Paper of Pins - join in if you know the words

You may have noticed that currently I'm rather into the origins of old

songs and nursery rhymes with even the most tenuous of connections

to the Gentle Art (who incidentally make very find hand-dyed threads

- see below) of Needlework.

Gentle Art Sampler Threads (GAST to you 'n me)

Paper of Pins is one of those songs that would crop up now and again in

the sixties when folk clubs were all the rage and Aran clad youths clutching

acoustic guitars and banjo's would cup one ear as they leaned into a

microphone to rail loudly about the injustices of life both past and present

or love lost, found or coming rather nicely to the boil (preferably tonight).

Those were the days.  His Aran's in the wash.

I must admit that I don't always pay proper attention to the actual meaning of

the words being sung.  For years I thought the hymn "Gladly My Cross I'd Bear"

was not all about personal suffering, pain and redemption but instead a cheery

ditty about a cuddly, cross-eyed bear by the name of Gladly.

So the first verse, sung by the ardent young swain goes:  I'll give you a paper of

pins, If that's the way that love begins, If you will marry, marry, marry, marry.

If you will marry me.

His first offer!

It's small wonder that she turns him down.  A screw of paper with a load of pins 

in it is most certainly not the way love begins.  I wonder if that's where
that charming old expression "Fancy a quick screw darling" originated.
I know how it ended up.  How dare he, the cheapskate.

A few Vodka shots and a fish supper at the very, very least my lad!

Always check silver love spoons for
hallmarks girls.

It's all too easy to let the words slip by with no thought for what's actually going 

on.  So not being one to give up our young Jack the Lad up's the ante a bit and

sings:  I'll give to you a silver spoon, Feed the baby in the afternoon, If you will

marry etc.  Still not good enough.  Doesn't he know you have to clean silver

and who said anything about kids?  On your bike mister.

The golden balls of "Uncle's".  I wonder if they'd
advance him anything for his silver spoon?

Now at this stage it is unclear if the youth has been smoking illegal substances 

but forgive me for being suspicious of his next offer:  I'll give to you a golden

ball, To bounce from the kitchen to the hall. If you will marry etc.  Well something

should certainly bounce at this juncture.  Probably a pair of them and not

necessarily golden ones unless he's a footballer.

In one last desperate bid to hook up with the young lass he decides to go for broke

and offers her:  The keys of the chest and all the money that he possesses.  And

wouldn't you just know it, she says YES!  Crafty little baggage.  But here comes

the sting in the tail.  He says:  You love my money but you don't love me.

Withdraws his offer.  End it.

Well if it isn't Sally Free and Easy.

That is until now as I've just written a post script to this tale.  The swain (or should

that be swine?) spots little Sally Free 'n Easy (but that's another song for another

day) across the meadow, puts his paper of pins back in his pocket (also for another

day) and sets off in hot pursuit as he knows a winner when he sees one.

The moral of this tale is that a paper of pins in the hand isn't always necessary for a

quickie in the bush.  Happy stitching and beware of boys bearing pins.