Part 6
An ancient game played in Angus and Lothian. Three play, and they are provided with clubs. These clubs are called "dogs." The players cut out two holes, each about a foot in diameter, and seven inches in depth. The distance between them is about twenty-six feet. One stands at each hole with a club. A piece of wood about four inches long and one inch in diameter, called a Cat, is thrown from the one hole towards the other by a third person. The object is to prevent the Cat from getting into the hole. Every time that it enters the hole, he who has the club at that hole loses the club, and he who threw the Cat gets possession both of the club and of the hole, while the former possessor is obliged to take charge of the Cat. If the Cat be struck, he who strikes it changes places with the person who holds the other club; and as often as these positions are changed one is counted in the game by the two who hold the clubs, and who are viewed as partners.--Jamieson.
(_b_) This is not unlike the "Stool-Ball" described by Strutt (_Sports and Pastimes_, p. 76), but it more nearly resembles "Club-Ball," an ancient English game (ibid., p. 83). The game of "Cat," played with sticks and a small piece of wood, rising in the middle, so as to rebound when struck on either side, is alluded to in _Poor Robin's Almanack_ for 1709, and by Brand. Leigh (_Cheshire Glossary_) gives "Scute" as another name for the game of "Cat," probably from _scute_ (O.W.), for boat, which it resembles in shape.
See "Cudgel," "Kit-cat," "Tip-cat."
Cat-Beds
The name of a game played by young people in Perthshire. In this game, one, unobserved by all the rest, cuts with a knife the turf in very unequal angles. These are all covered, and each player puts his hand on what he supposes to be the smallest, as every one has to cut off the whole surface of his division. The rate of cutting is regulated by a throw of the knife, and the person who throws is obliged to cut as deep as the knife goes. He who is last in getting his bed cut up is bound to carry the whole of the clods, crawling on his hands and feet, to a certain distance measured by the one next to him, who throws the knife through his legs. If the bearer of the clods let any of them fall, the rest have a right to pelt him with them. They frequently lay them very loosely on, that they may have the pleasure of pelting.--Jamieson.
Cat's Cradle
One child holds a piece of string joined at the ends on his upheld palms, a single turn being taken over each, and by inserting the middle finger of each hand under the opposite turn, crosses the string from finger to finger in a peculiar form. Another child then takes off the string on his fingers in a rather different way, and it then assumes a second form. A repetition of this man[oe]uvre produces a third form, and so on. Each of these forms has a particular name, from a fancied resemblance to the object--barn-doors, bowling-green, hour-glass, pound, net, fiddle, fish-pond, diamonds, and others.--_Notes and Queries_, vol. xi. p. 421.
The following forms are those known to me, with their names. They are produced seriatim.
1. The cradle. 2. The soldier's bed. 3. Candles. 4. The cradle inversed, or manger. 5. Soldier's bed again, or diamonds. 6. Diamonds, or cat's eyes. 7. Fish in dish. 8. Cradle as at first.
The different orders or arrangements must be taken from the hands of one player by another without disturbing the arrangement.--A. B. Gomme.
(_b_) Nares suggests that the proper name is "Cratch Cradle," and is derived from the archaic word _cratch_, meaning a manger. He gives several authorities for its use. The first-made form is not unlike a manger. Moor (_Suffolk Words_) gives the names as cat's cradle, barn-doors, bowling-green, hour-glass, pound, net, diamonds, fish-pond, fiddle. A supposed resemblance originated them. Britton (_Beauties of Wiltshire_, Glossary) says the game in London schools is called "Scratch-scratch" or "Scratch-cradle."
[Illustration: Cat's Cradle "Taking off" Soldier's Bed
"Taking off" Candles "Taking off"
Cat's Cradle (upside down) Cat's Eyes Fish.]
The game is known to savage peoples. Professor Haddon noted it among the Torres Straits people, who start the game in the same manner as we do, but continue it differently (_Journ. Anthrop. Inst._, vol. xix. p. 361); and Dr. Tylor has pointed out the significance of these string puzzles among savage peoples in _Journ. Anthrop. Inst._, ix. 26.
Cat-gallows
A child's game, consisting of jumping over a stick placed at right angles to two others fixed in the ground.--Halliwell's _Dictionary_.
(_b_) In Ross and Stead's _Holderness Glossary_ this is called "Cat-gallas," and is described as three sticks placed in the form of a gallows for boys to jump over. So called in consequence of being of sufficient height to hang cats from. Also mentioned in Peacock's _Manley and Corringham Glossary_ and Elworthy's _West Somerset Words_, Brogden's _Provincial Words, Lincs._, Dickinson's _Cumberland Glossary_, Atkinson's _Cleveland Glossary_, Brockett's _North Country Words_, Evans' _Leicestershire Glossary_, Baker's _Northants Glossary_, and Darlington's _South Cheshire Glossary_. On one of the stalls in Worcester Cathedral, figured in Wright's _Archæological Essays_, ii. 117, is a carving which represents three rats busily engaged in hanging a cat on a gallows of this kind.
Cat i' the Hole
A game well known in Fife, and perhaps in other counties. If seven boys are to play, six holes are made at certain distances. Each of the six stands at a hole, with a short stick in his hand; the seventh stands at a certain distance holding a ball. When he gives the word, or makes the sign agreed upon, all the six change holes, each running to his neighbour's hole, and putting his stick in the hole which he has newly seized. In making this change, the boy who has the ball tries to put it into an empty hole. If he succeeds in this, the boy who had not his stick (for the stick is the Cat) in the hole to which he had run is put out, and must take the ball. There is often a very keen contest whether the one shall get his stick, or the other the ball, or Cat, first put into the hole. When the Cat _is in the hole_, it is against the laws of the game to put the ball into it.--Jamieson.
(_b_) Kelly, in his _Scottish Proverbs_, p. 325, says, "'Tine cat, tine game;' an allusion to a play called 'Cat i' the Hole,' and the English 'Kit-cat.' Spoken when men at law have lost their principal evidence."
See "Cat and Dog," "Cudgel," "Kit-cat."
Cat after Mouse
This game, sometimes called "Threading the Needle," is played by children forming a ring, with their arms extended and hands clasped; one--the Mouse--goes outside the circle and gently pulls the dress of one of the players, who thereupon becomes the Cat, and is bound to follow wherever the Mouse chooses to go--either in or out of the ring--until caught, when he or she takes the place formerly occupied in the ring by the Cat, who in turn becomes Mouse, and the game is recommenced.--Dorsetshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 214).
(_b_) Played at Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy); Clapham Middle-Class School (Miss Richardson); and many other places. It is practically the same game as "Drop Handkerchief," played without words. It is described by Strutt, p. 381, who considers "Kiss-in-the-Ring" is derived from this "Cat and Mouse."
Catchers
One bicken is required in this game, and at this a lad must stand with a bat and ball in hand. He hits the ball away along the sand. Another boy picks it up and asks the striker "How many?" who replies--
Two a good scat, Try for the bat.
The ball is then thrown to the bicken, and if it does not come within the distance named--two bats--the striker again sends the ball away, when the question is again asked--
Three a good scat, Try for the bat.
And so on until the boy standing out throws the ball in to the required distance.--Old newspaper cutting without date in my possession (A. B. Gomme).
Chacke-Blyndman
Scotch name for "Blindman's Buff."--Jamieson.
Chance Bone
In Langley's abridgment of _Polydore Vergile_, f. 1., we have a description of this game: "There is a game also that is played with the posterne bone in the hinder foote of a sheepe, oxe, gote, fallow, or redde dere, whiche in Latin is called _talus_. It hath foure chaunces: the ace point, that is named Canis, or Canicula, was one of the sides; he that cast it leyed doune a peny, or so muche as the gamers were agreed on; the other side was called Venus, that signifieth seven. He that cast the chaunce wan sixe and all that was layd doune for the castyng of Canis. The two other sides were called Chius and Senio. He that did throwe Chius wan three. And he that cast Senio gained four. This game (as I take it) _is used of children in Northfolke_, and they cal it the Chaunce Bone; they playe with three or foure of those bones together; it is either the same or very lyke to it."
See "Dibs," "Hucklebones."
Change Seats, the King's Come
In this game as many seats are placed round a room as will serve all the company save one. The want of a seat falls on an individual by a kind of lot, regulated, as in many other games, by the repetition of an old rhythm. All the rest being seated, he who has no seat stands in the middle, repeating the words "Change seats, change seats," &c., while all the rest are on the alert to observe when he adds, "the king's come," or, as it is sometimes expressed, change their seats. The sport lies in the bustle in consequence of every one's endeavouring to avoid the misfortune of being the unhappy individual who is left without a seat. The principal actor often slily says, "The king's _not_ come," when, of course the company ought to keep their seats; but from their anxious expectation of the usual summons, they generally start up, which affords a great deal of merriment.--Brand's _Pop. Antiq._, ii. 409.
(_b_) Dr. Jamieson says this is a game well-known in Lothian and in the South of Scotland. Sir Walter Scott, in _Rob Roy_, iii. 153, says, "Here auld ordering and counter-ordering--but patience! patience!--We may ae day play at _Change seats, the king's coming_."
This game is supposed to ridicule the political scramble for places on occasion of a change of government, or in the succession.
See "Musical Chairs," "Turn the Trencher."
Checkstone
Easther's _Almondbury Glossary_ thus describes this game. A set of checks consists of five cubes, each about half an inch at the edge, and a ball the size of a moderate bagatelle ball: all made of pot. They are called checkstones, and the game is played thus. You throw down the cubes all at once, then toss the ball, and during its being in the air gather up one stone in your right hand and catch the descending ball in the same. Put down the stone and repeat the operation, gathering two stones, then three, then four, till at last you have "summed up" all the five at once, and have succeeded in catching the ball. In case of failure you have to begin all over again.
(_b_) In Nashe's _Lenten Stuff_ (1599) occurs the following: "Yet towards cock-crowing she caught a little slumber, and then she dreamed that Leander and she were playing at checkstone with pearls in the bottom of the sea."
A game played by children with round small pebbles (Halliwell's _Dictionary_). It is also mentioned in the early play of _Apollo Shroving_, 1627, p. 49.
See "Chucks," "Fivestones."
Cherry Odds
A game of "Pitch and Toss" played with cherry-stones (Elworthy's _West Somerset Words_). Boys always speak of the stones as "ods."
Cherry-pit
"Cherry-pit" is a play wherein they pitch cherry-stones into a little hole. It is noticed in the _Pleasant Grove of New Fancies_, 1657, and in Herrick's _Hesperides_. Nares (_Glossary_) mentions it as still practised with leaden counters called Dumps, or with money.
Chicamy
Chicamy, chickamy, chimey O, Down to the pond to wash their feet; Bring them back to have some meat, Chickamy, chickamy, chimey O.
--Crockham Hill, Kent (Miss Chase).
The children sing the first line as they go round and round. At the second line they move down the road a little, and turn round and round as they end the rhyme.
Chickidy Hand
Chickidy hand, Chickidy hand, The Warner, my Cock, Crows at four in the morning.
Several boys, placing their clasped fists against a lamp-post, say these lines, after which they run out, hands still clasped. One in the middle tries to catch as many as possible, forming them in a long string, hand in hand, as they are caught. Those still free try to break through the line and rescue the prisoners. If they succeed in parting the line, they may carry one boy pig-a-back to the lamp-post, who becomes "safe." The boy caught last but one becomes "it" in the next game.--Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).
See "Hunt the Staigie," "Stag Warning," "Whiddy."
Chinnup
A game played with hooked sticks and a ball, also called "Shinnup." Same as "Hockey."
Chinny-mumps
A school-boys' play, consisting in striking the chin with the knuckles; dexterously performed, a kind of time is produced.--Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.
Chock or Chock-hole
A game at marbles played by "chocking" or pitching marbles in a hole made for the purpose, instead of shooting at a ring (Northamptonshire, Baker's _Glossary_). Clare mentions the game in one of his poems.
Chow
A game played in Moray and Banffshire. The ball is called the Chow. The game is the same as "Shinty." The players are equally divided. After the Chow is struck off by one party, the aim of the other is to strike it back, that it may not reach the limit or goal on their side, because in this case they lose the game, and as soon as it crosses the line the other party cry Hail! or say that it is hail, as denoting that they have gained the victory. In the beginning of each game they are allowed to raise the ball a little above the level of the ground, that they may have the advantage of a surer stroke. This is called the "deil-chap," perhaps as a contraction of "devil," in reference to the force expended on the stroke. It may, however, be "dule-chap," the blow given at the "dule" or goal.--Jamieson.
See "Hockey."
Chuck-farthing
Strutt says this game was played by boys at the commencement of the last century, and probably bore some analogy to "Pitch and Hustle." He saw the game thus denominated played with halfpence, every one of the competitors having a like number, either two or four; a hole being made in the ground, with a mark at a given distance for the players to stand, they pitch their halfpence singly in succession towards the hole, and he whose halfpenny lies the nearest to it has the privilege of coming first to a second mark much nearer than the former, and all the halfpence are given to him; these he pitches in a mass toward the hole, and as many of them as remain therein are his due; if any fall short or jump out of it, the second player--that is, he whose halfpenny in pitching lay nearest to the first goer's--takes them and performs in like manner; he is followed by the others as long as any of the halfpence remain (_Sports_, pp. 386, 387). There is a letter in the _Spectator_, supposed to be from the father of a romp, who, among other complaints of her conduct, says, "I have catched her once at eleven years old at 'Chuck-farthing' among the boys."
Chuck-hole, Chuck-penny
Same game as "Chuck-farthing," with this difference, that if the pennies roll outside the ring it is a "dead heat," and each boy reclaims his penny.--Peacock's _Manley and Corringham Glossary_; and see Brogden's _Lincolnshire Words_.
Chucks
A game with marbles played by girls (Mactaggart's _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_). A writer in _Blackwood's Magazine_, August 1821, p. 36, says "Chucks" is played with a bowl and chucks--a species of shells (_Buccinum lapillus_) found on the sea-shore ["bowl" here probably means a marble]. Brockett (_North Country Words_) says this game is played by girls with five sea-shells called chucks, and sometimes with pebbles, called chuckie-stanes. Jamieson says a number of pebbles are spread on a flat stone; one of them is tossed up, and a certain number must be gathered and the falling one caught by the same hand.
See "Checkstones," "Fivestones."
Church and Mice
A game played in Fifeshire; said to be the same with the "Sow in the Kirk."--Jamieson.
Click
Two Homes opposite each other are selected, and a boy either volunteers to go Click, or the last one in a race between the Homes does so. The others then proceed to one of the Homes, and the boy takes up his position between them. The players then attempt to run between the Homes, and if the one in the middle holds any of them while he says "One, two, three, I catch thee; help me catch another," they have to stay and help him to collar the rest until only one is left. If this one succeeds in getting between the Homes three times after all the others have been caught, he is allowed to choose the one to go Click in the next game; if he fails, he has to go himself.--Marlborough, Wilts (H. S. May).
See "Cock."
Click, Clock, Cluck
A man called Click came west from Ireland, A man called Click came west from Ireland, A man called Click came west from Ireland, Courting my Aunt Judy.
A man called Clock came west from Ireland, A man called Clock came west from Ireland, A man called Clock came west from Ireland, Courting my Aunt Judy.
A man called Cluck came west from Ireland, A man called Cluck came west from Ireland, A man called Cluck came west from Ireland, Courting my Aunt Judy.
--Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).
These verses and the game are now quite forgotten, both in English and Manx. It was sung by children dancing round in a ring.
Clowt-clowt
"A kinde of playe called clowt-clowt, to beare about, or my hen hath layd."--_Nomenclator_, p. 299.
Clubby
A youthful game something like "Doddart."--Brockett's _North Country Words_.
Coal under Candlestick
A Christmas game mentioned in _Declaration of Popish Impostures_, p. 160.
Cob
A game at marbles played by two or three boys bowling a boss marble into holes made in the ground for the purpose, the number of which is generally four.--Baker's _Northamptonshire Glossary_.
Cobbin-match
A school game in which two boys are held by the legs and arms and bumped against a tree, he who holds out the longest being the victor.--Ross and Stead's _Holderness Glossary_.
Cobble
A name for "See-saw."--Jamieson.
Cobbler's Hornpipe
This was danced by a boy stooping till he was nearly in a sitting posture on the ground, drawing one leg under him until its toe rested on the ground, and steadying himself by thrusting forward the other leg so that the heel rested on the ground; the arms and head being thrown forwards as far as possible in order to maintain a balance. The thrust-out leg was drawn back and the drawn-in leg was shot out at the same time. This movement was repeated, each bringing down to the ground of the toe and heel causing a noise like that of hammering on a lapstone. The arms were moved backwards and forwards at the same time to imitate the cobbler's sewing.--London (J. P. Emslie).
[Illustration]
Cob-nut
The children in Yorkshire have a game which is probably an ancient English pastime. Numerous hazel-nuts are strung like the beads of a rosary. The game is played by two persons, each of whom has one of these strings, and consists in each party striking alternately, with one of the nuts on his own string, a nut of his adversary's. The field of combat is usually the crown of a hat. The object of each party is to crush the nuts of his opponent. A nut which has broken many of those of the adversary is a Cob-nut.--Brand, ii. 411; Hunter's _Hallamshire Glossary_.
(_b_) This game is played in London with chestnuts, and is called "Conquers." In Cornwall it is known as "Cock-haw." The boys give the name of Victor-nut to the fruit of the common hazel, and play it to the words: "Cockhaw! First blaw! Up hat! Down cap! Victor!" The nut that cracks another is called a Cock-battler (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 61). Halliwell describes this game differently. He says "it consists in pitching at a row of nuts piled up in heaps of four, three at the bottom and one at the top of each heap. The nut used for the pitching is called the Cob. All the nuts knocked down are the property of the pitcher." Alluding to the first described form, he says it "is probably a more modern game," and quotes Cotgrave _sub voce_ "Chastelet" as authority for the earlier form in the way he describes it (_Dictionary_). Addy says the nuts were hardened for the purpose. When a nut was broken it was said to be "cobbered" or "cobbled" (_Sheffield Glossary_). Evans' _Leicestershire Glossary_ also describes it. Darlington (_South Cheshire Words_) says this game only differs from "Cobblety-cuts" in the use of small nuts instead of chestnuts. George Eliot in _Adam Bede_ has, "Gathering the large unripe nuts to play at 'Cob-nut' with" (p. 30). Britton's _Beauties of Wiltshire_ gives the Isle of Wight and Hants as other places where the game is known.
See "Conquerors."
Cock
One boy is chosen Cock. The players arrange themselves in a line along one side of the playground. The Cock takes his stand in front of the players. When everything is ready, a rush across the playground is made by the players. The Cock tries to catch and "croon"--_i.e._, put his hand upon the head of--as many of the players as he can when running from one side of the playground to the other. Those caught help the Cock in the rush back. The rush from side to side goes on till all are captured. To "croon" was the essential point in capturing. When a boy was being pursued to be taken prisoner, his great object was, when he came to close quarters with his pursuers, to save his head from being touched on the crown by one of them.--Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).
At Duthil, Strathspey, this game goes by the name of "Rexa-boxa-King." When the players have ranged themselves on one side of the playground, and the King has taken his stand in front of them, he calls out "Rexa-boxa-King," or simply "Rexa," when all the players rush to the other side. The rush from side to side goes on till all are captured. The one last captured becomes King in the next game.--Rev. W. Gregor.
See "Click."
Cock-battler
Children, under the title of "Cock-battler," often in country walks play with the hoary plantain, which they hold by the tough stem about two inches from the head; each in turn tries to knock off the head of his opponent's flower.--Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 61).