Volume I Part 12 (2/2)

This is probably a forfeit game, imperfectly remembered. See ”Old Soldier.”

Base-ball

An undescribed Suffolk game.-Moor's _Suffolk Words_. See ”Rounders.”

Basket

[Music]

-London (A. B. Gomme).

In this game the children all follow one who is styled the ”mother,”

singing:

I'll follow my mother to market, To buy a silver basket.

The mother presently turns and catches or pretends to beat them.-Dorsets.h.i.+re (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 231).

We'll follow our mother to market, To buy herself a basket; When she comes home she'll break our bones, We'll follow our mother to market.

-Hersham, Surrey (_Folk-lore Record_, v. 84).

A version familiar to me is the same as above, but ending with

For tumbling over cherry stones.

The mother then chased and beat those children she caught. The idea was, I believe, that the children were imitating or mocking their mother (A.

B. G.). In Warwicks.h.i.+re the four lines of the Surrey game are concluded by the additional lines-

We don't care whether we work or no, We'll follow our mother on tipty-toe.

When the mother runs after them and buffets them.-Northall's _English Folk Rhymes_, p. 393.

Battledore and Shuttlec.o.c.k

See ”Shuttlefeather.”

Bedlams or Relievo

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 1.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 2.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 3.]

A number of boys agree to play at this game, and sides are picked. Five, for example, play on each side. A square is chalked out on a footpath by the side of a road, which is called the ”Den;” five of the boys remain by the side of the Den, one of whom is called the ”Tenter;” the Tenter has charge of the Den, and he must always stand with one foot in the Den and the other upon the road; the remaining five boys go out to field, it being agreed beforehand that they shall only be allowed to run within a prescribed area, or in certain roads or streets (fig. 1). As soon as the boys who have gone out to field have reached a certain distance-there is no limit prescribed-they shout ”Relievo,” and upon this signal the four boys standing by the side of the Den pursue them, leaving the Tenter in charge of the Den (fig. 2). When a boy is caught he is taken to the Den, where he is obliged to remain, unless the Tenter puts both his feet into the Den, or takes out the one foot which he ought always to keep in the Den. If the Tenter is thus caught tripping, the prisoner can escape from the Den. If during the progress of the game one of the boys out at field runs through the Den shouting ”Relievo” without being caught by the Tenter, the prisoner is allowed to escape, and join his comrades at field. If one of the boys out at field is tired, and comes to stand by the side of the Den, he is not allowed to put his foot into the Den. If he does so the prisoner calls out, ”There are two Tenters,” and escapes if he can (fig. 3). When all the boys out at field have been caught and put into the Den, the process is reversed-the boys who have been, as it were, hunted, taking the place of the hunters. Sometimes the cry is ”Delievo,” and not ”Relievo.” One or two variations occur in the playing of this game. Sometimes the Tenter, instead of standing with one foot in the Den, stands as far off the prisoner as the prisoner can spit. The choosing of sides is done by tossing. Two boys are selected to toss. One of them throws up his cap, crying, ”Pot!” or ”Lid!” which is equivalent to ”Heads and Tails.” If, when a prisoner is caught, he cries out ”Kings!” or ”Kings to rest!” he is allowed to escape. The game is a very rough one.-Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.

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