The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2): With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.Gomme, Alice Bertha
History
The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2): With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.
Gomme, Alice Bertha
Folklore -- Great Britain; Games -- Great Britain
The game commences by a parley between the Fox and Goose to this effect,
the Goose beginning.
“What are you after this fine morning?”
“Taking a walk.”
“With what object?”
“To get an appetite for a meal.”
“What does [will] your meal consist of?”
“A nice fat goose for my breakfast.”
“Where will you get it?”
“Oh, I shall get a nice morsel somewhere; and as they are so handy, I
shall satisfy myself with one of yours.”
“Catch one if you can.”
A lively scene follows. The Fox and Mother Goose should be pretty evenly
matched; the Mother with extended arms seeking to protect her Brood,
while the Fox, who tries to dodge under, right and left, is only allowed
in case of a successful foray or grasp to secure the last of the train.
Vigorous efforts are made to escape him, the Brood of course
supplementing the Mother’s exertions to elude him as far as they are
able, but without breaking the link. The game may be continued until all
in turn are caught.—_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 217-18.
In Lancashire the children stand in line behind each other, holding each
other by the waist. One stands facing them and calls out—
My mother sits on yonder chimney,
And she says she _must_ have a chicken.
The others answer—
She _can’t_ have a chicken.
The one then endeavours to catch the last child of the tail, who when
caught comes behind the captor; repeat until all have changed
sides.—Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).
A version of this game played at Eckington, Derbyshire, is played as
follows:—A den is chalked out or marked out for the Fox. A larger den,
opposite to this, is marked out for the Geese. A boy or a girl
represents the Fox, and a number of others the Geese. Then the Fox
shouts, “Geese, Geese, gannio,” and the Geese answer, “Fox, Fox,
fannio.” Then the Fox says, “How many Geese have you to-day?” The Geese
reply, “More than you can catch and carry away.” Then the Geese run out
of the den, and the Fox tries to catch them. He puts as many as he
catches into his den (S. O. Addy).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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