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
(_b_) This game is a very general one at Christmas time. It is
practically the same as “Gled Wylie,” and “Hen and Chickens,” and the
“Hawk and Chickens” of Mr. Newell’s _Games and Songs of American
Children_, pp. 155-56. By referring to these games it will be seen that
the whole group are mimic representatives of farmyard episodes, though
the animal characters are giving way to more domestic affairs, as shown
in the Pins and Needles version of “Hen and Chickens.” It is possible
that the different animals which are victims to the Fox appearing in the
different games may arise from local circumstances, and that in this
case a real distinction exists between the various names by which this
game is known. A game called “Wolf and Deer,” similar to “Fox and
Geese,” is given in _Winter Evening Amusements_, by R. Revel. The last
one at the end of the tail may, if she has no other chance of escape,
try and place herself before the Deer or Hen. She is then no longer to
be hunted; all the others must then follow her example until the deer
becomes the last of the line. The game then terminates by exacting a
forfeit for each lady whom the Wolf has suffered to escape his clutches
(pp. 64, 65).
See “Gled Wylie,” “Hen and Chickens,” “Old Dame.”
Fox and Geese (2)
A game known by this name is played with marbles or pegs on a board on
which are thirty-three holes, or on the pavement, with holes scraped out
of the stones. To play this game there are seventeen pieces called
Geese, and another one either larger or distinguished from the Geese by
its colour, which is called the Fox. The Fox occupies the centre hole,
and the Geese occupy nine holes in front, and four on each side of him.
The vacant holes behind are for the Geese and Fox to move in. The game
is for the Geese to shut up the Fox so that he cannot move. All the
pieces can be moved from one spot to another in the direction of the
lines, but cannot pass over two holes at once. The Geese are not
permitted to take the Fox. The Fox’s business is to take all, or as many
of the Geese as will prevent him from being blockaded. The Fox can take
the Geese whenever there is a vacant space behind them, which he passes
to, then occupies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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