The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 28

See "Tag."

Rounders

This is a boys' game. A round area is marked out by boundary sticks, and at a chosen point of the boundary the base is fixed. This is marked out independently of the boundary, but inside it. Sides are then chosen. One side are the "ins," and strike the ball; the other side are the "outs,"

and deliver the ball, scout, and endeavour to get their opponents, the "ins," out as soon as possible. The ball (an indiarubber one) is delivered by the "feeder," by pitching it to a player, who stands inside the base armed with a short stick. The player endeavours to strike the ball as far away as possible from the fielders or scouts. As soon as the ball is struck away he runs from the base to the first boundary stick, then to the second, and so on. His opponents in the meantime secure the ball and endeavour to hit him with it as he is running from stage to stage. If he succeeds in running completely round the boundary before the ball is returned it counts as one rounder. If he is. .h.i.t he is out of the game. He can stay at any stage in the boundary as soon as the ball is in hand, getting home again when the next player of his own side has in turn hit the ball away. When a ball is returned the feeder can bounce it within the base, and the player cannot then run to any new stage of the boundary until after the ball has again been hit away by another player. If a player misses a ball when endeavouring to strike at it he has two more chances, but at the third failure he is bound to run to the first boundary stick and take his chance of being hit with the ball. If a ball is caught the whole side is out at once; otherwise, the side keeps in until either all the players have been hit out with the ball or until the base is crowned. This can be done by bouncing the ball in the base whenever there is no player there to receive the delivery from the feeder. When a complete rounder is obtained, the player has the privilege either of counting the rounder to the credit of his side, or of ransoming one of the players who have been hit out, who then takes his part in the game as before. When all but one of the players are "out," this last player in hitting the ball must hit it away so as to be able to make a rounder, and return to the base before his opponents get back the ball to crown the base.

An elaborate form of this game has become the national game of the United States.

Rounds

See "Roundabout."

Row-chow-Tobacco

See "Bulliheisle," "Eller Tree," "Snail Creep," "Wind up the Bush f.a.ggot."

Rowland-Ho

A Christmas game.-Halliwell's _Dictionary_.

Rumps

A game with marbles [undescribed].-d.i.c.kinson's _c.u.mberland Glossary_.

Rusty

A boys' game, exactly the same as "s.h.i.+ps."-Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.

Sacks

A number of children place their closed fists on top of one another in a pile. The leader asks, pointing to the topmost fist, "What's in that sack?" Answer, Potatoes, or anything the child chooses. The leader tips it off with her finger, saying, "Knock it away," and so to the very undermost fist, when she asks, "What's in this sack?" The answer must be, "Bread and cheese;" and then the following dialogue takes place:-

Where's my share?

The mouse eat it.

Where's the mouse?

The cat killed it.

Where's the cat?

The dog worried it.

Where's the dog?

The cow tossed it.

Where's the cow?

The butcher killed it.

Where's the butcher?

Behind the door.

And who ever speaks the first word shall get a sound round box on the ear.-Co. Cork (Mrs. B. B. Green).

Saddle the Nag

An equal number of players is chosen on each side. Two chiefs are chosen by lot. One of the chiefs takes his stand by a wall, and all his party bend their backs, joined in a line. One of the opposite side leaps on the back of the one farthest from the one standing at the wall, and tries to make his way over the backs of all the stooping boys, up to the one standing. Those stooping move and wriggle to cast him off, and if they succeed in doing so, he stands aside till all his side have tried.

When all have tried and none succeed in crowning the one standing, the sides change. If one or more succeed, then each such has a second chance before the sides change. Each side commonly has six chances. The side that succeeds in oftenest touching the chief's head wins the game.-d.y.k.e (Rev. W. Gregor).

See "Skin the Goatie."

Saggy

A game with marbles [undescribed].-d.i.c.kinson's _c.u.mberland Glossary_.

Sailor Lad

A sailor lad and a tailor lad, And they were baith for me; I wid raither tack the sailor lad, And lat the tailor be.

What can a tailor laddie dee Bit sit and sew a cloot, When the bonnie sailor laddie Can turn the s.h.i.+p aboot.

He can turn her east, and he can turn her west, He can turn her far awa'; He aye tells me t' keep up my hairt For the time that he's awa'.

I saw 'im lower his anchor, I saw 'im as he sailed; I saw 'im cast his jacket To try and catch a whale.

He skips upon the planestanes, He sails upon the sea; A fancy man wi' a curly pow Is aye the boy for me, Is aye the boy for me; A fancy man wi' a curly pow Is aye the boy for me.

He daurna brack a biscuit, He daurna smoke a pipe; He daurna kiss a bonnie la.s.s At ten o'clock at night.

I can wash a sailor's s.h.i.+rt, And I can wash it clean; I can wash a sailor's s.h.i.+rt, And bleach it on the green.

Come a-rinkle-tinkle, fal-a-la, fal-a-la, Aboun a man-o'-war.

-Rosehearty (Rev. W. Gregor).

A circle is formed by joining hands. They dance round and sing.

Sometimes at Rosehearty two play the game by the one taking hold of the other's left hand with her right.

Sally go Round the Moon

Sally go round the moon, Sally go round the stars; Sally go round the moon On a Sunday afternoon.

-Deptford, Kent (Miss E. Chase).

Three or more girls take hold of hands, forming a ring; as they spin round they sing the lines. They then reverse and run round in the other direction with an _O!_ or repeat over again.