The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume I Part 77

A goal having been selected and bounds determined, the promoters used to prepare the others by calling at the top of their voices-

Lamp! Lamp! Laa-o!

Those that don't run shan't play-o!

Then one of the "spryest" lads is elected to commence, thus:-First touching the goal with his foot or leaning against it, and clasping his hands so as to produce the letter W in the dumb alphabet, he pursues the other players, who are not so handicapped, when, if he succeeds in touching one without unclasping his hands, they both make a rush for the goal. Should either of the other boys succeed in overtaking one of these before reaching that spot, he has the privilege of riding him home pick-a-back. Then these two boys (_i.e._, the original pursuer and the one caught), joining hands, carry on the game as before, incurring a similar penalty in case of being overtaken as already described. Each successive boy, as he is touched by the pursuers, has to make for the goal under similar risks, afterwards clasping hands with the rest, and forming a new recruit in the pursuing gang, in whose chain the outside players alone have the privilege of touching and thus adding to their numbers. Should the chain at any time be broken, or should the original pursuer unclasp his hands, either by design or accident, the penalty of carrying a capturer to the goal is incurred and always enforced. In West Somerset the pursuing boys after starting were in the habit of crying out the word "Brewerre" or "Brewarre;" noise appearing to be quite as essential to the game as speed.-_Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries_, i. 186 (1888).

Another correspondent to the same periodical (i. 204) says that an almost identical game was played at the King's School, Sherborne, some fifty years ago. It was called "King-sealing," and the pursuing boy was obliged by the rules to retain his hold of the boy seized until he had uttered-

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

You are one of the king-sealer's men.

If the latter succeeded in breaking away before the couplet was finished, the capture was incomplete.

The second game described is almost identical with "King Caesar," played at Barnes.

About twenty years ago the game was common in some parts of Bedfords.h.i.+re and Hertfords.h.i.+re, where it was sometimes called "Chevy Chase."-_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 233.

See "Chickidy Hand," "Hunt the Staigie," "King Caesar," "Whiddy."

Lang Larence

That is, "Long Lawrence," an instrument marked with signs, a sort of teetotum. A "Long Lawrence" is about three inches long, something like a short ruler with eight sides; occasionally they have but four. On one side are ten x's, or crosses, forming a kind of lattice-work; on the next, to the left, three double cuts, or strokes, pa.s.sing straight across in the direction of the breadth; on the third, a zig-zag of three strokes one way, and two or three the other, forming a W, with an additional stroke or a triple V; on the fourth, three single bars, one at each end and one in the middle, as in No. 2, where they are doubled; then the four devices are repeated in the same order. The game, formerly popular at Christmas, can be played by any number of persons. Each has a bank of pins or other small matters. A pool is formed; then in turn each rolls the "Long Lawrence." If No. 1 comes up the player cries "Flush,"

and takes the pool; if No. 2, he puts down two pins; if No. 3, he says "Lave all," and neither takes nor gives; if No. 4, he picks up one. The sides are considered to bear the names, "Flush," "Put doan two," "Lave all," "Sam up one." It has been suggested that the name "Lawrence" may have arisen from the marks scored on the instrument, not unlike the bars of a gridiron, on which the saint perished.-_Easthers's Almondbury Glossary._

See "Teetotum."

Leap Candle

The young girls in and about Oxford have a sport called "Leap Candle,"

for which they set a candle in the middle of a room in a candlestick, and then draw up their coats into the form of breeches, and dance over the candle back and forth, saying the words-

The taylor of Bicester he has but one eye, He cannot cut a pair of green galagaskins If he were to die.

This sport, in other parts, is called "Dancing the Candlerush" (Aubrey's _Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme_, p. 45). Halliwell (_Rhymes_, p.

65) has a rhyme-

Jack be nimble, And Jack be quick, And Jack jump over The candlestick,

which may refer to this game. Northall (_Folk Rhymes_, p. 412) says in Warwicks.h.i.+re a similar game is called "c.o.c.k and Breeches."

Leap-frog

One boy stoops down sideways, with his head bent towards his body, as low as possible. This is called "Tucking in your Tuppeny." Another boy takes a flying leap over the "frog," placing his hands on his back to help himself over. He then proceeds to a distance of some four or five yards, and, in his turn, stoops in the same manner as the first boy, as another frog. A third boy then leaps first over frog No. 1, and then over frog No. 2, taking his place as frog No. 3, at about the same distance onwards. Any number of boys may play in the game. After the last player has taken his leap over all the frogs successively, frog No.

1 has his turn and leaps over his companions, taking his place as the last in the line of frogs. Then No. 2 follows suit, and so on, the whole line of players in course of time covering a good distance.-London (G.

L. Gomme).

Leap-frog is known in Cornwall as "Leap the Long-mare" (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 60), and in Antrim and Down as "Leap the Bullock"

(Patterson's _Glossary_).

See "Accroshay," "Loup the Bullocks," "Spanish Fly."

Leap the Bullock

See "Leap-frog," "Loup the Bullocks."

Leaves are Green

The leaves are green, the nuts are brown, They hang so high they will not come down; Leave them alone till frosty weather, Then they will all come down together.

-Berks.h.i.+re (Miss Thoyts, _Antiquary_, xxvii. 254).

These lines are sung while the children dance round in a circle. When the last words are sung, the children flop down upon the ground. The tune sung is, Miss Thoyts says, that of "Nuts in May."

Lend Me your Key

Please will you lend us your key?

What for?

Please, our hats are in the garden.

Yes, if you won't steal any beans.

Please, we've brought the key back; will you lend us your frying-pan?

What to do with?

To fry some beans.

Where have you got them?

Out of your garden.

-Earls Heaton (H. Hardy).

One child represents an old woman, and the other players carry on the dialogue with her. At the end of the dialogue the children are chased by the old woman.

See "Mother, Mother, may I go out to Play," "Witch."

Letting the Buck out

This game was played seventy years ago. A ring being formed, the "Buck"

inside has to break out, and reach his "home," crying "Home!" before he can be caught and surrounded. Afterwards these words were sung-

Circle: Who comes here?

Buck: Poor Johnny Lingo.

Circle: Don't steal none of my black sheep, Johnny Lingo, For if you do I shall put you in the pinder pin-fold.