Betsy Bungay Lyrics
Two children make a seat with their hands and carry a third, then sing "you're the lock and I'm the key" and let their passenger down.
Betsy Bungay
Hi, Betsy Bungay, all day on Sunday;
You're the lock and I'm the key,
All day on Monday.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/betsy-bungay/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Sung game
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Hi, Betsy Bungay | Two children hold each other's wrists to make a four-hand seat. |
| You're the lock | The first carrier sings this line. |
| And I'm the key | The second carrier answers, and they lower their friend gently to the ground. |
What Does Betsy Bungay Mean?
The two carriers make a sedan chair, an old kind of seat that people were carried in by two bearers. The lock and the key are the two carriers, whose hands fit together to hold the chair, and when they open their hands the passenger comes down. Betsy Bungay is just a name chosen for its bouncy sound.
History and Origin
Alice Bertha Gomme recorded the game in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1894). Her correspondent's mother learned it from her own mother, a native of the Isle of Thanet, and Gomme thought it probably belongs to Kent. In the old game the passenger was dropped to the ground; today it is safer to lower them gently onto grass or a cushion.
Learning Activities
- Four-hand seat: practice the hand grip first without a passenger.
- Gentle landing: play on grass or a soft mat and lower your friend slowly.
- Days of the week: carry on the song with Tuesday, Wednesday and the rest.