Part 33

Where's Monday? She's gone to her grandma.

Mother pretends to look for her, and says--

She ain't there. She's gone to her aunt's.

Children own at last--

The bonny Old Witch has took her!

The Mother beats the Daughter who has been so careless, goes to Witch, and says--

Have you any blocks of wood? No. Can I come in and see? No, your boots are too dirty, &c. [Same as previous versions.]

A number of girls stand in a line. Three girls out of the number represent Mother, Jack, and Daughter. The Mother leaves her children in charge of her Daughter, counts them, and says the following:--

I am going into the garden to gather some rue, And mind old Jack-daw don't get you, Especially you my daughter Sue, I'll beat you till you're black and blue.

While the Mother is gone Jack comes and asks for a match; he takes a child and hides her up. The Mother comes back, counts her children, and finds one missing. Then she asks where she is, and the Daughter says that Jack has got her. The Mother beats the Daughter, and leaves them again, saying the same words as before, until all the children have gone.--Ipswich (_Suffolk Folk-lore_, p. 62).

I'll charge my children every one To keep good house till I come home, Especially you my daughter Sue, Or else I'll beat you black and blue.

--Hersham, Surrey (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 88).

Halliwell gives a version of this which he calls the game of the "Gipsy." He gives no dialogue, but his game begins by the Mother saying some lines to the eldest daughter, which are almost identical with those given from Hersham, Surrey. Mr. Newell gives some interesting American versions.

This game appears in the versions given above to be a child-stealing game, and it may originate from this being a common practice some years ago, but it will be found on comparison to be so much like "Mother, mother, the pot boils over" (vol. i. p. 396) that it is more probable that this is the same game, having lost the important element of the "giving of fire," or a "light from the fire" out of the house, so soon as the idea that doing this put the inhabitants of the house into the power of the receiver or some evil spirit had become lost as a popular belief. "Matches" being asked for and a "light" confirms this. It will be seen that a Witch or evilly-disposed person is dreaded by the Mother, the eldest Daughter being specially charged to keep a good look-out. The naming of the children after the days of the week, the counting of them by the Mother, and the artifice of the eldest Daughter, in the London version, who gets counted twice, are archaic points. The discovery by tasting of the children by their Mother, and their suggested revival; the catching and "burning" of the Witch in the Dartmouth and Cornish games, are incidents familiar to us from nursery tales and from the trials of people condemned for witchcraft. Of the Cornish version it is said that "it has descended from generation to generation."

Mr. Newell's versions tend, I think, to strengthen my suggestion in "Mother, the pot boils over," that the "fire" custom alluded to is the origin of that game and this. The fire incident has been forgotten, and the game therefore developed into a child-stealing or gipsy game.

See "Mother, Mother."

Witte-Witte-Way

A game among boys, which I do not remember in the South.--Brockett's _North Country Words_. Probably the same as "Whiddy," which see.

Wolf

I. Sheep, sheep, come home! We dare not. What are you frightened of? The wolf. The wolf has gone home for seven days, Sheep, sheep, come home.

--Settle, Yorks. (Rev. W. S. Sykes).

II. Sheep, sheep, come home! I'm afraid. What of? The wolf. The wolf's gone into Derbyshire, And won't be back till six o'clock. Sheep, sheep, come home.

--Hanbury, Staffordshire (Miss Edith Hollis).

III. Sheep, sheep, go out! I'm afraid. What you're 'fraid of? Wolf. Wolf has gone to Devonshire; Won't be back for seven year. Sheep, sheep, go out!

--Hurstmonceux, Sussex, as played about forty years ago (Miss E. Chase).

IV. Sheep, sheep, come home! I'm afraid. What of? The wolf. The wolf's gone to Devonshire, And won't be back for seven year. Sheep, sheep, come home.

--Anderby (Miss M. Peacock), Barnes (A. B. Gomme).

V., VI. Won't be back for eleven year.

--Nottinghamshire (Miss M. Peacock).

--Marlborough, Wilts (H. S. May).

(_b_) One player acts as Shepherd, and stands at one side of the playground or field; another acts as Wolf. He crouches in one corner, or behind a post or tree. The other players are sheep, and stand close together on the opposite side of the ground to the Shepherd. The Shepherd advances and calls the sheep. At the end of the dialogue the sheep run across to the Shepherd and the Wolf pounces out, chases, and tries to catch them. Whoever he catches has to stand aside until all are caught. The game is played in this way in all versions sent me except Hurstmonceux, where there is the following addition:--The Wolf chases until he has caught all the sheep, and put them in his den. He then pretends to taste them, and sets them aside as needing more salt. The Shepherd or Mother comes after them, and the sheep cover their heads with their aprons. The Mother guesses the name of each child, saying, "This is my daughter ----. Run away home!" until she has freed them all.

Versions of this game, almost identical with the Anderby version, have been collected from Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews); Crockham Hill, Kent (Miss E. Chase); Hersham, Surrey (_Folk-lore Record_, v. p. 88); Marlborough, Wilts (H. S. May); Ash and Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme). In Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire is the place the wolf is said to have gone to. Mr. M. L. Rouse sends the following fuller description of the game as played at Woolpit, near Haughley, Suffolk, which gives, I think, the clue to the earlier idea of the game:--

The game was played out of doors in a meadow. Two long parallel lines were drawn about fifty yards apart, forming bases behind them. Two boys stood some distance apart between the bases, and the rest of the players all stood within one base. One of the two boys in the centre acting as decoy cried "Sheep, sheep, come home!" The sheep represented by the boys in the base cried back, "We can't, we're afraid of the Wolf." The decoy then said--

The wolf's gone to Devonshire, And won't be back for seven year. Sheep, sheep, come home.

The sheep then made rushes from different points, and tried to get across to the other base. The other player in the centre tried to catch the sheep as they ran. Those caught joined the side of the wolf, and caught others in their turn.

It appears clear that the "Decoy" is the correct character in this game instead of a "shepherd" or "master," as now given. The decoy is evidently assuming the character and voice of the shepherd, or shepherd's dog, to induce the sheep to leave the fold where they are protected, in order to pounce upon them as they endeavour to go in the direction the voice calls them. The game owes its origin to times and places, when wolves were prowling about at night, and sheep were penned and protected against them by shepherds and watch-dogs.

Wolf and the Lamb, The

Two are chosen--one to represent the wolf and the other the lamb. The other players join hands and form a circle round the lamb. The wolf tries to break through the circle, and carry off the lamb. Those in the circle do all they can to prevent the wolf from entering within the circle. If he manages to enter the circle and seize the lamb, then other two are chosen, and the same process is gone through till all have got a chance of being the lamb and wolf. This game evidently represents a lamb enclosed in a fold, and the attempts of a wolf to break through and carry it off.

--Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, _April 14, 1892_ (Rev. W. Gregor).

Would you know how doth the Peasant

[Music]

--Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

I. Would you know how doth the peasant? Would you know how doth the peasant? Would you know how doth the peasant Sow his barley and wheat!

And it's so, so, doth the peasant, And it's so, so, doth the peasant, And it's so, so, doth the peasant Sow his barley and wheat!

Would you know how doth the peasant, &c., Reap his barley and wheat?

It is so, so, doth the peasant, &c., Reap his barley and wheat!

Would you know how doth the peasant, &c., Thresh his barley and wheat?

It is so, so, doth the peasant, &c., Thresh his barley and wheat!

Would you know how doth the peasant, &c., When the seed time is o'er?

It is so, so, doth the peasant, &c., When the seed time is o'er!

Would you know how doth the peasant, &c., When his labour is done?

It is so, so, doth the peasant, &c., When his labour is done!

And it's so, so, doth the peasant, And it's so, so, doth the peasant, And it's so, so, doth the peasant, When his labour is o'er.

--Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

II. It is so, so, does the peasant [or, farmer], It is so, so, does the peasant, It is so, so, does the peasant, When sowing times come.

It is so, so, does the peasant, &c., When reaping time comes.

It is so, so does the peasant, &c., When his threshing times comes.

It is so, so, does the peasant, &c., When the hunting's begun.

It is so, so does the peasant, &c., When the day's work is done.

--Frodingham, Lincoln and Notts (Miss M. Peacock).

(_c_) The leader of this game stands in the middle, the players stand in a ring round him; when there are a sufficient number of players, several rings are formed one within the other, the smallest children in the inner ring. The different rings move in alternate directions when dancing round. All the children sing the words of each verse and dance round. They unclasp hands at the end of each alternate verse, and suit their actions to the words sung. At the end of the first verse they stand still, crook their arms as if holding a basket, and imitate action of sowing while they sing the second verse; they then all dance round while they sing the third, then stand still again and imitate reaping while they sing the fourth time. Then again dance and sing, stand still and imitate "thrashing" of barley and wheat; after "seed time is o'er," they drop on one knee and lift one hand as if in prayer, again dancing round and singing. Then they kneel on one knee, put their hands together, lay their left cheek on them, and close their eyes as if asleep; while singing, "when his labour is o'er," at the last verse, they all march round, clapping hands in time.

This is the Monton game. The Frodingham game is played in the same way, except that the children walk round in a circle, one behind another, when they sing and imitate the actions they mention. "When the hunting's begun" they all run about as if on horseback; "when the day's work is done," they all kneel on one knee and rest their heads on their hands.

This game is evidently a survival of the custom of dancing, and of imitating the actions necessary for the sowing and reaping of grain which were customary at one time. Miss Dendy says--"It is an undoubtedly old Lancashire game. It is sometimes played by as many as a hundred players, and is then very pretty. The method of playing varies slightly, but it is generally as described above." The fact that this game was played by such a large number of young people together, points conclusively to a time when it was a customary thing for all the people in one village to play this game as a kind of religious observance, to bring a blessing on the work of the season, believing that by doing so, they caused the crops to grow better and produce grain in abundance.

See "Oats and Beans and Barley."

ADDENDA

A' the Birdies. [See "All the Birds," vol. i. p. 2; "Oranges and Lemons," vol. ii. pp. 25-35.]

A' the birdies i' the air Tick tae to my tail.

A contest game of the oranges and lemons class. Two players, who hold hands and form the arch, call out the formula, and the other players, who are running about indifferently, go one by one to them and decide, when asked, which side they will favour, and stand behind one or the other.

After the tug the side which has lost is called "Rotten eggs, rotten eggs."--Aberdeen (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

All the Boys. [Vol. i. pp. 2-6.]

Two versions of this game, one from Howth and another from St. Andrews, sent me by Miss H. E. Harvey, do not differ sufficiently from the versions i. and ii. printed as above to be given here in full.

The St. Andrews game, after the line,

"I love you, and you love me"

(as printed in vol. i. version ii.), continues--

When we get married, I hope you will agree, I'll buy the chest of drawers, you'll buy the cradle. Rock, rock, bubbly-jock, Send her upstairs, lay her in her bed, Send for the doctor before she is dead. In comes the doctor and out goes the clerk, In comes the mannie with the sugarally hat. Oh, says the doctor, what's the matter here? Oh, says Johnny, I'm like to lose my dear. Oh, says the doctor, nae fear o' that.

American Post.

One player of a party acts as post and leaves the room. When he is outside he knocks at the door. Another player, who is the doorkeeper (inside), calls out, "Who's there?" The reply is, "American post." "What with?" "A letter." "For whom?" The name of one of the players in the room is given by the post. The one named then must go outside, and kiss the post, and in turn becomes post.--Fraserburgh (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

This, sometimes called "Postman," is now more generally played as a penalty when forfeits are being performed. The player whose penalty it is, is the first one to be "post." Postage is demanded, the amount being paid by kisses.

As I was Walking.

The players, usually girls, stand in line up to a wall. One in front sings, going backwards and forwards.

As I was walking down a hill, down a hill, down a hill, As I was walking down a hill, Upon a frosty morning. Who do you think I met coming down, coming down, &c., Who do you think I met, &c.

She then chooses one from the line and both sing:--

I met my true love coming down, &c. He gave me kisses, one, two, three (clap hands), Upon a frosty morning.--Cullen (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Auld Grannie. [A version of "Hen and Chickens," vol. i. pp. 201, 202.]

Here a variation of dialogue occurs. The game is played as previous Hen and Chicken games. The Hen says--

What are ye scrapin' for?

Auld grannie says--

A darning needle?

What are ye going to do with the darning needle?

Mak a poke.

What to do with the poke?

To gang to the peat moss to get some peats.

What for?

To make a fire, to make some tea, to pour over your wee chickens.

Auld grannie rushes at them, and pretends to throw the water over them. When she has caught some players, and the sides are about equal in strength, the game ends in a tug of war.--Dalry, Galloway (J. G. Carter.)

Another, called "Grannie's Needle," has a slightly different parley.

What are you looking for, granny?

My granny's needle.

What are you going to do with the needle, granny?

To make a bag.

And what are you going to do with the bag, granny?

To gather sand.

What are you going to do with the sand, granny?

To sharpen knives.

And what are you going to do with the knives, granny?

To cut off your chickens' heads.

--Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

Ball. [Pots, vol. ii. p. 64.]

1. Throw the ball up against a wall three times and catch it.

2. Throw it up and clap hands three times before catching it.

3. Throw it up and put your hands round in a circle.

4. Throw it up and clap your hands before and behind.

5. Throw it up and clap and touch your shoulder.

6. Throw it up and clap and touch your other shoulder.

7. Throw it up three times with your right hand and catch it with your right.

8. Throw it up with your left and catch it with your left.

9. Throw it up with your right and catch it with your right, dog snack fashion (_i.e._ as a dog snacks, knuckles up).

10. Throw it up with your left and catch it with your left (dog snack).

11. Throw it up and clap and touch your knee.

12. Throw it up and clap and touch your other knee.

13. Throw it up and turn round.

These actions should each be performed three times.--Laurieston School, Kircudbrightshire (J. Lawson).

This is a more complete version of "Pots."

Another game is--

One girl takes a ball, strikes it on the ground, and keeps pushing it down with her hand. While she is doing this, the other players stand beside her, and keeping unison with the ball, repeat--

Game, game, ba' ba', Twenty lasses in a raw, Nae a lad amon them a' Bits game, game, ba', ba'.

If the girl keeps the ball dancing up and down--"stottin'" during the time the words are being repeated, it counts one game gained. She goes on "stottin'" the ball, and the others go on repeating the words till she allows the ball to escape from her control.--Fraserburgh (Rev. Dr. Gregor); Dalry, Galloway (J. G. Carter).

Another rhyme for a ball game is--

Little wee laddie, foo's yer daidie? New come oot o' a basket shadie. A basket shadie's ower full, New come oot o' a roarin' bull. A roarin bull's ower fat, New come oot o' a gentleman's hat. A gentleman's hat's ower fine, New come oot o' a bottle o' wine. A bottle o' wine is ower reid, New come oot o' a crust o' breid. A crust o' breid is ower broon, New come oot o' a half-a-croon. A half-a-croon is ower little, New come oot o' a weaver's shuttle. A weaver's shuttle's ower holey, New come oot o' a paint pottie, Game, game, game, game, game!

--Rev. Dr. Gregor.

Bannockburn. [See Fool, Fool, come to school, vol. i. p. 132.]

Played as "Fool" with these differences. The namer cries to the fool in the same formula as the Sussex version (vol. i. p. 133). The fool, called here "Bannockburn," says, "Are ye it?" to each player pointing to them in turn. When she points at the correct one that player runs off. Bannockburn runs after and tries to catch her. If the first runner can get back into the row untouched she gets renamed, if caught she has to take Bannockburn's place.

During the naming, Bannockburn tries to overhear the names given. But when noticed coming near, those being named, cry "Bannockburn away dune the sea."--Dalry, Galloway (J. G. Carter).

Black Doggie.

[see Drop Handkerchief, vol. i. 109-112.]

A form of Drop Handkerchief differing from those versions previously given.

The players join hands, form a circle and stretch out as far as each one's arms will allow. One player is outside the ring. When she sees they can stretch no further she cries out "Break," when they all loose hands and stand as far apart as possible. The player outside then goes round the ring singing, "I have a black doggie, but it winna' bite you, nor you, nor you," until she comes to one whom she chooses; she then throws the handkerchief down on the ground behind this one quietly. If this player does not notice the handkerchief, not one in the circle must tell her, or they are "out." The player who dropped the handkerchief walks round until she comes again to the one behind whom she dropped it. She picks it up and tells her she is "burnt." Then this player has to stoop down on her knees and is out of the game. Should the selected player notice the handkerchief, she picks it up and pursues the other round and through the ring, following wherever the first one leads until she catches her; they then change places; should she not follow the exact way the first player went, she too is out and must go down on her knees.--Rosehearty (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Another version from Fraserburgh says that the players may either join hands in a ring or sit upon the ground on their knees. The outside player goes round the circle three times, first saying "Black Doggie winna tack you, nor you." Then she goes round again and drops the handkerchief behind any one she pleases. She then runs and is pursued until caught, the other child following Black Doggie in and out wherever she goes.

Bonnet Ridgie.

["Scots and English," vol. ii. pp. 183-184.]

Players are chosen alternately by two chiefs. The line is drawn between the two sides, and the caps of each side are placed on the ground at each of the ends. When the two sides are ranged, the players try to catch and pull each other across the line. If one is pulled across he is called a "slink," and must stand till he is set at liberty by one of his own side crossing the line and touching him. If this one manages to touch him before he is crowned, _i.e._, has the crown of his head touched by one of his opponents, and if he is able to regain his own side before the same operation takes place, both are free. Each player watches an opportunity to gather up the caps of the opposing side. If one is clever and swift enough to reach the caps and gather them all before he is crowned, his side wins.--Dyke School (Rev. Dr. Gregor.)

Button, The.

["Diamond Ring," vol. i. p. 96; "Forfeits," p. 137; "Wads and the Wears," vol. ii. pp. 327-8.]

Played as "Diamond Ring," except that all sit round the fire, one man takes a button, puts it between his two hands, and goes round to each of the other players, who have their two hands held out, palms together, saying, "Don't tell what you got," and quietly dropping the button into one player's hands. He then asks the first man, saying, "Who has the button?" One player is named. The master of the game says then "What forfeit will you give me that he has it?" The player gives a forfeit. So on all round, every one guessing and giving a forfeit (including he who holds the button, who, of course, keeps his secret). When all the forfeits are in the master says, "Button, button, show, and let all fools know;" then those who have guessed right receive back their forfeits. The holder of the button then kneels down to deliver sentences on the others. The master takes a forfeit and holds it over the kneeler's head, saying, "Fine, fine, superfine, what's the owner of this fine thing of [gentleman's or lady's] wear to do?" The man kneeling gives a sentence, such as--to take the broom, ride it three times round the room, and each time kiss the crook hanging in the chimney--and so on.

If a man refuses to perform his sentence he is made to kneel down, and everything that can be got hold of is piled on his back.--Kiltubbrid, Co. Leitrim (L. L. Duncan).

Canlie.

[See "Tom Tiddler's Ground," vol. ii. p. 298.]

Name for "Friar's Ground," in Co. Cork. "Canlie" is the Friar. The game is played as at Chirbury.--Co. Cork (Mrs. B. B. Greene).

Carry my Lady to London.

[Vol. i. p. 59.]

Carry a lady to London town, London town, London town; London town's a bonny place, It's a' covered o'er in gold and lace.

Or--

Carry a lady to London town, London town, London town; Carry a lady to London town Upon a summer's day.

Another rhyme for "Carry my Lady to London," and played in the same way.--Galloway, N. B. (J. G. Carter).

Cat and Dog Hole.

[Vol. i. p. 63; "Tip-cat," vol. ii. p. 294.]

Two versions of this, differing somewhat from those given previously.