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
This game was also played in London. The _dramatis personæ_ were a
mother, an eldest daughter, the younger children, a witch, and a pot was
represented by another child. The Mother names the children after the
days of the week. She tells her eldest daughter that she is going to
wash, and that she expects her to take great care of her sisters, and to
be sure and not let the old witch take them. She is also to look after
the dinner, and be sure and not let the pot boil over. The Mother then
departs, and stays at a little distance from the others. The eldest
daughter pretends to be very busy putting the house to rights, sweeps
the floor, and makes everything tidy; the younger children pretend to
play, and get in the elder sister’s way. She gets angry with them, and
pretends to beat them. Now, the girl who personates the Witch comes and
raps with her knuckles on a supposed door. The Witch stooped when
walking, and had a stick to help her along.
Come in, says the eldest sister. What do you want?
Let me light my pipe at your fire? My fire’s out.
Yes! if you’ll not dirty the hearth.
No, certainly; I’ll be careful.
While the eldest sister pretends to look on the shelf for something, the
Witch “dirties” the hearth, catches hold of Monday and runs off with
her; and at this moment the pot boils over. The child who is the pot
makes a “hissing and fizzing” noise. The daughter calls out—
Mother, mother, the pot boils over.
Take the spoon and skim it.
Can’t find it.
Look on the shelf.
Can’t reach it.
Take the stool.
The leg’s broke.
Take the chair.
Chair‘’$1gone to be mended.
I suppose I must come myself?
The Mother here wrings her hands out of the water in the washing-tub and
comes in. She looks about and misses Monday.
Where’s Monday?
Oh, please, Mother, please, I couldn’t help it; but some one came to
beg a light for her pipe, and when I went for it she took Monday
off.
Why, that’s the witch!
The Mother pretends to beat the eldest daughter, tells her to be more
careful another time, and to be sure and not let the pot boil over. The
eldest daughter cries, and promises to be more careful, and the Mother
goes again to the wash-tub.
The same thing occurs again. The Witch comes and asks—
Please, will you lend me your tinder-box? My fire’s out.
Yes, certainly, if you’ll bring it back directly.
You shall have it in half-an-hour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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