The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 38

II. Silly old man, he walks alone, He walks alone, he walks alone; Silly old man, he walks alone, He wants a wife and can't get one.

All go round and choose your own, Choose your own, choose your own; All go round and choose your own, And choose a good one or else choose none.

Now young couple you're married together, Married together, married together; Now young couple you're married together, Your father and mother you must obey.

So love one another like sister and brother, And now young couple pray kiss together.

-Lancas.h.i.+re (_Notes and Queries_, 5th series, iv. 157).

III. Silly old maid (_or_ man), she walks alone, She walks alone, she walks alone; Silly old maid, she walks alone, She wants a man (_or_ wife) and she can't get one.

Go around and choose your own, Choose your own, choose your own; Go around and choose your own, And take whoever you like in.

Now these two are married together, Married together, married together; Now these two are married together, I pray love, kiss again.

-Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).

IV. Here's a silly ould man that lies all alone, That lies all alone, that lies all alone; Here's a silly ould man that lies all alone, He wants a wife and he can get none.

Now young couple you're married together, You're married together, you're married together; You must obey your father and mother, And love one another like sister and brother.

I pray, young couple, you'll kiss together.

-Carleton's _Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry_, p. 107.

V. Silly old man, he walks alone, Walks alone, walks alone; Silly old man, he walks alone, Wants a wife and he canna get one.

All go round and choose your own, Choose your own, choose your own; All go round and choose your own, Choose a good one or let it alone.

Now he's got married and tied to a peg, Tied to a peg, tied to a peg; Now he's got married and tied to a peg, Married a wife with a wooden leg.

-Monton, Lancas.h.i.+re (Miss Dendy).

VI. Silly old maid, she lives alone, She lives alone, she lives alone; [Silly old maid, she lives alone,]

Wants a husband but can't get one.

So now go round and choose your own, Choose your own, choose your own; Now go round and choose your own, Choose the very one you love best.

Now young couple, you're married for ever, Your father and mother you must obey; Love another like sister and brother, And now young couple, pray kiss together.

-Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln).

(_c_) The children form a ring, joining hands. A child, usually a boy, stands in the middle. The ring dances round and sings the verses. The boy in the centre chooses a girl when bidden by the ring. These two then stand in the centre and kiss each other at the command. The boy then takes a place in the ring, and the girl remains in the centre and chooses a boy in her turn. In the Dublin and Isle of Man versions a girl is first in the centre; in the Manx version (A. W. Moore) the two children hold hands when in the centre.

(_d_) In the _Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry_, Mr. Carleton gives this game as one of those played by young people of both s.e.xes at funeral wakes. It is played in the same way as the game now is; boys and girls stand alternately in a ring holding hands, choosing each other in turn, and kissing. The other versions do not differ materially from each other, except that the Lancas.h.i.+re version described by Miss Dendy has evidently been corrupted quite lately, because a purer form is quoted from the same county in _Notes and Queries_. The game seems to be one of the group of marriage games arising from the fact that at any gathering of people for the purpose of a ceremonial, whether a funeral or a festival, it was the custom to form matrimonial alliances. The words are used for kiss-in-the-ring games, and also in some marriage games when the last player is left without a partner.

Skin the Goatie

One boy takes his stand in an upright position at a wall. Another boy stoops with his head in the breast of the one standing upright. A third boy jumps stride-leg on his back, and tries to "crown," _i.e._, put his hand on the head of the boy at the wall. The boy on whose back he is tries every means by s.h.i.+fting from side to side, and by throwing up his back, to prevent him from doing so, and to cast him off. If he succeeds in doing so, he takes his stand behind the stooping boy in the same position. Another boy then tries to do the same thing over the two stooping boys. If he succeeds in crowning the standing boy, he takes his station at the wall. If not, he takes his stand behind the two stooping boys. The game goes on till a boy "crowns" the one standing at the wall.-Banchory (Rev. W. Gregor).

See "Saddle the Nag."

Skipping

Strutt says (_Sports_, p. 383), "This amus.e.m.e.nt is probably very ancient. Boys often contend for superiority of skill in this game, and he who pa.s.ses the rope about most times without interruption is the conqueror. In the hop season a hop-stem, stripped of its leaves, is used instead of a rope, and, in my opinion, it is preferable." On Good Friday on Brighton beach the fisher folk used to play at skipping, six to ten grown-up people skipping at one rope.

Apart from the ordinary, and probably later way of playing, by one child holding a rope in both hands, turning it over the head, and either stepping over it while running, or standing still and jumping until the feet catch the rope and a trip is made, skipping appears to be performed in two ways, jumping or stepping across with (1) more or less complicated movements of the rope and feet, and (2) the ordinary jumping over a turned rope while chanting rhymes, for the purpose of deciding whether the players are to be married or single, occupation of future husband, &c.

Of the first cla.s.s of game there are the following variants:-

"Pepper, salt, mustard, cider, vinegar."-Two girls turn the rope slowly at first, repeating the above words, then they turn it as quickly as possible until the skipper is tired out, or trips.

"Rock the Cradle."-In this the holders of the rope do not throw it completely over, but swing it from side to side with an even motion like the swinging of the pendulum of a clock.

"Chase the Fox."-One girl is chosen as a leader, or fox. The first runs through the rope, as it is turned towards her, without skipping; the others all follow her; then she runs through from the other side as the rope is turned from her, and the others follow. Then she runs in and jumps or skips once, and the others follow suit; then she skips twice and runs out, then three times, the others all following in turn until one trips or fails. The first one to do this takes the place of one of the turners, the turner taking her place as one of the skippers.

"Visiting."-One girl turns the rope over herself, and another jumps in and faces her, while skipping in time with the girl she visits. She then runs out again without stopping the rope, and another girl runs in.

"Begging."-Two girls turn, and two others run and skip together side by side. While still skipping they change places; one says, as she pa.s.ses, "Give me some bread and b.u.t.ter;" the other answering, "Try my next door neighbour." This is continued until one trips.

"Winding the Clock."-Two turn the rope, and the skipper counts one, two, three, up to twelve, turning round each time she jumps or skips.

"Baking Bread."-Two girls turn, and another runs in with a stone in her hand, which she puts down on the ground, and picks up again while skipping.

"The Ladder."-The girls run in to skip, first on one foot and then the other, with a stepping motion.

Two other games are as follows:-(1.) Two ropes are used, and a girl holds either end in each hand, turning them alternately; the skipper has to jump or skip over each in turn. When the rope is turned inwards, it is called "double dutch," when turned outwards, "French dutch." (2.) The skipper has a short rope which she turns over herself, while two other girls turn a longer rope over her head.

The second cla.s.s of games consists of those cases where the skipping is accompanied by rhymes, and is used for the purpose of foretelling the future destiny of the skipper. These rhymes are as follows (all collected by Miss Chase):-

Ipsey, Pipsey, tell me true Who shall I be married to?

A, B, C, &c.

Letters-initial of one to whom you'll be married.-Hurstmonceux, Suss.e.x.

Half pound tuppeny rice, Half a pound of treacle, Penny 'orth of spice To make it nice, Pop goes the weazle.

-Crockham Hill, Kent.

When I was young and able, I sat upon the table; The table broke, And gave me a poke, When I was young and able.

[The children now add that when singing

Pa.s.s the baker,[8]

Cook the tater,

is the full couplet.]-Deptford.

Every morning at eight o'clock, You all may hear the postman's knock.