Girls form a circle and dance around one of their number. The girl in the ring turns her head gravely as a messenger advances, while the rest sing to a pleasing air:

Green gravel, green gravel,
The grass grows so green,
The fairest of ladies,
Is fit to be seen.
Dear _______, Dear _______
Your true love is dead;
The king sends you a letter
To turn back your head.

The process is repeated calling each child by name until all of the children have so turned. Turning the head is the sign of sorrow. The game is continued by the following verse in which the lost lovers appear:

Dear _______, Dear _______
Your true love's not slain,
The kind sends you a letter
To turn around again.

And the dancers who have all turned about, are one by one made to face the ring.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © icyFrance @ Flickr, ShareAlike