The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 89

239-240.]

A rhyme repeated while playing at "Chucks" with five small stones, lifting one each time.

Sweep the floor, lift a chair, Sweep below it, and lay it down.

Cream the milk, cream the milk, Quick, quick, quick, Spread a piece and b.u.t.ter on it thick, thick, thick.

-Perth (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Churning.

Churn the b.u.t.ter-milk, quick, quick, quick, I owe my mother a pint of milk.

This game used to be played on the sh.o.r.e, just as the tide went out, when the feet sank easily into the sand. The children turned half-way round as they repeated the words.-Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).

Codham, or Cobhams.

["Tip it," vol. ii. p. 292.]

A game resembling "Tip it," and a better form of the game. The parties are decided by a toss up. The object is pa.s.sed from hand to hand under the table, until the leader of the opposite side calls out "up" or "rise." When all the closed hands are on the table, the leader orders any hands off which he thinks do not contain the object. If the last hand left on the table contains the object the sides change places, if not the same sides repeat, twelve successful guesses making "game," each failure counting one to the opposite side. The game is called "Up Jenkins" in the North of Scotland. The words have to be called out when the hands are called to show. Another name is "Cudlums;" this word was called out when the leader pointed to the hand which he believed held the object.-Bedford (Mrs. A. C. Haddon).

Colley Ball.

["Monday," vol. i. p. 389.]

The same game as "Monday," with this difference. The player who first throws the ball against the wall calls out the name of the child he wishes to catch it, saying "A-- B--, no rakes, no better ball." If the ball goes on the ground the one called has to s.n.a.t.c.h the ball up and throw it at one of the retreating children.-Hemsby, Norfolk (Mrs. A. C.

Haddon).

Also sent me from Isle of Man (A. W. Moore), where it is called "Hommer-the-let."

Dan'l my Man.

["Jack's Alive," vol. i. p. 257.]

A little slip of wood or straw is lit and blown out, and while it is red it is pa.s.sed round from one to another, each man repeating as fast as he can-

Dan'l, my man, If ye die in my han', The straddle and mat is sure to go on.

The man in whose hand the spark dies has to go down on his knees. A chair, or some other article, is held over him, and he has to guess what it is, the others crying out-

Trum,[15] trum, what's over your head?

If he is wrong it is left on him and another article brought, and so on.-Kiltubbrid, Co. Leitrim (L. L. Duncan).

[15] "Trum" is for the Irish "trom," = heavy.

Deil amo' the Dishes, The.

["Ghost at the Well," vol. i. p. 149.]

One player acts as mother, and sends off one of the other players (her daughters) to take a message. She comes back, pretends to be frightened, and says she can't go, as there's something "chap, chap, chappin'." The mother sends another daughter with her this time, telling them "It's only your father's breeks, drap, drap, drappin'." These two return in the same way, saying again "There's something chap, chap, chappin'."

Another daughter is now sent with the other two, the mother saying "Its only the ducks, quack, quack, quackin'." They all come back again more frightened saying the same thing. Then the mother and all the others go together to see what the matter is. They come upon another player who has been sitting apart making a noise with a stone. They all cry out "The deil's amo' the dishes," and there is a great chase.-Aberdeen (Rev.

Dr. Gregor).

Dig for Silver.

Dig for silver, dig for gold, Dig for the land that I was told.

As I went down by the water side I met my lad with a tartan plaid.

My wee lad is a jolly sailor, And shall be for evermore.

(Name of boy) took the notion To go and sail on the ocean.

He took poor (name of girl) on his knee, And sailed across Kilmarnock sea.

Stop your weeping, my dear --, He'll come back and marry you.

He will buy you beads and earrings, He will buy you a diamond stone, He will buy a horse to ride on, When your true love is dead and gone.

What care I for the beads and earrings, What care I for the diamond stone, What care I for the horse to ride on, When my true love is dead and gone.

-Laurieston School, Kircudbrights.h.i.+re (J. Lawson).

Another version is-

Billy Johnston took a notion For to go and sail the sea; He has left his own true love Weeping on the Greenock quay.

I will buy you beads and earrings, I will buy you diamonds three, I will buy you beads and earrings, Bonny la.s.sie, if you marry me.

What care I for beads and earrings, What care I for diamonds three, What care I for beads and earrings, When my own true love is far from me.

-Perth (Rev. Dr. Gregor).

Compare with this "Keys of Heaven," p. 437, and "Paper of Pins," p. 450.

Dilsee Dollsie Dee.

[See "Here's a Soldier," vol. i. p. 206, and "Three Dukes," vol. ii. pp.

233-255].

A ring is formed, one child standing in the middle, all sing the words-

Which of us all do you love best, do you love best, do you love best, Which of us all do you love best, my dilsee dollsie dee.

Which of us all do you love best, my dilsee dollsie dofficer.

The child in the centre says-

You're all too black and ugly (three times), my dilsee dollsie dee, You're all too black and ugly, my dilsee dollsie dofficer.

The first verse is repeated, and the child in the centre points to one in the ring and says-