NOTES. 437 



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 compa- 

 rison, 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 particular is 

 the singer that his verse should flow musically, that not unfre- 

 quently two of the four lines have no reference to the principal 

 thoughts, but are introduced 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 instru- 

 ment, more particularly in the mountains, where the freshest 

 songs of this description are to be heard. 



When many persons are together, the way of singing them is 

 as follows : one begins, and then the others sing each a " Schna- 

 dahupfl" in succession; but each one ought either to be an 

 answer to that which preceded, or, from an allusion made to 

 something in the foregoing one, to spring as it were from it, and 

 in this way form a connection between the two. These verses 

 are very frequently extempore ; and there are some persons who 

 for hours will continue thus singing against each other, till a 

 succession of strophes have arisen, each one separate and com- 

 plete in itself, yet, like beads on a string, forming part of a whole 

 and having reference to the rest. When such a trial of skill has 

 commenced, he who at last can think of nothing more to say, 



* 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 stanza 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." 



