Rural Studies (1956)

Main Variant

Transcription
Flintham Ploughboys' Play.

Have you ever seen a Ploughboy Play? We
will tell you about the one we have had in our
village of Flintham for many, many years.
Nobody knows when it was first performed,
but the oldest men in the village who have
acted in it think it must be several hundred
years ago.

We have acted it many times in our Junior
School, but we do not go round from house to
house and to neighbouring villages as they used
to do.

They chose Plough Monday, the first Mon-
day after the Twelfth Night, for the perform-
ance. The actors made up their own words,
but all village plays used the same story,
in which one man was killed in a duel, but was
brought back to life again. This meant that
the boys brought life back again to the earth
with their ploughs.

Our play ends with
  We thank you for your civility,
  And what you've given us here.
  We wish you all Good-night
  And another happy year.
 
So they expected to have some reward and
we have heard that if it was refused they would
make a furrow with the plough across the
middle of the lawn.

We ought not to let these old customs die
out. What do you think?

This account was sent by Barbara Bacon,
of Flintham Primary School. There must be
many old customs still surviving in Nottingham-
shire - you may help to keep an old custom
alive in your school. Write and tell us of the
old customs in your village. One will be pub-
lished each term on this page.