The Game
Iona and Peter Opie observed that, although the rhyme had remained fairly consistent, the game associated with it has changed at least three times including: as a forfeit game, a guessing game and a dancing ring.
In The Young Lady's Book, published in 1888, Mrs Henry Mackarness described the game as:
The first player turns to the one next her, and to some sing-song tune exclaims:
- "Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?
- Do you know the muffin man, who lives on Drury Lane?"
- "Yes, I know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man;
- Oh, yes, I know the muffin man, who lives on Drury Lane."
- "Then two of us know the muffin man, the muffin man," &c.
Verses beyond those described in the book have been sung. For example, the song may be concluded, "We all know the Muffin Man…"
Read more about this topic: The Muffin Man
Famous quotes containing the word game:
“I hate that aesthetic game of the eye and the mind, played by these connoisseurs, these mandarins who appreciate beauty. What is beauty, anyway? Theres no such thing. I never appreciate, any more than I like. I love or I hate.”
—Pablo Picasso (18811973)
“Life is a game in which the rules are constantly changing; nothing spoils a game more than those who take it seriously. Adultery? Phooey! You should never subjugate yourself to another nor seek the subjugation of someone else to yourself. If you follow that Crispian principle you will be able to say Phooey, too, instead of reaching for your gun when you fancy yourself betrayed.”
—Quentin Crisp (b. 1908)