A CHAPTER ABOUT SCHNADAHUPFLN. 371 



vised. Seven lines was their usual length, and their 

 subject a droll simile, or more generally some dalliance 

 with love*. 



With regard to the form of the " Schnadahiipfln," 

 it ought, strictly speaking, to consist of not more than 

 four lines, in which a thought, complete in itself, and 

 as was said before, a comparison, should be expressed. 

 Occasionally what is wished to be said is extended to 

 two verses, but more are seldom employed. It is 

 material that the lines should rhyme ; and so par- 

 ticular is the singer that his verse should flow musi- 

 cally, that not unfrequently two of the four lines have 

 no reference to the principal thoughts, but are intro- 

 duced merely for the jingle. These verses are, as may 

 be supposed, extremely simple, but some are very 

 charming; and when sung to music, the cithern is 

 the instrument, more particularly in the mountains, 

 where the freshest songs of this description are to be 

 heard. 



* The Gipsy songs, such as Borrow describes them in ' The 

 Zincali,' have a still nearer resemblance to the " Schnadahiipfln." 



" The Gipsy poetry consists of quartets, or rather couplets, but two 

 rhymes being discernible, and these generally imperfect, the vowels 

 alone agreeing in sound. The thought, anecdote, or adventure de- 

 scribed, is seldom carried beyond one stanza, in which anything is 

 expressed which the poet wishes to impart. The musician composes 

 the couplet at the stretch of his voice, whilst his fingers are tugging 

 at the guitar ; which style of composition is by no means favourable 

 to a long and connected series of thought. Of course the greatest 

 part of this species of poetry perishes as soon as born. A stanz"a 

 however is sometimes caught up by the by-standers and committed 

 to memory, and being frequently repeated, makes in time the circuit 

 of the country." 



2 B 2 



