The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 50

The cat has killed it.

Where's the cat?

Behind the door, cracking pebble-stones and marrow-bones for yours and my supper, and the one who speaks first shall have a box on the ear.

-Halliwell's _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 222.

The children are seated, and the questions are put by one of the party who holds a twisted handkerchief or something of the sort in the hand.

The handkerchief was called "hewley puley," and the questions are asked by the child who holds it. If one answers wrongly, a box on the ear with the handkerchief was the consequence; but if they all replied correctly, the one who broke silence first had that punishment.

For similar rhymes see "Dump," "Mother, may I go out?"

Hey Wullie Wine

I. Hey Wully wine, and How Wully wine, I hope for hame ye'll no incline; Ye'll better light, and stay a' night, And I'll gie thee a lady fine.

Wha will ye gie, if I wi' ye bide, To be my bonny blooming bride, And lie down lovely by my side?

I'll gie thee Kate o' Dinglebell, A bonny body like yersell.

I'll stick her up in the pear-tree Sweet and meek, and sae is she: I lo'ed her ance, but she's no for me, Yet I thank ye for your courtesy.

I'll gie thee Rozie o' the Cleugh, I'm sure she'll please thee weel eneugh.

Up wi' her on the bane d.y.k.e, She'll be rotten or I'll be ripe: She's made for some ither, and no me, Yet I thank ye for your courtesy.

Then I'll gie ye Nell o' sweet Sprinkell, Owre Galloway she bears the bell.

I'll set her up in my bed-head, And feed her wi' milk and bread; She's for nae ither, but jist for me, Sae I thank ye for your courtesy.

-Mactaggart's _Gallovidian Encyclopaedia_.

II. I maun ride hame, I maun gang hame, And bide nae langer here; The road is lang, the mirk soon on, And howlets mak' me fear.

Light doon and bide wi' us a' night, We'll choose ye a bonnie la.s.s; Ye'll get your wull and pick o' them a', And the time it soon wull pa.s.s.

Which ane will ye choose, If I with you will bide?

The fairest and rarest In a' the kintra side.

A girl's name was then mentioned. If the lad was pleased with the choice made, he replied-

I'll set her up on a bonnie pear-tree, It's tall and straight, and sae is she; I'd keep wauken a' night her love to be.

If he was not pleased, he replied in one or other of the next three verses-

I'll set her up ayont the dike, She'll be rotten ere I be ripe, The corbies her auld banes wull pike.

I'll set her up on a high crab-tree, It's sour and dour, and so is she; She may gang to the mools unkissed by me.

Though she be good and fair to see, She's for another, and no for me; But I thank you for your courtesie.

When a girl took the place of the lad, she replied in one or other of the three following, according as she was angry or pleased-

I'll put him in a riddle And riddle him o'er the sea, And sell to Johnny Groat's For a Scotch bawbee.

I'll set him up on my lum-head [chimney], And blaw him up wi' pouther and lead; He'll never be kissed though he be dead.

I'll set him up at my table head, Feed him wi' sweet milk and bread, If he likes gang hame on his fine steed.

-Biggar (Wm. Ballantyne).

(_b_) In Biggar, all the players were seated round the hearthstone, lads on one side, la.s.sies the other; one lad rising up said the first verse, then one acting as "maister" said the next verse. The young man then said the next two lines, to which the other replied in the two following, and naming at the close any girl he thought would be acceptable. If the lad was pleased he sang the next verse. If he was not pleased with the girl offered him he replied in either of the three following verses. The first of the three was generally said if the girl was thought to be too old; if bad-tempered, the second. If the lad found no fault, but wished to politely refuse, he sang the last verse. The girl then was asked in her turn, and the same formula gone through, she saying either of the three last verses given. Forfeits were demanded for every refusal, and were cried at the end of the game.

(_c_) Mr. Ballantyne writes: "This game was a great favourite in my father's house. This was a forfeit game, forfeits being called 'wadds.'"

Chambers, _Popular Rhymes_, p. 124, gives a version of this game. It is practically the same as Mr. Ballantyne's version, with only a few verbal differences. Mactaggart says, "The chief drift of this singular game seemed to be to discover the sweethearts of one another," and such discoveries are thought valuable, but not so much as they were anciently. In any case, it appears to me that the game is an early one, or, at all events, a reflection of early custom.

Hickety, Bickety

Hickety, bickety, pease-scone, Where shall this poor Scotchman gang?

Will he gang east, or will he gang west, Or will he gang to the craw's nest?

-Chambers (_Popular Rhymes_, p. 122).

One boy stands with his eyes bandaged and his hands against a wall, with his head resting on them. Another stands beside him repeating the rhyme, whilst the others come one by one and lay their hands upon his back, or jump upon it. When he has sent them all to different places he turns round and calls, "Hickety, bickety!" till they have all rushed back to the place, the last in returning being obliged to take his place, when the game goes on as before.

Chambers adds, "The 'craw's nest' is close beside the eye-bandaged boy, and is therefore an envied position." Newell, _Games_, p. 165, refers to this game.

See "Hot c.o.c.kles."

Hickety-hackety

The game of Hop-scotch, played with a piece of tile, which has to be kicked by the player with the foot on which he hops over lines into various squares marked on the ground.-Somersetshire (Elworthy's _Dialect_).

See "Hop-scotch."

Hick, Step, and Jump

The game of "Hop, step, and jump."-Somerset (Holloway's _Dict. of Provincialisms_).

See "Half-Hammer."

Hide and Seek (1)

A writer in _Blackwood's Magazine_, August 1821, p. 36, mentions this as a summer game. It was called "Ho, spy!" the words which are called out by those boys who have hidden. He says the watchword of "Hide and seek"

was "hidee," and gives as the rhyme used when playing-