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
(_d_) This game is probably, unless we except “Mulberry Bush,” the most
popular and the most widely played of any singing game. It might almost
be called universal. This is shown by the fact that there are few
counties where it is not known, and also that important variants, either
in the words or in the method of playing, are rarely met with. In all
the versions which have been sent there are only the following
variations in the words, and these are principally in the refrain, or
last line of each verse: “On a cold and frosty morning” ends by far the
greater number of versions; “On a fine summer’s morning,” “So early in
the morning,” “All on a summer’s morning,” “Five o’clock in the
morning,” “On a cold and sunny morning,” coming next in number. The
Belfast version ends, “May! May! May!” and a Newbury and Marlborough
fourth line is simply a repetition of the second, “Nuts in May, nuts in
May.”
In the first line of the verse the only important variant seems to be
the Symondsbury “Gathering nuts away” and “Gathering nuts to-day.”
“Gathering nuts away” also occurs in one version from Newbury (Berks),
“Nuts and May” appearing in the larger number after the more usual “Nuts
in May.” In only one version is a specific place mentioned for the
gathering. This is in the Bocking version, where Galloway Hill is named,
in reply to the unusual question, “Where do you gather your nuts in
May?” A player is usually gathered for “Nuts in May.” In three or four
cases only is this altered to gathering a player’s “nuts away,” which is
obviously an alteration to try and make the action coincide exactly with
the words. The game is always played in “lines,” and the principal
incidents running throughout all the versions are the same, _i.e._, one
player is selected by one line of players from their opponents’ party.
The “selected” one is refused by her party unless some one from the
opposite side can effect her capture by a contest of strength. In all
versions but two or three this contest takes place between the two; in
one or two all the players join in the trial of strength. In another
instance there appears to be no contest, but the selected player crosses
over to the opposite side. Two important incidents occur in the Bocking
and Symondsbury versions. In the Bocking game the side which is
victorious has the right to begin the next game first: this also occurs
in the Barnes version. In Symondsbury, when one child is drawn over the
boundary line by one from the opposite side she has to be “crowned”
immediately. This is done by the conqueror putting her hand on the
captured one’s head. If this is not done at once the captured one is at
liberty to return to her own side. In some versions (Shropshire and
London) the player who is selected for “Nuts” is always captured by the
one sent to fetch her. Some Barnes children also say that this is the
proper way to play. When boys and girls play the boys are always sent to
“fetch away” the girls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account