Chapter Ring a Ding-ding to Rivals of R by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Ring a Ding-ding to Rivals

Ring a Ding-ding
   "Ring a ding-ding, ring a ding-ding!
   The Parliament soldiers are gone to the king;
   Some they did laugh, and some they did cry,
   To see the Parliament soldiers go by.”
   The reference is to the several removals of Charles I. from one place of captivity to another, till finally he was brought to the block. The Parliament party laughed at their success, the Royalists wept to see the king thus treated.

Ring in the Ear A sign of slavery of life-long servitude.

“Then Eldad took an awl, and, piercing his [Jetur's] ears against the doorpost, made him his servant for ever. The elders pronounced a blessing, and Eldad put a ring through the ears of Jetur, as a sign that he was become his property.”- Eldad the Pilgrim, chap. i.

Ring of Invisibility (The), which belonged to Otnit, King of Lombardy, given to him by the queen-mother when he went to gain in marriage the soldan's daughter. The stone of the ring had the virtue of directing the wearer the right road to take in travelling. (The Heldenbuch.) (See Gyges' Ring .)

Ring One's Own Bell (To). To be one's own trumpeter. Bells are rung to announce any joyous event, or the advent of some celebrity.

Rings Noted in Fable
   Agramant's ring. This enchanted ring was given by Agramant to the dwarf Brunello, from whom it was stolen by Bradamant and given to Melissa. It passed successively into the hands of Rogero and Angelica (who carried it in her mouth). (Orlando Furioso, bk. v.)
   The ring of Amasis. The same as the ring of Polycrates (q.v.).
   The Doge's ring. The doge of Venice, on Ascension Day, used to throw a ring into the sea from the ship Bucentaur, to denote that the Adriatic was subject to the republic of Venice as a wife is subject to her husband.
   The ring of Edward the Confessor. It is said that Edward the Confessor was once asked for alms by an old man, and gave him his ring. In time some English pilgrims went to the Holy Land, and happened to meet the same old man, who told them he was John the Evangelist, and gave them the identical ring to take to “Saint” Edward. It was preserved in Westminster Abbey.
   The ring of Gyges (2 syl.) rendered the wearer invisible when its stone was turned inwards.
   The ring of Ogier, given him by the Morgue de Fay. It removed all infirmities, and restored the aged to youth again. (See Ogier.)
   Polycrates' ring was flung into the sea to propitiate Nemesis, and was found again by the owner inside a fish. (See Glasgow Arms.)
   The ring of Pope Innocent. On May 29th, 1205, Pope Innocent III. sent John, King of England, four gold rings set with precious stones, and in his letter says the gift is emblematical. He thus explains the matter: The rotundity signifies eternity- remember we are passing through time into eternity. The number signifies the four virtues which make up constancy of mind- viz. “justice, fortitude, prudence, and temperance.” The material signifies “wisdom from on high,” which is as gold purified in the fire. The green emerald is emblem of “faith,” the blue sapphire of “hope,” the red garnet of “charity,” and the bright topaz of “good works.” (Rymer: Foedera, vol. i. 139.)
   Reynard's wonderful ring. This ring, which existed only in the brain of Reynard, had a stone of three colours- red, white, and green. The red made the night as clear as the day; the white cured all manner of diseases; and the green rendered the wearer of the ring invincible. (Reynard the Fox, chap. xii.)
   He must have got possession of Reynard's ring. He bore a charmed life; he was one of Nature's favourites; all he did prospered. Reynard affirmed that he had sent King Lion a ring with three gems- one red, which gave light in darkness; one white, which cured all pains and wounds, even those arising from indigestion and fever; and one green, which guarded the wearer from every ill both in peace and war. (Alkmar: Reynard the Fox, 1498.)
   Solomon's ring, among other wonderful things, sealed up the refractory Jins in jars, and cast them into the Red Sea.

Ringing Changes Bantering each other; turning the tables on a jester. The allusion is to bells. (See Peal .)

Ringing the Changes A method of swindling by changing gold and silver in payment of goods. For example: A man goes to a tavern and asks for two-pennyworth of whisky. He lays on the counter half a sovereign, and receives nine shillings and tenpence in change. “Oh!” (says the man) “give me the half- sovereign back, I have such a lot of change.” He then takes up ten shillings in silver and receives back the half-sovereign. The barmaid is about to take up the silver when the man says, “Give me a sovereign