Part 11

A more characteristic version (in Nantucket, Mass.) had it: "The royal Russian princess, Husty Fusty, is defunct." To which it was necessary to answer soberly--"I'm very sorry to hear it; even the cats bewail her loss."

A game which was formerly popular with children in Massachusetts was to lean a staff in the corner, while a player was seated in the centre of the ring. Another child now entered, took up the staff, approached and addressed the one sitting, and a rhymed dialogue ensued:

"My father sent me here with a staff, To speak to you, and not to laugh." "Methinks you smile." "Methinks I don't. I smooth my face with ease and grace, And set my staff in its proper place."

If the staff-bearer laughed, he or she must take the chair; otherwise the next player continued the game.

A third amusement is for girls to excite one another to laugh by gently pinching in succession the ears, nose, lips, etc., while making use of some ridiculous expression.

This usage is alluded to more than three centuries ago by Rabelais.

In a Swiss game, this performance is complicated by a jest. Each child pinches his neighbor's ear; but by agreement the players blacken their fingers, keeping two of the party in ignorance. Each of the two victims imagines it to be the other who is the object of the uproarious mirth of the company.

No. 78.

_Bachelor's Kitchen._

The children sit in a row, with the exception of one, who goes in succession to each child, and asks him what he will give to the bachelor's kitchen. Each answers what he pleases, as a saucepan, a mousetrap, etc. When all have replied, the questioner returns to the first child, and puts all sorts of questions, which must be answered by the article which he before gave to the kitchen, and by no other word. For instance, he asks, "What do you wear on your head?" "Mousetrap." The object is to make the answerer laugh, and he is asked a number of questions, until he either laughs or is given up as a hard subject. The questioner then passes to the next child, and so on through the whole row. Those who laugh, or add any other word to their answer, must pay a forfeit, which is redeemed in the same way as in other games.

_Cambridge, Mass._

No. 79.

_The Church and the Steeple._

Little girls, with appropriate motions of the closed fist, or of the inverted hand with raised fingers, say,

Here is the church, Here is the steeple, Here is the parson, And all the people.

An Italian finger-game well exhibits the different mental state of children in the two countries. The words are: "This is the Inferno, and this the Paradiso." The fingers of the two hands, crossed within, represent the disturbed world of wretchedness; the back of the hands, turned, where all is calm, typify Paradise.

No. 80.

_What Color?_

A tumbler of water and a thimble are required. One child is sent out of the room, and to each of the others a different color is allotted. The first is then expected to name the color of some child. If she succeeds in her guess, a thimbleful of water is thrown in her face. The guessing is continued till this takes place, when the thrower becomes the guesser for the next turn.

_Cincinnati._

No. 81.

_Beetle and Wedge._

There are games in which the guesser has only _Scogan's choice_[91] between two sorts of disaster.

Thus, a party of boys pitch on two who are unacquainted with the game, and ask them if they would not like to play "Beetle and Wedge." "The fun is to be the Beetle and the Wedge," they explain. The victims consenting, the Beetle is then driven against the Wedge, back to back, with a force that "sends him flying." This amusement belongs to Connecticut.

In Philadelphia a boy is asked whether he prefers _mustard_ or _pepper_; in either case receiving corresponding personal inflictions. So in the English game of "Trades" a boy is made to guess the trade of the questioner, and is _hammered_, _planed_, or _rasped_, accordingly.

No. 82.

_Present and Advise._

All the children, except two, are seated in a row. One of these whispers in the ear of each child, "I present you with this." The second, in like manner, adds, "I advise you what to do with it."

Another old whispering-game, belonging, like the preceding, to New York, is called "Sentiment." Each child tells his neighbor on the right the name of a person, and repeats to the one on the left a verse of poetry, usually of a sentimental character. The name and verse are then to be repeated together as in the former game.

No. 83.

_Genteel Lady._

"I, genteel lady, always genteel, come from the genteel lady, always genteel, beg leave to inform you that my ship has just come in from China laden with apricots."

The next player has to repeat, adding some object beginning with _b_, such as biscuit; the next player one beginning with _c_, and so down the alphabet. If any one hesitates, or makes a mistake, a lighted "lamp-lighter" (New England, _spill_) is stuck in her hair, and she is the "one-horned," instead of the "genteel" lady; and for two mistakes the "two-horned" lady, and so on. This juxtaposition of curls and "lamp-lighters" is by no means always safe.

_Georgia._

Of this game we observe that, like several amusements familiar in this State, it is of French origin.[92]

No. 84.

_Beast, Bird, or Fish._

A member of the party throws to another a knotted handkerchief, saying one of the above words, and counting up to ten. The catcher must answer in the given time the name of some animal of the kind required, not already cited by some other player.

Whoever fails to reply while the counting is going on, is out of the game. After the names of commoner animals are exhausted, the game becomes a test of quickness and memory.

No. 85.

_Wheel of Fortune._

A picture of a wheel is drawn upon the slate, and a number written between each of its spokes. The eyes being then closed, the child whose turn it is raises a pencil in the air, twirling it, and saying,

Tit for tat, Butter for fat, If you kill my dog I'll kill your cat.

At the last word the pencil is brought down; if the point of the pencil falls on a space, the number there written is scored; if on a line, or outside the circle, or on a number previously secured (and erased by a line), the turn is forfeited. The game is continued until a certain number has been scored by the winning player.

_Georgia._

No. 86.

_Catches._

"I went up one pair of stairs." "Just like me." "There was a monkey." "Just like me." "I one'd it." "I two'd it," etc. "I ate [eight] it."

This (to children) exquisitely witty dialogue has its German counterpart.--"I went into the wood." "So did I." "I took an axe." "So did I." "I made a trough." "So did I." "Seven pigs ate of it." "So did I."[93]

Equally well known is the jest, "I am a gold lock," "I am a gold key," etc.--ending "I am a monk-lock," "I am a mon-key."

We may mention also a familiar catch, "Say my cat, my cat, and not my dog." "My dog" must not be spoken.

Of a different character are the following jests:

The lights being extinguished, a knife is passed round the circle of players, and the following conversation ensues, each phrase being continued from left to right of the ring:

"What's this?" "A dagger." "Where did you get it?" "Stole it." "What was done with it?"

All of the company who understand the jest shriek aloud, which accomplishes the object of terrifying the rest.

Somewhat similar (in New York) is the following:

"Neighbor, I've got a hatchet to sell." "Did you buy it?" "No." "Did you steal it?" "Sh--"

In the following conversation, one sentence at a time is repeated in a whisper to the left-hand neighbor, and so passed round the circle, the fun consisting in the imitation of crowing at the end.

"Hath she feathers?" "Feathers she hath." "Doth she crow?" "Crow she doth." "How doth she crow?" (An imitation of crowing follows.)

No. 87.

_Intery Mintery._

An evening amusement formerly common in Massachusetts. All present laid their hands with fingers resting on the knees. The speaker then told off the words of the rhyme, one for each finger. The rhyme being thus recited, that finger to which the last syllable fell must be quickly withdrawn, on penalty of being sharply rapped by the hand of the leader. After all had been counted out but one person, he or she was liable to the same risk for every word of the rhyme--the result of which situation is alluded to by the epithet "black finger."

Intery mintery cutery corn, Apple-seed and apple-thorn, Wire, briar, limber lock, Twelve geese in a flock; Sit and sing by a spring, O-u-t spells out, and in again. Over yonder steep hills, Where my father he dwells, He has jewels, he has rings, And very many pretty things. Strike Jack, lick Tom, Blow the bellows, Black finger--out-of-the-game.

No. 88.

_Redeeming Forfeits._

The girl who is to assign the penalty by which the forfeit must be redeemed lays her head on the lap of another who sits on a chair, while a third, standing behind, holds the article over her head and asks:

"Here is a forfeit, a very fine forfeit; what shall be done to redeem it?" "Is it fine or superfine?" (_i.e._, does it belong to a gentleman or to a lady).

The sentence is then declared.

Another formula, used in the Middle and Southern States, is:

"Heavy, heavy, what hangs over you?"

The German usage is nearly the same, the question being "Lord judge, what is your sentence, what shall he do whose pledge I have in my hand?"

The following are examples of old penalties, which usually involved kissing, with infinite variety of method:

_To go to Rome._ To kiss every girl in the room.

_Flat-irons._ The lad and lass lay their hands on the wall and kiss.

_Measuring yards of tape, and cutting it off._ To kiss with the arms extended.

"_I'm in the well._" "How many fathoms deep?" (Any number is answered.)

"Whom will you have to take you out?" (Some one of the company is named.) Each fathom represents a kiss.

No. 89.

_Old Mother Tipsy-toe._

This is a very popular game with girls in various parts of the United States.

The children sit in a row, with the exception of the mother, who comes up and asks each child in turn, "How did you tear your dress?" After hearing their various excuses, she again traverses the row, indicating the part of the dress to be mended, and saying:

I give you so much work to do, Use thimble, thread, and needle too; If you don't get it done before I come back, I'll give you a slap across your back.

She slaps her children on the shoulder and goes out, forbidding them to follow her. As soon as her back is turned, they all jump up and run after her, shouting, "Old mother Tipsy-toe,"[94] or, as in a variation from New York:

Old mother Tippety-toe, old mother Tippety-toe, I'll follow my mother wherever she go.

The mother now goes into a shop, and orders various articles, the children repeating after her whatever she says. For instance, the mother says, "I want two pounds of butter." "I want two pounds of butter," shout the children in chorus. Finally she says, "And I want a stick to whip my children with," upon which she turns to leave the shop, while the children rush before her, and scramble back to their seats before their mother comes home. The latter then goes to each child in turn, saying, "Let me see how well you have mended your dress." The children all hold the hem of their dresses as firmly as they can, with their hands somewhat apart. The mother strikes with her hand the part of the dress that is between their hands; and if they let it go, she scolds and beats them for their bad mending.

_Cambridge, Mass._

In another way of playing, which makes the game one of chase, "Old mammy Tipsy-toe" addresses her children:

I give you this much work to do, Use thread and needle, thimble too; If you don't have it done By the time that I come home, You'll be beaten black and blue With my old shoe.

She then makes preparations to depart:

I'm going to Lady Washington's, To get a cup of tea, And five loaves of gingerbread, So don't you follow me.

The children, of course, pursue her with shouts of defiance, upon which she turns and chases them, while they rush to their places. She comes back, and demands of the children:

"Have you been out to-day?" "No." "You have. Where have you been?" "To grandmother's." "What did you get?" "A slice of cake." "Where is my share?" "In the band-box." "But I might break my neck getting it." "I wish you would." On this, she chases the children, who fly and scatter. Any child she catches is out of the game, which is continued until all are captured.

_Philadelphia._

No. 90.

_Who Stole the Cardinal's Hat?_

The children being seated in a circle, a child, who does not take part in the game, whispers to each of the rest a name representing some color, as "Red-cap," "Blue-cap," "Yellow-cap," etc. Two players are excepted, one of whom is called "My man John," and one represents the cardinal. The latter now leaves the room, first placing in the hands of "John" a little billet of wood, bidding him take care of the Cardinal's hat, which at the same time he declares to be of some particular color, as green. "John" conceals this somewhere in the room. The child who went out then enters, armed with a cane, and demands the Cardinal's hat. "John" affects to have forgotten all about it, and asks, "What color was it? green?" and so on until he guesses the color. Being thus reminded, he declares that some one of the group, as, for example, "Red-cap," has stolen it. "Red-cap" is now asked by the questioner, "Red-cap, did you steal the Cardinal's hat?" He also must pass on the charge, saying, "No, it was White-cap" (or any other color). If he omits to do so, or names a color not included among the players, he must pay forfeit. Meanwhile the questioner becomes indignant at the numerous denials, and proceeds to extort confession by torture, rapping with his cane the fingers of those whom he addresses. If he succeeds in obliging any child to confess, the latter must pay forfeit. At last "My man John" owns the theft, produces the hat, and the game is begun again, until a sufficient number of forfeits have been collected.

_Saratoga, New York._

This game is also played in Switzerland. The name of a color having been given to each child, a ball is stealthily passed about the circle. The "Abbot of St. Gall" enters, and exclaims, "The Abbot of St. Gall has lost his night-cap; they say White stole it." The player whose color is named, if he has the ball, must pass it behind his back to another, saying, "Not White, Red has it." Whoever is caught in passing the ball, or names a color not in the game, or fails to answer when his name is called, must pay forfeit, or have his face marked with burned cork. It will be seen that the Swiss game corresponds to the American, except that in the latter the ball is concealed instead of being passed round; but we think it likely that the memory of our informant (a child) may have been at fault in this respect.

The _Gentleman's Magazine_, February, 1738, mentions a game called "The Parson hath lost his Fuddling Cap." _The Spectator_, No. 268, also refers to this sport: "I desire to know in your next if the merry game of 'The Parson has lost his Cloak,' is not mightily in vogue amongst the fine ladies this Christmas, because I see they wear hoods of all colours, which I suppose is for that purpose." From this last extract it appears that the names "Red-cap," etc., are a reminiscence of the variously colored hoods once employed in the game.

FOOTNOTES:

[91] _Scogan's choice_ is equivalent to _Hobson's choice_; both are heroes of old jest-books.

[92] The game is called "Le Chevalier Gentil," and proceeds thus: "Bon jour, chevalier gentil, toujours gentil; moi chevalier gentil, toujours gentil, je viens de la part du chevalier gentil, toujours gentil (so designating the left-hand neighbor) vous dire qu'il y a un aigle à bec d'or, à pattes d'argent," etc. A player who misses receives "un petit cornet de papier," and is known as "chevalier cornu, biscornu," etc., or "damoiselle cornette à tant de cornes."

[93] A French catch: "J'ai monté un escalier." "Comme moi." "Je suis entré dans la chambre." "Comme moi." "J'ai vu une petite boîte." "Comme moi." "Je l'ai ouverte." "Comme moi." "Il y avait une grosse bête." "Comme moi."

[94] Or, as played by the children from whom this version was obtained, _Old mother Cripsy-crops_. The name "Tipsy-toe" is derived from the limping gait supposed to belong to witches. See No. 154, C.

X.

_GUESSING-GAMES._

"As boys, when they play at 'how many,' hold out their hands in such a way that, having few, they pretend to have many, and having many, they make believe to have few."--XENOPHON, _Treatise on the Duties of a Cavalry Officer_.

No. 91.

_Odd or Even._

A small number of beans or other counters are held in the hand, and the question is, Odd or Even? If the guess is even, and the true number odd, it is said "Give me one to make it odd," and _vice versâ_. The game is continued until all the counters belong to one or other of the two players.

This amusement was familiar in ancient Greece and Rome, as it is in modern Europe. In the classic game the player gained or lost as many as he held in his hand.

No. 92.

_Hul Gul._

This game is played by three, four, or more, who stand in a circle. A child then addresses his left-hand neighbor, and the dialogue is:

"Hul Gul." "Hands full." "Parcel how many?"

The second player then guesses the number, two guesses being sometimes allowed. If, for example, the guess is five, and the real number seven, the first responds, "Give me two to make it seven," and so on until all the counters have been gained by one player. The number allowed to be taken is often limited, by agreement, to six or ten.

The counters are beans, grains of corn, marbles, nuts, and, in the South, _chinquapins_.[95]

A childish trick is to expand the hand as if unable to hold the number of counters, when in fact they are but one or two. Oddly enough, this same device is alluded to by Xenophon as in use in his day in the game of "How many?"--the classic equivalent of our game, in which the question was, "How many have I in the hand?" just as we say, "Parcel how many?" So, in these sports, the interval of two thousand years vanishes.

No. 93.

_How many Fingers?_

A child hides his head on another's lap, and guesses the number of fingers raised. We find a rhyme for this given in the "Girls' Own Book."

"Mingledy, mingledy, clap, clap, clap, How many fingers do I hold up?" "Three." "Three you said, and two it was," etc.

Another form of this game consists in schoolboys mounting on each other's back and raising fingers, of which the number is to be guessed. The English formula for this purpose is given by Tylor thus, "Buck, buck, how many horns do I hold up?" We are not aware that the practice continues to exist in this country.

In the famous finger-game of "Morra," the sum of the fingers raised by the two players is counted. The game is played with such rapidity, and the calling is so rapid, that conjecture plays a larger part in the game than eyesight. "Morra" has been a favorite for nearly four thousand years, for it is represented on early Egyptian monuments, where the players are depicted as using the right hand, and scoring with the left, very much as is done in the south of Europe at the present day.

It is very likely, however, that the nursery usage we are now concerned with is as old. Petronius Arbiter, in the time of Nero, describes Trimalchio as so playing with a boy. The latter, mounting as on horseback, smote his shoulders with the open hand, and laughing said, "Bucca, bucca, how many?"[96]

We will not undertake to decide whether the reported coincidence of the Latin and English formulas is a genuine example of transmission. The game, however, and the question, "How many?" have certainly endured for two thousand years, and very likely existed as long before the days of Petronius, or from a time as remote as that to which can be traced the more complicated game of "Morra."

No. 94.

_Right or Left._

A common way of deciding a dispute, selecting players, or determining who shall begin a game, is to take a pebble or other object in the closed fist, and make a comrade guess in which hand it is contained.

The old-fashioned way of holding the hands, both in England and Germany, was to place one fist on top of the other; and a like usage formerly prevailed in New England, though we have not met with the English rhyme:

Handy-dandy riddledy ro, Which will you have, high or low?

No. 95.

_Under which Finger?_

A child takes a bean in the hand, closes it, and asks a companion to guess under which finger it lies; if the latter fails, he must pay a bean.

No. 96.

_Comes, it Comes._

A simple guessing-game, familiar to children in New England. One child of the party says to another, "It comes, it comes." The player addressed replies, "What do you come by?" The first replies by naming the initial letter of some object in the room; if, for instance, it is the table he has in mind, he says, "I come by T." The rest must now guess what thing, beginning with this letter, is meant.

No. 97.

_Hold Fast My Gold Ring._

The children sit in a circle, with hands closed; one takes the ring, and goes around with it, tapping the closed fists of the players as if inserting the ring, and saying:

Biddy, biddy, hold fast my gold ring, Till I go to London, and come back again.

Each child, in turn, is then required to guess who has the ring, and, if successful, takes the leader's place; if unsuccessful, he pays forfeit.

_Georgia._

This is known in Massachusetts as,

Button, button, who's got the button?

Another form of the question is, "Fox, fox, who's got the box?"

In England the game goes,

My lady's lost her diamond ring, I pitch on you to find it.

No. 98.

_My Lady Queen Anne._

A ball is concealed with some one of the children who form the circle. A girl is placed in the centre, and a dialogue ensues; the ring singing:

"My lady Queen Anne, She sits in the sun, As fair as a lily, As brown as a bun. The king sends you three letters, and bids you read one."

The girl answers:

"I cannot read one unless I read all, So pray, Mr. [or Miss] ----, deliver the ball."

If the person named has the ball, he or she takes her place; if not, she continues as before. In England, a rhyme is given for the latter case:

"The ball is mine, and none of thine, So you, proud queen, may sit on your throne, While we, your messengers, go and come."

No. 99.

_The Wandering Dollar._

A coin is passed about the circle, and the central player is to guess who has it. The dollar is held in the palm, then passed about the ring by each player alternately clapping his hands together, and then extending his arms so as to touch the hands of his neighbor. For this purpose the right hand should be held downward, and the left turned upward, as the arms are extended. The coin is to be _palmed_ from hand to hand, and the rhythmical motions being accompanied with song (to almost any tune) make a very pretty game, but one which requires much practice to master. The verse sung is,

Dollar, dollar, how you wander, From the one unto the other! Is it fair, is it fair, To leave Miss [Anna] so long without a chair?

_Cincinnati._

The game is a modern translation from the German, presumably by the children themselves.

No. 100.

_Thimble in Sight._