When I was a young thing, A young thing, a young thing; When I was a young thing, How happy was I. 'Twas this way, and that way, And this way, and that way; When I was a young thing, Oh, this way went I. When I was a school-girl, etc. When I was a teacher, etc. When I had a sweetheart, etc. When I had a husband, etc. When I had a baby, etc. When I had a donkey, etc. When I took in washing, etc. When my baby died, oh died, etc. When my husband died, etc. The players, joining hands, form a ring, and dance or walk round singing the words, and keeping the ring form until the end of the fourth line in each successive verse, when they unclasp, and stand still. Each child then takes hold of her skirt and dances individually to the right and left, making two or three steps. Then all walk round singly, singing the second four lines, and making suitable action to the words as they sing and go: the same form being continued throughout. * * * * * Still simpler is "~Carry my Lady to London~." In this game two children cross hands grasping each other's wrists and their own as well--thus forming a seat, on which a third child can be carried. When hoisted and in order, the bearers step out singing:-- Gie me a needle to stick i' my thoom To carry my lady to London; London Bridge is broken down, And I must let my lady down. Each child is thus carried in turn. * * * * * "A B C" is a spirited game, admirably adapted for indoor practice on a wet day, which is played by children seated round a table, or at the fireside. One sings a solo--a verse of some nursery rhyme. For instance:-- Hey, diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon. The chorus of voices takes up the tune, and the solo is repeated; after which the alphabet is sung through, and the last letter, Z, is sustained and repeated again and again, to bother the next child, whose turn it now is to sing the next solo. The new solo must be a nursery rhyme not hitherto sung by any of the company. If unable to supply a fresh rhyme within a fixed limit, the player stands out of the game and pays a forfeit. Less brain-taxing entertainments often engage adult wits. * * * * * "~My Theerie and my Thorie~," with a political significance, is a game widely played. In one place it is known as "Cam a teerie arrie ma torry;" in another, "Come a theory, oary mathorie;" in yet another, "Come a theerie, Come a thorie;" or it may be, as in Perthshire, "My theerie and my thorie." And even as the refrain varies, so do the rhymes. But the action is generally the same. The players divide into two sides of about equal number, in lines facing each other. Moving forwards and backwards the sides sing verse about of the following rhyme:--