Hark the Robbers

DESCRIPTION: "Hark the robbers coming through, coming through, coming through, Hark the robbers... My fair lady." "What have the robbers done to you?" "You have stole my watch and chain." "Off to prison you must go." "Here's a prisoner we have got"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1895 (Sutton-Smith-NZ-GamesOfNewZealandChilden/FolkgamesOfChildren)
KEYWORDS: playparty robbery prison
FOUND IN: Britain(England(All)) Ireland New Zealand
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Sutton-Smith-NZ-GamesOfNewZealandChilden/FolkgamesOfChildren, pp. 32-33, "(Here's a prisoner we have got)," "(What have the robbers done to you)" (2 texts)
Brady-AllInAllIn, pp.140-141, "Here's the Robbers Passing By" (1 text, 1 tune)
Kane-SongsAndSayingsOfAnUlsterChildhood, p. 73, "Here are the robbers coming through" (1 text)
Peirce-KeepTheKettleBoiling, p. 34, "(We are the robbers coming through)" (1 text)
Roud #13172
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Half of the Castle" (sometimes played as part of this game)
NOTES [53 words]: Peirce-KeepTheKettleBoiling explains this as an "arch game," where the players go through an arch and have to choose between two options (she says gold and silver) to choose teams. I am guessing the "arch" is two children joining their arms over their heads (since I recall such games), but Peirce does not say so. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.6
File: SuSm032

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