Spanish Highways and Byways Part 21

2. "Little white pigeons Dream of Granada, Glistening snows on Sierra Nevada.

Lift up the arches, Silver as fountains.

Little white pigeons Fly to the mountains."

The Spanish form of "Blindman's Buff" begins with "giving the pebble"

to determine who shall be the Blind Hen. A child shuts in one hand the pebble and then presents both little fists to the other children pa.s.sing in file. Each, while all sing the first stanza given below, softly touches first one of the hands, then the other, and finally slaps the one chosen. If this is empty, she pa.s.ses on. If it holds the pebble, she must take it and be the one to offer the hands. The child who finally remains with the pebble in her possession, after all have pa.s.sed, is the Blind Hen. As the game goes on, the children tease the Blind Hen, who, of course, is trying to catch them, by singing the second stanza given below.

1

"Pebble, O pebble!

Where may it be?

Pebble, O pebble!

Come not to me!

Tell me, my mother, Which hand to choose.

This or the other?

That I refuse, This hand I choose."

2

"She's lost her thimble, Little Blind Hen.

Better be nimble!

Try it again!

Who'll bring a taper For the Blind Hen?

Scamper and caper!

Try it again!

Try it again!"

Other games as well known to American children as "Blindman's Buff"

are played by little Spaniards. They understand how to make the "hand-chair" and "drop the b.u.t.ton," only their b.u.t.ton is usually a ring. "Hide the Handkerchief" carries with it the familiar cries of _hot_ and _cold_, but our "Puss in the Corner" becomes "A Cottage to Rent."

"'Cottage to rent?'

'Try the other side, You see that this Is occupied.'"

In religious Seville the dialogue runs:--

"'A candle here?'

'Over there.'

'A candle here?'

'Otherwhere.'

"'Candle, a candle!'

'Loss on loss.'

'Where is light?'

'In the Holy Cross.'"

For all these games, common to childhood the world over, have a rhyming element in the Peninsula, where, indeed, the ordinary intercourse of children often carries verses with it. For instance, our youngsters are content with cries of "Tell-tale!" and "Indian-giver!" but under similar provocation the fierce little nurslings of Catholic Spain will sing:--

"Tell-tale! Tell-tale!

In h.e.l.l you'll be served right, All day fed on mouldy bread, And pounded all the night!"

The other baby-curse is to the same effect:--

"He who gives and takes again, Long in h.e.l.l may he remain!

He who gives and takes once more, May we hear him beat on the Devil's door!"

The Spanish form of tag has a touch of mythological grace. One child, chosen by lot, is the Moon, and must keep within the shadow. The others, Morning-stars, are safe only in the lighted s.p.a.ces. The game is for the Morning-stars to run into the shadow, daring the Moon, who, if successful in catching one, becomes a Morning-star in turn, and pa.s.ses out into the light, leaving the one caught to act the part of Moon. As the Morning-stars run in and out of the Moon's domain, they sing over and over the following stanza:--

"O the Moon and the Morning-stars!

O the Moon and the Morning-stars!

Who dares to tread--O Within the shadow?"

Even in swinging, the little girls who push carry on a musical dialogue with the happy holder of the seat.

"'Say good-day, say good-day To Miss Fannie Fly-away!

At the door the guests are met, But the table is not set.

Put the stew upon the fire.

Higher, higher, higher, higher!

Now come down, down, down, down, Or the dinner will all burn brown.

Soup and bread! soup and bread!

I know a plot of roses red, Red as any hero's sword, Or the blood of our Holy Lord.

Where art thou, on the wing?'

'No, I'm sitting in the swing.'

'Who're thy playmates way up there?'

'Swallows skimming through the air.'

'Down, come down! The stew will burn.

Let the rest of us have a turn.'"

In playing "Hide and Seek," the seeker must first sit in a drooping att.i.tude with covered eyes, while the others stand about and threaten to strike him if he peeps:--

"Oil-cruet! Don't do it! _Ras con ras!_ Pepper-pot? Peep not! _Ras con ras!_"

The menacing little fists are then suddenly withdrawn.

"No, no! Not a blow!

But a pinch on the arm will do no harm.

Now let the birdies take alarm!"

And off scamper the hiders to their chosen nooks. When they are safely tucked away, the indispensable Mother, standing by, sings to the seeker that stanza which is his signal for the start:--

"My little birds of the mountain Forth from the cage are flown.

My little birds of the mountain Have left me all alone."

Spanish forfeit games are numerous and ingenious. In one of these, called "The Toilet," the players take the names of Mirror, Brush, Comb, Towel, Soap, and other essentials, including Jesus, Devil, and Man Alive, these last for exclamatory purposes. As each is mentioned by the leader of the game, he must rise instantly, on pain of forfeit, no matter how fast the speaker may be rattling on: "_Jesus!_ When will that _devil_ of a _maid_ bring me my _powder_ and _perfumes_?"

Characteristic t.i.tles of other forfeit games are, "The Key of Rome,"

"The Fan," "The Fountain," "I Saw my Love Last Night." The sentences vary from such gentle penalties as "The Caress of Cadiz" to the predicament of putting three feet on the wall at once.

The choral verses are often mere nonsense.

"Pipe away! pipe away!

Let us play a little play!