The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 25

A game where boys mount over each other's heads.-Halliwell's _Dictionary_.

See "c.o.c.kertie-hooie."

c.o.c.k-steddling

A boyish game mentioned but not described by Cope in his _Hampshire Glossary_. He gives as authority _Portsmouth Telegraph_, 27th September 1873.

Codlings

A game among youngsters similar to "Cricket," a short piece of wood being struck up by a long stick instead of a ball by a bat. Also called "Tip and Go" or "Tip and Slash."-Robinson's _Whitby Glossary_.

See "Cudgel."

Cogger

A striped snail sh.e.l.l. It is a common boyish pastime to hold one of these sh.e.l.ls between the last joints of the bent fingers, and forcibly press the apex against another held in a similar manner by an opponent, until one of them, by dint of persevering pressure, forces its way into the other; and the one which in these contests has gained the most victories is termed the Conqueror, and is highly valued (Northamptonshire, Baker's _Glossary_). The game is known as "Fighting c.o.c.ks" in Evans' _Leicestershire Glossary_. In London it was played with walnut sh.e.l.ls.

Cogs

The top stone of a pile is pelted by a stone flung from a given distance, and the more hits, or "cogglings off," the greater the player's score.-Robinson's _Whitby Glossary_.

Apparently the same game as "c.o.c.kly-jock."

Common

A game played with a ball and crooked stick (cut from a tree or hedge), with a crook at the end (same game as "Hurl").-Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln).

Mr. Patterson (_Antrim and Down Glossary_) mentions this as "Hockey;"

the same as "Shinney." "Called in some districts," he adds, "'Comun' and 'Kamman,' from the Irish name for the game."

Conkers

The same game as "Cogger." The game is more generally called "playin at sneel-sh.e.l.ls."-Ross and Stead's _Holderness Glossary_.

Conquerors or Conkers

I. Cobbly co!

My first blow!

Put down your black hat, And let me have first smack!

-Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 531.

II. Obli, obli O, my first go; And when the nut is struck, Obli, obli onker, my nut will conquer.

-_Notes and Queries_, 5th series, x. 378.

III. Cobblety cuts, Put down your nuts.

-Darlington's _Folk-speech of South Cheshire_.

IV. Obbly, obbly onkers, my first conquers; Obbly, obbly O, my first go.

-Lawson's _Upton-on-Severn Words and Phrases_.

V. Hobley, hobley, honcor, my first conkor; Hobbley, hobbley ho, my first go; Hobley, hobley ack, my first crack.

-Chamberlain's _West Worcestershire Glossary_.

(_b_) This game is played with horse chestnuts threaded on a string. Two boys sit face to face astride of a form or a log of timber. If a piece of turf can be procured so much the better. One boy lays his chestnut upon the turf, and the other strikes at it with his chestnut; and they go on striking alternately till one chestnut splits the other. The chestnut which remains unhurt is then "conqueror of one." A new chestnut is subst.i.tuted for the broken one, and the game goes on. Whichever chestnut now proves victorious becomes "conqueror of two," and so on, the victorious chestnut adding to its score all the previous winnings.

The chestnuts are often artificially hardened by placing them up the chimney or carrying them in a warm pocket; and a chestnut which has become conqueror of a considerable number acquires a value in schoolboys' eyes; and I have frequently known them to be sold, or exchanged for other toys (Holland's _Cheshire Glossary_). The game is more usually played by one boy striking his opponent's nut with his own, both boys standing and holding the string in their hands. It is considered bad play to strike the opponent's _string_. The nut only should be touched. Three tries are usually allowed.

(_c_) For information on various forms of this game, see _Notes and Queries_, 1878. See also Elworthy's _West Somerset Words_. The boy who first said the rhyme has first stroke at Oswestry. The game is elsewhere called "Cobbet" (Meole Brace) and "Cobbleticuts" (Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 531). In "Conquer-nuts" "obbly" was probably "n.o.bbly" or "k.n.o.bbly," expressing the appearance of the string of nuts; and "onkers"

was probably invented as a rhyme to "conquers" (_Upton-on-Severn Words and Phrases_, by R. Lawson).

Contrary, Rules of

I. Here I go round the rules of contrary, Hopping about like a little canary.

When I say "Hold fast," leave go; When I say "Leave go," hold fast.

-Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 52).

II. Here we go round the rules of contrary, When I say "Hold fast!" let go, and when I say "Let go!" hold fast.

-London (A. B. Gomme).

(_b_) A ring is formed by each child holding one end of a handkerchief.

One child stands in the centre and acts as leader. The ring moves round slowly. The leader says the words as above while the ring is moving round, and then suddenly calls out whichever he chooses of the two sayings. If he says "Hold fast!" every one must immediately let go the corner of the handkerchief he holds. They should all fall to the ground at once. When he says "Let go!" every one should retain their hold of the handkerchief. Forfeits are demanded for every mistake.

This game, called "Hawld Hard," is commonly played about Christmas-time, where a number hold a piece of a handkerchief. One then moves his hand round the handkerchief, saying, "Here we go round by the rule of Contrairy; when I say 'Hawld hard,' let go, and when I say 'Let go,'

hawld hard." Forfeits are paid by those not complying with the order.-Lowsley's _Berkshire Glossary_.

Cop-halfpenny

The game of "Chuck-farthing."-Norfolk and Suffolk (Holloway's _Dict. of Provincialisms_).

Corsicrown

A square figure is divided by four lines, which cross each other in the crown or centre. Two of these lines connect the opposite angles, and two the sides at the point of bisection. Two players play; each has three men or flitchers. Now there are seven points for these men to move about on, six on the edges of the square and one at the centre. The men belonging to each player are not set together as at draughts, but mingled with each other. The one who has the first move may always have the game, which is won by getting the three men on a line.-Mactaggart's _Gallovidian Encyclopaedia_.