T.Ratcliffe (1898)
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Transcription
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9th S. II. DEC. 24, '98.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 511
"Christmas-Tup" (9th S. ii. 318). - The
"Christmas-tup" is another name for the old
friend 'The Derby Ram,' and under this head
with introductory note a complete version is
given by the late Llewellynn Jewitt in 'Ballads
and Songs of Derbyhire' (Derby, Bemrose
& Sons, 1867). In his note Mr. Jewitt
says that Derbyshire folk have been fond of
their Ram for more than a century." He
states that the origin has yet to be ascer-
tnined, and its age is unknown. "The Darby
Tup" is in evidence all over the county at
Christmas time, and it is known here in
North Notts and Yorkshire immediately
adjoining. There are many different renderings,
but the best, as Mr. Jewitt says, is the
version he gives in his book. In this district
it is called "t' owd tup," "Darby tup," and
"a little tup" by the various bands of
boys who each Christmas take it round. The
lads get themselves up as "guisers," and the
"tup" wears a dried ram's head. Most of
the boys here begin their "nominny" thus:
There is a little tup, sir,
A standin' at your door,
An' if you'll have 'im in, sir,
He'll please you all the more.
Fayley, fayley,
Laddy, faladdy iday.
And they end :-
An' aw t' owd women i' Darby
Came begin' for his tail,
To ring the Darby passing bell
That hangs upon the nail.
Fayley, &c.
Mr. Jewitt's version is well worth quoting
in full, but it is somewhat too long for
'N. & Q.' I give the commonest version used.
here because the last verse is different from
many other that I have met with, for the "tail"
in this is wanted for the purpose of ringing
the Darby passing bell. In Mr. Jewitt's
version :-
And of this tail so long, sir,
'Twas ten miles auel an ell,
They made a goodly rope, sir,
to toll the market bell.
Daddle-I-day, daddle-i-day,
Fal-de-ral, fal-de-ral, daddle-I-day.
The lads also make "t' owd tup" the centre
of a "mummering play," in which there are
five chanters besides "t' tup," One of them in
woman's dress. In this play there is a good
deal of dialogue between the verses, which
are "sing-song'd." An attempt is made to
sell the "tup" which was "bought at
Darby." The owner fails to make a bargain,
and says, "Then Ah'll hay sum mutton fer
my supper." The fourth actor is a butcher,
and here he comes in to "stick t' tup," and is
allowed to do so, after he has detailed his
ability for the butchering business. The
[-- column break --]
Tup's "right left eye" is "bluffed," and the
tup is "Stuck" :-
Th' blood run seven mile, sir,
Seven mile or more;
It turned th' watter wheel, sir,
That ne'er war turn'd before.
. . . .
All the men i' Derby, sir,
Come beggin' for his tail,
To ring the Darby bell, sir,
All on a market day.
The fifth character is dressed as a "female
devil" :-
In comes owd Betsy Belzebub:
"On my showder Ah carry a club,
In my hand a drippin' pan,
Don't yer think Ah'm a jolly wo-man?
Ah'll sing yer a song,
It's not very long
But Ah think it's as good as enny:
Put yer hand i' yer purse,
An' think it no worse,
An' give poor owd Betsy some money!
Money Ah want an' money Ah'll have;
If yer don't giye me money
Ah'll sweep rer aw t' th' grave!"
By the way, Derbyshire men call each
other "Darby tups!" "Tha owd tup tha!"
both in appreciation of a "mate" and to
express contempt of some or his doings.
Here, and in some parts or Derbyshire,
"th' poor owd hoss" is taken round at Christ-
mas time, much after the fashion of "t' owd
tup," but I have not secured a complete
version of the doggerel used.
THOS. RATCLIFFE.
Worksop.
Tup o' Derby was such an animal as
is required. It was represented by a man
going on all fours and wearing the neccesary
hirsute covering. The ram's horns were
often gilded. The words sung by the accom-
panying mummers, which endow the ram
with abnormal properties, are to be found in
a collection of old Derbyshire ballads Comp-
piled by the late Llewellynn Jewitt. The book,
though out of print, is still obtainable from
second-hand dealers. ARTHUR MAYALL. |
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