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
A Staffordshire and Sharleston version gives some altogether different
formulæ:—
What colour’s the sky?
Blue.
Look up again.
Like a W.
Follow me through every little hole that I go through.
—Staffordshire (Rev. G. T. Royds, Rector of Haughton).
At Sharleston the centre child says, “What colour is t’ sky?” The other
answers, “Blue.” Centre child says, “Follow me true.” Here the centre
child runs in and out between the others until the one who was touched
catches her, when they change places, the first joining the children in
the ring.—Sharleston (Miss Fowler).
At Beddgelert, Wales (Mrs. Williams), this game is called Tartan Boeth.
It is played in precisely the same manner as the English game, but the
words used are:
Tartan Boeth, Oh ma’en llosgi, Boeth iawn
Hot Tart. Oh, it burns! very hot!
At the words, “Very hot!” the handkerchief is dropped.
(_b_) In this game no kissing takes place, and that this is no mere
accidental omission may be shown by Mr. Udal’s description of the
Dorsetshire game. He was assured by several persons who are interested
in Dorset Children’s Games that the indiscriminate kissing (that is,
whether the girl pursued runs little or far, or, when overtaken, whether
she objects or not) with which this game is ordinarily associated, as
played now both in Dorset and in other counties, was not indigenous to
this county, but was merely a pernicious after-growth or outcome of
later days, which had its origin in the various excursion and holiday
fêtes, which the facilities of railway travelling had instituted, by
bringing large crowds from the neighbouring towns into the country. He
was told that thirty years ago such a thing was unknown in the country
districts of Dorset, when the game then usually indulged in was known
merely as “Drop the Handkerchief” (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 212).
In other cases the rhymes are used for a purely kissing game, for which
see “Kiss in the Ring.”
Dropping the Letter
An undescribed Suffolk boys’ game.—Moor’s _Suffolk Words_, p. 238.
Duck under the Water
Each child chooses a partner, and form in couples standing one before
the other, till a long line is formed. Each couple holds a handkerchief
as high as they can to form an arch. The couple standing at the end of
the line run through the arch just beyond the last couple standing at
the top, when they stand still and hold their handkerchief as high as
possible, which is the beginning of the second arch; this is repeated by
every last couple in succession, so that as many arches as are wanted
can be formed.—East Kirkby, Lincolnshire (Miss K. Maughan).
Miss Baker (_Northamptonshire Glossary_) says the game is played in that
county. Formerly in the northern part of the county even married women
on May Day played at it under the May garland, which was extended from
chimney to chimney across the village street.
Duck at the Table
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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