The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 34

Blaw up the bagpyp than, The schamon's dance I mon begin, I trow it sall not pane.

-"Peblis to the Play," _Chronicles of Scottish Poetry_, i. 135.

Pinkerton defines salmon as "probably _show-man_, _shaw-man_."

See "Shame Reel, or Shamit Dance."

Salt Eel

This is something like "Hide and Find." The name of Salt Eel may have been given it from one of the points of the game, which is to baste the runaway individual, whom you may overtake, all the way home with your handkerchief, twisted hard for that purpose. Salt Eel implies on board ship a rope's ending, and on sh.o.r.e an equivalent process.-Moor's _Suffolk Words and Phrases_.

Save All

Two sides are chosen in this game. An even number of boys, say eight on each side. Half of these run out of the line, and are chased by half of the boys from the other side. If two out of four get "home" to door or lamp-post, they _save all_ the prisoners which have been made; if two out of four are caught before the others get "home," the side catching them beats.-Deptford (Miss Chase).

Say Girl

A game undescribed, recorded by the Rev. S. D. Headlam as played by some Hoxton school children.-_Church Reformer_, 1894.

Scat

A paper-knife, or thin slip of wood, is placed by one player on his open palm. Another takes it up quickly, and tries to "scat" his opponent's hand before he can draw it away. Sometimes a feint of taking the paper-knife is made three or four times before it is really done. When the "scat" is given, the "scatter" in his turn rests the knife on his palm. Scat is the Cornish for "slap."-_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 50.

Scop-peril, or Scoperel

Name for teetotum ordinarily manufactured by sticking a pointed peg through a bone b.u.t.ton.-Easther's _Almondbury Glossary_; also in SW.

Lincolnshire, Cole's _Glossary_.

See "Totum."

Scotch-hoppers

In _Poor Robin's Almanack_ for 1677, in the verses to the reader, on the back of the t.i.tle-page, concerning the chief matters in the volume, among many other articles of intelligence, the author professes to show-

"The time when school boys should play at _Scotch-hoppers_."

Another allusion occurs in the same periodical for 1707-"Lawyers and Physitians have little to do this month, and therefore they may (if they will) play at _Scotch-hoppers_. Some men put their hands into peoples'

pockets open, and extract it clutch'd, of that beware. But counsel without a cure, is a body without a soul." And again, in 1740-"The fifth house tells ye whether wh.o.r.es be sound or not; when it is good to eat tripes, bloat herrings, fry'd frogs, rotten eggs, and monkey's tails b.u.t.ter'd, or an ox liver well stuck with fish hooks; when it is the most convenient time for an old man to play at _Scotch-hoppers_ amongst the boys. In it also is found plainly, that the best armour of proof against the fleas, is to go drunk to bed."

See "Hopscotch," "Tray-Trip."

Scots and English

Boys first choose sides. The two chosen leaders join both hands, and raising them high enough to let the others pa.s.s through below, cry-

Brother Jack, if ye'll be mine, I'll gie ye claret wine; Claret wine is good and fine, Through the needle ee, boys.

Letting their arms fall they enclose a boy and ask him to which side he will belong, and he is disposed of according to his own decision. The parties being at length formed, are separated by a real or imaginary line, and place at some distance behind them, in a heap, their hats, coats, &c. They stand opposite to each other, the object being to make a successful incursion over the line into the enemy's country, and bring off part of the heap of clothes. It requires both address and swiftness of foot to do so without being taken by the foe. The winning of the game is decided by which party first loses all its men or its property. At Hawick, where the legendary mimicry of old Border warfare peculiarly flourishes, the boys are accustomed to use the following rhymes of defiance:-

King Covenanter, come out if ye daur venture!

Set your foot on Scots' ground, English, if ye daur!

-Chambers' _Popular Rhymes_, p. 127.

The following version was written down in 1821 under the name of Scotch and English:-Two parties of boys, divided by a fixed line, endeavoured to pull one another across this line, or to seize by bodily strength or nimbleness a "wad" (the coats or hats of the players) from the little heap deposited in the different territories at a convenient distance.

The person pulled across or seized in his attempt to rob the camp was made a prisoner and conducted to the enemy's station, where he remained under the denomination of "stinkard" till relieved by one of the same side, or by a general exchange of prisoners.-_Blackwood's Magazine_, August 1821, p. 25. The _Denham Tracts_, i. 150, gives a version of the game much the same as these, except that the words used by the English are, "Here's a leap into thy kingdom, dry-bellied Scot." See also Hutton's _History of Roman Wall_ (1804), p. 104. Brockett's account, under the t.i.tle of "Stealy Clothes, or Watch Webs," is as follows:-The players divide into two parties and draw a line as the boundary of their respective territories. At an equal distance from this line each player deposits his hat or some other article of his dress. The object of the game is to seize and convey these singly to your own store from that of the enemy, but if you are unfortunately caught in the attempt, you not only restore the plunder but become a prisoner yourself. This evidently takes its origin from the inroads of the English and Scotch; indeed, it is plainly proved from the language used on the occasion, which consists in a great measure of the terms of reproach still common among the Borderers.-Brockett's _North Country Words_.

Jamieson, also, describes the game under the t.i.tle of "English and Scotch," and says the game has originated from the mutual incursions of the two nations.

See "French and English," "Prisoner's Base," "Rigs."

Scratch Cradle

The game of "Cat's Cradle."

Scrush

A game much like Shinty between two sides of boys, each with bandies (scrushes) trying to knock a roundish stone over the other's line.-Barnes' _Dorset Glossary_. See "Shinney."

Scurran-Meggy

A game much in vogue in c.u.mberland during the last century, and in which a peculiar form of top called a "scurran top" was used.-Halliwell's _Dictionary_.

See-Saw

[Music]

-London (A. B. Gomme).

I. t.i.tty c.u.m tawtay, The ducks in the water; t.i.tty c.u.m tawtay, The geese follow after.

-Halliwell's _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 213.

II. See-saw, Margery Daw, Sold her bed to lie upon straw; Wasn't she a dirty s.l.u.t To sell her bed to lie upon dirt?

-London (A. B. Gomme).

III. See-saw, Margery Daw, Johnny shall have a new master; He shan't have but a farthing a day, Because he can't work any faster.