Laterna magica

Tit for Tat - Partition musicale

If you cross the hill ! by my father's mill,
And walk along the fields about a mile,
By the willow copse, where the path way stops,
You'll find a very high and ankward stile ;

It has four high steps so widely set,
To cross it by myself I am afraid,
I never dare that way repair,
Unless at hand I've strong and friendly aid.

'Twas there, one day in the month of May,
I met a loving lad, and in my sweetest tones,
I asked would he mind, would be so very kind
As to help me o'er those four most awkward stones ?

He helped me -"one"- he helped me -"two"-,
And then, to my surprise, he paused and said :
"Rose, I love you" - I only laughed,
"Rose, do you love me ?" I said : "not I".

"Then stay where you are, sweet heart," said he,
And turned away without another word !
I could not get up out down in my fright,

What was I to do in such a sad and sorry plight ?
What was I to do in such a sad and sorry plight ?

"Come back ! come back !" I wildly cried,
"Come back !, come back ! I want to go to the town,
If you help me o'er the stile you'll gain my sweetest smile,
And p'rhaps I'll tell you more when I am down"

He helped me -"three"- he helped me -"four"-
Then with a laugh, I bounded lightly o'er !
"Rose, what say you ?" I only laughed,
"Rose, you promised!" I said :"not I !"

I told him to stay where he was just then,
And tripped away without an other world :
He did not get up ! he did not go down !
but sat upon the stile, looking at me with a frown,
And if you cross the hill, and walk about a mile,
I think you'll find him sitting on that self same stile !


Tit for Tat [Musique imprimée]/ paroles, Nemo ; musique, Henry Pontet . - Enoch & Sons, 58, Gret Marlborough Street, Londres - [10] p. ; 35,1 cm x 25,6 cm. [original]

L'histoire se déroule à la campagne (plaque 2). Pour accéder à la route qui mène à la ville, une jeune fille doit enjamber un mur (plaque 3), mais elle a le vertige et seule, elle ne peut y arriver. Un jour voyant un homme assis sur ce mur, elle décide de lui demander son aide pour pouvoir enfin passer par dessus (plaque 4). L'homme l'aide volontiers, mais alors qu'elle est à mi-chemin, il lui déclare qu'il aime et espère l'être en retour (plaque 5). Spontanément, la jeune femme répond que non. Furieux, il abandonne la jeune femme sur son mur avec son vertige (plaque 6). Le jeune femme le rappelle et lui promet de donner une autre réponse s'il l'aide à redescendre de ce mur (plaque 7). L'homme revient et l'aide ainsi jusqu'au bout et demande son dû (plaque 8). En réponse il n'a qu'un grand sourire de la jeune femme qui s'en va, le laissant seul à son tour sur le mur (plaque 9).