The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 91

[Vol. i. p. 117.]

A version of this game played by three children. The three sit close together, close their hands and place them over each other, the first one on the knee of one of them. One then asks, "Faht's that c.o.c.kin' up there?" "c.o.c.k a pistol; c.o.c.k it aff," replies another. The same process is gone through till only one hand is left on the knee. Then the one whose hand was uppermost at the beginning of the game says-

Faht's in there?

Gold and money (is the answer).

Fahr's my share o't?

The moosie ran awa' wi't.

Fahr's the moosie?

In her hoosie.

Fahr's her hoosie?

In the wood.

Fahr's the wood?

The fire brunt it.

Fahr's the fire?

The water quencht it.

Fahr's the water?

The broon bull drank it.

Fahr's the broon bull?

At the back a (of) Burnie's hill Fahr's the back a Burnie's hill?

A' claid wi' snaw.

Fahr's the snaw?

The sun melt.i.t it.

Fahr's the sun?

Heigh, heigh up i' the air.

He who speaks first, or laughs first, or lats (lets) their teeth be seen, gets nine nips, nine n.o.bs, an' nine double douncornes, an' a gueed blow on the back o' the head.-Corgarff (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Eendy, Beendy.

Eendy, Beendy, baniba, roe, Caught a chicken by the toe; To the east, to the west, To the old crow's nest, Hopping in the garden, swimming in the sea, If you want a pretty girl, please take me.

-N. Scotland, locality forgotten (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

One girl dances forward from a line of children singing the words.

Another from a line opposite responds, and they dance together. They look first to the east and then to the west by turning their heads in those directions alternately.

Farmer's Den, The.

All players but one form a ring, this one stands in the centre. The ring dances round singing the words-

The farmer in his den, the farmer in his den, For it's oh, my dearie, the farmer's in his den.

For the farmer takes a wife, For the farmer takes a wife; For it's oh, my dearie, the farmer takes a wife.

The child in centre then chooses one from the circle, who goes in the middle, and the ring dances round again singing-

For the wife takes a child, &c. (as above).

And choosing another child from the ring, then-

For the child takes a nurse, &c. (as above).

For the nurse takes a dog, &c. (as above).

Then all the players join in singing-

For we all clap the dog, For we all clap the dog.

For it's oh! my dearie, we all clap the dog.

While singing this all the players pat the one who was chosen as "dog"

on his or her back.-Auchencairn, N.B. (Mary Haddon).

Fire on the Mountains.

[See "Round Tag," vol. ii. pp. 144-145.]

The players arrange themselves into a double circle with a s.p.a.ce between each pair. The one at the back stands and the inside players kneel.

Another player stands in the centre and cries out, "Fire on the mountain; run, boys, run!" Those players who are standing in the outer circle begin to run round, those kneeling remaining in that position.

They continue running until the centre player cries "Stop!" They all then (including the centre player) make a rush to get a stand behind one of the kneeling players, the one who is left out going into the centre.-Auchterarder, N.B. (Miss E. S. Haldane).

This game may possibly suggest an origin for "Round tag," although the incident of "catching" or "touching" a runner does not appear, and the inner circle of players apparently are always stationary.

Fool, Fool, come to School.

[Vol. i. p. 132.]

Played in the usual way with the following difference in the formula.

The leader says, "Fool, foolie, come to your schoolie." When the fool comes, the leader says, "What have you been doing to-day?" Fool says, "Cursin' and swearin'." Fool is then chased off, recalled, and again questioned. Fool answers, "Suppin' my porridge and readin' my Bible."

She is then welcome, and asked in the usual way to point out one from the school.-Aberdeen (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Another formula sent me by Mr. C. C. Bell is to say, when the fool is sent back, "Fool, fool, go back to school, and learn more wit."

French Jackie,

name for "Round Tag" and "Two and Threes," in Tyrie (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Galloping.

Galloping, galloping to the fair, Courting the girls with the _red_ petticoats; Galloping, galloping all day long, Courting the girls with the _speckled_ petticoats.

Girls sing this resting one knee on the ground, striking the other knee with their right hand as they say each word. The length of the song depends upon the ingenuity of the players in finding new colours for the petticoats each time.-Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).

The game is not known now.