Part 17

"A cart was got, donkeys were harnessed in, and a pair personating the guilty or suspected were driven through the streets, attended by a train of men and boys. At Polperro (East Cornwall) the attendants acted as trumpeters; the bullocks' horns used by the fishermen at sea for fog or night signals were always available for the purpose. The mummers were very cautious, by careful disguise in dress or voice, and avoiding of anything directly libellous in their rather ribald dialogue, to keep themselves out of the clutches of the law. I remember one riding when an old rusty cannon of the smuggling period was waked up from its long quiet for service for the occasion, and bursting, led to the mutilation of several and the death of one." On the borders of Devon and in that county this ceremony was known as a "mock-hunt."

A lock of hair hanging down over the forehead is in Cornwall called "a widow's lock;" (and children are still here told when it falls down "to shed their hair back out of their eyes.") A foolish warning says,

"Go thro' a gate when there's a stile hard by, You'll be a widow before you die."

The sudden appearance of rats or mice in Cornish houses is said to be a certain forerunner of sickness and death. Many curious tales are told in confirmation of this superstition; one I particularly remember was in connection with a young man who was killed on the West Cornwall Railway. After the accident, they vanished as quickly as they came. It is also considered to be very unlucky for a bird to perch on the window-sill of a sick person's room, farewell then to all chances of recovery; and strange birds coming into a house (especially a robin through the back door) foretell the death of some one in it, or connected with the family. I was once where a little child lay dying, a small brown bird sang on the window-sill, the nurse told me that it was waiting to carry away the child's soul. "But when a flea bites a sick person he is sure not to be dangerously ill, as it is well known that they never bite those who have had their death-stroke." The superstitions that you cannot die easily on pillows stuffed with wild birds' feathers, and that life goes out with the tide, are as current here as in other places. Death in Cornwall is often spoken of as "going round land," and "gone dead" is a common idiom. A threat to kill is occasionally conveyed in the words "I will give you your quietus." In some cases it is supposed that life may be restored after death if when the breath stops the body be violently shaken. When a member of a family dies, his death it is said will bring two others with it, [33] from the idea that one misfortune never comes alone. A Cornish country vicarage was lately startled by the tolling at an unwonted hour of the church bell. On sending to ascertain the cause of the disturbance an "old inhabitant was found in the belfry, who had been engaged in the absence or illness of the usual sexton to dig the grave. He said in explanation that in his time it was always usual for the gravedigger to toll the bell three times before breaking the consecrated ground."--J. H. C., Notes and Queries, 5th series, vol. ii., August, 1874.

A corpse should never be carried to church by a new road, and should a hearse stop on its way to the churchyard there will soon be another death in the house. Singing funerals, or as they are called in Cornwall buryings (pronounced "berrins"), were once almost universal (and one may still occasionally be met). The mourners and friends following the coffin sang as they walked through the streets or lanes their favourite hymns, often to most elaborate tunes.

"To shaw our sperrits lev-us petch [34] The laast new berrin tune."--Tregellas.

Few people in old days were buried on the north side of a church. Flowers and shrubs planted in Cornish churchyards are never plucked, from the fear that the spirits of the departed will at night visit the desecrator. Should an urn found in a "barrow" be taken into a house, the person whose ashes it contained will haunt it; it must be broken up and the pieces hidden. Cross-roads, the former burying-place of suicides, are after nightfall avoided, such spots being haunted; but if you have courage to go there at midnight and wish, you will get your wish.

With a few general superstitions I shall bring this part to an end. It is unlucky in Cornwall to see the new moon first over the left shoulder, or through a window, especially if the day should happen to be a Friday. To ensure good luck on your first sight of her, you should curtsey, spit on your money and turn it in your pocket. (A man well paid for any chance job early in the day calls it here "a hansel," and spits on the money for good luck.) If you particularly desire anything, look at the new moon and wish before you speak. You may also wish when you see a falling star, and if you can succeed in framing it before it disappears your wish will be granted. Seeing the new moon in the old moon's arms is a sign of a change in the weather, so is a star passing over it. The change will be for the worse if the moon goes over the star. "Herbs for drying must be gathered at full moon; winter fruit picked and stored at full moon, not to lose its plumpness. Timber should be felled on the bating of the moon, because the sap is then down, and the wood will be more durable."--Bottrell.

Card-table Superstitions:--"Good luck in cards, bad luck in a husband (or wife)." "A shuffling cut is good for the dealer." "1 2 3 4 played in succession kiss the dealer." To cut an honour for the trump card is unlucky, for "When quality opens the door there is poverty behind;" but "Good luck lurks under a black deuce" (it should be touched by the cutter).

Superstitions connected with the body:--A twitching in the eyelid is lucky; but you must not say when it comes nor when it goes.

Right eye itching, a sign of laughter; but left over right, you'll cry before night.

Right cheek burning, some one praising you; left one, abusing (a knot tied in the apron-string will cause the slanderer to bite his or her tongue); but left or right are both good at night. "If the cheek burns, someone is talking scandal of you. I have often heard the lines spoken:--

Right cheek! left cheek! why do you burn? Cursed be she that doth me any harm; If she be a maid, let her be staid; If she be a widow, long let her mourn; But if it be my own true love--burn, cheek, burn!"--T. Q. Couch.

Nose itching, you will be kissed, cursed, or vexed; or shake hands with a fool.

Right hand itching, someone will pay or give you money; but the left you will be the payer. In regard to the former,

"If you rub it on wood, It will be sure to come good."

Sneeze on Sunday morning fasting, Enjoy your true love for everlasting.

On every other morning it is lucky to sneeze once before breakfast; but not twice.

Fire Superstitions:--A difficulty in kindling the fire in the mornings is a sign of anger; burning only on one side, of a separation in the family (some say of a wedding). A flake of smut on the bar of the grate shows that a stranger is coming to the house. Should the fire be burning brightly, he will bring good news; but if the contrary, bad. If after you poke the fire it burns up brightly, your sweetheart is in a good temper; but should it not improve he is in a bad one. A coal popping out of the fire is either a cradle or coffin, or a purse. It is allowed to cool and then examined to find out the shape; if pronounced to be a purse, it is shaken close to the ear, when should it jingle it is said to contain money. I once saw this done in a school by its mistress. It is unlucky to put a bellows on a table.

"Ladies' trees," small branches of dried seaweed, are sometimes hung up in chimneys to protect houses from fire; or a Passover biscuit suspended by a string from a nail in the wall.

A bright spark on a candle foretells a letter, but if pointed out it never arrives.

There are so many unlucky omens in Cornwall that to believe in them all would make life miserable, and to enumerate them would fill a volume. The major part of them too are silly and not worth transcribing; three or four of them as examples will, I am quite sure, amply suffice. "A work begun on Friday is never ended."

"If you sing afore bite, You'll cry before night."

"It is unlucky to sing carols before Christmas;" or before the first "arish mow [35]" is made. Also, "To scat [36] hands before Christmas," i.e., beat them for warmth.

"It is unlucky to pour out water or any other liquor back-handed."

"It is unlucky to lend, or say thank you for a pin." And

"If you see a pin, and pass it by, You'll want a pin before you die."

"It is unlucky to mend your clothes on you, for then you will never grow rich."

It is unlucky to wear a hole in the bottom of a shoe, for

"A hole in the sole, You'll live to spend whole."

Servants who come to their places after noon never stay, etc., etc.

CORNISH GAMES.

Many old games worth recording are still played by Cornish children, out of doors in summer, indoors in winter, and at their numerous school-treats. To those common elsewhere, other names in Cornwall are often given, and different words sung. Some well known thirty-five years ago, now (1890) live only in the memory of those who were children then, or linger in a very fragmentary state in some remote country districts. Such as

"Here come three dukes a-riding."

To play this the children were divided into two parties. In the first were only the three dukes; in the second the other players, who stood in a long line, linked hand in hand, facing them,--the mother in the middle, with her daughters ranged according to size on each side of her. One duke was chosen as spokesman, and he began the following dialogue, which was sung; the party singing advanced and retreated, whilst the others stood still:--

"Here 'comes' three dukes a-riding, a-riding-- Here 'comes' three dukes a-riding, to court your daughter Jane."

"My daughter Jane is yet too young To bear your silly, flattering tongue."

"Be she young or be she old, She for her beauty must and shall be sold."

"So fare thee well, my lady gay, We'll take our horse and ride away, And call again another day."

"Come back! come back! you Spanish knight, And clean your spurs, they are not bright."

"My spurs are bright as 'rickety rock' (and richly wrought), And in this town they were not bought, And in this town they shan't be sold, Neither for silver, copper, nor gold. So fare thee well," etc.

"Come back! come back! you Spanish Jack (or coxcomb)."

"Spanish Jack (or coxcomb) is not my name, I'll stamp my foot (stamps) and say the same. So fare thee well," etc.

"Come back! come back! you Spanish knight, And choose the fairest in your sight."

The dukes retired, consulted together, and then selected one, singing--

"This is the fairest I can see, So pray young damsel walk with me."

When all the daughters had been taken away, they were brought back to their mother in the same order, the dukes chanting:--

"We've brought your daughter, safe and sound, And in her pocket a thousand pound, And on her finger a gay gold ring, We hope you won't refuse to take her in."

"I'll take her in with all my heart, For she and 'me' were loth to part."

The Rev. S. Rundle, vicar of Godolphin, near Helston, saw some children lately in his neighbourhood playing a portion of this game, when to "Here comes three dukes a-riding" they added--"My rancy, dancy dukes." Mr. Halliwell Phillips, in his Nursery Rhymes and Tales of England, has published three versions of it, but the game as played in Cornwall has some additional couplets.

PRAY, PRETTY MISS.

For this--quite, I think, a thing of the past--the children (a boy and girl alternately) formed a ring. One stood in the middle holding a white handkerchief by two of its corners: if a boy he would single out one of the girls, dance backwards and forwards opposite to her, and sing--

"Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out? Will you come out? will you come out? Pray, pretty Miss, will you come out, To help me in my dancing?"

If the answer were "No!" spoken with averted head over the left shoulder, the rhyme ran--

"Then you are a naughty Miss! Then you are a naughty Miss! Then you are a naughty Miss! Won't help me in my dancing."

Occasionally three or four in turn refused. When the request was granted the words were changed to--

"Now you are a good Miss! Now you are a good Miss! Now you are a good Miss! To help me in my dancing."

The handkerchief was then carefully spread on the floor; the couple knelt on it and kissed: the child formerly in the middle joined the ring, and the other took his place, or if he preferred it, remained in the centre; in that case the children clasped hands and sang together--

"Pray, pretty Miss (or Sir)," etc.

The last to enter the ring had always the privilege of selecting the next partner.

In all these childish games, to prevent disputes, and decide who shall be middleman, hide first, etc., one or other of the following formulæ is always recited by the eldest of the party, who as he repeats the words points with his forefinger at each player in succession until he comes to the end of the rhyme. The person then indicated goes out:--

"Vizzery, vazzery, vozery-vem, Tizzery, tazzery, tozery-tem, Hiram, jiram, cockrem, spirem, Poplar, rollin, gem."

"There stands a pretty maid in a black cap, If you want a pretty maid in a black cap, Please to take 'she.'"--(East Cornwall).

"Ene, mene, mona, mi, Pasca, lara, bona (or bora), bi, Elke, belke, boh!"

"Eggs, butter, cheese, bread, Stick, stack, stone, dead!"--(West Cornwall).

To this latter there are several nonsensical modern editions.

A game with a jingle somewhat like the first is played by children at Newlyn West, near Penzance, called--

"Vesey, vasey, vum."

One child is blindfolded, the others hide something, and shout--

"Vesey, vasey, vum, Buck-a-boo has come! Find if you can and take it home, Vesey, vasey, vum!"

A search is then made for the hidden object: when found the finder in his turn is blindfolded.

After this digression I will give all the other forgotten games before describing those still played.

"FRISKEE, FRISKEE, I WAS, AND I WAS."

Known elsewhere as "Now we dance looby, looby, looby." To play it the children formed a ring and danced around, singing--

"Friskee, friskee, I was, and I was A drinking of small beer."

They then stopped suddenly and said, "Right arms in!" (all were extended towards the centre of the circle); "Right arms out!" (all wheeled round with arms outstretched in the contrary direction); "Shake yourselves a little and little and turn yourselves about." The circle was reformed, "Friskee," etc., was repeated, and the game went on until all the different parts of the body had been named.

"FOOL, FOOL, COME TO SCHOOL."

All the children in this game, except one who left the room, called themselves by the name of some bird, beast or fish. The child outside was brought in, and one chosen as schoolmaster said--

"Fool! fool! come to school, And find me out the ----:"

giving the assumed name of one of the players. If the fool fixed on the right person, he stayed in and the other went out, which of course involved re-naming; but if he made a mistake they all cried out--

"Fool! fool! go back to school, And learn your letters better."

He retired, pretended to knock his head against the door, and returned, when he was again asked in the same words to name some other player.

Some of the games were much rougher, such as "Pig in the middle and can't get out," and "Solomon had a great dog."

For the first, one of the children stood in the centre, whilst the others danced around him in a circle, saying, "Pig in the middle and can't get out." He replied, "I've lost my key but I will get out," and threw the whole weight of his body suddenly on the clasped hands of a couple to try and unlock them. When he had succeeded he changed the words to, "I've broken your locks, and I have got out."

One of the pair whose hands he had opened took his place, and he joined the ring.

For the second, the players knelt in a line; the one at the head, in a very solemn tone, chanted, "Solomon had a great dog;" the others answered in the same way, "Just so" (this was always the refrain). Then the first speaker made two or three more ridiculous speeches, ending with, "And at last this great dog died, and fell down," giving at the same time a violent lurch against his next neighbour, who, not expecting it, fell against his, and so on to the end of the line.

"SCAT" (Cornish for "slap").

A paper-knife, or thin slip of wood, was placed by one player on his open palm. Another took it up quickly, and tried to "scat" his opponent's hand before he could draw it away. Sometimes a feint of taking the paper-knife was made three or four times before it was really done. When the "scat" was given, the "scatter" in his turn rested the knife on his palm.

HOLE IN THE WALL.

A person, who did not know the trick, was blindfolded, another stood in the corner of the room with his mouth open. The forefinger of the blindfolded player was carefully guided around the walls of the room to find the hole, until at last it was put into the open mouth, when it was sharply bitten.

MALAGA, MALAGA RAISINS (a forfeit game).

The players sat in a circle. One acquainted with the trick took a poker in his right hand, made some eccentric movements with it, passed it to his left, and gave it to his next neighbour on that side, saying, "Malaga, Malaga raisins, very good raisins I vow," and told him to do the same. Should he fail to pass it from right to left, when he in his turn gave it to his neighbour, without being told where the mistake lay he was made to pay a forfeit.

SHE SAID, AND SHE SAID.

This required a confederate, who left the room. The other in the secret asked a person inside to whisper to him whom she (or he) loved, then called in his companion, and the following dialogue was carried on:--

"She said, and she said! And what did she say?"

"She said that she loved."

"And whom did she love? Suppose she said she loved ----?"

"No! she never said that, whatever she said."

An indefinite number of names were mentioned before the right one. When that came, to the surprise of the whisperer, the answer was--

"Yes! she said that."

The secret was very simple, the name of a widow or widower was always given before that whispered.

The two next are played everywhere, but the words I believe are peculiar to Cornwall.

DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF.

This is much too common to require a description. I will therefore only give the doggerel, which is recited by the holder of the handkerchief as he walks around the ring:--

"I sent a letter to my love, I carried water in my glove, And by the way I dropped it. I did so! I did so! I had a little dog that said 'Bow! wow!' I had a little cat that said 'Meow! meow!' Shan't bite you, shan't bite you, Shall bite you."

Throws the handkerchief, and chases the girl.

HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON?

To this game, known elsewhere as "Thread the Needle," the following lines are chanted:--

"How many miles to Babylon? Three score and ten. Can I get there by candle-light? Yes! if your legs are long and straight. Then open your gates as high as the sky, And let King George and all his troops pass by."

RULES OF CONTRARY.

Four children hold a handkerchief by the four corners, one moves a finger over it saying, as fast as possible--

"Here I go round the rules of contrary, Hopping about like a little canary, When I say 'Hold fast' leave go; When I say 'Leave go' hold fast."

Any player making a mistake pays a forfeit.

LADY QUEEN ANNE.

A very pretty version of this old English game is often played at juvenile parties in Cornwall.

One child is chosen to remain in the room, whilst the others go outside and consult together as to whom shall hold the ball (some small thing). They then troop in, with their hands either hidden under the skirts of their dresses, or clasped in such a way that Lady Queen Anne, by looking at them, cannot tell which has it; all repeating--

"Here come we to Lady Queen Anne, With a pair of white gloves to cover our hand; As white as a lily, as fair as the rose, But not so fair as you may suppose."

L. Q. A. "Turn, ladies, turn!"

(Whirl round.) "The more we turn the more we may, Queen Anne was born on Midsummer day."

L. Q. A. "The king sent me three letters, I never read them all, So pray, Miss ----, deliver the ball."

Should she have guessed correctly, all the party curtsey, and say--

"The ball is yours and not ours, You must go to the garden and gather the flowers."

And the child who had the ball takes the queen's seat, whilst she retires with the others; but should she have made a mistake, the same party go out again, saying as they curtsey--

"The ball is yours and not ours, (Repeat) We," etc.

Mr. Halliwell Phillips, in his book before quoted, has shorter versions of this, with different rhymes.

Another game which has descended from generation to generation is--

OLD WITCH.

The children chose from their party an old witch (who is supposed to hide herself) and a mother. The other players are the daughters, and are called by the names of the week. The mother says that she is going to market, and will bring home for each the thing that she most wishes for. Upon this they all name something. Then, after telling them upon no account to allow anyone to come into the house, she gives her children in charge of her eldest daughter Sunday, and goes away. In a moment, the witch makes her appearance, and asks to borrow some trifle.