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
VI. The miller’s dog lay on the wall,
And Bingo was his name Oh!
B-i-n-g-o,
And Bingo was his name Oh!
—Maxey, Northants (Rev. W. D. Sweeting).
VII. The shepherd’s dog lay on the hearth,
And Bingo was his name O.
B i n g o, Bi, n, g, o, Bi-n-g-o,
And Bingo was his name O.
—Eckington, Derbyshire (S. O. Addy).
VIII. Pinto went to sleep one night,
And Pinto was his name oh!
P-i-n-t-o, P-i-n-t-o,
And Pinto was his name oh.
—Enbourne, Berks (Miss Kimber).
(_b_) In the Lancashire version, one child represents the Miller. The
rest of the children stand round in a circle, with the Miller in the
centre. All dance round and sing the verses. When it comes to the
spelling part of the rhyme, the Miller points at one child, who must
call out the right letter. If the child fails to do this she becomes
Miller. In the Shropshire version, a ring is formed with one player in
the middle. They dance round and sing the verses. When it comes to the
spelling part, the girl in the middle cries B, and signals to another,
who says I, the next to her N, the third G, the fourth “O! his name was
Bobby Bingo!” Whoever makes a mistake takes the place of the girl in the
middle. In the Liphook version, at the fourth line the children stand
still and repeat a letter each in turn as quickly as they can, clapping
their hands, and at the last line they turn right round, join hands, and
begin again. In the Tean version, the one in the centre points, standing
still, to some in the ring to say the letters B.I.N.G; the letter O has
to be sung; if not, the one who says it goes in the ring, and repeats it
all again until the game is given up. In the other Staffordshire
version, when they stop, the one in the middle points to five of the
others in turn, who have to say the letters forming “Bingo,” while the
one to whom O comes has to sing it on the note on which the others left
off. Any one who says the wrong letter, or fails to sing the O right,
takes the place of the middle one. The Northants version follows the
Lancashire version, but if the answers are all made correctly, the last
line is sung by the circle, and the game begins again. In the
Metheringham version the child in the centre is blindfolded. When the
song is over the girls say, “Point with your finger as we go round.” The
girl in the centre points accordingly, and whichever of the others
happens to be opposite to her when she says “Stop!” is caught. If the
blindfolded girl can identify her captive they exchange places, and the
game goes on as before. The Forest of Dean and the Earls Heaton versions
are played the same as the Lancashire. In the West Cornwall version, as
seen played in 1884, a ring is formed, into the middle of which goes a
child holding a stick; the others with joined hands run round in a
circle, singing the verses. When they have finished singing they cease
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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