The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 68

Jib-Job-Jeremiah

An undescribed Suffolk game.-Moor's _Suffolk Words_, p. 238.

Jiddy-c.u.m-jiddy

A northern name for "See Saw."

Jingle-the-bonnet

A game in which two or more put a halfpenny each, or any piece of coin, into a cap or bonnet. After jingling or shaking them together, they are thrown on the ground; and he who has most heads when it is his turn to jingle, gains the stakes which were put into the bonnet.-Jamieson.

Halliwell (_Dictionary_) says this is a northern name for the game of "Shake Cap," and Brockett (_North Country Words_) speaks of it as a game much practised among the young pitmen and keelmen.

Jingo-ring

Here we go by jingo-ring, jingo-ring, jingo-ring, Here we go by jingo-ring, and round by merry-ma-tansy.

-Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews).

Sung to the "Mulberry" or "Ivy bush" tune.

The children form a ring and dance round singing. At the last word they all fall down.

See "Merry-ma-tansa."

Jinkie

A game among children, in which they run round a table trying to catch one whose business is by quick turns to elude them.-Jamieson.

Jock and Jock's Man

A juvenile sport in which the _bon camarada_ is to repeat all the pranks which the leader can perform.-Brockett's _North Country Words_.

See "Follow my Gable," "Follow my Leader."

Jockie Blind-man

Scotch name for "Blind Man's Buff."-Jamieson.

See "Blind Man's Buff."

Joggle along

I. Come all you young men In your youthful ways, And sow your wild oats In your youthful days.

Then you'll be happy, Then you'll be happy, As you grow old.

For the day's far spent, And the night's coming on, So give us your arm, and We'll joggle along.

-Penzance, Cornwall (Mrs. Mabbott).

II. Come all ye young men, with your wicked ways, Sow all your wild oats in your youthful days, That we may live happy, that we may live happy, That we may live happy when we grow old.

The day is far spent, the night's coming on, Give us your arm, and we'll joggle along, That we may live happy, &c., &c.

-Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 57).

(_b_) There must be an odd number of players at this game. They form into couples, each standing behind the other, making a ring, the girls inside, one boy standing alone in the middle. As they go round they sing the verse. At the end each boy leaves hold of his partner's arm and catches the arm of the girl in front, the one who is standing in the centre trying in the confusion to get into a place. If he succeeds, the child left out has to be the one in the centre the next time.

(_c_) Mr. Newell (_Games_, p. 101) says this game was called the "Baptist Game" in Virginia, where it is said to be enjoyed by pious people who will not dance. The American game is played in the same way as the English one. Mr. Newell gives the tune to which the game was sung. The words are almost identical. This game is played in the same way as "Jolly Miller," which see.

Johnny Rover

One boy is chosen to be Johnny Rover. The other players stand near him.

Rover cries out-

A [I] warn ye ance, A warn you twice; A warn ye three times over; A warn ye a' t' be witty an' wise An flee fae Johnny Rover.

While the words are being repeated all the players are putting themselves on the alert, and when they are finished they run off in all directions, with Rover in full pursuit. If a player is hard pressed he has the privilege of running to "Parley," the place from which the players started, and which in all games is an asylum. If he is caught before he reaches it, he becomes Johnny Rover for the next game. The one first captured becomes Rover.-Keith (Rev. W. Gregor).

Jolly Fishermen

[Music]

-Tean, North Staffs. (Miss Burne).

I. They were two jolly fishermen, They were two jolly fishermen, They were two jolly fishermen, And just come from the sea, And just come from the sea.

They cast their nets into the sea, And jolly fish caught we, And jolly fish caught we, And jolly fish caught we, They cast their nets into the sea, And jolly fish caught we.

-Tean and Cheadle, North Staffs. (Miss Burne).

II. There was three jolly fishermen, And they all put out to sea.

They cast their nets into the sea, And the [three?] jolly fish caught we.

-North Staffs. Potteries (Mrs. Thomas Lawton).

(_b_) A circle is formed by joining hands, and two children stand in the centre. They walk round. At the seventh line the two in the centre each choose one child from the ring, thus making four in the centre. They then sing the remaining four lines. The two who were first in the centre then go out, and the game begins again, with the other two players in the centre.

(_c_) Miss Burne says this game is more often played as "Three Jolly Fishermen." At Cheadle, North Staffs., a few miles distant from Tean, this game is played by grown-up men and women.

Jolly Hooper