The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 46

A game called "The Beds," mentioned by a writer in _Blackwood's Magazine_, August 1821, p. 36, as played in Edinburgh when he was a boy by girls only, is described as a game where a pitcher is kicked into chalked divisions of the pavement, the performer being on one leg and hopping.

See "Hop-scotch."

Hard b.u.t.tons

Several boys place one b.u.t.ton each close together on a line. The game consists in hitting a particular b.u.t.ton out of this line with the nicker without touching the others. This is generally played in London streets, and is mentioned in the _Strand Magazine_, ii. 515.

See "Banger," "b.u.t.tons."

Hare and Hounds

A boys' game. One boy is chosen as the Hare. He carries with him a bag filled with strips of paper. The rest of the boys are the Hounds. The Hare has a certain time (say fifteen minutes) allowed him for a start, and he goes across country, scattering some paper on his way in order to indicate his track. He may employ any manuvre in order to deceive his pursuers, but must keep up the continuity of his paper track-signs. The Hounds follow him and try to catch him before he gets home, which is a place agreed upon beforehand.-London (G. L. Gomme).

In Cornwall the leader, when at fault, says-

Uppa, uppa, holye! If you don't speak My dogs shan't folly.

-Courtney (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 73).

Other versions of this holloa are-

Whoop, whoop, and hollow!

Good dogs won't follow Without the hare cries, Peewit.

-Halliwell's _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 66.

Sound your holler, Or my little dog shan't foller.

-Northall's _English Folk Rhymes_, p. 357.

This game is played in Wales under the name of "Hunt the Fox." The Fox has a certain time given him for a start, the other players then go after him.-Beddgelert (Mrs. Williams).

Harie Hutcheon

A game among children, in which they hop round in a ring, sitting on their hams.-Jamieson.

See "Curcuddie," "Cutch-a-cutchoo," "Hirtschin Hairy."

Hark the Robbers

[Music]

-Tong, Shropshire (Miss R. Harley).

I. Hark the robbers coming through, Coming through, Hark the robbers coming through, My fair lady.

What have the robbers done to you, Done to you, What have the robbers done to you, My fair lady?

You have stole my watch and chain, Watch and chain, You have stole my watch and chain, My fair lady.

Half-a-crown you must pay, You must pay, Half-a-crown you must pay, My fair lady.

Half-a-crown we cannot pay, Cannot pay, Half-a-crown we cannot pay, My fair lady.

Off to prison you must go, You must go, Off to prison you must go, My fair lady.

-Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).

II. Here are the robbers coming through, Coming through, coming through, Here are the robbers coming through, My fair lady.

What will the robbers do to you, Do to you, do to you, What will the robbers do to you, My fair lady?

Steal your watch and break your chain, Break your chain, break your chain, Steal your watch and break your chain, My fair lady.

Then they must go to jail, Go to jail, go to jail, Then they must go to jail, My fair lady.

-Belfast (W. H. Patterson).

III. Hark the robbers Coming through, coming through, My fair lady.

They have stolen my watch and chain, Watch and chain, watch and chain.

Off to prison they shall go, They shall go, they shall go, My fair lady.

-Wolstanton, Stoke-on-Trent (Miss A. A. Keary).

IV. Hark the robbers coming through, Coming through, coming through, Hark the robbers coming through, My fair lady.

What's the robbers done to you, Done to you, done to you, What's the robbers done to you, My fair lady?

They have stole my watch and chain, Watch and chain, watch and chain, They have stole my watch and chain, My fair lady.

What's the price will set you free, Set you free, set you free, What's the price will set you free, My fair lady?

Half-a-guinea will set me free, Will set me free, will set me free, Half-a-guinea will set me free, My fair lady.

Half-a-guinea you shall not have, Shall not have, shall not have, Half-a-guinea you shall not have, My fair lady.

Let's join hands, it is too late, 'Tis too late, 'tis too late, Let's join hands, it is too late, My fair lady.

-Tong, Shropshire (Miss R. Harley).

V. Hark at the robbers going through, Through, through, through; through, through, through; Hark at the robbers going through, My fair lady.