed new grammatical forms during the wanderings of the people of the " dark blood," is not as yet known. The problem has excited great interest, and Miklosich, one of the most indefatigable of German philologists, is busily engaged in its solution. I would observe, with regard to the origin of Rommany, that my fellow-labourer, Professor E. H. Palmer, of Cambridge, has decided, on examining a vocabulary of more than four thousand English-Gipsy words collected by me, that nearly all of them, not of Greek or European origin, are Hindi or Persian, the Hindi greatly pre- dominating. It is also to be remarked, that many Rommany words have an old Sanskrit character, and that, despite the mutilated, diluted, ami im- poverished state of this very singular language, there are reasons for believing that it contains the frag- ments or framework of some extremely ancient Aryan tongue, preserved from the earliest times among those wandering tribes, which have, since the days of the Vedas, maintained a privileged and separate existence, — as, for instance, the Dom. Dr Miklosich has, with great ingenuity, pointed out from the fragments of Greek, Slavonic, and other tongues found in the different dialects of European Gipsies, the INTRODUCTION. course of their travels, and conjectured the time they remained in different countries. It is a curious fact that the Anglo-Romrnany, to judge from my own researches, contains far more Hindi and Persian words than any of the Continental dialects. Until within fifty years, English Rommany was spoken with something like grammatical accuracy, and in that condition very much resembled the tongue as it now exists in Germany. It is not long since Dr Zupitza, of Vienna, discovered that the specimen of so-called Egyptian in Andrew Borde's "Luke of the Introduction of Know- (London, 1542) is really Rommany, and quite intelligible to most Gipsies. It is to be observed, that English Rommany contains only two or three French or German words — the former being all doubt- ful — ami that, to judge from Borde's fragment, it had ,ii even in his time to Anglicise. There are still in England a few old Gipsies who pride themselves on preserving many grammatical forms ami "deep" : . and many more who understand bul do not, use them. But tin; language is, on the whole, greatly changed, and to write i\ as il practically exists, without affecting archai m on the one hand, or falling into mere jargon on the other, i i a very difficull ti It was accordinglj no ea y matter for my colleagu* and my elf to determine exactly the character of the INTRODUCTION. Rommany which we should adopt. We finally deter- mined to write in the tongue as we familiarly understood it, and as we had found it — i.e., in the current modern form ; hut retaining as much old Bommany as could he done with truth and ease. Gipsies in one part of England understand many old words unknown to those in another, and very often an individual will recall some obsolete and curious term, apparently retained by him alone. I therefore trust that nobody will set it down to the discredit of these poems if he should find that, on reading them to the ■ first basket-seller or fortune-teller, he or she should declare many words to be unintelligible, or call them "Dictionary Bommanis." 1 am not apprehensive that the more intelligent Gipsies will fail to understand the work. The reader desirous of further information on the .subject of this language may consult the " Eomano Lavo Lil" of George Borrow (London, John Murray, 1874), and the excellent book on the English-Gipsy language by Dr Bath C. Smart (London, Asher & Co., 1875), in which the tongue is given in the so-called deep or archaic form. C. G. L. KERR I MVLLO YOL A LULLED. Kikri niiillo yol a lelled Laki's kuramengro rom ; Pull o' ye tauya jelled, Chivved les truppo pre" the dr6m. But odoi yoi beshed alay, Kim a mullo, 'pre the puv Keker shelled or hatched apr6, Kek'nai kairdas laki ruvv. S&r o' lakis juvas dick Etakkerin yoi sasti ruvv ; Else yoi'D muller 'dre" ye chick, Muller 'doi .-que ye puv. But odoi yoi beshed alay, &c Pflkk'daa l«'n a mfahto pen : " 5ftiv bos a l>iit ku lito mush, K.'iiiin palor tachipen, K.'iiiiii gdrgio geeror dtl h." Hut odoi yoi bc.dicd alay, At FNGIJSH-GIPSY SONGS. Sims a chnr fon lakis tan But simitar a juva wdlled ; v Pirried kdti mullo an, diklo 'vrl les' mui lelled. But odoi yoi beshed alay, &c. Hatched apre" a piiri dye, Lak's chavo pre" her chong she chlvs : Sims a brishin rovel yoi : " Tukey kammaben, mi jivs ! " Translated by E. H. Palmer. HOME THEY BROUGHT HER WARRIOR DEAD. Home they brought her warrior dead : She nor swooned nor uttered cry : All her maidens watching said — " She must weep or she will die." Then they praised him, soft and low, Called him worthy to be loved, Truest friend and noblest foe ; Yet she neither spoke nor moved, Stole a maiden from her place, Lightly to the warrior stept, Took the face-cloth from his face; Yet he inn her moved nor wept. Bo e a Diirse <>f ninety years, Set his child upon her knee — Like summer b mp me her tears : " Sweet, my child, I live for th< Aii i.i.i. Ti:n\y PASH I KRALISSA GAV. " Doedi, mi pal — ko jivela Adre" o boro ker adoi 1 " " Tu dinnelo chal, i krallissa ! — Ma pen tu's kekker shuned o' yoi ! " I kushti rani — avali : Yoi kamela o churo mush, Te y6i's sa, sig 'dre lakis zi For sar i kali folds dush. " Sa, rriandy sostljin o' Us? Del Is&a : adre o waver besh Mandy te mlri romani Sos pirryin' pash <> knillis' w6sh. " Mandy te mlri romani Sos jallin keti gav acai ; Te moro chavos, ketteni, Besbed pre o dumo o' ye gry. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " ' Oh, hatch a kusi, deari rom,' Mi poori juva penela ; ' Ma jal andiiro — kinlo shorn ! — Kair moro bitti tan kenna.' " Sos yeck wenfeto divvus, pal : puv sos pano sarapr^ ; bavol pudered fon shimal ; yiv pelled siirrelo tultiy. " Sos dusli ta hatch a tan adoi Adre adovu shfllopen : Ko'll sikker niengy cavacoi — Sos.-i Miduvel kairs o w6n 1 •• I chavor rudered \>v6 a lay Ta latoher k6shter tull' o yiv, Te mandy kaiml o yftg apre" — Sos dusheri ta kair lis jiv. •• Ilukki, tu jins, amandj lelled Tiin chavos, sarja b6ckeli : A • 1 1 ■• adoVo rat i i fuelled, Doi wraver tfknor, k^ttenl " Ovavo dCwoa \ ias a mtlsh — Sos i kralli a j agengro ; 1 Ms batch kekttmi 'dre o we h '' \nv pflkked ;mi' iil'v, hfinnalo. IO ENGLISH-G/PSY SONGS. " Yeck o' mi chavos shelled avrl : ' Rye, dick a w6ngish 'dr6 o tan- Dick yeckora, sa rinkeni I dui nuvvi tiknor shan !' " Yuv cluvdas sherro pash adre : Ah, sos but dukkeri ta dick I jiiva, shillerin' dovalay, I tiknor, beeno 'pre' o chick. " Sos kammoben 'dre - lester yak : ' Dui, dui ! ' pendas yuv aja ; Aili')Vo si too buti bak For tute — tAcho, mlro ba 1 ' " An' sa yuv pirried sig adr6m, ' Dui, dui ! ' sos yuvs lastus lav. Pal, shun kenna: Wr6 dovo shdm Dickdum a bitti wardo av. " O yagengro sos tiillin lis ; ' Rom, avacai ! ' yuv pukked aja, ST chummeny kushto, dick a lis, Sar bitchered fon i krallissa. " ' Yoi's shiined o' tiro dukkerben — I dui tiknor chiwed acai ; Acovo's lakis delaben For tiri chdvor te i dye.' ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. II " Sos but! 'dre o wardo, pal : Dui boro coppas — avali ! — Habben, yeck walin lullo mol — Miduvelest' i Eanis zi ! " Pasli rinkeni lieezis — shun kenna — Sos biiti tatti hovalos; Yoi tivdas len — i krallissa — I rani pre i Gorgios ! " I boro chavos, sar i trin, Riwed duvo huvalos apre" : Yul dicked sa kushto, prasterin Sa rinkeni chtfkkered, pre a lay. " Tacho, shan barvelo Gorgios, Buti, adr^ acovo tern, Ko'd kam ta sikker hovalos Tiwed pa i Ranis ooko fem. •■ Mi kamli jilva asti mcr Tal' moro Ranis delaben : Tacho, mi kamava ta kair Van so, lakis kammoben. " If \ oi kamel'a mfl b ta ktlr, sin ,in fa acai .' Pal av aji — Mflkka p! a tie <>' levinor I 'or kam <>' moro kralli a I" Janet Tuokei TOLD NEAR WINDSOR. " Look, brother — tell me if you know Who lives in that big castle there ? " " The Queen, you stupid ! Now don't go A-sayin' you've ne'er heard of her. " For she's a right good lady — yes, She loves the poor, ay, that she do ! And she can feel for the distress Of wandering folk like me and you. " And how do I know that ? Well, hark : One day last year my wife and me Were travelling by Windsor Park — Those trees out yonder, do you see ? " My wife and me were going along Towards Windsor — just afore you there- The children, all together, clung Upon the back of our old mare. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " But my poor girl said : ' Stop a bit And let me rest, husband dear ! I can't go further, I'm not fit ; Just set our little tent up here' " That was a wintry day, my lad ! One whiteness over all the place ; The bitter north-wind blew like mad ; The snow came stinging in one's face. •• I tell you 'twas no easy task In all that cold to pitch a tent ; And here's a thing I'd like to ask — Why is the cruel winter sent? " Under the snow the children sought, And found some sticks, just four or five 1 made a fire of what they brought; 'Twas hard to keep the flame alive. ■• Already, do you mind, we had Three one -enough to manage for : Well, on that very night, my Lad, The wife- had twins ay, two boys more ■■ I be morning after came a ■ i at — The Queen's bead gamekeeper, I kne^i id be : • I [ow dare j ou tick your tenl l'|) here, y>i| lazy ( i: u r 14 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " One of my little chaps called out : ' Sir, won't you look a bit in there, And see the babies mother's got 1 — Such pretty little things they are ! ' " He put his head just half-Avay in : Ah, 'twas a cheerless sight he found — My wife, poor dear, a-shiverin', — The babies, born upon the ground. " He looked with pity in his eyes : ' Twins, twins ! ' he cried — ' why there you got Eather too much of a surprise, .My poor old fellow, did you not? ' " And when he turned and left us soon, ' Twins, twins ! ' again I heard him say. Now listen : that same afternoon A little light-cart came our way. " The gamekeeper was driving it : ' Come on,' he cried, ' you've never seen A carl load such as this, I bet — And it's a present from the Queen.' " ' She's heard what troubles you have had — Your two poor babies, born in there, ENGL/SH-G/PSY SONGS. I 5 And of your wife who's lyin' so bad, So she has sent these things for her." " Well, there was plenty in that cart : A pair of blankets for my wife, Food, and a bottle full of port ; — God bless that Lady all her life ! " There were .sonic clothes too, and between Lay children's woollen stockings, those She'd knitted—she herself— the Queen, The Lady of the Gorgios ! "The biggesl children, all the three, Put each a pair of stockings on ; They looked as prettj as could 1"-. Well Bhod, and trotting up and down. •■ Thought I : there's many a < l-oi Rich lord • and Ladies in the land, Who'd In- uncommon proud to show Sork, knitted by the Queen's own hand ■• Hut for thai Lady I'd have had 'I'm see my wife die over there ; You needn'l wronder, need j ou, lad, That I'll do anything for her. I 6 ENGLISH-GIPSY SON OS. "So if she wants a man to box, I'll fight her battles, never fear ! — 'Twas dry Avork talking of them socks — Let's drink the Queen's good health in beer." Janet Tuckey. The editor lias often heard the incident here narrated from an old Gipsy, well known in Windsor. "JAL AN/" Pasil o 'the bor, kai stekka' shun, Pash <> the rukk' ear pdggadi ; idom kan plrdos chivved a tan Te shund'em rakker Romniany. Y<- bitti chavi' jian avrl To lei a bitt' o kosht for len ; I puri Liz. — but hlnnali — Rakkerdas hitti tfknos pen. I. i s i ■ ' -'-ri c6wa, K'lin < » tanopen sima ye pureni ; Te b6rodir paii s to hiin Ye i [knor rakkeran Etammany, 1 - tor ji;ui to char, Te ' the ya| i kdrelo ; ,\\-ii o drum, te p ll 1 the bor, \ i m5l tnD li, lniiiiiali>. [8 hXGUSH-G/PSY SOX as. " Ja vrl ! yuv rakker's as he welled : "Or mandy '11 klisin tute, sar :" — " Keress tu 'Julia," Lizzie shelled, "Star mandy 'dre o kftchema." " Jal an ! " pens o gavengero, " Tide's kek slg to hatch acoi ! " " Tacho ; " pens Petulengero " Kek slg to jiv — 'kai or odoi ! " Sa sar ye plredor jailed an, Awer sigan sos kushti sa ; 'Dre waver drum len kairde tan I 'kavl bullerin aja. Te shunin lenders savvyins, Pendura : sa kushto c6vva si For biiti geeros mandy jins, Te sasti ja, sa slg avrl. Avri o Lundramescro jiv, Kairin an' rakkerin dinnalo, Avrl the kerya, vrl the chiv, K.ii ytil sarja shan hunnalo. Hunn'lo o tatto kairoben, Hunn'lo o sar that's rlnkeni; ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 1 9 Hiitm'lo o kushto kammaben Or kairin sig sarja to be. O, sos a boro, kushto pern To shun a mullo rakker : " Man ! " ISTeck gav-mush 'drc Miduvels tern, Sav 5 pen'lla : " Tul your chiv ! jal an ! " Chahles G. Lei.a.M' ■ MO V E ON/" By the ragged hedge and straggling fence, Beneath the broken willow-tree, I sat, while Gipsies pitched their tents Around, and chaffed in Rom many. The children, who could hardly walk. Were sent to pick a bit of wood ; Old Liz, so fierce in all her talk, Spoke as a little infant should. Ah ! when old age grows young again — And such old age — it's strange to see ; And stranger still to think there should Be baby-talk in Rommany. But, as the horses went to graze, And as the fire began to burn, Out of the lane, among the strays, I !ame our Inspector, grim and stern. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 2\ ■■ You know that this won't do," he cried. " Be off, or I shall lock you up ! " " If you do that," old Liz replied, ■• 1 'lease lock me in a cookin' shop." •• Pack and be out of this forthwith ! Von know you have no business here !" •• No : we hain't got," said Samuel Smith, " No business to be Anywhere." So wearily they went away, Yet soon were camped in t'other lane. And soon they laughed as wild and gay, And soon the kettle boiled again. And as they settled down below. I could but think upon the b Twould be to many men 1 know To move as lightly " out of this ; " ( mi of this life of morning call . And weary work, and wasted breath These pi i job c< II- of pictured walls. Where they are always " bored to dei I Bon d by ail kinds of clei ei n< 1 : red bj t be beautiful and fail love, and joy, and tenderne i if. ii nol bored, pretend I hi y an 2 2 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Oh, what a blessing it would be To hear some angel cry, " Be gone ! " Some heavenly Inspector C, Who'd say, " Now none of this — Move on ! " Charles G. Leland. It is perhaps almost needless to say that this is a sketch from life. I recall, however, that it was not a Smith, hut one of the Matthews, who remarked to the Inspector that "We have no right to be anywhere." Old Liz is the same Rommany who told me that she was sure the Shah was one of ".the people." / KER&NGRI. I'r pendas mengy " Sarishan ? " De waver diwus, pal, acai Adre ac6wa werry tan. ]\ 11- mandy " So's adovo rye?" " So's sikkered lis to be sa flick," I pens, " at rakkerin Rommany?" — Kek bdti dials does mandy dick For mandy's a ker^ngeri. Ah, rye : a gavs a vrtifro tan ; Shorn Rommani, / kama ye drom ! A.vol fon tute " sarishan ?" And gorgio's jib fori n6ko rom ! E, 11. Palmer THE HOUSE-DWELLER. You i Kissed me by this werry way, An' "Sarishan ?" you said to me. I've often wondered, since that day, "What sort of person you might be 1 Says I, "Them's Gipsy words he spoke, But where could he ha' learnt, and how 1 " I don't see much o' Romm'ny folk, I'm livin' in a house, sir, now. I hate this sort o' life, I do ! I'm Rommany, and want to roam. — Just fancy ! " sarishan V from you, And only English talk at home ! E. H. Palmer. This poem ia true to life in every line, as it was expressed to the writer by a Gipsy woman who had left offwandi The word pal or brother is very characteristic. Any gentle- man who addresses the humblest Gipsy in Rommany must expecl to be called pal, not disrespectfully, but because it is incident to the language. It i&prala, in other countries. o r6mmani posserben ad re o puro CHlRUS. A TIKNO, l va \— Avali, ycckorus amandi lelled yeck, A hitti chavi. sa nnkcni sa trite kamessa ta dick ; Kana yoi vias aratti adre - moro puro tan, So8 pensi o dud o' the srda a-pukkerin Sarishan. Miri juv.i Boa but mishto, te sa lakis tikno te yoi Sofi beshin tfiller i rukkor te masker i ruzhior adoi, .Mi latcherdum yeck muiengri man dicked die a buddika, rye, 1 fViki pendfis 308 Miduvel a-be&hin pafih Usker dye. I ii, ;.',-i ijuva, !<• mandy j&ssede k6ttenes 'pre* >> drom i chavi Mrtj yeck trusharo— oh, shomaa a baktolo Rom : Te kana i ritti oa wellin, sar dttr fon i gavior, Amandi batched m5ro tan pash o tatto rikk o' the bor, , i Ikkoru o tan, mendui beshdum alaj . Te rakkered aja l.iin i chd n o ptlkeno adr6, kker laki ta kil 'dre" i wellgoi Te lei but lukkerin I ; 26 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Awer, 'dre o rinkeno chlrus, te pali o boro wen, Moro deari kameli chavi lelled o wafro nattopen ; Lakis tani pirror sos shillo, sar shilleri sims i yiv, Awer lakis chamyor lullde, pensi riizhior masker o giv. Miri juva pukkerdas mandy : "Rom, hatch apre" te ja Keti gav, te mang o drabengro ta kfster acai kenna." Mi lelldum drabengro, awer kun amandi welled ketteni, Mi dickdum yuv nasti kair chichi — i chavi sos s6ved avrl. Mi juva rovella buti, awer mandy pendum kek lav, Till apre o waver pash-dfvvus a mush avell' fon o gav ; Lester rtiderpen sikkeras mandy yuv sos a boro rashai : Yuv kamed to rakker bat covvas k6 m6ngy te miri chi. Yuv rakkered, te mandy shundom, till Lastus yuv ptikker's aja : " Tute'll kam to chiv tiri chavi 'dre' o kangry puv kenna? Si a kushto covva to hatch Mre i lock o' Miduvel's kc'r •' £i Kekker, kekker, rfa.1" mi shelldum, " mi'd kam siggadiro to mer." " Si ad6vo a tacho covva, mi rya, so tute pen, < >' ye f6ki hatchin apre 'dre o boro shunaben, Miri chavi'd m6r apopli, yoi'd lei sa trasheni, If yoi dickdas a tan o' Gorgios pash lakis kokeri. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 2J " I tani sosti sov kai i kameli ruzhior shAn — Kai i tdcbi Rommani cbAls avellan to hatch o tan — Kai, ear o tatto diwus i plrri clnriclos pukk, Te o rukestamengro huckers, lellin pivlor aprc o rukk." Mi ghiom adre o wesh, te mi kafrdum a hev shukar; Yeck boro rinkeno rukk sos mi dearis sherro-bar : Tuller buti ruzhior yoi bdshela piikeno adre — Awer mandy penava, mi rye, yoi'll kekker hushti apr^ ! Janet Ttjoket. A GIPSY BURIAL IN THE OLDEA TIME. A BABY, sir? surely, yes ! a long while since we had one, A little daughter, as pretty as e'er you set eyes upon ; She came to our poor old tent in the darkest hour of the night, And. I tell you, it seemed as if day'd hroke sudden, to cheer us with light. My wife was wonderful glad; and when she and that baby of ours Were sitting together, sir, under trees, in the midst of flowers, 1 used to remember a picture I'd seen in a shop long ago; — 'Twas the Lord by His mother's side — at least the folk there told me so. We'd travel along all day, the donkey, myself, and my wife, With the baby in one of the panniers — ah ! that was a real good life ! And when the evening came on, in the quietest spot we could find, We'd pitch our tent by the hedge, on the opposite side from the wind. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 29 Near the fire, just close to the tent, my wife and myself would sit. And talk for a while of the child, who "was sleeping inside of it : How careful we'd bring her up to dance at the fairs some day, And tell Grorgios' fortunes, so as to charm their money away. But just as the winter passed, and the beautiful spring dawn smiled, A fever went through the land, and she took it — our only child ! Cold, ay, colder than snow was the touch of her poor little fei l!ut her cheeks were burning red, like the poppies among the wheal Said her mother to me at night: " Rise quickly, hm rod dear Quickly, and run to the town, and fetch us the do hen I went, and I fetched him hack-, bul as »oon as I looked at t he bed, I knew thai he'd come too late for my little daug] was dead ' 30 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. My wife cried bitter, but I could only sit stupidly down, And I hadn't a word, till next day a gentleman came from the town — A preaching gentleman, sir, — I knew it by his clothes, d'ye see — And he set himself down by my side, and preached to my wife and me. He talked, and we let him talk, and never answered a word, Till he said, " You'll be wanting to bury your baby in our churchyard 1 In the shadow of God's own house 'tis a blessed thing to lie " But " Never, never !'" I cried ; " no, sir, I would sooner die ! " Said I : "If it's really true, certain and true, what you say, That the folk will rise from their graves on the Lord's great judgment-day, Why, if my child was to wake with a crowd of Gorgios in sight, She'd feel so strange, I believe she'd die over again with fright. EXGL/SH-G/PSY SONGS. 3 I i: My little darling must sleep where the beautiful flowers grow ; "Where the squirrel gathers his nuts, leaping merrily to and fro ; Where the Gipsies may pitch their tent at the closing of summer eves, And birds through the summer days may sing under shadowing leaves." So I went and I dug a grave in the quietest part of the wood, Where a tree, grown higher than the rest, for my baby's headstone stood ; And there, under many flowers, she is lying so calm and ill ; But, Bir, as for rising again, why, I don't think she ever will. Janet Tuckey. In tin' old times, ox till w Lthin fiftj their dead in lonely and remote places; bul aovi they mani to up- ( 'in i-ii.ui burial, and in. in ible expense in funerals. The hip' change ba taken with regard to their indifference to ■> future a disbelief in it ; their irreligion having been in n ignorance of and hostility to all th and institutions ition. The j ounger Gip rould now generally be offended if any doubt of their Chri tianity ENGLfSH-GIPS Y SONGS. were expressed. But thai some relics of the " creed outworn," or, rather, of ancient custom, still linger in the mind of the modern Gipsy, may be inferred from the fact that very recently, and since the foregoing ballad was written, a young ftornmany girl of superior attainments protested that she would not like to be buried in a churchyard, hut rather in 3ome wild place, where her Gipsy kinsfolk would come and pitch their tents. J. T. O TACHO ROM. On, mundy's ytVk o' lender as jaJ apiv the drom, A tacho Petulencrro an' a kushto puro Rom. Miro kako si a Chilcott, miri dya si a Lee, Awer man shorn ferridlro an' a kalo Koiumany. An' a tacho Rommany, 'Pre nil niortchi, 'dr6 mi zL Who-op ! Dick adrc ml yakkor, an pukker : "Avali ! " M.indy jrd.s to ye welgoras, mandy's earasar ad6i ; Y'-'k divvus longo-duro, te waver kavacoi : STeck divvus kushti rudered, dlckin sims a b6ro rye, Denn' sa a mangermengro, a-tulin of yer gry. ■• .lust a rupp'ni bitto, rye, For a tfiiin of yi-r .'jiy !" Win.-.. j> ! niandy jins aratti to klster off a gry ! When I'm chlnnin <-' the peggor, mandy dicka b§ pQkkeno, T ite'd i" ii d6v' Petul^ngro Bi a tacho vaccasho ; Bat I'm flicknor o' my wastore nor any waver R An' can mQller any geero ae jah apr< the drom. At kurin, mandy sh6m Sig to b6nger, Big to slom ; i Hi, at dellin or at k611in I'm a tachodiro Rom 34 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Sarishan, mi gudli rani ; sarishan, mi kGshto rye! Mandy's juva'll lcl your w6ngur kan yoi avedl' akai. II kam to del la chummeny to pi your kammoben, So I'll hatcher pal' the kunsus while she pens your dukkerin. Oh ! there'll be a pukkerin, An' a boro rakkerin, Then I'll pen you kushti riitti till I well this drum again. Charles G. Leland. THE REAL GIPSY. On ! I'm a jolly Gipsy, and 1 roam the country round ; I'm a real Petulengro as can anywhere be found : My uncle is a Chilcott, my mother is a Lee, But I'm the best of all of 'em, and real Rommanj A real Rommany From head to foot 1 be. Who-op ! look into my peepers if a < ripsy you would I ■_'., to I'm - and races, thei$ I'm always t" 1m- found ; One day across tin- country, thru back upon the ground : One day I'm dressed up swelly, like th< eman oi com Then tli<- nexl I come the beggar, a holdin oi yei hoi •• Just a threepence^ i ir. All 1 1 bt ! Foi I held him jolly tight." Who-op! I hi the boj - knovi th( waj bo run a horsi — by night ! ENGUSH-GIPSY SONGS. When a cuttin' of my skewers, so peaceable I am, You'd say, "That Petulengro is the pattern of a lamb! " But I'm handy with my maulies, as I many a time have showed, An' can do for any traveller as goes upon the road. Oh ! at fightin' I'm at home, Quick to dodge an' quick to come ; For at hittin' or at shyin' I'm an out-an'-outer Eom ! How are you, my sweet lady? how are you, my lord? I say : My wife'll take your money when she comes along this way. you'll want to give her something — just to keep away the cold — So I'll step round the corner while your fortune's bein' told. Then there'll be a patterin', An' an awful chatterin' ! So I bid you all good evenin' till 1 come this way again. Charles G. Leland. o t6ver. WANTY had cliivved a bi'tti tan, Kek dur fon Lilengrcsky gav ; Te dickdas a ml and a pash o' ran', A boro'in pash o' the duiyav. Awer as yuv sa sig and flick A wfeta-pord o' de ranya chins, Savo should well adoi an' dick, But o mush as lolled de tan, you jins ? Aval/, wafro, wafro si ! Te wafro bak for de Rommani chals. For de Gorgiko rye has willed acfii, An' Wanty has nashered his fc6ver, pah Ad6vo bus dfish for the miish, he welled Ki'iri apopli with p6ggado zl ; — Kek ranya k.-t i de tanya lulled, Te yii\-'s rinkeni fc6ver jailed avn. "Oh ! mandy wouldn't ha' lelled a bfir, \,,r dfli — nor yet if yer dolled mi tiin $8 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. For ad6va t6ver ; o' t6vers sar Ail ova siis kilshtiest ta chin. Avali, wafro, wafro si ! &c. • Oh ! deari juva ! oh ! puri dye ! Oh, pAlor and chAlor ! and Romni and Rom ! Oh ! praster avri keti Gorgiko rye, An pen sar tukeno mAndy shorn, Te mAndy '11 kek-kekkumi ja A chorin' covvas at lcsker tan, Kek-ktimi apdpli kAir aja, Kek-ktimi ap6pli chin a ran. Avali, wafro, wafro si!" &c. Oh ! lesker pal and le'skri pen, Te lesker dadas and leskri dye, li jallin ta mang de shunaben ' )' de lioro, hArvelo, G6rgiko rye. ■ < >h ' lei the tan tale o bor Te sar i covvas so slum adre ; Oh ! h'l de wardo, o gry te sar, Awer del de t6ver — * T < '- 1 lis opre - !" Avali, kushto, kushto si ! ' ),i : kushto bak for de Rommany dials. For the Gorgiko rye has jailed avri, An" W'anty has latch ered his tover, pals ! E. II. Palmer. THE HATCHET. W'anty had pitched his little tent Near Cambridge in the meadows wide, When he saw an osier-bed that went A mile along the river-side. But as he cut so fast and free The osiers with a nimble hand, Whoever should he chance to Hut the gentleman who owned the land. " Mi, dear ! we ain't in luck to-day '. Oh : it ', bad, bad Luck for the Gipsj : For the farmer's come and he's taken awaj The beautiful axe that Wanty had. < >ii ' thai was bad for the lad : he w< nl I tome broken-hearted and all alone ; Never took an osier back to the tent, An' hie beautiful a me. he, ■• I wouldn'1 i o a pound, Nor two — nor j el if yi i iv me three, 40 ENGLISH-G/PSY SONGS. For that axe ; in all the country round There was none like that for fellin' a tree. Oh, dear ! we ain't in luck to-day, &c. " Oh ! run dear wife, and mother too, And brother and sister, and lass and lad ; Oh ! run away to the farmer, do ! Say I'm so sorry I'm almost mad. I'll never — never go there no more A stealin' anythin' off his land ; And I'll never do like I've done before, Xor touch an osier with this 'ere hand. Oh, dear ! we ain't in luck to-day ! " &c. Off went his sister, off went his mate, Off went his father, and mother too, To beg fur pardon and make it straight With that good, kind farmer so well to do. ■• Oh ! take away the tent we've pitched, The camp from top to bottom sack ! Oh ! take the van and the horse that's hitched To the shafts — but give us the hatchet back." Hooray ! hooray ! well done, I say ! Good luck for the Gipsies, instead o' bad ; The farmin' gent has gone away, And given tin; hatchet back, my lad ! E. II. Palmer. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 4 1 The story of Wanty is strictly true, with the exception of a change of name and place. The Uipsy was engaged with a friend in getting wood from a hedge when they were surprised by the farmer, who punished them in the manner described. I was in the camp by the river when the two unfortunates returned, and were obliged to give an account of the loss to a third Gipsy who had lenl them the hatchet. I have heard "wales" and outcries in my life, but nothing like what '"■ciiired on this occasion. The reader who would form an idea of the scene may, however, find something resembling it in the Prologue to the Fourth Book of Rabelais, where the small country gentlemen bewail their loss of the same instru- ment. "Verily, they cried out, and brayed, and prayed, and bawled, and invoked Jupiter: My hatchet! my hatchet! Jupiter, my hatchel ! . . . The air round about rung again with the cries and howlings of these rascally losers of hatchets." The solemn tone with which the owner, Looking out from the window of his van. pronounced an oration over the missing article, thereby tacitly wounding the feelings of the losers, was a Btudy for an actor. "I wouldn't a' taken four bob for that hatchet," he said ; "and I wouldn't a' taken five, nor six : I wouldn't a' taken eight — nor a pound and (rising to a climax)—] wouldn't a' taken no money for it. I've bad il with me in all my travels it was the best hatchel on the road or anywhere. It an't more'n a week since I gave a man a shillin for Bharpenin of it."' Here the Loser, In accenl of con- trition, exclaimed: " Nobody could .1' 'lone more than [did to gel ii back. I mo I went down on my knee foi 11 and by an' by, v. lien I goes to beg bim again, I will. And I nev< 1 will 1» < fool ;>- to go a chorin koBb n wo... I out of any man's hedge by daylighl agin never nom He did, presently 1 , reinforced by lii^ family, make an appeal vt hich v. L, and the • > .■ wa rel iu at <\ to bim. MERIBEN PA KAMMOBEN. Mi ghlom aduro dyescri tan, Te o Gorino vias to latcher man : Sos selno patrinor 'pre o shock ; Sos kushto taller i rukkor lock ; ^ uv dfckdas a m&igy sa kameli — Kek jindas mi shomas Rommani. ( ) kfiin pushed rinkeno 'pre mendiii ; Yfiv dfckdas 'dre" mirq kalo mui, MliT kali yakkor, mi kalo fern : Xnv pandas : " Avess' fon a waver tern- Fon a t.itto tcm buti-dur avri?" Kekkcr pukkdom mi shomas Rommani. " Avess' sar mandy ! " yfiv manged aja : Man mukkerdom dadas te dye te sa; Kekkumi ghiom k6ti tan tulak, To pukker i palyor kushto bak. Yuv i uiiiincnlas mandy sa tacheni, Awer k.'kkcr jinned shomas R6mmani. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 43 JivaV 'drin o rinkeno ker kenna, Awer shorn but trasheni sarasfi : . Yeck divvus ml rye shunella, shyau. L«-kri chi sos beeno adrin a tan ; Te i f<>ki Vel pukker sa, vassavi — " Dick o mush so rummered a Rommani ! ■ Si shunella ke man shorn kek Gorgio. Yuv te vel -a laj lester kokero, Yuv'll kam t<> giver adrin o 1 Oh, kamlo rom, mandy'd slgger mer ! Mandy'd sigger jal sarasar avrl Tenna kair tut' laj ap i Et6mmani. Y6i ghias sa slg k < t i doeyav ; Yoi pukkdas yeckli >> ry"a3 navj Yui hatchdas ad6i pash o panni kin. Te wu8serdaa k6keri Big adrin : ■ I'm tun kaniiii' >1 »cii — ;i vali — Merava kenna, tin Rdmmani. .1 wm I; GIPSY DEATH FOR LOVE. I wandered far from my mother's tent ; Alone through the shade of the woods I went : Where leaves grew greenest, where trees were high. We met in the shadow, 1113'- love and I. So kindly and fondly he gazed at me — But he did not know I was Rommaiii. He led me out where the sun shone down, He looked at my face that was Gipsy-hrovvn ; He looked in my eyes, and lie took my hand ; He said, "You come from a distant land — From a warmer country across the sea 1 " 1 never told I was Iiommani. •• < !ome, love ! " he said. When I heard him call, 1 left my mother and home and ;dl : I never turned to the tent again, To bid goodbye to the Gipsy men. My Gorgio married me faithfully, But he never knew I was Rommani. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 45 And now I live like a lad) r here, But I'm never safe from a thought of fear : They'll tell my husband some day, with scorn. Of the Gipsy tent where his wife was born ; And the folk will cry when he passes, " See The man that married a Eommani ! " If he knew me for one of the Gipsy race, He could never look Gorgios in the face, He'd be glad to hide in the house all day : husband ! I'd sooner go far away, And death would be easier far to me Than seeing you ashamed of your Eommani She rose, and soon to the stream she came ; But once she whispered her husband's name : She stood awhile by the water-side, Then cast herself in the flowing tide. ■ Tis for love of you, O dear heart !" said she; "Now you'll uev.-r be shamed by the Rommani." Janet Tu< key. I believe thai the rtory given in this poem, is quite true. Alice Cooper told me of a G rl who, having married a ctable Englishman, committed Buicide, the reason being thai me bad kepi b< i Rommany origin a afraid, 4> ENGLISH-G/PSY SONGS. if it were found out, her husband would be ashamed of her. Alice was quite sure that no fear of his anger caused her to drown herself. "She was alaj her rye would latcher she was Ronimany" — "She was ashamed her gentleman-husband would find that she was Gipsy," was the simple explanation of the sad event. In Weybridge Churchyard, within a mile from the place where I heard this, there is a tombstone placed over the grave of another Gipsy girl named Roland, who drowned her- self for love. It may be easily seen from the road, as it lies just by the wall. O FOl'OGRAFENGRO. ■'■ MlRO rya," pen das o Rommani, " 'S is tiro pretty graph lelled 1 Tu sosti dfckavit — avali — 'T diwus mi n6ko was dulled. •• The mush as kair'd o' ml landskip Patei i' '1 to keravil boro. Pendom mandy, 'Satcho — if't isn't tacho, Tu nasti lellav a h6rro.' •■ Li.-, rigdom adre - miro sherro aja, That apre' miro hdvalo Shan tacho desh du\i crafnies, ba Te j 'i. i rafni sos oi herdo. •■ An' kana b' landskip so9 lello, aye, It kaired man' Big o 1 ml zl, For Jar <> them crafnies Bhanaa ad6i, 'Opt the Y'-rk as sos ] vtl. 48 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " So penava 'tluT niiish si a tacheno mush As ever plrried a puv : Kana Rommanis kam muidngeris, Bitchava len sar to yuv." Charles G. Leland. THE PHOTOGRAPHER. ■• My master," said the Gipsy man. "Is your prettygraph in your book? Sou ought to have seen it when mine was drawn, So that not a thing was mistook. " The fellow who took my landscape perfessed He'd make it the best in town ; • Wery well,' says I, 'if you don't, Pm blessed If I ;. on a single brown .' ' •■ Now, I says to myself, ' On my leather tig A dozen of buttons Is sewn : A dozen he oughl to give by rights, Bexceptin' the one as is gone.' ■■ But when that landskip was done o fair, I tell you, it took- me down ; For every one o' them buttons was there, Bexceptin' the one as was gone. 50 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. • So I 'olds that chap is a Memorable chap, As hever on earth I see ; An when any one wants a prettygraph done. I sends 'em along to he." Charles G. Leland. The incident embodied in this song was narrated to me in all seriousness by a Gipsy; and were it not for the rhyme and metre, 1 might say that it is here given almost in his words. "prettygraph" and "landskip" being used, under the im pression that they were quite correct. ROMMANY GILLI. <; Kai sos tu, rinkeno chavo, kai ' " Apre at ye well-g6ro, pals; An' I hockered a gry, An' I ch6red a, rye, An k mi o' ye R6mmany chals ! ' : ■• Kai sos tu, rinkeni juva, kai \ ■• Apn . . my pals ; An' 1 dukker< da] ii, An' chored ;i karri, An' sar I'M- ye kam o' ye R6mmany ch " Kai 01 tu 'i divvus, puri '1 1 I drabbed a balo, An' sar l"i ye I. Im o 1 ye I.' • ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. ■ Kai shan tu, boshom6hgro, kai?" " Oh, mainly shorn sar akai, mi pals ; An' mandy'll kiU, An' ye juva'll gill, An' sar for ye kam o' ye Rommahy chals ! " E. H. Palmer. A GIPSY SONG. "Oh, where have you been, my bonny lad ! •• < >h, I have been up at the fair, my boys. With a hack to sell, And I cheated a swell, Ami all for the love of the Gipsy boys .'" • Oh, where have you been, my pretty maid ' ■■ < )h, 1 have been up at the town, my boys ; And a fortune I've told, And this chicken behold, Which I -!"!'■ for the love of the Gipsy boys ' "Oh, where have you been, old mother, to-da] I I >h, I have been up al the farm, my bo; And I needn't say how 1 poi oned a bow, And all for the love of th< Gip 54 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. •• Oh, where are you now, my fiddler lad 2 ■• ( )li. I am .all here at hand, my boys ; And I'll scrape the strings, While the romali sings, And all for the love of the Gipsy boys ! " E. H. Palmer. O LIVINtNGRl TEAL Talla grya Bar shan prastered, to otattopen's avrl, Si tlie livinengo chlrus for the p6ori Rbmmani : Well an, mi tachi palya, if you've chichi 'dre* your fem, Jasa mOngy k6ttenescrus koti Livin&igrl-tem. Mukk amandi gill aja, Mukk amandi gill sar-sa — Si the livinOngrl kedyin kenna ! Oh, i weshoi wOil safrani, te i ruzhior sove adre, i pivlia sli.in sar bruni, tc patrfnya poll alay : Ma kessur for the ruzhior, ma kOssur for the rukk. J livinOiigri ruzhior shan kushtider to dick ; Ytil rinkeni — Mukk - avrl : the livine'ngri chirus — avali I The k6 r ruzno pensa kuromengro m An the livin^ngris kair len' buti m a w i I ili, 1 it.il k6kker latcher a rink'nodlro pern, Te a t hto divvue 'dre" the Livinengri t< m ( )h, the dadaa an' the d] An' the chavo an' the chi — ,i .,!■ 11 lei s6nnakai I ENGLISH- G/PS Y SONGS. 1 liviiK'iigror shan sa buti sfimeli aja, TuM pAtser tu sos b6shin 'drin a boro kitchema : Tu siimdssa kushto l^vinor kan tfite tAders bav' — Te o wafro prAstramengro nAsti piikk a cliinger'n lAv ! Tul the gry, tAcho pal — Lei the tan avrl, ml dial : AmAndi shorn kammoben to jal. lvAna ratti veil' adoi, ten amAndi'll besh alAy, Mandy'll kair o yag, an' pander the kekavi dovapre ; If Gorgios pukker "SossI?" mandy'll rakker 'em— " Chichi, But a droppus muttermengri for i chori Rommani ! " An' amAndi'll kam to gill, An we'll kur an we'll kill, An' sove 'dre" the kalopen sar shill. Talla sar the k6dyin's kerdo, te mandy lels ml wye, Mandy'll kin a rink'no chukko an' a shuba for ml chi ; An mendui'll kin trushnls to bikin larigs o drum : Oh, the livinengro chlrus si but kushto for the Rom ! Adrin o kalopen, Adrln o shillo wen, Mukk's gilli o' the Livin6ngrl-tem ! Janet Tuckey. KENT; OR, THE HOPPING-TIME. WHEN the summer-time is gone, and the races all arc run, < >ur link's not over yet, for the hopping has begun : So come, my Gipsy brothers, if everything is spent, We'll all be off together to the pleasant land of Kent ; And we'll all sing in time, Ami we'll all sing in rhyme, A jong of iii'' merry hopping-time. oli. the Sowers are fading fast, and the outs are growing brown ; Tie- leave an- turning yellow, aiel the wind will Mow them down ; Hut no matt I be flowi r, and no matter for the tree The h"|< are .-ill the flowers I would ever care to see . They're tie- 1» t of -ill thai grow, So gi t, up. lad . and To the country v. here the hopa hang low . 58 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. There the poles stand in line, like the men that serve the Queen. And the hines twist around them, and cover them with green : There's no prettier sight, let the rest be what they may, Than a fine Kentish hop-field on a sunny autumn day. Come, G-ipsy boys so tall, Come, Gipsy children small — There's money waiting yonder for us all ! Oh, the air smells so sweet where the ripe hop-blossoms are, You'd think you were sitting in a jolly alehouse bar ; It's just like drinking beer in with every breath you draw — Oh, sure 'tis a wonder that it's not against the law ! Bring the horse and the tent — We'll none of us repent Having gone to the pleasant land of Kent. We'll pitch our little tent, and at night when work is done, We'll >\t round the fire, and we'll hang the kettle on ; And if Gorgios ask what's in it, we'll say, " What should there be In the poor Gipsies' kettle but a little drop of tea?" ENGLISH-GIPSY SOXGS. 59 And we'll sing half the night, And we'll dance and we'll fight, Then we'll sleep till the sun rises bright. When all the hops are picked, then we'll travel to the town, And I'll buy a coat, and my wife will buy a gown, And get a stock of baskets and sweepingdj rushes too : Oli. the hopping keeps us going all the dreary winter through. So when nights are cold and long, Let us sing loud and strong, Ami remember the hopping in our song. In answer to the common question, " How do Gipsies make a living l M I wou thai during spring and summer the} and fairs, or haunl picnics and merry-makings, where their Aum Sallys and cocoa-nuts arc in demand, irtune-telling and begging air tolerated, as jiving .mm for fun and raillery. Winn this happy line many of them go " hopping," and thus earn enough i" laj in a lines, and similar war... They then wander all over England, each family I its parti A the men have lee t" do at this the ped atirely in the hand- of the women, thej occupy themselvi with "chinnin l<>> liters," or cuttii /.*., makh >r clothi 'el skewi i -. Sometime* I iake ba to tin i of French wrari . 'I ion^ 60 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONG^. them who are more prosperous or intelligent deal in horses at all times, many becoming rich by the traffic. As a rule. Gipsies work hard and retire early. There is an impression that they subsist by stealing ; but whatever the sins of their fathers may have been, the present generation does nol generally deserve such a character. From what I have seen of Gipsies, I should say that they are, on the whole, as honest as the corresponding class of equally ignorant English people. They rarely betray a man who trusts them. I can recall, in relation to this, having once heard, from Mr Thomas Carlyle, an interest in;j, anecdotes of a Scottish Gipsy, who, having borrowed a sum of money, faithfully returned it. I have never heard of a " Rommany Rye" being robbed by a Gipsy. / SHVNALI RAKLL Sh; asa apre* o Boro Divvus, Kek'no gudlo shundoni man tasala, Awer i panengri longodiiro Gillyin 'drc o pukkno, sliillo bavol. Sig asa apre* o Boro Dfwus, Muscro tamlopen to lullo sala, Kami Cliirki ghias Bar i cmVklor Sana dud anvias sara hakus. Vanka bundom me" adre" i w&hor, I * . • r i - . i ch6ro i ji;'i iifish te mai fcfidas, Te ad&ina chlngerben, te k6rben, Pe*nsa b5ro b6toherin o' indi dum mi- ad6i ta dick adullo, Te apre* a b5ro bar me" dlckdom, Pa li o 1 \i ter teardo hdtchno i 5rnl, Vaster Lock o R6manny puk'no btohdas 62 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Piitchdom : " Tfikey si o dadas puvdo, Te hotchessa tu kenna o vardo, Pensa taclio R6malo, Silvester : Pensa mori pureni Komi fold 1 " Ora tiikey si I kushti dya, Save- dickdas dre" sa-buti wastor 1 Yoi te ved pen dukkerin kekkiimi, Sa vias la keti hev, patsava." " Miro dada si kenna die Lundra; Mlnni dya si akai," yuv pendas, " Man hotchava did' pa, jidi rakli, Awer mfillo si sarja amengy. " Jala laid purus ; keti utar, Boro-panni-tem — shimal amengy, Dulla wafri rakli si amengy Puvdo, mullo si avri te divvus "Mendi shanas kurikus ta rummer; Euro kushto halaben sos kedo ; Liom mandy kushtidiro c6war ; (M6ro Rummauo rye sarkan pessadas). ■• Rya beshdas pre" o boro skammin ; Beshella rashai apash o leste : Varteni mendi ear apre Otchame" ; Awer kek Otchame men avella. RNGUSH-GIPSY SONGS. 63 " Sar sos chingerdo, sarkan sos tugno ; Sar amandi ghiom adr6m sfir lajno, Slg sa niLiidi hadem moro habben, Awer kek Otchame men avella. "Ti. tasala shundom laki pandas, K6das les ta kair paiass lmJngi, Te kamava la sa boro-buti, Man tev6l nai kam ta mukkov' lati. " Latcbedem. Pendas lati si atukno, I', mlas y6i te vel ta rumma mainly, Te o pashno chirus y6i avella K.-ii rummaben, te slg te tacho. •■ au<- sure to come : '• l!ut I .-aid: While there's dust on the high And water i- in tie' mm. There will uever be a weddin In the world between you ami me. " It' every hair of your ringli Was a spangle of shining gold, I never would ask to marry A maid. 'ii BO had and bold. " [f you had a i man) 6 A a hi Ami all with rii Whenever you came Fd prd a-kurin sor the chior and the chalor, Te they mukked the b6sh and kelloben to kur an' s6vahal. ( >h, 'd6i sos sherros pdggado, te rink'ni kali yakkor, Te 1 alio mol a wullin out o' kali chawos nakkor, Tethe curror and the chauros wussin sar adre the bav. Te the Gr6rgio ryes an' ranis prasterellan for their meriben, Te the ratfully chokengros welled to Lell ua - Ir to Btari ben, •• sasti pen the beng o j illin Loosua in thV ■_ >\ Te kana I . - 1 1 sos klnlo, up the Petulongro prasters, Te chiva hia dui wa ta adrfc the waver geero'a w t< i Te i burners !■'■ bera chamyor .1 they kaired lia oi Oprt : Te they butchered for some livfcnor an' delled it to the balor, Te piid te killed aj till the w< llin o 1 the alor, Then they pelt opre the puvua, an' they lOvelau alay. 7 2 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Now dovo's siivo mandy pens a kushto sort o' covv.i. For we'd levina te paiass an' we kaired adosta lovo : An' as for kalor yakkop, dovo's rinkeno aja ! For the chingeri sos bitti, but the paiass it was boro, An' I pens ad6vo sims a bitti Ion opre the moro ; An' if tute'll dell a kelloben I'm kammoben to ja ! E. H. Palmer. THE GIPSY BALL. Fifty dusky Rommanis dressed so fine and grand, sir ; Fifty dusky Rommanis with money at command, .sir, A-meetin' and a-greetin' in the village one and all. Half o' them was Smith and t'other half of 'em ^as Stanley, - out and out, and dancers elegant and manly. Comin' in the town to hire a place to give a ball. Lots o' Gorgio people longed to 3ee a sighj bo funny, So they gave the dark-faced Gipsies pretty oearlj all their money ; And the Rommanis they lei the Gorgio gentrj come inside. The girls the] wae a dancin' and a laughin' and ;i hum liiin', The grandmothers a chaffin', and the music band a i iimmin' — Oh 1 i" ee anol her such a oighl a thai I would ha J died. 74 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. The victuals they was first-rate, and the drink was first-rate, very ; And 'twasn't very long afore the boys and girls got merry ; And the sport it was the best you ever see, sir, I'll be bound. Faster danced the ladies, and the fiddler fiddled faster, Till the captain of the Stanleys and the Smiths' head man and master Bumped one agin the other and was thrown upon the ground. And then there was a shindy very quickly in the place, sir, The Smith he gave the Stanley such a oner in the face, sir, And their partners took to tearing one another by the hair. Then the men of both the parties came up each to help his brother, And the lads and lasses fought and all got mixed with one another, And they left the dance and music and began to fight and swear. ENGLISH-GIPSY Si WGS. 75 - r — ■ Oh! the broken heads and black eyes which they got, sir, it was stunnin', And the claret from their noses pretty freely was ;i runnin', An' the pewters and the platters was a thin' l>v your face. The Gorgios ran away when the row had first arisen, An' tin- bobbies they came runnin' up to take us all t<» prison — Ynu.l ha' -aid the very deuce was broken loose about the place. When they all was tired <>' fightin', the Smith he made -taml. sir, And he come up to the other chap and shook him bj the band, sir, And kissed him on the cheek and made it up foi evermore. Then they jenl and fetched some more beer, and the) ■ ive it to the Runner . And they drank and danced again, until the mornin 1 broke, like on< And then they all fell down and wenl bo l< i p upon the floor. y6 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Now that's what I should call a werry pleasant sort o' party, For we'd beer, and made some money, and enjoyed our- selves quite hearty, And as for black eyes, why black eyes are pretty as you know ! For the row was only little, and the fun was werry great, sir, Just like a pinch o' salt upon your bread, I calculate, sir, And if you'll give another ball, why I am game to go. E. H. Palmer. This description of a ball was given to Professor Palmer by an eye-witness. The dance in question was held at Aberystwitli. Of late years Gipsies often give these balls, charging a price for admission. They are, in reality, Gipsy exhibitions. A TACIIO CdVVABEN; OK, O R0MMAN1 BENG. < in, tute jins mlro kako, rye, Oh, tute jins lester nav \ Feck divvus \ uv pirdas sar ldstcr gry Fon yeck 'eti waver gav. Nil v j;i ssed ;i'liV- a kitchema To pi a taa levinor; But o puro gry lellas chichi to ha But o wafro char Miller <> bor. i But' luvinor kair8 ;i mQsh stirrelo, An' mi kako gilli( d Bar A.wer I 1 i£ b6ckelo, Te sa j ii\' pi] ried shuk&r. Penned o Rom, " Kan' a mil ih li \'ii . to aja, Te I Uda tute ;i bitti lea* Tu'd i 7 8 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. " Dov e lo, mlro gry, dov 6 lo 1 'Drin puv, 'pr6 o waver rikk bor, si a boro kassengro, Te kekker ad6i to dick." Akovalo Rom jas mishto aja To hocker adrin o puv : Yuv nasti jinav a waver mush Chidas lester yakkor 'pre" yuv. A tano, bongo, kalo dial Sos beshin taller o kosh : Mlro kako pcmlas yuv kekker jin's S' a wafro-dlckeno mush. Ml kako sos gfllyin — " Kushto bak ! " Awer sTg yuv tuldas club, For o piiro chavo h6ckered apre, An' shelled in R6mmani jib : " Beng tasser tute, tu wafro chal ! So's tute kairin kenna \ Man bitcheraV tut' to staripen, For chorin ml kass aja." Mi pooro kako sos trasheno : Yuv piikkeras — " So-sT lis ? Dordi ! — o bengis own kokero, S a-rakkerin Rommanis I" ENGUSH-GIPSY SOXGS. 79 Tacho, ml rva, yuv nasti hatch A-pukkerin Sarishan, Awer hutered apr£ an' klstered avri, Till yuv latched R6mmani tan. Te ad6i yuv pendas : "Deari p K;ina true jasa to chore, Dick firstus if a R6mmani bene Kek beshela taller o bor !" Janet Tuckey. A REAL INCIDENT. I'm thinking you know my uncle, sir, And you know his name, I'll be bound. The other day his horse and lie Were travelling the country round. My uncle went to a public-house, And there he got beer enough ; But the poor old horse had nothing to eat But nettles and such like stuff. Oh, beer is the thing to cheer one's heart, So my uncle whistled a song; But the poor old horse had little to eat, So. he went but slowly along. Said the man, " When a man has enough o' meat, He whistles aloud for joy, And if you'd a mouthful of hay to eat, You'd go faster than this, my boy ! EXGLISH-G1PSY SONGS. Si •• What is that, my horse ; oh, what is that ? On the other side of the way, With never a soul a watching it, There's a beautiful stack of hay ! " So this my Gipsy loses no time A jumping over the stile ; Be didn't guess there was somebody A watching him all the while. A little, crooked, yellow-faced man Was sitting beneath a tree; My uncle told me he'd ne'er beheld Such an ugly fellow as he. My uncle was singing "Good luck, good luck ! But he soon let singing alone, For ilc man jumped up and hollered at him, In Rommany like Ins own — •• I>>-il take you, mischievous good-for-nougbt ! That game you are at won't pay; I'll get you a month, and no mi take, For stealing of that there ba My uncle was frightened out of hi v Be cried, " What La it I Thai ugly chap i the deil'a own elf A wearing in k'uninan cS 2 ENGLISH- G/PS Y SONGS. You may take your oath that he didn't stop A saying of, How do you do ] But he jumped on his horse and galloped like mad, Till he "ot to some tents he knew. s v And he said, " My lads, when you're going to steal, Take this bit of advice from me — Just find out first if some Gipsy deil Ain't watching you under a tree ! " Janet Tuckey. The incident related in this ballad is given, with the ex- ception of rhyme and metre, in almost the same words in which it was told. It should be mentioned, however, that the old Gipsy who contemplated stealing the hay, invariably denies that anything of the kind ever took place. But as his Rommany friends are fond of " chaffing" him about the " Gipsy devil," and as he himself will sometimes, with a grave face, insist that he never heard the story, it is probably true. In Rommany one negative is generally equivalent to an affirma- tive. O RdMMANI CHIRICLO. ko.MMAM chiriclo 'pre o rukk. Shunalo Rommani chiriclo pukk Givellin kushto, givellin sar, Wavero chiriclo tallera bur. •• Pal, bo's tute dlckdo kenna, Te tu ghivessa sa kushto aja I ' "TaMlero rukk kai mandy shorn Rinkeni rani rovell' adrom. • Laid si klkeni pirry"no ; ( '!. ana chli iclo Si b5ro tug* adr4 laki zi, Kerela panui nasher avrL ■■ A.wer, mipal, yeck ml fori akai, Tulla waver rukk beah( U STuv te del pash o' yuva trdngur .- 1 * i i < • 1 1 1 I e v. 1 'dulla rinkeni rania rom." 84 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " Oh, ralro pal, sos tachenus Kairav i dui kettenus ! Yeck pirryni te yeck plrryno ! " " Awer sfi 6sti tiite kairavit sol" " Beshedla rani 'dr6 boro tuv ; Lakis pano dikklo's apr6 o piiv ; Chorava lis, te mukker' avri, Ta lei lis avella pali ml. " Te vel pallerclla man ap' an' alay, Awer kekera dava lis aprd Talla happerava la fon akai, Te sikkerava la ruzlo rye. " Te kushto asa o mlli rye, TVel rakker sa taclio i gudli chi : Awer kamescri te kamescr6 Nastis jin sos k ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. " Little wife, it were a good deed, in truth, To bring them together, the maid and youth ; And of the two to make but one ! " "Pleasant to do, if it could be done." " Look down, little wife ; on the grass below Is the lady's handkerchief white as snow : I'll hasten to steal it, and on my track She'll surely follow, to get it back. " And I'll lead her on over brier and fern ; I'll never stop and I'll never turn, Nor let her linger through all the chase, Till she and the youth shall be face to face. " Then never again will she weep alone, For he'll woo her softly to be his own, And she'll answer him back with a softer word. But they never will know it was clone by the bird." Janet Tuckey. The Gipsy-bird, or Water-wagtail, can hardly be correctly spoken of as singing. But both in Germany and England, Gipsies regard it as belonging peculiarly to them, and attach strange superstitions to it. Thus they believe that it portends tin- presence of Gipsies, and whenever a traveller sees it he will meet with the Rommany not long after. The Kipsi Kasht, or willow, is the Gipsy-tree. bAllovas an yoras. BaLLOVAS an yoras, Bdllovas an yarns, An the rye an the rani A pirryin a/> the drom. If tiite.s mandys pfrryni, If tute's miri pirrynl, Te well tu mandy's pirrynl, Then niandy'll be your Roru. Mandy latched a hotchewitchi, A bOro hotche^ Itchi : A iuIId hotchewitchi, A jallin '6x6 the m 'Doi \vll'l'- rye te rani, ( ) kQshtO rye te I An' ad6i, 'trill the rukkorj Mandy dicked the dtti b< 8 8 ENGLISH- G/PS Y SONGS. Yul kukn'ai jinde maiidy, Yiil kekn'ai pend'te mandy, Yiil nasti skunde' mandy Dikdom sar o lendy kaired : If they jlnned I dicked the chumors The kushti bitti chumors If they'd jlnned I shuned the chumors Oh ! — the rani would a-mered. Oh, hatchin ain't a-hockerin, An' gillyin ain't rakkerin, An' gdlyin ain't pukkerin, Penava man asa. So lelav ak6vo kunjernes, Rikkava lis sar kunjernes, Rikkav' akuvo kunjernes—^ Sa tu shunessa k'na. Charles G. Leland. EGGS AND BACON. Oh ! the eggs and bacon ; Ami oh ! the eggs and bacon ; And the gentleman and lady A walking up the way ! And if you will be my sweetheart, And if you will be my sweetheart, And if you will be my darling, 1 will be your own, to-day. Oh ! I found a jolly hedgehog ; Oh ! I found a good fat hedgehog ; Oli ! I found a good big hedgehog, In tin- wood beyond the town And there came the lord and ladj . The handsome lord and lady, And underneath the bran< I aw the two eit down. 90 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. They didn't know the Gipsy, They didn't think the Gipsy, They didn't hear the Gipsy Was looking — or could hide. If they knew I saw the kisses, The pretty little kisses, If they knew I heard the kisses, Oh, the lady would ha' died ! Oh ! sitting still's not springing, And talking isn't singing, So I tell you nothing, singing, That's the way I make it square. So I keep this thing a secret, I keep it all 'a secret, A very sacred secret, As all of you can hear. Charles G. Leland. A part of this trifling song is of Gipsy origin, and well known to most "travellers." The remainder was composed one day in a tent on the banks of the Thames, with the help of several Gipsies, who greatly admired the rhymes, especially those contributed by themselves. Nothing can be said for it, except that it gives a tolerably correct idea of the style of much Rommany singing. MANS HA TU! Mi gbiom a-plrraben 'pre o drom, Slifindom a kalo-ratt6scro Rom, Yuv Lfillides kushto, yuv gill'des aja- ■ S688I mandy to kair kenna? Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! bak avella tasfila. '• Miro bitto wardo si h6tchado ; Li'sos sa, buti rinkeno — Tp niiniio lav, mi Kninmani lav, Ki'k sa kushto adrio o gav. Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! ( ) bak avrila ta-ala. ■ I Wv <> ratti li'sos h6tchado ; Ad6vo dud bos rinkeno I I intti chlngaror tnukkered avrl, Kiti Miduvelus tern apre\ Man lia tu, pal, mansha tu < ) bak avella basala." 92 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " So-sl tu givellin, mlro pal ) Si wafro covva, mi kalo chal ! Sos man te vel tute, rovaV o' dusli- *■■ Aver tute shan kek Rommani mush ! Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! bak avella tasala. " Soski Rommani chal to ruv 1 Yeckorus, 'drin o giv^scro puv, Mi chordom myla, i myla mered — Pukkeras tute so mandy kaired 1 Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! O bak avella tasala. " A rani dickdas mandy b^sh Pash i mfillo myla adrin o w6sh : ' Yuvs pal si mfdlo', pandas adrom — ' choro, pauvero, kalo Rom ! ' Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! bak avella tasala. " Y6i sos a gudli, barveli chi — Das mengy lovva to kin a gry ; Aver mi chordom a gry aja, Te kindom wardo kun's nashered kenna. Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! bak avella tasala. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 93 " Taller o bor beshav' shiikar, Givellin kushto sarasar, Te mlro gry, oh, kai si yuv 1 Chorin lescro habben adrln o puv ! Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! bak avclla tasala. " Givava mandy adr6m, mi rye, A gfidlo c6wa av6lT akai, For kushtu bak si o tacho pal Kuti mishto, ruzno Et6mmani dial. Mansha tu, pal, mansha tu ! I ) bak avt'lla tasala." Janet Tucked CHEER UP! Along the road I was wandering, When I heard a brown-faced Gipsy sing — " Oh dear, my drag is burnt and gone ! Who can tell me what's to be done % Cheer up, brother, never sorrow ! Luck will come asrain to-morrow. ',-.• "Search everywhere, search up and down, You'll find none better in all the town ; Upon my Avord, my Eommany word. That waggon of mine was fit for a lord. Cheer up, brother, never sorrow ! Luck will come again to-morrow. '.-I' ■' 'Twas burnt up only yesternight ; You've never seen a fire so bright ; The sparks flew out, flew up so high, They didn't stop till they touched the sky. Cheer up, brother, never sorrow ! Luck will come again to-morrow." ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. 9 5 Said I, " Your story is full of woo, Then why do you sing, I'd like to know ? If I were you, I couldn't be glad " " But, sir, you're not a Eommany lad. Cheer up, brother, never sorrow ! Luck will come again to-morrow. " Why should a merry Gipsy weep 1 Once, when the farmer was fast asleep. I stole an ass, but soon she died : I sat me down by that donkey's side. ( 'heer up, brother, never sorrow ! Luck will come again to-morrow. •A Gorgio lady came through the wood. The Gorgio lady was rich and good. She looked at my donkey, she looked al 'Oh, the Gipsy's friend is dead,' said me. Cheer up, brother, never sorrow ! Lurk will come again to-morrow. ■■ She gave me a purse, a beautiful pui Lol - of monej to buy ;i horse ; But I stole a hi 1 well knew how. And bought the waggon that' burnt up ( Sheer up, brother, nev< r -now I Luck will come again to-morrow. 96 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " Under the hedge at my ease I'll stay, Singing so jolly the livelong day. My horse is a Rommany, just like me, He's stealing the farmer's oats, you see. Cheer up, brother, never sorrow ! Luck will come again to-morrow. ~o- " If you care for nothing, you needn't doubt But luck will come by and will find you out ; For jolly good luck, as you well may see, Is a friend to the regular Rommany. Cheer up, brother, never sorrow, Luck will come again to-morrow." Janet Tuckey. The incident here described is substantially the same as one narrated by an old Gipsy in Surrey as having occurred to himself. In justice to the old man, it should be admitted that the theft of the donkey and horse is a poetic fiction. I BOCKELO GILLI. Yeck divvus pirdum me trin-desh meeya sar miro puro Pirengro, pari chumbor te hevya, dickin E6ni- mani kair£ngror adiv bitti gavya, ora rakkerin aprc puri chiruses. Kennadoi yuv slkkerdas mengj a tan adre* o char, kai a Gorgio te well dick chi- chi, awer odoi yuv sikkerdas mengy sikko, kai yuv's pal o kako beshedu alay, sasti beshya kenna. Sa mendui ghiom paah 'Ginny Panni, te pari o Stans Chumber, aints, kai a waver kushto pal o mandy kairdi bOro kuraben apre* ye prasteron o 'ye grya, te so viom in kerri, keti miro Boro Kitchema, nawo Giv-Puvior, 'pr6 o Borgav, te yuv rlkkerdas miro chukko. Awer > -ij mendui pirressa, ghiom amande agal buti kusi kftche mor, talla jallin adre - , for mirp chtikko boried pS hei a bar, sa denne miro rikkerin-musb kamdaa kennadoi a cutter o Levinor. KLennasig apre* ye ti&k o' the diwua, miro puro pal ankairdas ta mizzer te mujei no, te mandy Lelledum a drum o' dellin l&cro a pash koranna. Te bS yuv bob a kellin Q 98 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. an ludderin lestis kokero aprd the drom, givelldas yuv adre a buti paiascro shunaben akovo givelli — " Mandy's chavvis shan bokelo— okelo — kokelo. Shan mullerin o' shillaben — hillaben — lllaben. Yul lena lek habben — obbin — abobbin Shan pauveri, te chuvveni — piivveni — huvveny Man'ys bitto tan si chingerdo— hingerdo— bingerdo Si sar in cutter-engerees — mingerees — fingerees. O shillo bavol puderla J dre ye hcvyor — sh6vyor, Sarrdti mandy shunova ye wafo bavo bavela. Sarrati mendui ruvv, nierin for more- pre' the pin'. Man'ys chavvis got kek dye ; high de dy, dy dy ! Diddle dum dum. Mandy' d die if 'twasn't for mlro kushto rye ! Diddle dum dum, dum dum, Diddle, dim dam dum. Mandy's a churedo — hurredo — kurredo. High diddle diddle ! " Te sa, mendui viom keti kunsus o' the drum, diom me l6sco lesters pash koranna. Te o puro mush kairedas kin, te ghias k6rri, sa kumi te kushto sa bokro. Charles G. Lelani*. THE SONG OF STARVATION. < )m: day I went thirty miles a-foot with my old Walker, across hills and dales, calling on Gipsy liouse- dwellers in the little villages, or talking over old times as we went. Now and then he would point oul a place in the grass where a Gorgio (white man) could nothing, but there he would show me exactly where his brother or uncle had camped, perhaps years So we two passed by Virginia Water, and across Sainl Ann's Hill, and through Staines, where another good friend of mine had a great fight at the last races, and then went homeward to my hotel, called Oatlands, near Walton. And he carried my coat, lint as we wa we passed very few public-houses without going in, for a pound, and my carrier, of needed now and then a drop of ale. By an I by, towards the end of the day, my old friend began to turn it over in I. and reflect thai I bad ■ ■ giving him a half-crown ; and, to r< mind me of it, while I OO ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. he was dancing and shaking himself on the road, he sang, in a very jolly voice, this song — " My children are hungry — hungry — wungry, They're dying of the bitter cold — diddle diddle dum. They haven't any victuals — skittles — tittles, They're perishing in poverty — turn teedle turn ! My little tent's in tatters — hatters — scatters, All in rags a-flyin' — highin' — skyin'. The cold wind a-blowin' — lowin' — owin', All night I hear it whistle — sissel — diddle. All night we're a-cryin' — for a hit o' bread a-dyin'. My babes ha' got no mother — nor father — nother. Certainly I should die, but for my master standing by. I am poor — boor — oor ! Diddle dum dum, dum dum, Diddle, dim — dam — dum, Hieh diddle diddle." '-■ And when we came to the end (corner) of the road, I gave him his half-crown. So the old fellow got off the road, and went home as quiet and good as a lamb. Charles G. Leland. TA CHIPEN AND WAFODIPEN. Man dickdum a Kommany 'dre the tan, Te p6ndum leste " Sarishan ] " Yiiv sAvvdas amAndy and shelled avri, " Avali, pala, kushto si ! Shorn matto sa buti a rye should be." f r chawi kairdaa theyag opre, O tuvus welldaa the tan adre, "Oh, b£ngis the latfully tuvis zi ! A wt'lliii adre" mi yakk ! " pens he, Sa matto Ba buti a rye could be, Out of the tan avrl he wells The b6sh an' the k6sht in his vte\ he Leila Te 'pre the char beshilla he, Gillin adrim in Rommany, Ss matto 9 buti a rye hould be. The g6rgiky hor willed an to dich ; Beshellan l6ndy opre* the chick, I 02 ENGUSH-GIPS Y SONGS. Ta shun lis gill ache Eommany ; " Dordi ! " penellan, " Mister Lee, Si matto sa, buti a rye can be." Leskri chavvi sos hatchin ad6i ; Shunella givelli, rovella y6i, " Ma mukklis giller ! " yoi shells avri, " A-sikkerin Gorgios Eommany — Sa matto sa buti a mush can be." Pendom a lav 'drin ldster's kan, Te lelled the Eommany 'die the tan : " Durdi's a krdor ! bitcher avri For a ciirro livenor mukkelas pi, Till amendi's matto as ryes should be." The waver kurikus a rashai Sar a kalo rudaben vias akai, Te pendas : " Lessa kek sig ta pi." Pens man'y, "Ad6vo 'si hockeny Tute kok'ro's matto as yeck can be ! " I kams to dfekavit Rdmmany chals Gillin te killin sar lendy's pdls : But I pens as acovvo si wdflfodi To rakker the jib kai G6rgios si, If a mush is as matto as yuv can be. E. H. Palmer. GIPSY MORALS. A Gipsy lad in his tent did lie : " How do ye do, my boy ? " said I. He laughs outright, and says, says he, " Things is a-goin' all right with me, I'm drunk as a gentleman need to be ! " The girl she gave the fire a poke ; Into tin- tent came clouds of smoke ; •■ Bother it ! I can hardly The smoke has got into my eyes," saj As drunk :i a gentleman need to lie. Out of the tent he bundles quick, And takes the fiddle and fiddlestick ; Down on the gra -■■ out side -ii i li". Singing away in l.'ommany — A i drunk as a gentleman need to I.e. The I . when they heard the Bound, Came running up, and crowded round To hi ai hi in Rommany, 104 ENGLISIl-GIPSY SONGS. Crying, " Oh, look at Mister Lee, Drunk as a gentleman need to be ! " The Gipsy's daughter was standing by, And, hearing him sing, began to cry ; " Oh ! stop his singin'," she says, says she, " A-teachin' of Gorgios Rommany — As druuk as ever a man can be." I went and whispered in his ear, Took him inside to have some beer ; Says I, " I've got a shillin', see ! Send for a gallon, and you and me Will drink till we're drunk as gents should be." I saw a clergyman t'other week, A black-coat fellow with lots of cheek ; " You oughtn't to drink no beer," said he ; Says I, " You're a-tellin' a lie to me, You're as drunk yourself as a man can be." I loves to see a Gipsy lad A-singin' and playin' away like mad ; But this is what seems a sin to me, To talk afore Gorgios in Rommany, If a man is as drunk as a man can be. E. H. Palmer. The above scene was witnessed by Prof. Palmer, and is exactly described in the ballad. KA1RIN KAMMOBEN. {A dre o puro chlrus.) I puri dye si jillo Ke 'd6vo gav kenna; puro dad' beshella A< hiu o kitchoma, : \\ churedo rikken di, kek'nai but' slirrelo ; Av' I .* < > 1 1 1 1 1 1 : t r j i mush 80S I'iiiim. i.i avri mukkela jinnen ■ I 'ilr.' le ii-r /.i. 112 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. churedo kairdas a kusno O' papero, leskro drom : Sos chitti, aver kennii-slg Yuv dickdas o boro Rom: Pa Mister Ayres, sherr6scro, Kun haderdas sh6rro to pen : " Pukkerava man tachodir lavus Shundes tiro miraben ! " Tu jasa fon 'kai to Lundra, Te lodder 'dre yeckli gdv Te rakker sar Anglat^rra, Te shun kekker jafra lav Si o deepodiresto pennis Te si adr6 Rommani, Si kek but mi-deari Duvel Jinella 'dull' lav— te ml." 1 puri dye dicked kalo, Te dias o yfikk asa, Sa buti to pen : "Ma piikker Agal o 'this Gorgio aja ! " But the chureclo dicked at mandy To kair sa but' as I could, Awer kair o' chummeny sikker For the patser o Gorgio blood. ENGLISH- G1PS Y SO.YGS. 1 1 3 Pens Mr Ayres, sherreskro, As he mukkered avri his diikk ; " Gurnidver''s the lav, mi-rya, An' if tute can pukker it, pfikk' ! " I puri sawyed at mandy, chuvveny chur'do, yiiv Hicked putchin 'drc miri yakkor, An 1 talc aprc the puv. " Gurniaver," pens Ayres, sherrcscro ; " Giirniavcr's the lav I pen ; Sou ryas with lilsjins bnti, But this ain't in your jinaben." Am' we beshed with our Bherros tale, Beshed pukeni taller o bor, An' aever rakkerdora chichi, For the lav had kuried us Bar. Aw >r Ayres, sa boro, bos k bto, i 3 (n rakkerdas mili : " Sir, Mandy'll Qdci r tukey adowo : Garni iwcumberj Foj Qui ' a cow 'dre* Rom'n An' Av, t !()'■ jin . i conn . An' the dui kairen cow comer, A a man a Rom.' ii 114 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Then we hadered our sherros apopli, At the boro lavengero, An' ye dye an' sar o' the chavor An' the chur'do an' man shelled, " Oh/" Kekker shundom mandy a gudli Sa diiro te boro. No. Penava te rukkor te panni Kedivvus shan pukkerin : " Oh ! " Charles G. Leland. DOG-GIPSY. A GlPSY aid a Gentile, A grandmother dark and wild, Five children, and an uncle — A half-blood poor and mild. But the chief was bold and haughty, And often declared to me, That no man in all the country Was jo deep in their tongue ae he. The crone, a dark old ( rip Seemed angry to hear me speak ; The half-blood sported a stove pi] And I .-aw that the man was weak. But the chief looked proudly about him, And every mot ion said To the world, thai all thing worth knowing Were hidden in his great bead, ive-pipe or chimnej -pi I I 1 6 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. The half-blood was weaving a basket Of paper, quietly, Mere trifling, and as he wove it He glanced at the Rommany : At Mr Ayres the captain, Who lifted his head to say : " I'll tell you the deepest word now You ever heard in your day. " You may go from here to London, Wherever our tongue is heard ; You may talk all England over, And never hear sitch a word : It's the very deeperest turn, Sir, There is in all Rommany : There's none but the Lord above us As knows o' that word — and me." The grandmother looked angry, And gave him a hurried wink. As much as to say : " Don't tell it Before these Gentiles, — think ! " But the half-breed gave me another, To do the best I could, But to certainly make an effort, For the credit of English blood. ENGLISH-G/PSY SONGS. I 1 Said Mr Ayres the captain, And his voice came far from below . •• Gumiaver's the word, my master, And if you can explain it — do !" The old woman's laugh was scornful. The half-breed glanced around Up into m\ • ■ . inquiring, Then down upon the ground. •• Gwrnia/ver" said Ayres the captain . " (in /■,>:<' r,,'s the word. It's true You gents with your books knows something, But this here is 'ahead of you." So we sat with our heads all bowing, And never a sound was heard And we never uttered a whisp< i We were crushed by that awful word Bui A\ res, though great, wa human, iiu politely, '• Sir. Tins here is wol i the meai Qurnidi i .1 1 ow 1 imber : For a //"/ «<'•• a cow in G And "'. you know, is ' comi And th<- two of 'em make cow come \ certain a i I'm .-i Rom ' I I 8 ENGLISH- G/PS Y SONGS. Then we lifted our heads together To the linguist — all in a row ; And the grandmother and the children, And the half-blood and I, cried, " Oh /" I never heard an utterance So deep and so earnest. No. I ween that the wood and water In that dell are still murmuring, " Oh/" Charles G. Leland. This incident, for which I am indebted to a friend, occurred precisely as it is told. It is not unusual for a simple- minded Gipsy to form, after long study, some extraordi- nary compound of words, or some translation of them from English, on the strength of which invention he patents him- self as deep Rommany. Sometimes a Gipsy is the possessor of one " deep " word, which he imparts only as a great favour. Jilkalo Rommanls, or Dog-Gipsy, is a term like " Dog-Latin." It is applied to mis-applied words. Thus lei, signifying to take or get, would become decidedly julnlo if one were to say lei avrl for " get out," or lei up pall, "pre the vxirdo — "get up behind on the waggon." "Mandy dui" (i.e., I two), for I too, may be occasionally heard. Tin; Old Professor, so frequently mentioned in "The English Gipsies," on being asked the word for a daisy, suggested thai il Spreadamengro-adrS-the-sdlaran'- pandamengro-adr^-the-rdtti n would be a very good word — its literal meaning being "A spreading tiling (or umbrella) in the morning, and a shutting-up thing at night." My friend, to whom this was said, had suggested that, for want of a better word, daisy might be literally translated diwusko yak, but the Professor would not hear of this— it lacked the dignity and poetry of his own formidable epithet. SA O ROM MA NY CHAL MUKKED PI IN LE VINOR. ■■ .Mat, hav acai ! niii pur aja ; Sar 'shan tu kushto, puro pAl ] Tu's dickiti buti n;iflo, ba, Tu chindes tiro kalo bal. • Kai, pi a curro levinor ! " " Kek — Kek, pals kenna ; for mandy's kaired A kurran kek to sum <>' yeck, Since miri poori jnva mered." •• Mered ! ear sos 'd6vo?" " M.imly'll pen, < ) tfkno, mandy, j6\ '■ ii Apre* a luit i shillo vri 'ii, batched talay a b5ro bor ■• ¥6i'd lelled a tlkno, t. ye bi A w. 1 1 i 1 1 li: tu mOr a mfl At lit. ye puv dttr fon ye gav, Kaired mil i ch6ri rakli dt h. 1 20 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. ■ ' Y6i pendas mandy : ' Deari rom, Shorn shillo ! Kair a yag apre ; 'Doi's buti k6skters 'pr6 ye drom, Sa ja, te" rikk a bitt' adre.' " Sa mandy plrries an, te wells But slg apre" a koskter-stogg ; A bitti k6shter 'doi I lels, To kair a kushtodirus yag. " Mi pendom : ' Java man adoi Ke' 'dovo kitchema, tc ldn A curro levinor for y6i ; Y6i'll kam a droppi liotched, I jin.' " Awer a muscro 'pre a gry Dicked mengy lei ye k6skt, te panned • Tu kalo chor, wus' lis akai, Or tute'll slg be starriben'd ! ' " Adovo kaired mi hunnalo : ' So's tute ! bengis 'dv6 your zl ! Mukk mengy jal, tu dinnelo, Or lei your truppo slg avri ! ' " Sa mandy hatched to kur mi rye ; But slggerdir as tu could dick Yuv piisimegrled lester gry, And wussered mAndy 'dre ye chick. EN( ;/. TSH- GIPS Y SONGS. I 2 I i( Adovo kaired me dlvio, pals, - mainly lulled a cliiiri 'vri, - An' as to latcher mi yiiv jals, 1 kurs lis sig at lister zi. " Awer yuv dolled a puraben, Te miri cliiiri pelt alay ; Mi sigaben sos lnkkerpen — Ye \. astermiingris cliivved apnj. • Avo— yuv lelled mi kcti gav : Ye bitcherin-mushor shuned yuv pen, Kek mukked a mainly pen a lav, '['/■ bitchered mi ta Btarripen. h did chone yol mukked mi ja . A wit yol penned mi at yu gav, Mi deari juva, tikno— Had mullered Mn'- ye shillo ba\ ' •• A\ o p6ggen 'I miri zi, Vanka man mukkdom past o boi An' Bensus mainly kama bo pi Kekumi drippi levinor." i: II. Palmer WHY THE GIPSY LEFT OFF DRINKING BEER. " Mat, come here, lad, don't turn away ; How are you, brother? I declare You're lookin' awful bad to-day ; You've been and cut your long black hair. " Here, drink a drop o' beer, lad ! " "No — No thank ye, boys. I can't abide The sight o' beer now ; it's been so With me since my poor missus died." " Died ! How was that ] " " Well, by your leave, I'll tell you. I, the babe, and she Was camping, one cold winter's eve, Against a little blackthorn tree. " Across the open field the wind Came blowin', fit a'most to kill A man, and she, but just confined, Poor deary, took a nasty chill. ENGLISH- G/PS Y SONGS. I 2 ; •'Says she to me : 'Matthew, my dear, I'm cold ; make up the fire, lad, do ! There's lots o' faggots close by here, Just run outside and get a few.' " So off I goes, and on the road I sees some nice dry faggot-ricks ; And takes from one a little load, To make a better lire o' sticks. • Says 1 : ' I'll just go over there To yonder public-house, and buy A half-a-pint o' beer for her ; She'll like it warmed up by and by.' ■• A mounted p'licemau from the town Bad seen me take tin- sticks, and so — • Ynu black thief, throw them faggots down,' Say- i.". ' "i- oil' to .jail you gO I ' ■■ That made my temper tar from cool ; 'Curse you !' I cried, 'you've got uo right 'I'u touch me. Let me go, you f'""l ' < >i take "if that there coat and figh ■■ Aii'l I stood up to fight, of com i But quicker than a wink, lie rode Straight al me^ Bpurrin' of hi- hoi i . A.nd knocked me over ou the road. 1 2 4 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. " That only made me twice as mad ; So out I pulls my pocket-knife, And as he come to seize me, lad, I struck at him, to take his life. " He gave a sudden turn — I stopped, And saw at once that I had missed My chance that time ; my knife had dropped ; The handcuffs were upon my wrist. " Yes, off he took me to the jail ! The beaks heard what he'd got to say. But wouldn't let me tell my tale, And locked me up, right straight away. "In two months' time they let me go ; But in the village I was told, My babe, the wife that loved me so, Had died that same night in the cold. 'O' " My heart was broken by that there. For those I'd lost, and loved so dear ; And now you know why I don't care To touch another drop o' beer." E. H. Palmer. It should be stated in explanation of this poem that Gipsies reverence their dead by abstaining from some favourite food, ENGL/SH-GIPS V Si WGS. I 2 5 amusement, <>r habit. This is generally connected in some way with tin- deceased. Thus, a Gipsy having smoked a pipe with a friend the last time he met him, and before his death, will, in memoriam, refrain from tobacco tot several years. (See "The. English Gipsies and their Language," chap. iv. Trubner& Co., 1873 O KUSHTO DUKKERIN. "Kai sos tu, mlro kamlo, Av^ssa sa rattescri ? — Te kai sos tu, mi tacho kamlo, Tiro womrur's sar nashered avri % " ',-• " Shomas 'drin o wesk, miri kamli, Kai sar i chiriclor gill, Kai o bitti rukkengro k6ckers, Kai i tani kiikalos kill. " Sos a Koinmani dye ad6i, Sar kali sims o wen : Y6i dickdas 'dre miri wastor, Te pukkerdas dukkerben. " Y6i pendas mi rummav' a rani, Sar safrani balyor, Sar rinkeni nlli yakkor, Te chamor sim ruzhior." ENGL/SH-GIPS Y SONGS. I 2 J " Miri yakkor shaii sar nili, Miri balyor shan safran "— — " Lis mukkdas lovva, mi kamli, Shunav tu ruin^ssa ni&n." Janet Tuckey. THE PLEASANT FORTUNE. " Where have you been, my darling, That you come so late at night 1 — And where have you been, my own love, That your purse has grown so light 1 " " 1 have been in the forest, darling ; I have heard the wood birds sing, Where the squirrel picked nuts for the winter. And the fairies had made a ring. ■ • A Gipsy came through the forest ; She was wrinkled, brown, and old ; \iid she looked in my hand, and 1 listened To the fortune that she told. " She told me I soon should marry A lady with yellow hair — A lady with flower-blue eyes, love, And cheeks like the wild-rose fair." ENGUSH-GIPS Y SONGS. 1 29 •• .Vy hair is yellow as sunshine, My eyes are violet-blue " •• Ah ! wasn't it worth the money To hear that I'll marry you ? " Janet Tuckey. SHUN the hunnalo 0' the panui, The hunnalo boro panni, Hunnalin sarasa', 'Cos it can't jal anduro, An' guryin aja ! M. C. 1 1 1. \ R the roar of the water, Of the great and raging sea, I: er on, Because it can get no further, Ami roaring all alone ! * < . <;. L * The Romm ray ori raal of th the utteram .1 t"i, G on bein I what v. I word foi " 1 There U :i d ting in It, Bince hunnalo alao signifies I MULLO BALOR. Oh ! I jassed to the ke>, An' I tried to mang the balor ; Tried to mang the mullo balor, When I jassed to the k£r. But the rani wouldn't del it, For she pennas les 'os drabberd, For she pennas les 'os drabberd, Perm's the Eommany chal had drabbed the balor. M. C. DEAD PIG. I WENT to the farmhouse Where I knew a pig had died. And to get it I cmplored 'em Till I pretty nearly cried. But the lady wouldn't give it, A.i ' Lnted rather free A 'twas pisoned by some < ripsy, And thai ' ripsy man was m< . ( il \ I : I . r.s C. LeLAND. This trifle, which I beard rangbyaGipsj in Brighton, will l t<> Tii.it e ballad in .Mr Borrow* "Rommany Fiyc" I • for the ake of feeding mi their flesh i no longer practised ; but [ venture to a ert, with some confidence, that it is by do m an one of the 1" I and thai for mullo baulor, or pork which f tl ira (or Ogre) sect in India, sprung from tie- extravagant emancipation from all "preju- dice" which was developed by advanced thinkers amc Hindu and it is not entirely Impossible that both BSasI ; :i and Wei tern in in tin It may yei l"- found that the orthodox Oriental prohibition of pot i "I involved more than is ., and thai it w.i fcrulj a /■" t d ce beta * Vide Tatere og Natmandafolk i Danmark. Af P, Dyrlund. Copenhagen, !•'. Bigel, I 72. I 3 4 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. the ultra -emancipationists of early ages and the "Con- servatives," so to speak. Christianity, so progressive in many respects, avoided this degree of Radicalism, if we may judge by the significant miracle of the driving of the herd of swine into the sea. It is tolerably apparent that, from the earliest Egyptian times, the wild boar or pig was identified with the evil principle, just as the emanci- pated or Free Thinkers have been, very naturally indeed, by the Orthodox ; and it may be that while those who dared to eat pork which had been butchered were simply wicked, those who went a step further, and ate mullo baulor on prin- ciple, were "damnable." More than one of the mysterious sects of heretics in the Middle Ages had the pig for a symbol. It would be curious to know if eating pork ever formed a charge against the Knights Templars. The reader will excuse the length of these very speculative remarks, should he deem it possible that there exists in England a class whose persistency in such unnatural diet was 'partially derived from early Indian illumination. PETUL&NGRO TE O EURO BENG. Tute'S shuned o R6inmany drom, shaian, Ta pen sor religionus hockerpen ; But I jius ke rashaior sor tacheni shan, For mi dickdom o beng adr6 a tan, Yf an old Qi] 1 PURI R6MMANY DYE'S DUI CHAVIOR. Jassin yek divvus adre" a gav, A cb6vvany bitti k6r I latched, Te a puri R6mmany, Buuce by nav Akonya 'dre ad6vo hatched. " Sar'shan tu," pdndum, " puri dye % " Te my stardy leldum shdrro avri ; (Tu sasti kdravit sims a rye, Kamessa tu rakker 'dre" R6mmany). " S6ssi," putcked mandy, " deari dye, A dye sims tute kairengri shan 1 Kai's tute mukkered your foki, kai ? Te kai tu cbldas o bitti tin 1 " " Ab ! a cb6vveny juva mandy sbom, Sor akonya 'dre puripen I jiv ; Buti cbirus naskerdum miro rom, Te as for tanya, I've kek to cbiv. ENGLfS/f-GIPSY SOXGS. 1 45 "Awer dui chavior mandy lells, Yek 0' lendy's rummor'd a Gorgiko mush ; Ah ! rya, to waffodipen she wells, For the ratfelo Gorgio kairs her dush. ■■ Kik kamava laid sa buti aja, Tho' her waffody jfwin it kairs me r6v ; Awer \uk so kamava i kushtidir, Sovella adre o kangri p6v." E. H. Palmer. THE OLD WOMAN'S TWO DAUGHTERS. Walking about in a village, I came On a wretched little hovel once, Where was living a lonely Gipsy dame, Who went by the name of Phcebe Bunce. " How are you, mother 1 " And as I spoke I lifted my hat from off my head ; (If you want to talk to Gipsy folk, You must act like a gentleman born and bred). " My dear old lady," I asked, " how's this? A house isn't surely the place for you ; Where have you left your folk? I miss Your tent ; why, where have you put that to ? " " I'm a poor old woman, and all alone I live in my old age as you see ; I lost my husband long years agone, And as for tents, there is none for me. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. \<\"J " But two dear daughters I still have got, One of 'em's married an English lad ;* Ah, sir ! but hers is a hard, hard lot, For the wretched fellow he treats her bad. ■' The love as I bears to her is small, Though to think of her sorrow I often weeps ; JJut the one a.-, I loves the best of all, In ;i lonely churchyard, sir, she sleeps." E. II. Palmer. The above conversation, recalling " We are Seven," is given nearly as it was carried on between an old Gipsy woman .t friend of the writ LEL RAKi Lel rak, pal — hatch apr£ ! Jal i graiya — praster — Praster pa tiro miraben ! rye avedla, tachipen, Tu liirdas o graia kaliko ; Te vel yuv dicksa tiite, Yuv sh6llela avri talla yiikengro, Te bitcherav tute ke staripen. Lel vin, lel trdd ! J. T. Look sharp, brother — hurry away ! Run the horses ! Run — Run for your life ! I'm telling you true, The farmer's coming — the one You stole the horse from yesterday ; And if he gets a glimpse of you, He'll call the police, and then the beak Will keep you in jail for many a week. Take care ! beware ! J. T. MIR1 K A MELT PIRRfNI. -IiN.WA m<5 o tacho nav K i-htiko cowar adrd .'- r ;iv Aver kushtidlro a mengi zl Si mlri kameli i>iiTvni. Beshava Bardiwus adrln o tan, Lva i ft')ki, "Sarisliun :" — Aver beshava I ta dickav <» mui iri kameli pirr/ni. l\.iiiiav;i te v6\ a b6ro rye ; K.un.r. a ta lei a kHshto gry : Aver u M ■ rava i dui avri, I o i burner mi i plrr^ni I'll \i:i.i:s <). I. II LND THE GIRL WHO LOVES ME WELL. I CAN tell you the name right down Of the prettiest things in all the town ; But there isn't a thing the people sell So fine as the girl who loves me well. &* I sit in my Gipsy tent all daj - , And, " How are you all 1 " to the folk I say ; But I'd sit for a year, and it's truth I tell, For a glimpse of the girl who loves me well. Oh, I'd like to be a lord, of course, And I'd like to have a hunting-horse : But the one and the other I'd gladly sell, For a kiss from the girl who loves me well. Charles G. Leland. This ballad is founded on no especial incident, but may be set down as Rommany, having met with a cordial reception among tent-Gipsies. ROMMANY JINABEN. Ai'UK a rfttti Mr6 a shillo wen Yag poggerella Vri adrd a ker, Ye mushor sar for l6ngeris mirabeu I 'raster, te kekkeno jlns sa ta kair : Yeck iikk'la pani, te a waver shells : " Huker ye cuvvus Bar apre ye puv ! " Ye gruvni gujers be i grasni dells ; Ye bitti blknos be i juvas raw. A.wer a ch6weni Rommany jfiva wells, An' batchin pash o ye yagescro chib, M.t.lhila wastor, penla Rom'nyjib : ■■ A yag*£ a kushti c6wa '6x6 o wen, Feck's wafro bak i\ w&vior's kammaben." E. ll. Palmer GIPS Y PHIL SOPHY. One wintry night, upon a certain farm, A fire broke out ; the folks in great alarm, Not knowing what to do, all run about. Some bring up water, others only shout : " Fetch out the things into the field here, quick ! " The oxen bellow, and the horses kick ; The little children and the women cry ; But a poor Gipsy who was passing by Stood near the flames that from the building sprung, And warmed her hands, and said in Gipsy tongue : " A fire in winter does one good to see ; What's your bad luck may prove good luck to me ! " E. H. Palmer. FRANK COOPER. A l6rdus vias keli we1g6ro — Iv'va te raniya shan barveli: A tano rye te a kamelo — Avo, mi plrrynl, avali ! O rye yuv dickdas Frank Cooper adoi Avo, mi pirrynl, avali ! Sal- buti < 1 u < 1 « • 1 1 i pi'. For I6rdis an' swelli sa barveli i • l6rdu btindas mi Etdmmani pen, " Well .in, mi ry*or sa barveli ! you Lei your \^\\\ again It' you'll n\ Qsser my k6shters, avali. •• I tick at tin' iggaben -, ry"a, dick — I >k1< at the initti, avail, Hatchin alangus 5r of a rikk, 1 1 itcbin 1 I"! r/or bS bai veli. I 5 4 ENGLISH-GIPS Y SONGS. " Trin koshters a h6rra shan kavacoi, bavol pildela, avali, Kushto ta del at the pivlioi — Kushto for ryor sa barveli. " Yeck nuttus beshella 'pr6 lister kosh, Savvyin, salerin, avali ! But kenna-sTg tute vel k' kilo ratt, As sano as yeok kekava-li, I Jut welled as pano as if he were skat, To shun o' tin- ry'a, avali. Frank Cooper's a mush ke si bunnalo, "S' 1 1 \"" 1 1 kekker kiravit waver-li; An' tin' b6ag never dicked more hunnalo Than Frank when lie shunavit, avali. Yuv hatched a Biggus pukkenus, Te shuned o' the r/as lava-li ; 'I'll, ii pra tered avri sims dlviu . I >i. t be sig <>' tin- tnushor, avali. never dukkered his kdkero, For \'nv Boa yeck <»' the barveli, An' patsered the ( looper tacheno, So \ iiv rakkered Alisa, avali I 5 6 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. Till the Eommani chal vias palad6i, Yuv bashed an' shuned lakis lava-li ; When apopli to lister pivli6i Frank welled with the ckukko, avali. Y6ck o' l6stis yakkor SOS kalo aja, An' the waver wasn't waver-li, As if yuv'd dicked the b6ng te sa, Since yuv dicktav the rya, avali. " 'Kai's tiro wongur, mi rye," p6ns he, " 'Kai's the I6vvy sa barveli ; 'Kai shan i pain wastcni — Dick if it's tacho, avali ! " Mandy's tQkno o' hatchin sa longadur, Awer man nasti keravit waver-li, For with kuromescros a mush must kur, An' I had ta kur for it — avali ! " rye lolled lesters putsi avri, An' latched the w6ngur sa barveli, An' dolled pdnj bar to the Eommani, As a rye should k6ravit, avali. An' if tute'll jal to the plvli6i At the Epsom prasterin, waver-li, Tuto can dick Frank Cooper adoi An' Alis yuvs juva, avali. ENGLISH-GJPS Y SONGS. I 5 7 Si tute kam^ss' muttermengerl, You can lei it fori lens kekavi-li, An' if Alis the juva isn't avri, ' Yoi'll (.lukker your rani — avali ! Charles G. Leland. FRANK COOPER. A LORD he went to the fair one day, Oh, lords are rich, and their ladies too ! A little lord, and his heart was gay, Yes, my darling, I tell you true. The lord he saw Frank Cooper there ; Yes, my darling, I tell you true ! With a lot of cocoa-nuts at the fair, All for lords and gentlemen too. The lord he heard Frank Cooper shout ■ " Come, noble gents, here's the game for you ; You'll win back your money, you needn't doubt, If you throw these here sticks, I tell you true. " Look what a chance, my noblemen, see ! Look at the nuts, don't I tell you true % All along in a row they be, Waiting for gentlemen just like you. IXGLISH-GIPS Y SONGS. 1 5 9 " Three sticks a penny, my lords, look here ! And the wind's a bio win' just right for you ; You'll hit the cocoa-nuts, never fear. And win the lot— don't I tell you true 1 ' Every cocoa-nut's on its stick — So pert — why, they might be laughin' at you ! I Jut take a throw, and they'll fall so quick, And you'll kill the monkeys, I tell you true. • < lentlemen's sons, won't you step this way I I [ere is your chance, I tell you true ; Come, take hold of the sticks and play — This is the game for swells like you." The lord took twenty or thereabouts — Took a l<>t . as gentlemen do, And he fired away at the cocoa-nuts, And punished them well, 1 tell you true. But when half the nuts were tumbled down — With so clever a hand the gentleman threw — I te found thai hi overcoal was gone, he left off playing — ay, thai is true. \ beautiful coal and twentj pound — l be lord wa rich and the coat was new And his light kid gloves he'd thrown on the ground, All '»; '.-in stolen— 1 tell you true. 1 60 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. The lord he said : " Why, this is too bad! My coat is stolen, I tell you true ; And you were near it, my Gipsy lad — Where's the thief, and what shall I do ? " If I had a guest," the lord he said, " Rich like myself or poor like you, 'Fore I'd see him robbed I'd sooner be dead, And you're a Gipsy — ay, that is true ! " Frank Cooper's blood is as dark as night, As black as the pot in which Gipsies stew ; But you'd think he was shot, he grew so white When he heard the lord — yes, I tell you true. Frank Cooper's as proud as proud can be, As proud as the devil and all his crew ; And never looked devil more fierce than he When he heard the gentleman — ay, that's true- He said not a word, the Gipsy man, But stopped and heard the gentleman through ; And then, as if he was mad, he ran Where the crowd was thickest, I tell you true. The lord didn't trouble himself a bit — He was one of the rich, and they are few ; He trusted the Rommani, as was fit, And talked to Alice, as gentlemen do. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. l6l He sat him down by her side, and then He let her chatter, as Gipsies do, Till Frank came back to the nuts again, Bringing the great-coat as good as new. One of his eyes was as black as coal, And its fellow was much the same colour too ; A - if he'd seen the devil and all Since he left the lord — yes, I tell you true. " Here's the money, my lord," said he, " Here's your money all safe for you ; And tli»; fine white gloves, why, here they be — Look if they're right — have I told you true 1 ■■ I'm >orry that you've been kept waiting so, Hut I came as fast as a man could do ; with Bghting chaps one must fight, you know, Ami 1 bad to light for it, that is true." Tin- Innl In- took In purse from the coat, Ami found his money all right and true; Ami he '/as.- the Gip8y ;i live pound note — < lave it bo free, as a lord should do. Now if you go bo the Epsom race, Ymi'11 see Frank Cooper, I promi e you. With all hi cocoa-nuts in their place, Ami Alice, his wife, I tell you true. l62 engush-gips y songs. And if you wish for a cup of tea, They'll boil the kettle and give it you ; And if Alice is there, your lady'll see She'll tell her fortune, and tell it true. Janet Tuckey. The story of Frank Cooper was told me, not by the Gipsy himself, but by a gentleman who was present at the occur- rence described in the ballad. As the affair was very much to Frank's credit, I have not hesitated to give his name. It may be observed that, for the sake of the rhyme, I have taken a liberty not uncommon in ballads of a humble class, in ex- tending lav (a word) to Idvali, leaver (other) to wdverli, ami kekdvi (kettle) to kckdvali. For the information of those readers who do not know what the game of cocoa-nuts, or a cocoa-nut cock-shy, may be, I would explain that stout sticks, about four feet long, are stuck either into the ground or into coarse baskets of matting filled with earth. These are placed in a row, about four feet apart, and behind them at a little distance there is a screen of canvas. On the end of each stick a small cocoa-nut rests, not fastened, but simply balanced. The player hires from the proprietor of the game a bundle of short sticks, about two feet in length, for which he pays a halfpenny each, more or less according to the bargain driven and the quantity taken. He then places himself about twenty-five feet from the stakes, and throws, his object being to displace the cocoa-nuts, which become his property when he can knock them off. The canvas screen is indispensable to prevent the sticks from inflicting injury beyond the limits of the play. It is, of course, a rough game, and very danger- ous for the Gipsy attendants, who, however, far from avoiding the sticks, often put themselves in the way of receiving serious ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. l6- injuries, hoping to get a present from the thrower. Their indifference to such hurts is very remarkable. I have seen Frank Cooper with a long and deep cut -across his head, hastily bound up, playing away in a few minutes, and crying out the characteristic phrases embodied in the ballad, as if nothing bad happened. I may add, with regard to cocoa-nuts. the Gipeies believe, or pretend to believe, that one given by them as a present brings that luck which they are always . on others, but of which they have so little themseh I bserved long ago. D U KKERIN. Chiv a tani bit o s6naki lovo Adre the vast o' de Rommany dye ; An' I'll pen yer a dukkeripen, my rani- The kushtiest ever I penned a chi. There's a kushko pano rye as kams you, An' tute kamessa l^s tdcho aja ; An' 'd6is a waver, a kalo geero, Merin for tiro kam kenna. Te tute'll rummer the plrreno y^k, chi, An' a tachi r6mni'll tute k6r ; Te tute'll be dye o' dui chdvyor, Te jiv adr<§ kushkipen till you me>. An' if mdn'y jins so the staror pukker, To-divvus'll rlggur you ketteni. — D6rdi ! akai's a rye a wellin That jins my dukkerin ticho si ! ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 1 65 Mukk mengy dukker your k6k'ro, rya — So? niandy can't pen lis ! — mandy can. Ma tute sav' at dukkerin pala — For dovo sos sar the tern besran ! E. H. Palmer. FOR TUNE- TELLING. CROSS the poor old Gipsy's hand now With a little bit of gold : You've the best of luck, my lady, That the stars have ever told. There's a fair young man as loves you, And you love him fond and true ; There's a dark young fellow also, Dyin' all for love of you. And you'll marry him you love, miss, And you'll make a first-rate wife ; You'll be mother of two children, And be happy all your life. And if I can read the stars right, You will meet him here to-day — Look ! here's some one just a conihV As will bear out all I say. ENGLISH-GIPSY SOXGS. \6j Shall I tell your fortune too, sir? What 1 I can't ! — Oh, yes I can. Don't you laugh at fortune-telling : 'Twas with that the world began ! E. H. Palmer. Si miri chumya shan kushti to ha, Tu nasti hatch bockalo, deari, aja ! I r kisses of mine were good to eat, You shouldn't go hungry long, my sweet ! THE GAVENGROES. As mandy was pirryin 'pr£ the dr6m, I dicked the patteran of a R6m, Of a Eommany chal as I did know ; And the nav o' the mush 'us Petulengro. x o* And longo duro did mandy j^ss, Till I welled to the yag where yuv did besh ; And he pens me " Sarishan % " — " How do you do 1 " For a tacho Pom was Petulengro. •• What bak ta-diwus 1 " I pens, an' he Pens "Wafodo bak" aja to me. " It's wafro bak wherever I goes, An' all alangs o' them gavengroes. " If I lells a k6shter fon a bar, There wells ta mdngy a hoppercore. And it's bak if I ain't starm^skero Along o' adduvel gav^ngeru. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. 1 69 " If mandy's adre in my tan alay, An' a balor wells an the drum apr6 ; Yuv chivs me avrl, so out I goes, For it allers ja ! with them gavengroes. " If my juva jals to a ker, you jin, A pennin a bitto dukkerin, Y6i's tnisherdo mullo the fust she knows, Alang o' them b' that there, where you has police. •" ' >h, I've had enough o' this land, I say, With its lords and parsons an' sitch as they ; An' it's over the water I goes like geese, To a land where there isn't no police. ■• There j on can tell a fortin' or so ; There y<>u can clear out the things, you know There you are free as the blowin' breeze: — I [espesherly from I bem vile police. "The 'Merican land, I thinks, mayhap, I just the spot for a Rommany chap ; For from .-ill I bears, then- thej lives at peace, An' the people don't care for no police. < 'ii \i:i.i < ; Leland This ballad wa partly written one day while associa with Gipsies, ami was drawn from their own n marks. ROMMANIS LEL SAR. O KRAL-RUKK kamela d6eyav for lister pirryni, Y6i'll kekker dick nor shun a lav, yoi pells sa slg avri. O R6m kereda lester tan adre" o rukkor lock Lels panni fon i d6eyav, te k6shters fon o shock. A boro G6rgio kams a chi for lister ronieli, Awer yoi'll kekker shun o rye, sa jala sig avri. " Sa jinsa tu adovo, mi puri kali dye 1" Oh, mandy dukkered saridui, i rani te o rye. Avedlan j6ck akonyo, I rani te o rye, Te saridui des mengy sa buti s6nnakai. boro rukk, i doeyav, o mush so kamela, 1 dinneli juva,— R6mmanis lei kushto bak fon sa. Janet Tuckey. ALL IS FLSH TO THE GIPSY NET An oak-tree loves a rivulet, but she will never stay To look at him or hear a word, she runs so fast away. And there beneath the forest boughs the Rommanis are free To take the water from the brook and firewood from the tree. There's a lord that loves a lady, and she will never stay To h<-;ir him when he speaks of love, but lightly trips away. "My Gipsy mother, can you tell how all of this was known 1 " The lord and lady came to me, and each of them alone ; They came to mi retly and crossed my hand with gold, They sal inside the Gipsy tent, and had their fortune told From the Lover and his lady, from rivulet and tree. From all of them we help ourselves, for we arc RommanL • I \m i In ki:v. CHARLIE O RASHIMENGRO. I ain't lelled kck religion, An' I'll kek ankair kenna, But if waver fold kams lis, Mukk lendy kair aja. Te niandy kek kairs pyass 0' sar ye waver dials — If a chavo jals to kangri, Ma savvy at ldste, pals ! But savo mandy pukkers, Adovo tacho si, drom si adr6 a geero Yuv sasti well avrl. D6i's Charlie o Rashim6ngro- Te 'c6vo mdndy'll pen, Ke, mukk krmgreski covvar De mush si tachipen. ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. I 75 Yiiv rakkela troosal de Scripturs, Jinella sar si adre : Tu'd patser lendy tacho, To shun o' lis del aprd Adre o heb, ytiv pukkers, A ch6veno kinyo mush < !an hatch apr6, te muscros Te vel kt-kker kaii' lis dush. Awer i chalor so hooker, Te pi te sovahal, Te vel kc'-kkcr mukkdo adre lis, Sa man te vel lo'k'ra jal. Aw< as a weslnii-juckal Te vel hukkt r a k.uii avri, Ki'ih < lharlie's rati si tatto A \ .ll.i o RommanL Lie dfckdom awaver rati — < rhiom k.-ti lis k6r to besh, re g&\ er pali a chingari A < 1 1 . • addvo wi Pandas )-iiv : " Mi pukkdom tukej Te 'd6vo to lei you dukk, < > wr-lmi kani * - 1 1 . . i i ii Vel 1 1 _ yer urn to the rukk." 176 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. Te h6tchi : " So sos tu kairin 1 Fordia wafropen ! " Te panderdas i hevengror An' riggered de piopen. "Mi ghiom avrl," mi pendum Tal6 the dud adoi, To dickav a weshni kani Or rudder for yeck shoshoi. " Te dickum wesh^ngror wellin, An' churied apr6 a rukk ; " Pens yiiv, " Miduvel ford6 lis, For a walin o' wrath an' dukk ! " " Yol r6dderde 'pre a bittus, Te jallan — avo, sor But yeck : " pens puro Charlie, " Yuv's trashipen ba, to chore !" ""Sar the dud o' the chone apre" lis, Mi dicks so leste si : ratfelo wesh^ngro So man' kairdas sa, waffodi. " Yuv ndsti kaired a warmint Kek wafrodlro, ba ; The beng ! " pens puro Charlie, " Ma s6vahal aja." ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. I / J •■ I yfigengri, mi dicked lis Tale i rfikkor chiv, Te hockered sa sTg apre lis, It trashered him out of his jiv. ■ • Mi leldom' is 'dre mi wastor, Te pet it atut his zi, Te pendom : ' Pukessa a lavus, Marava tut' slg avrl.' • Yiiv hatchilas apre sar puk'no. Te kekera lellas kek trash, Sa yagengri sos chido Atut his mui, pash. Penava mi : ' S'up mi Duvel, Shan b5ro Big i) zi ! Del lavua kek to slommer, Mukkava fcQt'jal avrl.' N iiv pOkkera : ' I'll kair my butsi, 'I'le.' I jina you've lelled mi, pal ! Awer mukerav' tut'' pra* I Te manyil w6\\ palaL' . diom 1 i ^ '» yigengi i, Te chindom im >ii\ i" . hom akai ' ' pena < Iharlic, M'Araunj " p&i raco ! 178 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " Awer, te lis sos a-mengy, Lis kekkera mukdom ja, Leldom mi beng's yagengri, Te poggered his horror, ba ! " E. H. Palmer. PREACHING CHARLIE. 1 DON'T know much of religion. Ami I ain't a goin' to learn ; But if any one takes up with it. That there is his own concern. I'm cot the kind of partj As alius goes in for chaff . If a man does go to meeting What call have von bo laugh I But what I do maintain i . I [ow( \ ' r much 3 "ii t r\ . The wa; ou've once got in yer Musi come out by and i Now tin i. old Pn achin' < 'harli And this I'm bound to Bay, There's no one, barrin' his praj in', More hom -t than Charlie < Was l80 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. He's learnt to read, has Charlie, And spelt the Scripture through ; And to hear him talk about it, You'd half believe it's true. And he says as how in heaven The weary are at peace, An' the wicked cease from troublin', An' they don't keep no police. But he says as how to git there, You mustn't lie nor drink ; And as that's agin all natur', They wont see me, I think. But a fox'll show his breedin' If there's ever a hen about ; So whenever you riles old Charlie, His Bommany blood comes out. The other night I see him ; I went to his house to hide, For I'd had a bit of a shindy On yonder cover side. Says he, " I alius warned you, But it ain't a bit of use ; Them poachin' tricks you're up to Will get your neck in a noose." ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. l8t Says he, " What were you arter] The Lord forgive your sin ! " And he fastened up the shutters, And fetched me out the gin. .Says I, " I was out by moonlight A lookin' about for a hare, ( )r a rabbit or two, or a pheasant, Or mebbe to set a snare. " But I see the keepers comin', And clambered up a tree ; " Says Charlie, " May God forgive you ! What a wessel o' wrath you be ! " •• Well, they hunted about for a little, Then all went off but one, Who stopped behind :" Says Charlie, "What risks them poachers run !" •■ Then the moonlight shone upon him. Ami who do you think I see, lint the werry Bell Bame ranger As alius was down <>n me. •• If I'd a been bo much varmint, He couldn't ha' a rved me worse ; Th. :" "Can't you talk, v Charlie, ■ Without a hoath or a curse? " I 82 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " Well, arter a bit he rested His gun agin a stump, And down I come upon him, So sudden it made him jump. "And I took and snatched the gun up. And put it agin his head ; Says I, ' You shout or holloa, And you're as good as dead ! ' " He never moved a muscle, And I never see him flinch, Tho' the muzzle touched his forehead Within a half an inch ! " Says I, ' You are a plucked un And no mistake — and so If you promise not to follow, Hang me ! but I'll let you go.' " Says he, ' I'll do my duty, Though I knows I am in your power But I don't mind if I give you A start of a half an hour.' " So I hands him back his weapon, And cuts away like mad ; And here I am ! " Says Charlie, " Thank heaven you're safe, my lad ! ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. I 8 " But if / had had the handlin' That gun instead of you, I'd a taken the butt-end on it. And smashed his legs in two ! " E. II. Palmer. This *tory is told as it was related to a friend by a very w.ll-knowii Gipsy ; or, I should say, as it was very naively told by the preacher himself. He began the narrative in ;i highly moral tone, but, becoming excited, ended in the words of the lasl verse. / RANI TE O RYE. Having read to an English Gipsy a German Kommany song, given by R. Liebich {Die Zigeuner, Leipzig, 18G3), he promptly translated it into his own dialect. The original is as follows. The Latin version is by Dr Fr. Miklosich {liber die Mundarten and die Wanderungen der Zigeuner Europas, Wien, 1873). Cakervela i rani rajes peskere balensa Tegit domina dominant suis crinibus. 1 gadze pal o wuder tarde Homines post januam stant. Kamena te dikena me. Volant ut videant me. Ho gerena kettene Quid faciamus una Me mukkava tute nit. Ego dimitto te non ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. l8| Kostela es gleich mlro maropenn Etiamsi stet mea morte. Te hi tut' efta prala Si sunt iibi septan fratres. Te kellela mlro dzi Utat mea vita, Ap o lengero charo. /// corum gladio, Tu hal miri te atchaha miii. Tu es mea, et manebis mea. THE LADY AND THE LORD. ENGLISH ROM MA NY. I rani shakerella o rye siir peskri bailor, ' ; I gorgior shan tarderin p6ller the wuder Kamena ta dikk mandy. Ko kairen men kettene 1 " " Mi'll net mukkav tute If it kosts mengy mlro miraben. Shan tukey h6fta pralor, Te mlro zi kellela, Aprd le'ngeris harro, Tu shan mlri te atcha mlris." ENGLISH. The lady with her flowing hair Has covered her lover o'er. " There are men who wish to see me here Are hiding behind the door. 1LISH-G/PSY SONGS. I 87 What cau we do together 1 — What canst thou do for me ? " " I will not let thee go, my love, Though I lose my life for thee. Thou hast seven brothers. Though my heart Should leal) upon their sword. Whilst thou art mine and I am thine I ever will keep my word." < 'UAKLKS (J LELAND. < ) BORO ilivvusko divvus Ko -I aduwel ? Ki'm :il >.\. '■-.-' ul.iY |\/-i D5r0 Ddwel. M C T11.1. me what is The Judgment Day I I; is when unto ' s6nnak£i : — '1'tiiiia butsi-mush sasto lei lea wye. Te tacho si Etommania well to ban \'.uika fViki lei du.sh ap o chovihan. Charles < r. Leland. THE WITCH. We went one day to a farmer's house : His wife was so weak she could scarce arouse ; But when she saw we were Eommany, She spoke to us very civilly, And said, with many a gasp and twitch : ■ I'm dying — and all of a wicked witch. '• Look there ! look there ! It is coming now ; The evil thing is dancing, I vow ! My God ! Oh, help me ! " — and peeping in At the open door, with a wicked grin, ( ame a great grey toad, with a hop and a hitch ; "Sic there!" cried the woman, "see — there's my witch ! "Every day and hour it is coming here — The devilish creature is always near ; If I throw it away, the first thing I see, It is jumping again and staring at me, All night I hear it hiss by the ditch, And all night long I dream of the witch." ENGLISH-G/PSY SONGS. 1 93 Then we spoke together in liommany, And told her at last how the thing must be : " If you have shears, just bring them here, And with them a cup of salt, my dear, And as sure as we're poor, and you are rich, The Gipsies will soon take care of the witch ! " So we tied the shears like a cross, you see, And held the toad — and it couldn't get free — The charm was so strong — but it gave a cry — For it knew that its hour had come to die ; In the fire with the shears we gave it a pitch, And she threw the salt on the burning witch. Then the lad}' gave us all a treat, Ale and bacon — plenty to eat, And a ten-shilling piece as we went away — Since people who work must get their pay ; And it's good for all, be they poor or rich, If Gipsies come when thcy'iv plagued with a witch. C. <:. I, One tine day iii Epping r > I mel a yery jolly young Gipsy woman, and held with her a conversation which was, however, hardly to be called cheerful, since ii turned princi- pally mi toad and , with their relations to witchcraft. In illustration <'i' their evil aatui told me the story which I have repi ited very accurately in the fori ;oin N 194 ENGUSH-GIPSY SONGS. ballad. I have no doubt of its truth, but 'would state, in explanation, that toads take unaccountable fancies to certain places, and even to certain people, and that the Gipsies, who were well aware of this, ingeniously worked on the morbid fears and superstition of the sick woman. In fact, the Rom- many chi, after telling the tale, mentioned incidentally that " people who live in the woods as we do, out of doors all the x time, see and know a great deal about such creatures and their ways." Not wishing to be outdone, I signified my cordial assent, and promptly narrated a story which I had found originally in a strange and striking little ballad by a well-known American poet, R. H. Stoddard. There was once an old Gipsy woman, a witch. One day a gentleman going along the road accidentally trod on a great toad and killed it. Hear- ing a .scream at that instant some way off in the woods, and after that a terrible outcry, he followed up the sounds, and found that they came from a Gipsy camp, and were lamenta- tions over the old witch's child, who had just died very suddenly. On looking at the little corpse, he was horrified in find that it presented every appearance of having been trampled to death. The simple credulity and awe expressed in the brown Gipsy face on hearing this little tale were as amusing as the puzzled look which succeeded them. She did not doubt the incident, — not in the least, — but inquired " how could it be V — not being able to fathom the principle by which a soul could be in two places at once. I regret that I cannot report the discussion which probably ensued that night, around some fire, over this story, and the explanations given of it by the wiser and older fortune-tellers. It is not impossible that the next Rommany Rye or Gipsy-speaking gentleman who to Epping may, if he touch on the subject with due care, ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. 1 9 5 be told the name of the infant thus killed, and learn man) interesting details of the subsequent effect of the bereavement on its mother. The word ehdvihdn in this poem should be correctly trans- . wizard, and not witch ; chovihani being the feminine. Tu shan i chone adre 1 o hev, Mi deari, kameli rani ; Te waver fold shan bav, Kun gavla tut' fon man'y. The moon, soft^nioving o'er the heaven, My darling, seems like thee , And other folk are but the clouds That bide thy face from me. KAMMOBEN, TATTOPEN. " Ml shorn ak6nya," gflldas yoi, " Men buti ruzhior, Te sar i chiriclor ad6i Kair mandy gilior ; I matchya 'dre" o panni suvv, O tern si rlnkeno ; Awer i juva sosti ruvv Leila kek plrryno." Givella : " Wen avelP akai ; Shiinav k6k chir'clo gill ; I ruzhior shan s6ved alay ; d6eyav si shill : Awer tu shan pa mlro rikk, Mi deari plrryno — kalo heb, o nango tern, Kenna, shan rinkeno." Janet Tuckey. I O VE- TIME IS S UMMER- TIME. " I wandered forth alone," sang she, " When summer flowers were young, And birds made merry songs for me, The summer woods among ; And gaily, gaily danced the rill, And balmy was the air : — Bui there was something failed me still, Though all the land was fair. " The blo£ "ins all arc dead," she sings, "That lmvic'-'I tin- .^mimer-tiiiif ; And summer birds have spread their wings, To seek m softer clime. The wintry sky Lb dark above; The silent wood i are bare : — Bui thou art near me, oh, my love, And all the land i i Bur." • I WIT Tl »'KI'/, O SHAH. " Avali rya, I dicked the Shah," Penned ye pQri Petul^ngerl. " An I pens my chavo, ' Ma rakker aja, For I jin yuv's a bitt' o' a RommanT.' " Mandy jins siir sortis o' Rommanis, Mornis te waver-temmeny : I jins lens yakkor an' javomus, I pens you ad6vvo's a Rommanl. " Gorgiki yakkor shan kushti aja, Ne penava shan kek rinkenl ; Awer mandy penava the yakk o' the Shah Bitcher the dud o' the RommanT." An' as mandy shuned lakis rakkerben, Yeck lav adr6 trin sos FarsanI ; It sims yoi pukkerdas tAchopen, And the Shah sos a bitt' o' a Rommani. Charles G. Leland. THE SHAH. " Yes, my master, I've seen the Shah,'' Said old Dame Petulengro to me. " And I says to my son, ' You needn't talk, For I know he's a bit of a Eommany.' •• I vr seen all sorts of Gipsy folk, < Mir- own and them from beyond the sea; I knows the eye, and I knows the walk : I tell you he's somehow a Kommany. "Other Folk-' eyea may 1»- w< Try good eyes, I wont say never how (Iml may 1m- ; Hut this I say, thai that Persian rye's Have gol the shine of the Rommany." Am! tall. id in her ( Hpsy tongue, With just one Pen Ian v, ord in three, [| e< med as if she couldn't be wrong, And the Shah were a bit of a Rommany. The Lncidenl here described is true, i •• rj i □ having irately retained. N hai been made to intro- 200 ENGLISH- GIPS Y SONGS. duce Persian words in these lines, and it chances that the pro- portion of them is rather less here than usually occurs. The following, however, belong to that language : Avali, Persian bait; rye, Pers. ray ; rakker, Pers. rakidan; kush-ti, Pers. Llnish; shuned, Pers. shun-idan; puri, Pers. pir; Ma (pro- hibitative), Pers. ma; Gorgiko (from Gorgio), Pers. kh'dja, pronounced hhorja. GILL/. Of a Rbmmany chi Te a O'orrjio rye. Si m&ndy sos tiro chavo, Si tute sos miri dye, Kamessa del mandy a chumerl- " K6kker, ml ruzno rye ' " Awer mi shorn k<5k tiro ckAvo, Awr tute shan kik miri dye • A.d6va's a waver covva ; A.vo, mi kushto rye!" SONG. If I were your little baby, If you were my mother old, You Avould give me a kiss, my darling ?- " Oh, sir, you are far too bold ! " But as you are not my mother, But as I am not your son 1 " Ah, that is another matter, So maybe I'll give you one ! " O PATTER AN. " Trin mla duro panni, Trin mia duro gav, Mi latchdom patterani, A cuttor lullo tav : Man dickdom slg ye c6vva Sos tacho R6mmani : A l.ikli lakis Bhuba Lis chiugerdaa avrT. ■■- ado pre" ye rtikkor ; Te rttderin ad6i, Mi latchdom 'pre* ye ptlvor A Rommani pat6L Sigan ye dtti pli i ied, ( » mull be ]'HI\ in : :i a hi I 0' I Jinae len Etommani. 2 °4 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " Beshdom addi akonya, Te sax man asti dikk Sos kalo, mullo wdneur, Te pane-, mullo chikk. Kai skan i diii tank I Eomni te o Eom 1 — Anduro pari o chumbor Shan nasherdc- adr6m." Ma dusher, kameli, awer, Ke yul a-jillo skdn : Yul hatch keratti waver, An' latch a waver tan. I 'kavi'll buller kuskto, yag katch pall an, Te rakli'll chinger pall A waver patteran. Ma patser kdkker dusher Fon waver fokis dusk. Sar rakli lela raklo, Sar maniiski a miish. Si kekker yag kotckedla 'Prd 'c6vo tern kenna, Awer adre" a waver Si kushtidlr aja. Charles G. Leland. THE GIPSY SIGN. " Three miles beyond the hamlet, Three miles beyond the mere, There hangs a shred of scarlet — The liommanis were here ! Right well I know the token They leave where'er they stray : Some Gipsy from her kirtle I [as torn this strip away. ■• It's fluttering in the thicket, And, a I search around, I find the Gipsy fool prints i Fpon the mo y ground. Tun here il" 1 ' tipsy lovi Passed underneath the trei Among a hundred I lor "■ I'«l know such Btep a th< 206 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " I sit alone, sad-musing, For yonder on the sward 1 see a few white ashes, And firebrands black and charred. And whither have they wandered. The Gipsy and his love ? — Perhaps o'er far-off mountains With weary feet they rove." Oh, sorrow not, my darling ! Oh, grieve not for the twain ! To-night they'll rest them gladly. And pitch their tent again. Again the kettle's singing, Again the coals will shine, And from her skirt the damsel Will tear another sign. Then never weep, my darling ! So long as love is true, Each maid shall find a lover, Each man a maid to woo. And though no kindly embers Are blazing close at hand, Be sure the fire glows cheerly In some more favoured land. Janet Tuckf.y. / RATTESKRI PIRENGRI. A.VO, n'a, Bi a puro cuvva. Te kenini shan l>uti-diista besluu Iv man shundom puro dadas pukkei 'Pro i lh't'ta Ratteskri Plrungri. Sa yuv pandas te sa man lis shundom : Si tu lassa s6vahal apre" len, Te ad6vo s6vahal si pdggered, H( Eta ratti \\ .ll.'ui i plrengri ; Hefta ratti w'-ll te j6nger tute Hefta ratti dikaea i lut'ti. Auvr, iVa 'pre* i hefta ratti, Y6ck <>' len te w<-ll tassala tub Wastor pali tiro men chivella l niuii.'lla Blgan tiro gfirlo . Te ad6i lulleni "\ 1 1 aratti. — twer, kai hun&aa tut' o 1 li ody I < 'ii \i:i.i - < ;. Leland THE SE VEN NIGHT- WALKERS. Yes, my master, it's a queer old story, And it's many a year since last I heard it — Since I heard the good old father telling All about the Seven Night- Walking Spirits. Thus he told the story — thus I heard it : If you took an oath upon those spirits, And the oath upon them should be broken, Seven nights will come to you the walkers ; Seven nights they'll come, each night to wake you ; Seven nights you'll always see the seven : But upon the seventh night, my master, By the seventh spirit you'll be strangled. Bound your neck the ghost will twine his fingers, Then upon your throat you'll feel them pressing : Then they pass away into the midnight. — But, my master, where could you have heard it 1 Charles G. Leland. An old Gipsy once assured me that he had heard of the Seven Walkers, as described by Sir W. Scott in the oath ENGLISH-GIPSY SOXGS. 2(X) sworn by the Romraany Hayraddin Maugrabin. Whether my informant was mistaken or not — and I do not think he would deceive me in Rommany matters — nothing is more likely than that such a superstition should have been pre- served among Gipsies. LEL TIRO KAMI Si o Eommani mush si klnlo, Si a gry adr6 o stanya ; Te o Eommani chavo's bockalo, Si a kani adr6 o granya ; Shan Eommani chalor trushilo, Si levinor 'dr<$ o kltchema ; L6la E6mano chichi 'drd leskro fern, Shan barveli Gorgior 'dre siir o tern. Janet Tuckey. II EL P YOURSELF! li the Gipsy man is weary, There's a horse in the farmer's stall ; If the Gipsy child is hungry, Thi hen near the granary wall , [f the < ripsy lads are thirsty, There's beer enough for them all ; And if there's nought in the Gipsy's band, There are wealthy Gorgios in all the land. Janet Tuckey, O D ELABEN. Si mandy gliiom adr£ the gav, Vas a boro rash&i ; A boro rye : — Tu jinessa o mushis nav — Te kairdas rfikkerben, Te putchdas delaben For o naflopen ker, A bunnerin there : Te penava : " Yeck divvus te vel man ta mdr, Sos kushto adre a boro ker ! " So I pfdckers mi wast 'dre miri puts! : — Lelov' a ruppeny kalor avrl, An' pels it alay. Eye dickella me Te " parraco tute, Rye ! " pens he ; An rikkerdas stardy Anerjal, To ak6vo kalo Rommani clial. Si tacho. Vuv bdngerdas kokero, Sims ryas to waver r)'as do. Charles G. Leland. THE GIFT. As I was going along the town, Came a clergyman, A very great man, — You know him by name, I'll bet a crown ; — And preached like honey. Askin' for money : I [e wanted some For a 1 toapital Home ; And I Baid: "If death ever should come to me, I'll like to die then — n bly." Sw into my poi kel my band I poke, And mit a i Liver ahillin' I took, dropped it in. The genl looked al me, And "Thank you, mV, for your gift,' - Bayi he, '!'-» tin here black-faced Etommanyl 2 1 4 ENGLISH-GIFS Y SONGS. It's a fact. He bowed himself, d'ye know, As gentlemen always to gentlemen do. Charles G. Leland. This was the account which a Gipsy gave me of an honour which he had received. In narrating the event, he acted it in life, with great spirit and intense satisfaction, ending with a profound bow, in imitation of the one bestowed on him by the clergyman. It may be worth recalling on Hospital Sunday that Old Windsor Cooper, the Gipsy, once gave his only shilling to the good cause. O WlFROPEN O' THE BRSHOMENGROS. SdSKl adre* de bitcherin kt-rs Kai 'd6wo b&hom&ugros b6sh1 Butider wafropens they kairs \\(- dlvio juckals 'dre o wO.sh. Te 'd6sta ch6vany Rommani chal St lino 'pre" for kairin kek, Te pari de panni sasti jfil — Te mandy p&kro jinav yeck. Jinessa Matthew KLamlo, Rye, So nashe'd bis jtiva waver wen I lulled for chorinav a grai, Te bitchered tr-in b&h staripen. But be'ng'a the beshomengroa v.\ '. 'Pre" miro pflro m&llo dad, The mash as lnikkM de grai avi i Si kek ad Kamlo'j gad. 216 ENGLISH-G/PSY SONGS. " Soski did mainly kekker pen Si mdndy jfnned lis ? " Shun acfii : Mi shomas trash o' tachipen, For mlro roin chored 'd6vo grai. " Yuv sasti sikk'rav halibi— Penned kek adoi kun grai sos ch6red ! " Sos trasher ldster kokero, Rye, 0' nasherin for a mush he'd mored ! E. H. Palmer. THE INJUSTICE OF JUDGES. Tin: judges come and hold assize In yonder court — but what's the use \ They do more harm, sir, with their lies Than any mad dog broken loose. And ninny Rommany Lads there be, Who ne'er a bit of harm have done, Axe sent to jail, or over the sea — And 1 myself well knows of one. \ .mi knows Mat Lovell, ir, of couri Who lost his wife Borne years a 50 ' II. - took i lin' of a hoi And got three yeai Bui - hang them ma 1 ! — By my dead father thi I w< ■ The * ■ 1 1 n j » as took thai horse awaj Am') in the shirt that Matthew wear ' 2l8 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. " Why didn't I give evidence, If I knew that 1 "—Ah, there's the rub ! I couldn't speak for the defence 'Cos my old man had done the job. " He oughter proved a halibi, Said where he'd been arid what about ! " Poor fellow, ah ! he durstn't try : They'd hang him if they found that out. E. H. Palmer. The incident in this poem is given almost exactly as it was narrated by an elderly Gipsy woman of the better class, in a little alehouse, in Cobham, Surrey, on the fair-day 1873. In justice to the Gipsy, it should be stated that the last verse i- added to her story from an entirely different source. ./ NASHERIN COVVABEN. Tale the shelni patrinya Apash o the kftchema, M.'uniy rakkerdom puri R< Tc y6i rakkerdas slg asa. Kana-slg yoi pukkedas shukaro : •■ Ma rakessa Etommanis ; Ani: morning in Epping Forest, Beside the alehouse door, I talked with the Gipsy Rosa, I often had done before. .When she whispered quick and softly •• Don't -iM-ak in KoiniiKiiiy, For there i a policeman, Who can hear as well as •• But if he hears us talking, Be will qoI understand : " • Why, don'1 you know, my master, ■ tie- law of the huel | ■ 1 have h< my father, •i or will : And many have veung "ii tie- gallows [• oothii 't- 222 ENGLISH-GIPSY SONGS. •■ And it's still down in the law-book, And was never struck out, d'ye see 1 They may swing you off the cross-beam For a talkiu', much more for a writin' A book in the llommany. " And though you're a gentleman truly, Don't go in the way to be hung ; For I say it's a hangin' matter, This talkin' the Kommany tongue." Charles G. Lelan i >. i do not know whether the laws passed in many European countries making it death to speak Kommany were also extended to England, or if so, whether they have been re- pealed. That the Gipsies themselves entertain the opinion thai their language is forbidden, invariably manifests itself, even if talking it with gentlemen or ladies, when a policeman approaches. Many a time have I heard the rapidly spoken whispered warning: "Ma rakka Rommanis, r^a — 'doi vella nniscro ! Don't talk Rommany, sir ! — there comes a police- man ! " More than once during my researches I have receive. I such a kindly-meant warning. TAX-ROMANESKRI GILIOR. TENT-GIPSY SONGS. TRIN BITT1 R6MMANI CHALS. BY LEE. Yi;<'iv bftto Rom'ni dial churyip ap a rukk ChuryVl ap t' truppo an' Defined apre a shock. Dui l»itti Iu'iininanis chury'd ap t' rukk • - k Blommenn t' waver as beshed aprt t' 8n6ck. Trin bitti Rom'ni chals churyin ap' ;i rukk Slommerin y< ck a waver tili they poggered vri the si Trin l>it;i Rom'ni polled mullo 'lay the puv I,, ut.-r dye willed alan u ankaired t>> niv \\ • a bOro ch6vihan the chi i 6pli jf\ ven fin. . iiivvin. I. tit. pa il_\ e lulled a I. An del ''in all a kfilin lor a kairin BUch a bosh ('In Choi u Y.-.k bitto Rommani, I>ui bitti Rommani, bitti Rommani ch THREE LITTLE GIPSIES. One little Gipsy climbed a tree, and how 1 He climbed up the branches and sat upon a bough. C horns. One little — two little — three little — oh ! Three little Gipsy boys ! Two little Gipsies climbed a tree, and how 1 One followed 'tother one who sat upon the bough. Three little Gipsies climbed a tree, and how 1 They followed one another till they broke away the bough. The three little Gipsies all corpses did lie ; Their mother came along and began for to cry. Then- came a great conjuror who saw them, and then, He brought 'em all to life, boys, and set 'em up again. TEN T- GIPS Y SONGS. 22 J Their mother stopped a crying — their mother got a stick, And gave 'em all a whipping for a playing such a trick. This Bong was repeated to me by one of the James's half- blood . as composed by a Lee. lit; gave it in a very imperfect form; but it <1 1 .1 not differ materially from what is here printed. Since writing the foregoing verses, 1 have received another version <-!' the. ballad, which will be found on the follow in. DESH TANI CHAVIS DURIKEN. Desh tani chavis, all adr6 a row ; What welled o' lender tute shall know. Yeck tano chavo was chivved up a rukk, Polled to the puv an yuvs neck 'us broke. Dui tano chavo hatched apre" his head, Wery sig anpall yuv was latchered dead. Trin tano chavo his levinor drank, An' wery sig anpall was tassered in a tank. Yeck tano chavo — dui tani chavis — Trin tani chavis they are gone ! Shtor tano chavo kclled himself lame, Polled alay a coal-he> an' was never dicked again. Panj tano chavo was dickin at the rain, An' wery sig anpall mered o' thought upon the brain. TENT-GIPSY SONGS. 22() Shov tano chavo tumbled 'pre a log, Adui yuv was hotchered to sindor 'dre" the yog. Shtor tano chavis — panj tani chavis — Shov tani chavis we must mourn. Afta tano chavo prastered from a dog, An' wery sig anpa.ll was nashered 'dre - a fog. Oitoo tani cliavi was always at war, Y.'-ck dfwus yoi was nashered 'die the tav of her guitar. Enneah tano chavo was kellin' with a match, An' wery Big anpall was mullered by a witch. . tano chavo, yuv was booti tall, Playin' Punch ami Judy was tassered with his call. Afta tano chai o oitoo tano chavo — Enneah te desh all are dead. Then the Drabdngro kured bis wife, An' shook tin- tani chavit till Bar willed t<> life. », alia chai i lad j Bhov ami | .. danoin / like mail. Shtor tnH chavis, standing on their beads : ing lik'- weeds. I ' :. ' . all in a row ; Wha '1 "' lend] , \.< ana you know. TEN LITTLE GLFSIES' FA TE. Ten little Gipsies all in a row : What happened to them I shall let you know. One little Gipsy climbed up a tree, Fell down, broke his neck — there lay he The second little Gipsy stood upon his head, And very soon after lie was found dead. The third little Gipsy drank up his ale, And very soon after was drowned in a pail. < hie little — two little — three little Gipsies- Three little Gipsies they are gone. The fourth little Gipsy danced himself lame, Fell down a coal-pit, and up never came. The fifth little Gipsy was looking at the rain. And died soon after of thought upon the brain. TENT-G/PSY SONGS. 23 I The sixth tumbled over a log into the mire, And afterwards was burnt up to cinders in the fire. Four little — five little — six little Gipsies — Six little Gipsies we must mourn. The seventh little Gipsy ran from a dog, And very soon after was lost in a fog. The eighth little Gipsy was always at war, And Bhe was hanged one day in the strings of her guitar. rhe ninth little Gipsy was playing with a mat eh. And very soon after was killed by a witch. The tenth little Gipsy, who was very, very tall, Playing Punch and Judy was choked with his call. ..■n little— fight, little— nin<- little Gipsie Nine little < ripsies all are d( Then the doctor whipped bis wii 00k th<- little < lip lea till they all fame to li nine, i • r< □ < lip ii all glad ; fiv< Gip ii dam in • like mad. Four, three Gipsies standing on their head T* Gip I 1 v. • . >is. 232 TENT-GIPSY SONGS. Ten little Gipsies all in a row ; What became of them, now you know. These songs are simply variations of an old American ballad originally known as " John Brown's Ten Little Indian Boys," and which has heen changed in England to " Ten Little Nigger Boys." THE RAUNEY ON THE TO BEE. There's a rauney jessin on the tober, There's rye jessin after her ; He would del all the louver In his putsey if the rauney Would beshtolay with him. He pens : " My dear ram. You shall have plenty of vonggar If you \\ ill jess with mandy : For in the Barlow we will Rumoured, for thai w ill be tatch< ; THE LADY ON THE ROAD. There's a lady going on the road. There's a gentleman going after her ; He would give all the money In his pocket if the lady Would " settle down " with him. He says : " My dear lady, You shall have plenty of money If you will go with me ; For in the morning we will get Married, for that will he right (nice)." These songs, one of which lias already been published in " The English Gipsies and their Language," were repeated for me by a Gipsy woman, whose husband, a Gorgio, wrote them out at her dictation. This will explain the peculiarities in the spelling. GILLI OF A ROMMANY JUVA. Die at the Gangers, The < largers round mandy ! Trying to lei my meripon, My meripon (meriben) away. I will care (kair) up to my chungs (chongs), ("j. to ray chungs in rat, All for my happy racli r (raklo). M\ mush i- lelled to sturribon (staripen), To -tnirilM.il, to Bturribon, My mush i- lelled to jturribon, To the tan where mandy gina (jins). A GIPSY WOMAN'S SONG. Look at the Gorgios, The Gorgios around me, Trying to take my life, My life away. I will wade up to my knees, Up to my knees in blood, All for my happy boy. My husband's ta'en to prison, To prison, to prison ; My husband's ta'en to prison, To the place of which I know. PRONUNCIATION. PRONUNCIATION. In reading or pronouncing English Romrnany, as given in this book, the following rules should bo observed : — A or a is pronounced either like mo in such English word- as law, raw, and saw, or with ;i modification of same sound as heard in father. Such words as ratti (night) and pdnni (water) are frequently but incorrectly pronounced rarty, parny, on the same principle which induces the uneducated man, whether English or Ameri can, to extend the a to ar. In dvali (yes), and its abbreviation avo, the a is strongly accented, in a very ill:.- tic manner. In posh (half, near, &c), it is commonly pronounced like a in wash. In mi da in A iin, n.il , ah , "/•» , A <•., 1 1 11 1 .1 , . pronounced a> in f nn, Addtiwo or adduvw I \ ■ />/. A/iii/ i'\t,w ii). In this word the fi: oundi d in alley, in lay. in .//-.. . or in have. .1 in i i ounded 24O PR0NUNC1A TION. G is hard, or like Jc, before all letters except e and i. Ch is the same as in church. Chal is often pronounced like chul. E is generally pronounced as in men, hen ; and e as in French ; ie like ay in lay. G is almost invariably hard, but in a few words, such as sig (quickly, &c), it has sometimes a very soft sound, as in South German after r. It then is between 9 and y. Gh. In a few words — e.g., plochta, a cloak ; bacht, luck: chushto (i.e., kushto), good; hochaben (hockaben), falsehood ; hochter (hokker), to jump — ch has the same sound as in German — e.g., Buck. But for this sound most Gipsies are rapidly substituting the hard h J is pronounced as in English or in Hindustani. In the middle or at the end of a word it is sounded like the Enclish dg — e.g., laj (ashamed), which exactly rhymes with Madge. V. Not to be confounded (as Gipsies often do) with u or w; is here pronounced as in English. W, as in English ; should not be confounded with v. Most Gipsies, however, treat v and w as the same. r. a. Like 00 short, or the Italian u — e.g., wilder (door), pronounced woo-der (not tvood-ev). XT unaccented gene- rally follows the English pronunciation. 0. In the word " Rommany," has a peculiar sound, PRONUNCIATION. 24 1 between o in Roman and u in rum. The same is the case in dovo, adovo, addvel, and akonyo, which are pro- nounced much like duwo (as in dove), adduvvo, and adduwel. This rule is far from being generally followed, but it appears to be correct and ancient. Some confusion prevails among different tribes in the pronunciation of rov (to weep), sot- (sleep), but they are generally given ruv and 8uv. Cvwa is like cover without the r final. Lowa (money), often culled lovey, has the same sound. /. or l, is like ec in see, or is pronounced as in French or Italian. /, i, without the lony accent takes the sound in most cases of the same vowel in it, ill, pin ; but it never is like y in by, or the same letter in high, except in chi (a womai The following may serve as a guide in reading Uom- many, it being borne in mind thai the oo is nol so much prolon the juxtaposition of two letters in English illy indi e aw quite bo lull as in saw: — 1 1 1 utt- jin - tniro k&ko, i \ e. o lootyjitu 7ii" i" kawko, rye. < » t j r . jin tester nav. i, ,'■ r i STeck div\ plrried ry. uv pe< 1 yd tawr /■ U r gry. 1 :\. 1 yitfetty w&wvt r g 242 PRONUNCIATION. Apre kaliko ratti sa's mandy sos jallin adre o wesh, muskro dui bori rukkor, man'y shunedom a boro wafodo giidli ; te chommany pelled alay apre o puv pash o mandy te dias avrl a boro sliellabeu, sims a bengalo covva. Penava mandy : " Sas d6vadoi 1 " Mandy sos buti trasheno. Awer o covva ankaired to hakker and kell sims dlvius ; te mandy viom an' latched lis sos a tano ratti-chiriclo that had pelled avri fon lesters tan. Pronunciation. — A- pray (a as father) kaw-leeko (eeko like ico in calico) rawty, saws mandy sus (us as in fuss) jawlin (aw short as in falling) adray o wesh, muskro (as in musk) doo-ee boree roolcor, man'y s/ioo«edum a boro //■afodo giid-lee ; te chunimarry ])elled alay apray o poov posh o mandy te dee-ass avree a boro shel-lahen, sims a beng-alo cuvva. Penawva mandy : " Saws duv-va-doy 1 " Aive-wer o cuvva on-cared to hocker and kell sims c/mus ; te mandy vee-ome and latched lis (as in this) sus a taivno ratvty-chirry-klo that had pelled avree fon Asters tan. (Broken dialect.) The reader will find the following outlines of a Eom- many Rhyming Dictionary, compiled by Miss Tuckey, of much use in acquiring the pronunciation and accents of the language. It embraces both the perfect and " allowable" rhymes. Charles G. Leland. DICTIONARY Aja, thus, again, Asa, also. ■'. companion, Di, ; 1 1 1. eat, ■ !;i. 00. Kfunasa, than lovest. Kenna, now. Knilli.ssa, n qua n. Mollaaft, /" '•/ /• in ■,*■/. . a fable, all, so. . an hour Ora, " /" Kan • ■ I . v;i, II III 1 1 >, i, ■ . i , .1 ■■ , I tie, - forbid. E ETeb, the sky, < !hib, the tongue. Jib, a language. D Dihl, light. Tud, mififc. i: Ailrc, in, inside, Apr6, up, ooove. Sh6re apr£, to i>nii. , .Way. down. Tnley, Tub-, Inlmr. II A 1 1 .i -li, iiirit ill. a fiddle. 'n-k. . half, near, •. /•- *if, /•- main. I >• li, l> ii. w • i,. a wo ■'. •'■ Hatch, to '•/ , remain. 244 DICTIONARY. Dush, dusb, tremble. Mush, a man or mouse. Rush, clean. Trush, thirst. Avail, yes. Avri, away, out of. Barveli, rich. Dilleri, clever. Ketteni, together. Krl, an ant. Mee, ml, a mile. Manushi, a woman. Pi, to drink. Pirryhi, siveetheart (femi- nine). Rinkeni, pretty, beautiful. Asti si, it is to be. Tacho si, all right. Sumeli, fragrant. Suneli, handsome. Sunari, golden. Si, is. Zi, the soul, mind, heart. Dili, hearty, cordial. ( ; illi, a song. Killi, to dance. Lulli, red. Mili, pleasant, kind. Milli, together, mixed. Nili, W«e. ShiUi, eoW. Dui, two. Mui, the face, mouth. Rooy, or roy, a spoon. Kimi, a /» n. Panni, water. Rani, a ?arf?/. Sani, so/t, silken. Tani, young, small. Akai, Acre. Bai, a bough. Chi, a flrirf. Dye, a mother. Gry, grai, a Aor.se. Kai, where. Nai, a finger-nail. Parakai, '>i, a Gipsy sign. Anerjal, opposite. F6i, she. Chal, a tot/, fellow. Dral, through. Ferri, to please, entice. Hal, to eat. Kerri, at home. Jul, to #0. Pirri, free, to icalk. P&l, a brother, friend. Pashajal, neighbouring. ( 'havi, .' Shimal, the north. Hie. Sovahal, an oath, to swear. I.;i\ i Trushul, a cross. Xcwi, V< ir . Savvi, to laugh. 1 i.-l. to K'.uuri, " church. V;ingri, a wa Fenlel, to for KOI, to dance. L61, to get. K P&del, across. IVl, lu foil. ., luck. sh.'ll, to call, whittle. Lock, thadcw. Will, vol, to come. Nak, the none. Shock, 'i bough, nd. DO, " - .III, /■! 'J". Chikk, rt, earth, I)ikh Hick, eU '■')•, •('/. Kill, butter, I'll'. Lil, <* boot, " /• / < r. Skill, 1 Kikk. tide. \ ■ 1 lull, 1' declivity. Lull, red, '/" //"'/■ ck, (0 let, y\- 1. u "". Ik, torf. M 1 iu, /A- '-A.-X. I. .1 .1 1. .mi . '/■' . lowly. I ' . Kin Sh&m, the < " 'u«.'/. 246 DICTIONARY, Fern, the hand. Pern, a thing. Tern, a country. Kim, a side-tent. Sim, K4e, resembling. Adrom, awa#. Drom, a road, a way. PIshom, honey, a bee. Pvom, a Gipsy, a husband. Shorn, / am, we are. Viom, / came. N Blan, wind. Chovihan, a witch. Drovan, quickly. Glan, in front of. Gran, a granary. Kan, the ear. Del kan, to listen (give ear). Patteran, a Gipsy sign. San, silk. Safran, yellow. Saran, done, finished. Sarishan, how do you do. Shan, is, are. Sigan, quickly. Shyan, perhaps. Delaben, a gift. Kalopen, darkness, blackness. Kammoben, love, pleasure. Kcllapen, dancing. Len, them, to them. Mlrabcn, life. Mfillopen, death. Pen, a sister. Pe'n, to say. Shillopen, the cold. Wen, the winter. Adrin, in, inside, within. Bin, to sell. Chin, to cut. Chin, a blade. Jin, to know. Kin, to buy. Kin, the edge. Sidderin, drowsy. Triii, three. O Budero, aged. Barvelo, rich. Bockalo, hungry. Chavescro, a little boy. Chiriclo, a bird. Dinnelo, silly, foolish. Dov e lo, what is that. Dukkero, sad. Kanavo, half-blood. Kinelo, tired. Morriclo, a cake. Niishedo, hung, lost. PIrryno, sweetheart. Pukeno, quiet. Sapeno, wicked, i.e., snake- like, from sap, snake. Suvalo, infirm. Trash eno, frightened. Vaccasho, a lamb. Waffedo, bad, vncked. Avella, he, she, it comes. Brishinella, it rains. DICTIONARY. 247 Pello, fallen. Shello, a rope. Jillo, gone. Shillo, cold. Gullo, the throat. Lullo, red. Mullu, ■"/. Tullo, fat. BUo, pi>j. Kftlo, Moci, dari, lazy. Jfppo, a patch. Trfippo, the >>ody. < lh6vih&no, a wizard. I 'air S&no, toft. T&no, young, email. [ra), tudi Wifro, ' 1: ro, a t&ip. ■ "/. . rro, .'"'"•. 1 "/-. I ■ . old. MQrdo, d Pirdo, half-breed. Pordo, full. W&rdo, cart, carriage. Kushto, good, well, ripe. Mishto, glad. WisLtto, lip. M&tto, drunk: Tfuto, hot, clever. Avo, yes. < iiuvo, boy, youth. ■ <>, who. R Bar, a stone. Bar, '/ garden. Bar, a pound (20s.) Char, grass. 1 em&r, a moamp. Kar. •■•■in fiii n 11 ; kair lis in har, d. sleepy. 1 ir, '•// '/'" \V. it. ul. 11 . Bflrodi 1 . lorgt r. BQtidi t. . K .1 ir, /" //'"/.< . '/". riki ■ 240 DICTIONARY. Kekker, no, never. Anner, to bring. Nikker, to swallow. Dan'er (dander), to bite. Rikker, to keep, hold. Puder, to blow. Sikker, to show, help, secure. Ruder, to clothe. Sikker, sure, certain. "Wuder, a door. Chokker, to shoe. Kessur, to care. Hocker, to jump. Kusser, to adorn. Hokker, to carry. Nisser, to swallow. Nakker, to stray. Pessur, to pay. Makker, to defile. Tasser, to drown, choke. Pogger, to break. Wusser, to throw, flimj. Rakker, to speak, talk. Shokker, to yell. Laster, to find. Stakker, to climb into. Dukker, to tell fortunes. Praster, to run. Waster, to hold, handle. Lucker, to hide. Nucker, to neigh. Pukker, to tell, ask. Shukker, to shake. Suker, to warm. Duter, to rise (the sun). Luter, to steal. Jotcr, together. Giller, to sing. Huller, to carry. Luller, to yell at. Miller, to mix, adulterate. Midler, to kill. Sliiller, to shiver. Tiller, to hold. Bosher, to play the fiddle. Bosher, to bark. Dusher, to vex, grieve. Kosher, to beat. Nasher, to spoil, lose. Trasher, to frighten. Kister, to ride. Lester, his, to him. B6r, a hedge. Chore, to steal. Cor, the edge. Levinor, beer, ale. M6r, to kill, murder. Por, a feather, tail. Shtor, four. Dur, far. Gur, the thunder. Kur, to fight. Kur, outside. Lur, to steal. Shur, the beginning. S Jas, he, she, it went. Ja pfdass, go behind. Kass, hay. Las, he, she, it got, took. DICTIONARY. 249 Leilas, he, she, it took. Mas, meat. Nakelas, was silent . ndkelas, he never spoke. Pendaa, lie, she, it said. Pyass, fun, a gati w, shade, shadow. Tas, a cup. Vas, Ae, »Ae, it came. it. Rdmmanis, Oipsy ; roAAer Rdmmanis, to talk Oipsy. Kcttenu-. Kurimus, a fight. J'iitsems, possible, credibL . /hwn patscr, to believe, trust. PQ», «'/•'<"'. ITiviu-i, " "'• '■/. •, W I. ■ >tal. Tom-pat, Sk:it. Av, come. Doe'yiiv, river, sea. Gav, a town, village. Kur'hav, a proverb. Lav, a word. Nav, a name. Si'iv, to laugh. Tav, thread. Cliiv, to put Hev, a AoJe, window. Giv, wheat. Jiv, «//>«. Kiv, /'. he. Shove, •<'>. Save, to .<'"/'. GLOSSARY. acai, here. acoi, /c re, • >, th is. .il.luvel, that. a : ti ti;t. then. . th > rt . . addllo, adul, that. ■:h. .1). | nk»n a lay, I alay, \ down. ) Alisa, Mice [a proper name). am&ndi, ux . im£n, among. ame*ndi diii, we two. an, on. I bring. ■ against. England. ir, to begin, inner, to bring. annerela, it br\ . back again. .-■ 1 1 v i -i • /;/') apdpli, back again. , /•// night. ■ i l.io. i. »o, thus, a ■ i 252 GLOSSARY. atch, to remain, stay. atrasb, afraid. atukno, sorry. atut, across. ;iv, come ; avakai, come here. avali, yes. avava, will come. avava, / come. avolla (vela), he, she, or it is coming. avellan, they are coming. ave'nna, they come. aver, a comer, one who comes. avessa, thou comest. avo, yes. avri, away, out of. awali, yes. awer, but. B ba, brotha; friend. bai (by), sleeve, bough. babalo-dye, grandmother. babus, grandfather. bak, luck. bakelo, hungry. bakeugro, shepherd. bakro, lamb, sheep. baktalo, lucky. bailor, hair; bal, a hair; balno, hairy. ballovas, bacon. balo, a pig ; balor, pigs. balo, ; . i , , \ a PVJ> « hor J- baulo, ) balor, pigs {policemen). ' ( brother h ) 7, ) ■ ' > air, wind, breath. inr. bar, hedge. bar, a garden. bar, a pound. bar, a stone. bari, baris, a snail. baro, great. barvelo, i, rich {fern.) bau, baw, bav, bavel, bavelo, windy. bavo, ) . , ' \ wind, bavol, ) bavol, dust. baz, back, behind, open. beeno, born. beng, the devil, fame ; o puro beng, the old devil. b ^ al °' X devilish. benge'skro, S bdngis, the devil. bengis bis zi, the devil in his heart. berk, breast. bdro, ship, boat. be"sb, to sit. besh, a year. beshava, / sit ; beshela, he sits. beshdas, he sat. beshduic, I sat. beshed ably, he, she, or it sat down. beabella, he sits, to sit. beshellan, they sit. besberm^ngro, one who sits, a judge or magistrate. beBkin', sitting. GLOSSARY. 253 b&hor (beshya), years. besbtoluy, to sit down. bibi, aunt. bikin, to sell. bikin&va, / do or will sell. bisa, poi • from beans. bisser, to for bitcber, to send, to < mi'. bitcberin-kers, police or as con bitcberin-niiisbor, magistn bitcher pfid£l, / ■rt. liitti, a bit, a Utile, . m.) bittider, fainter, lover . smaller. bitti-muUya, goblins. bitto, a bit, " littl biv£n, ran; uncooked. blan, wind. hungry, luck, /.* /"/. bow, do l..',;, bowi 'I. ' r '/' /. ling. bor, " '...//. . Walton 1 prop* r noi .,• It'.;// town, 1 ighi d. Hi, growing. I I, .1 I bosb, a fiddle, to bark, noise. bosbom^ngro, a fiddler, a fiddle. bosbto, a saddle. brisbin, ) ' \ rain. brisbindo, ) bruno, brown. bud, after. iika, a shop. budeskro. a successor. btikko, livi r. buller, tn boil. bullerin, boiling. bunner, to shape, build. bunnerin, building. buno, boi'no, proud. v, ry, much, often. buti, very, many, butider, more. butidosta. ) , ' plenty. I 1, \ •.-I ... ./ workman. • ./■/•. 'oai, /"/•', i.e., acai. CHinlo, Lovcll 1 /',■■■/'< /• nnmi . ■ cdulo, unwilling. this, In re, Ivai ■ hi, girl. 'ii drtu (obyrut), ) oblrtiB, f ■ I1.1I, /'/, chiv avri, to put out or away. chav-i, chav'or). chivava, I do, or will, put, &c. chavorli, here, children ! mates. chivella, he, she, or it puts, d->: ch&vdri, chicken. cheirus, time. chivved, ) chido, \ P«*, placed. cheirusses, times. chdkka, boots, shoes. chorus, time. chommany, something. chi, girl (pron. chy). chone, the moon. chib, chiv, tongue ; boro apre the chdng, a knee-joint, hill. club, boastful {great on the chor, grass. tongue). chore, a thief. chichi, nothing, fie. chori, poor ( fem. ) chikk, ashes, dirt, sand. chorin, thieving. chidom, / put, placed, st ick, choro, poor (masc. ) laid. chorredo, not of pure Gipsy blood, cbldom, me, 1 put. stolen. chin, to cut, to write. chovahani, a witch. china mangri, a letter. choveno, poor. chingari, a row, a quarrel. chovihan(i), a wizard. chinger, through. chdvveny, j> 001 ' (pron. chuv- chinger, to tear, to scold, to veny). quarrel, tear. chufa, petticoat, skirt. chingaror, sparks. chtikker, to hit together. GLOSSARY. 255 l\ kisses. ehukkered, shod, booted, cbukko(a), coat (ch cbuma, to ki cbumbo, chumba, a hi/I. cbumbor, hills. cbumer, to kiss. chumor, cbuniya, cbumuieny, something. cbunger, to spit. cburelo, beard- d. elm re no, poor. cburi, a la cburya, knh churider, poort ''. cburdo, a quadroon, »■<' of chturredo, ' pun Qipsy blood, (chur'd'O, ( alsoa poorpt iln'iry, I ohdrried, cUn clilUI cbu ■ I chuv .lit. nkets, i)< '■ ut \ . cutteieugerls, bits, pieces. ciittor, bit. D dad, \ dadas, \ a father. dado, ) dadesko, or dadeskro, fatherly. dai, a mother. das, g de, the. deari, dear. ■ n . gain . deep (English), pure, accurate, correct (languagt |, deep-dirus, deeper, purer. deepodii Ldest, dt ept st, purest. del, Id dick diekdo, ■ • iimi, / saw. dick kale, to look black or glum. •llekl kief. 256 GLOSSARY dicktum, J saio. dick pall, remember (look buck). dikk, to wait, to see. dil, a wish ; dill, quick. dill, hearty, cordial. dilleri, bold, clever. dinnelo, a fool, stupid. diplus, o dimple. dipplor, dimples. divio, ) . , . . >• »iaa, insane . divius, ) divvus, a rfa?/ ; o boro divvusko divvus, the day of judgment. doeyav, a stream, river. 'doi's, there is. dood (dud), light. dood (dud), a month. ddrdi, see there ! dori, rope or twine. duii, string, cord. ddvalay, down there. dov' e lo, what is that 1 dovo (duvvo), that. drab, poison, a drug. drubbed, poisoned. drabber, to poison. drabe"ngro, a doctor, druggist. 'dr6, in (for adrd). dre bis drom, in his own way. drom, way, road. drom, ) , } way, road. drornus, ) •" dromya, roads. droppi, a drop. druinos, ) drum, S a roadwa y- dud, light. dud, a shooting star. dud, moonlight ; taley the dud, by moonlight ; div'sko dud, daylight. dud-bar, diamond. dudikabin, making a clean sweep of everything in the house, under pretence of pro- pitiating the planets ; a species of fraud often practised by Gipsy women. dui, tico. dui-dash (i.e., dui-tas), a cup and saucer. duiyav, a stream, river. dukk, pain. dukk, spirit. dukker, to tell fortunes. dukker, to pain, grieve, chide. dukkerben, grief, trouble. dukkerin, telling fortunes. dukkeriu', templing, dukkeripen, fortune-telling, an augury. dfxkkero, sorrowful. dull, a declivity. dum, back. dumbo, a hill. dumo, back. dur, far, long, deep. durmi, among. durodirus, longer, farther. dush, } harm, hard treatment. dush, ) sorrow. dusker, to harm, injure, grieve. ~A GLOSSARY. ^57 dusherari, difficult : mfi dusher, don't harm, don't grieve. dusberi, hard. Du vel-nasherdo, God-forsah n . duvels-panni, rainbow. dya, oh, moth r .' dye, a motlur. dyeskri dye, grand molht r. r. engri, wh 1 1,. \fies a thing, wh rally <■■ • agent. enne.ih, nine. esti, for sa esti (s'asti). i i • i h'liid. I fen ■ ■ '■•Ik. gavengero, ) , } a policeman. ogro, ) ^ {on, from, away, out of. fotografeugro, a photographer. . G g£d, " shirt. garadom, / /'. u» m ni. ghie*n, they wt nt : ghilo, gone. L'il ) ' ' ' f.< ting. gill, ) gillaben, a .•■»;/, « tinging. Ik tang. gilldla, /-■ giller, to sing. I, hi ing, ■ Q( 1 .1;,./ k( l!' Qinny pftni ; Vinjii (prop r nan R 253 GLOSSARY. giv, wheat, oats. givi?scro, a farmer, farming. givili, a song. giv-puvior, oat-lands. glal, before, in front of. g<5i, pie, pudding, sausage, cfcc. gorgiki, English, not Gipsy (fern.) gorgiko, English, not Gipsy (mas.) gorgio, a white man, not a Gipsy. gorgiones, in English. graior, horses. gninya, a barn. gnisui, a mare. griiv, a bull. gruvni, a cow. gry, a horse. gudli, noise. gudli, sweetly. gudlo, a trick (masc.) gudlo, sweet, a siceet thing, sugar (tnasc.) gujer, to make a deep noise. gunno, a bag, sack. giiri, to make a noise. gurlo, throat. gurni, a cow. gurniaver, a cucumber (b.d.) gusveri, wise, discreet. guzno, proud. ha, bfil, to eat; hadom, I ate. habben, food. liitder, to lift. hdddered, lifted. hadem, v;e ate. bafta, seven. halaben, a meal. hd.mil, to attack. hamlin, kneading. hanik, a well. hanser, to ridicule. baro, balono, copper. batcb, to stand, stay, bring ; to hatch a tan, to pitch a tent; to hatch it, to stand it — i.e., to endure it. hatched aprc, stood up. hatche'lla, he, she, or it stands. hatcherdo, stood, stayed. hdtchin, standing. hatch opre", to stand up. haurini (hyno, htinnalo), cross, angry. hav, cornel hav acai, come here, ! hav avri, come away ! haw, to eat. heb, heaven. hdfta, seven (masc.) he"f ti, seven (fern, and pi.) hekka, hekki, hokki, haste ! hcrro, heni, leg, wheel. hev, a hole; coal-hev, a coal-hole. hev, a dimple, heaven. hevengries, shutters. hcvyor, valleys. hevyor, windoivs. hikker, to confess. hockabeu, a lie, a fraud. hockeni, false, fraudulent, de- ceptive ; deceit, a lie. GLOSSARY. 259 hdcker, to jump. hockerin, springing, jump hockerpen, a lu . fra ud. hono (hyno), angry. hopper, to carry away. hoppercor . nian. Lora. a watch, hour. "'J- hyver, to look into, to pry lain. "peek" {American). I i, she, thai. iudi, firewood. hon ,»/. hotchella, it bv is, if. 'it)W. hdtcher, /<• hum. hckchereil, burnt. J notches Itchi, a fa . ui. whist gaiters, hub, / hafi. a cap. hukl. '.-/ j5, go. jafra, ajSfro, as such. jBl, to go. j.il, /o ma&e to /. U r. ;inn). ■ ill, ///(// yo. dry ' jail jampa, frog or U jrm. /">/• JB an. in, goin'. hunm I go, 1 1' HI iju. jaw, go. jaw vi 1. :/" "» llll.-l. ■!•. .'/"■ iiuj. 1 jib, language, .'/•"-<•// .• dn jll>, in ; 1 260 GLOSSARY. jido, living, 'dive. jiller, to sing. jillo, n- ( pi. kanawor). kaiia, kan, when. kaugri'-ki dromyS, church-going ways, pit ty. kaiigrl, church. "•P° T ' \ churchyard. ry-pQv, ) k&ni, , I" In/.' . kap, in if 1 . kap-i "'"". ket. ./', call !'•■ •if. in. neck. kann (k&Ol) " "/. day. in 'j. that 1/ . '•., that, 'in. ke'das [i.e., kordas^, t/tuu didst, ye did. ke-diwus, to-day, kek, no, not,' none. kekavi, « pot, kittle. kek covva. nothing. kek-kek kuini, ,; not no more," " never no mm-' ." kekkeno, none, notfiing. kekker, »". kekkumi, im ur>r< . kek nai, not, tin re is nit. kc-kumi, any more. kel, to dance. killed, danced. ki'llrla, it kdllin. dancing. ki'il.ili.'ii, '< dana . a ball. kenaw, > , now. kennS, 1 kennft, «./■■ ■■ •'■ 262 ar.ossARY. kessur, to care, tc.it, try; mainly kessava, / care. keti, to, towards, staight to. kettena, % ketteui, \ together. kettenus, ) ki (pron. kye), wherever, where. ki' and 'doi, here and there. kil, > ■ .-|i } to play, to dance. kil. /littler; kil-curro, buttercup. killer, to bloom. killin, playing. kin, to buy. kin, the edge. kinlo, . tired. kinyo, kissi, much ; sar kissi, how much ? kister, to ride. kitchema, an inn : boro kitcb- ema, (/mud hotel. klisiu, lock-up. klisin, /'/ vnnd around spirally, to twist about. klisin, a key, a lock. k<>, what. kokeri (/em.), ^ kokero (masc), ) ?' kok'ro — i.e., kokero. kom, to love, like. kommeni, some, somebody, any. k'.n (kun), who, then, when, thi re- fore, what. kor, eyebrow. koraben, noise. kor'ben, making a noise. a stick. korauna, a crown ; p&sh-korauna, half-a-crown. koredo (kurredo), blind. koosi, kiisi, fevj. kosh, koskter, kosliter-stogg, a rick of faggots. kosser, kusser, to clean. krallisa, the queen. Krallisas gav, Windsor. Krallis'wesb, Windsor Forest. kri-krla, kiri, an ant. krili. funny. kiider, to open. kukalus, doll, fairy, dwarf gob- lin. kulla (kolla), things. kumbo, a //ill. kuuii, quiet. kun, who, when. kiineri, old. kunjerni, secretly. kunji (koonjee), narrow, close. kunsus, corner, end. kunter, to adulterate. kur, to -strike, beat, fight, to gru re, vex. kuraben, a blow, a fight. kurame'ngro, fighting man, war- rior. kured, beaten. kurbav, a proverb. kuri, a cup, vessel. kuricus, a week. kurri (kiilli ?), tin. kiirran, an oath. GLOSSARY. 263 kurredo, beaten. kurried, beaten. kursas, kurshni, dexterous. kuaker apre, to flatter. kushko, ;/ kasbkipen, goodness. kushtier, better. kfiahtiest, best. kushti-riidered, wdl-d, kushto, good. kuahto-bak, good luck. iit'jdiiu-. kusDo, a basket. la, she, h < r. lab, lav, Up, edge, profit. laj, ashamed. liiji. 'y. Liki, /<> r, of or t" her. la«a, /" /-, u ith In r. latcl. ep. I id. met . lit., we n'l. ■ I. [ftti, '•/ fa '•, ■ I lavL'ngro, re linguist, professor, orator. ldvus, a word. le, t/f '.;/. lei, Jo /ij iii m. . to him . kdkero, him ■ l«'-v in.i, > '/-. /• 1 1 •■ 1 van llvinor, > Idvin I,, it. Ii'iln, / to 264 GLOSSARY. lxl, a book. lutfi ch£vo, adopted son. lilai, lilei, lily, summer, maid- lutter, to wallow (luttcrin adre hood. chik). Lilengreski gav, Cambridge luva, money (lovey). (book-learners' toivn). lino, taken. M lis, it, him. ma, don't. livinongris, hops. mai (my), /. Livine"ngri-tem, Kent maila, a donkey. livvena, beer (livena or levina, ma rakker, don't speak. probably more correct than null, m&lor, malya, companions. levinor). maluna, lightning or thunder. lo, he, it, that. man, /. lock, a shadoio. man, musn't, don't! ladder (pron. also ludder), to man, the heart, soul. lodge, abide. mander, from me. loko, heavy or light. mandy, /, to me, me. lolo-pabo, tomato. mang, to beg, ask; mi mangav lougo-duro, farther. tute, / beg you. louver, ) mangermengro, a beggar. Iowa, r mano, silly. , , } mown. man pen, mustn't say. lovvy, ) m;tnsha tu, cheer up ! luchipen, sensuality. mansy, with me. ludderin, shaking. maniish, a man. luilan, they vanish ; len luilan mdnushi, a woman. 'vri, they vanish away. man'y, e.g., mandy. luller, to vanish, disappear. mariklo, cake. lulli, farthing. maro, bread. lullo, red. maro's 'ker, an oven. lullo 0' the yora, yolk. martadas, he wailed. lullopen, redness, ruddiness. martava, / wail. lun, salt. mas, meat ; Mas-diwus, Sunday. Lundra, London. mdsker, in the midst of. Lundrameskro jiv, London life. mdtcha, a fish. lur, to rob. ' inatchka, cat. GLOSSARY. 265 mdtchyor, fisha. imitto, drunk. mavi, rabbit. mee, mi, a mile. meeyor, mior, m Hi*. men, among. men, to me. men, mendui, ux two. mengy, me, to meY, (0 die. m^red. died : yoi'd a-m : i 1. »Ae ;, ,/. merdla, he, she, or it dies. meriben, death, mi, /. me, my. mi'iiri, my dear. uvl, God. mi duTrel'. tern, | Miduvi lua tcni, J mili, .»■" ■'///. tij ill«;r. to add up, i" a □tinner, to mah a fuss. minno, mini miraben ith. miri, in;/. ■ ili. apicture , muiengri, ) mujer, "' uk ' ' told,toleave,tobev>orth. imikk. \ makk alay, to let down. nifikkuv, let go. uiukk mengy jal, h t me go) mOkker, to fly. mokkeran dttro, flying far. mQkkered avri, flown away, let out mukkered avi i bia dOkk, h livered himself {libera ■ n.) iinill (mol in nil- r, to die, to kill. mOJIered, killed, a\ ad. tnQllerin, dy mull", dead. [o, a bubbli . lhado mull 1, a spirit, gh i.l pig, mQllo < i.r 266 GLOSSARY. mumeli, light, candle. muii, the forehead. munella, he, she, or it squeezes. miinjer, to pinch, a pie/ that has died a natural death. muscro, a policeman. mush, a man, a mouse. mushero, masculine. mushi, arm. mutchimengro, a tanner. niiitteriniengri, tea. inyla, a donlcey. inylas, donkeys. N ndflo, ill, sick. naflopen, an illness. ndflopen-kair, a hospital. uak, end. nak o' ye divvus, the end of the day. nai, a finger-nail, there is not, non est. nango, naked, bare. narkeri (nakkeri), spiteful. nasher, to lose, to hang, forget, spoil, run. nashered, ) , 77. ' I hanged, lost. nasherdo, ) nas3, away ! nasser, to lean on. na3ti, ^ it is not to, unable, can- nastis, n'asti, ; nav, a name. not. navvo, named. net, not. nevvi, new. nidderi (nudderi), ignorant. nik-but, no good. nlli, blue. nisser, to swallow. nisser the beng and silr jivin, to swallow the devil and every living thing. nisser, to remove, miss, avoid, keep away, pour out, empty, extinguish, to vex. nisseri cuvva. a strange thing. nitchi, pee rish. nok, the nose. noko, one's own. nutti, nuts. O o, the (masc.) oitoo, eight. okki, okai, there. opre", on, up. ora, or, (broken dialect). ovavo, the other, the next. pa, for, on. pa, for ; hatch pa, leste, wait for him. pa, by, near, on. pabos, apples. paiass > \ sport, jollity. paias, ) paiascro, jolly. GLOSSARY. 267 again, behind. juikker, to defend, to clean. pal, a brother. pal of a lav, accent (i.e.. its brother, M.C.) pala, <>h, brother I paldll, pali, palass, pal.-, paller, to follow ; to nourish, to rear. paller an, follow af palor, brethren. pander, to tie, to suspend. pandered, tied, bound, paDflerpen, the pound. I'.iin': this form by an English Oipsy, who i first learned it fron man m'pana.) panj. ptfnni, water ; pari the ptfoni, ovt r ii> r, to app papiro, /"'/■< r. !■ . par-akdi, befort now, pararit, split, shatter. pari, 'M/r. pan 1 ■. thank you. toon. pBal ly. ighbouring. pasher a push bar, nearly half -a- pound. pash-korauna, half-a-crown. -riil 1 , grey '(half-bh" \. pattfi, a sign. patrin, a leaf. patser, credit, trust, belli ve. patserdo, trusting. patsered, promised niB, possiblt . 1, ) _ . !• a track, a ai'/it. pauli, behind, after. pailllO, wl ISC.) pauni, white (fern.) pauvero, poor. peerdos, travt H< rs. ■■ rs. pekker, to roast or bake. fallt a. pelled avri, fallen off. 'pels it. alay, drops it. pelt alay, falU n <<]!'. pem, a thing. pen, to say, (•> think. I ---ii (a '• rmination furrn- ing nouns, as kusht* , leu htipeo, goodness). 1. I .in. pendaa, Hutu lid, p< Ii'i: ' 1. / lid. p( Di I "'. penellan, they say. pennas, thou sayest. pennin, saying, 268 GLOSSARY. pennis, a saying. poller, to feed, nourish. pensa, pensi, like, as. pooro, poor. per, to Jail. poov, the earth, ground ; a field. pesh, to shine. pordo, full. peskri, her own ; peski, self. por^ngripen, writing. pessur, to pay. pori, a feather, pen, or tail. Petulengro, Smith (a proper porno, bacon. name). posserben, burial. philissin, a mansion. pov, earth, ground ; afield. pi, to drink ; to pi your kam- praio-tem, heaven (query, praller- moben, to drink your tem). health. praler — i.e., palor. piuder, to attack. praller sherro, overhead. pingoro, an associate. prasser, to abuse. plopen, drink, something to drink. praster, to run. piredor, travellers, walkers. prasterin o' ye gryor, horse- pirella, he walks. races. pirengri, a traveller {fan.) 'pre — i.e., opre, apre. pirengro, a walker, a traveller. puders, it blows. plri, afoot. piikk, to say, to speak, to tell, to pirriben, ) , } a ivalk. pirraben, J sing. pukdr, aloud. pirried, walked. pukeni, quiet [fern.) pirro, beginning : tacho pirro, pukeno, quiet {masc.) well begun. pukkelan, they tell, they say. pirro, dear, free ; afoot. pukker, to tell. pirros, feet. pukkeras, thou tellest. pirryin. walking. pukkerin, telling. pirryni, dear, sweetheart (fern.) pur, to change, to turn. pirryno, dear, a sweetheart puraben, a turn, the action of (masc.) turning, exchange. plashta, a red cloak, mantle. pureni, old age. poggado, broken. puri, old, aged (fern.) pdggado zi, broken heart. puripen, old age. pogger, to break. puro, old {masc.) poggerella, he, -she, it breaks. purr, belly. GLOSSARY. 269 to ask. purub, purus, west (Hindustani, the east). pus, stra piisheno, buried. pQsimegrid, spurred, pricked. pusta, " spur. putch, putcher, jiutcbin, asking. puts. > a pocket. • ) puv, earth, ground ; a field. pfiva, } ural -//puv. payor, ) ' J ' puv-vardo, plough. jollity, fun. R rackli, a girl. rak, lei r-ik, /nkr ,■ rakker, to ■ peak, to talk. rakli, <* girl. raklo, " boy. ran, an />>'-/ (Hindu, rangini, run, " lady. to ink' offendress. 1 hi. gymen. ) r.i-ili : n 1. r to, a I •■/. rati i'j. night. rutteskri nightly, (fern.), in the night. ratteskro (max.) nightly. ratfully, blood;/. rati, rStti, rani, ) rawney, > a lady. rawni, ) religionus, religion. rig (rikk), sidi . ir, to take, Carry. rikk, . rikk, ) . , • to /■■ ep. rikker, ) rikk' /'/, keep, retain. rikkered, kept. rikkers, k< keeps, he carries. rikkorus, beside, aside; thesi anything. rinkeni, pretty (/em.) rinkeno, pretty (m r. in bribi . r, to turn, tun, t, dbc. tn mblt . shake, stir. riv, to wear (ridder, 1 Cider), rodder, to ireh. p>i, 1 (Hindu, d 1/;. rokkerapen, / , 1 speech. rpen, ) Rom, a hu y Hindu, I ' in . • ii-ij. (//.. Domni). Elomi Rommani 1 Hpsy fash\ 2-0 GLOSSARY. he or she weeps. Rommaiii chal, a Gipsy lad. Kuinmaui joter, the Gipsy f/ather- ing cry. Ii<5tmnanipen, Gipsydom. ll(5mraauis, Gipsy language. ;;'! mmani ' | Gipsy. Kommano, ) romni, a wife. rov, to cry, to weep. rovades, he wept. rovel, rovella, rudaben, dress. rudderin, seeking. rudela, he or she seeks. ruder, to search, feel the person, S< i !:. ruderpen, dress. rukestamengro, a squirrel, liter- ally, having to do with trees. rukk, rukk, rukker, rukkor, rummer, to marry. rummered, ) . , rummoed, ) runjer, to distress. ruppeni, ambitious. ruppeno, silver. rush, clean. i iaher, to attack. ruskni, bright. ruvv, to weep, cry. ruz, day. a tree, the gallows. trees. ruzk o' the sala, dawn. riizha, a flower. ruzhior, flowers. ruzlo, strong, bold, harsh, stiff. ruzno, strong, bold. rya, oh, sir ! rye, a yentleman. ryeskro, gentlemanly. S sa, such, so, like, as. sa buti, as much as. safran, yellow. ■sako, all this. sakumi, as ever. sala, the morning. salamauka, a table. salivardo, salivaris, bridle. sani, soft (fern.) sano, soft, thin, slender (masc.) sap, a drop. sar, all. sar, with, as, like, hoiv. sarapre, all over. sarasar, altogether, always. sar but, how much ? saridui, both. sarishau, how do you do ? (for sar shan). sar ja, everywhere, all. sarlo, morning. 8a.ro, all. sarrati, all night. sar'sban, see sarisban. sa saf, all right. sastis, can, able. GLOSSARY. 27I sasti, perhaps, may be, must, should, . a hundred. shell, t" cry or scream out. a, a cry. ■ ried out. tben /'/"('/ /,<"/,. captain. t- 1 1 11 0, ) ro, A""/. sb&r ' me, i. (■'.''/. bLSU cold. ) 1 am ; shomas, / was, ) we were. shilleri, cool, chilly. sbillo, cold. skillopen, cold. shirmil, the north. shindo, wet. shir avrl, to pour out. sbirki, star (chlrikl). Bbirro, sour. shock, a bough. sllDll). mi shorn, shorn shillo, I am cold. shore, to praise (shar). Bborin, praising, boasting. shoshoi, a hare or rabbit . shov, six. sbtor, four. -lniba, a woman's gown. .-liukai-, quietly, gently, dry. r, in wither, fade, dry up. shaker, to begin. .slml, to whistle (sholl, shell), shun, listi 11. BbQnaben, , hi wring 1 tin . ou/nd of tin voice; pardon; judgmt nt. Bbtlnalo, shinlo, bad, ill ti mpt red. ahdnela, she hi ned, heard, !• lo, / hear. • rjd 1, im, / heard (ti ^■l m in L< a mum). hi, beautiful . I erhaps, -7- GLOSSARY. si, as. si, the soul, heart. si, be, is. siddi, naughty. sldus (zido), alive. sig, quickly, strait////, right. sig, «-•«?/, manner, indication, sign, disguise, likeness, col- our ; kek sig, no right. sig, or sik o' the tem, the law. sig, to be ; sig, for, to pity. sigaben, a chance. sigan, straight on. siggadiro, quicker. sig o' my zi, anxious. si kiinielo, if is //Xv ///. gikker (sigger), to shea; to teach, able. sikker, sure. sikkerava, / teach, shew, what is, why, what. sossi, what is it ? sosti, has to, must, ought. sov, to sleep, to lie down. soyadum, / slept. sovahall, to stvear ; an oath. sove, to sleep, lie down. sovar, sleepy. spinya, a pin (Med. Greek). [I, a hat. stani, buck, stag. Stans Chamber, St Anne's Hill. stanya, stable. star, to imprison. stardi, a hat. Btaripen, prison, imprisonment. starmdskero, imprisoned. staror, the stars. starribened, imprisoned. starya, stars. Btekka, a stack. GLOSSARY. ?75 Stigga, a gate. suder apre, hun>j up. suji (saji) dovo, what is that ' suker, to burn. tanopen, childhood, youth. tanya, tents, camp. tarderin, hiding. tas, a cup. sukni, hot. tasfila, this morning. sum, to taste, smell. sumeli, meet-smelling. tasser, to strangle, svj' dro suneli, handsome. sunered, suuado, left behind. .sfir, deep. BQrni, bright red. .-urrt-lo, strong, hard fiurriko-niu.slj, an actor. tassered, suffocated, strangled, drowned ; beng tasser tute, • under. timer, ( tullno, ; tulker, bitti r. tiillo, fat. tuneri, fierce. tute, thou, you. tuv, smoke. tuv, grief. U -us, a termination often added to English or Gipsy nouns to disguise them. utar, ivest. uzar, by chance. vaccasho, lamb. vanka, when. vas, he went, she ivent. vasl, he or .she went. v&ssavo, bad. vasti ' I a hand. vast, ) V:iv;t, trill (affix). vlas, he came. vin (lei vin), take care. V10m ' ( / came, we came. vlom, ) vonggar, money, coal. v6riso, variso, nothing, anything. voro, flour, meed. voudress, a bed. GLOSSARY. 275 W wel, to wel, to come ; used to wSdreas, bed. nress the future. wafli, thin, scanty. wen, winter. I h „/. waffodi, ) wendsto, wintry. wesh, a forest, a v;ood. wSffodi jivvin, bad or hard life. weshengreski, appertaining to waffodipen, < vil. forest rangers. wSfodi, bad. weshengrdski chorin, poaching. dipen, evil. wesh<5ugro, a forester, a game- wafro, ) keeper. weshni, forest, wood;/, wild. wSiro-dickeuo,bad-loohing(ugly). weshni drom, the road towards wiifropen, evil. a forest. walin, a botUe, a vessel. hni-jukal, a fox. walin dukb, n vessel <>f wrath. weshni kilni, a pheasant. wardo, a cart , van. wiflhto, lip. waiter, to watch, * witchaben, hatred. wartni nnvli, watchman. wi tcher, to h wast, a hand, wdngish, a little, a short time. -pord, a handful. wi'.ngur, money, coal. . han l> ■ wdngur-diwus, Saturday {pay- day). wdrriaao, anything. • r. another, (he otJu r. u cider, a door. hi'-ny. /"/■< ign, belong' 1 , .1 to throw. 1 1,, another country. \:y. dltC. 1 ■ rcntly, othen Y ■■ yfick, an 1 Urt . m inspector. ■ -, ./''' ry. dta «lukli, " come to g obib, a tongui of fire, 1 r ■ ' 'i fair. flame. ) ai, fiery. wt-lliii, 1 2j6 GLOSSARY. yakiin, certain, i. c., mai ked, yek pal' a waver, one after an- observed. other. yakk, an eye, a wink ; to dell yiv, snoic, ice. the yakk, " to give the yog, fire. office," to wink. yoi, she. ^ kkas ' 1 eyes. yakkor, J y° L I they. yul, ' yakkerpen, eyesight. yoras, eggs. ye, the. yuv, he. yeck ' ! one. yek, ) yuv yiizhered avri, he cleared off, vanished. yeck cdvva, one thing. yuzher, to clean. yeck'eti waver, one to another. ye"ckli, only. Z ye~ckno, one, single. zl, heart, mind, soul. y &kora ' I once. yekorus, ) zl-hush, sensible, shrewd (Persian, hush, sense, shrewdness). THE END. PRINTED BY UA1.I.ANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000 192 587