Volume Ii Part 100 (1/2)

Onery, twoery, d.i.c.kery dary, Wispy, spindey, spoke of the lindey, Old Johanny Hairy c.r.a.p in![17]

Each word is repeated to a man; and when the leader comes to ”c.r.a.p in,”

the man specified draws in his foot. When all have drawn in their feet but one, this one must then kneel down, and his eyes being blindfolded, the master of the game puts his elbow on his back and strikes him with his elbow or fist, saying-

Hurley, burley, trump the trace, The cow ran through the market-place.

Simon Alley hunt the buck, How many horns stand up?

At the same time holding up several fingers. The man kneeling down has to guess the number. If he guesses correctly, the master of the game takes his place. If he fails to guess he is kept down, and another man goes and strikes his back, and so on.-Kiltubbrid, Co. Leitrim (L. L.

Duncan.)

A version of ”Hot c.o.c.kles,” with interesting variations.

Mr. Duncan, when sending me the games he collected, said-”It is very possible that the people may have brought some of the games from England when returning from harvesting. This, however, does not apply to 'Old Johanny Hairy, c.r.a.p in,' as it is now called in English. c.r.a.p isteach is the Irish for 'draw in,' as in Mr. O'Faharty's 'Sports of the Winter'

there is a Gaelic version. This, I should imagine, makes it certain that, although well known elsewhere, the game also obtained in the West of Ireland.”

[17] c.r.a.p-draw.

Paper of Pins.

Paper of pins to you I bring; Say is my love worth anything?

Gold and silver to you I bring; Say is my love worth anything?

No, I'll not have anything;

or,

Yes, I will have what you bring.

A ring is formed, and one player walks round outside saying the first four lines, stopping at any child she chooses who answers ”Yes” or ”No.”

If ”Yes,” the two go into the ring and kiss.-Marylebone, London (A. B.

Gomme).

This is interesting, as a possible fragment of the old Keys of Canterbury [Halliwell's ”Nursery Rhymes,” No. cccclxvi.] and of the Paper of Pins, described so fully by Mr. Newell in ”Games and Songs of American Children,” pp. 51-55.

See ”Keys of Heaven,” _ante_, p. 437.

Pickie. A form of Hopscotch.

[See ”Hopscotch,” vol. i. pp. 223-227.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

One player commences first by winning the toss. The pick (a small flat stone) is pitched into No. 1 bed. It is then moved out of this first place, backward across the front line, and not otherwise by touching or forcing it with one foot, the other foot being kept up; that is, the player must hop and use the foot on the ground to strike ”pick.” No line must be touched. If this happens, or if the pick, when being driven towards the pitching line, gets away otherwise than across the front line, the player is ”out,” and the next boy goes in. All the beds are done likewise, and all must be then done in a reverse way, beginning with No. 10. The first player who completes the game wins.-Waterville, Co. Kerry (Mrs. B. B. Green).

Poor Widow.

[Vol. ii. pp. 62, 63.]