VOL. I.

ACCROSHAY-NUTS IN MAY

Medium 8vo, xix.—424 pp. With numerous Diagrams and Illustrations. Cloth uncut. 12s. 6d. nett.

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[All rights reserved]

THE
Traditional Games
Of England, Scotland, and Ireland

WITH
TUNES, SINGING-RHYMES, AND METHODS OF PLAYING
ACCORDING TO THE VARIANTS EXTANT AND
RECORDED IN DIFFERENT PARTS
OF THE KINGDOM

COLLECTED AND ANNOTATED BY
ALICE BERTHA GOMME

VOL. II.
OATS AND BEANS-WOULD YOU KNOW
TOGETHER WITH A MEMOIR ON THE STUDY
OF CHILDREN’S GAMES

LONDON
DAVID NUTT, 270-71 STRAND
1898

Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press

PREFACE

The completion of the second volume of my Dictionary has been delayed from several unforeseen circumstances, the most important being the death of my most kind and learned friend the Rev. Dr. Gregor. The loss which folk-lore students as a body sustained by this lamented scholar’s death, was in my own case accentuated, not only by many years of kindly communication, but by the very special help which he generously gave me for this collection.

The second volume completes the collection of games on the lines already laid down. It has taken much more space than I originally intended, and I was compelled to add some important variants to the first volume, sent to me during the compilation of the second. I have explained in the memoir that the two volumes practically contain all that is to be collected, all, that is to say, of real importance.

The memoir seeks to show what important evidence is to be derived from separate study of the Traditional Games of England. That games of all classes are shown to contain evidence of ancient custom and belief is remarkable testimony to the anthropological methods of studying folk-lore, which I have followed. The memoir fills a considerable space, although it contains only the analytical portion of what was to have been a comprehensive study of both the analytical and comparative sides of the questions. Dr. Gregor had kindly promised to help me with the study of foreign parallels to British Games, but before his death it became apparent that this branch of the subject would almost need a separate treatise, and his death decided me to leave it untouched. I do not underrate its importance, but I am disposed to think that the survey I have given of the British evidence will not be materially shaken by the study of the comparative evidence, which will now be made the easier.

I ought perhaps to add, that the “Memoir” at the end of this volume was read as a paper at the evening meeting of the Folk Lore Society, on March 16th, 1898.

I have again to thank my many kind correspondents for their help in collecting the different versions of the games.

A. B. G.

24 Dorset Square, N.W.

LIST OF AUTHORITIES
ADDENDUM TO VOL. I.

LIST OF GAMES

• Oats and Beans and Barley.
• Obadiah.
• Odd or Even.
• Odd-man.
• Old Dame.
• Old Roger is Dead.
• Old Soldier.
• Oliver, Oliver, follow the King.
• One Catch-all.
• Oranges and Lemons.
• ’Otmillo.
• Over Clover.
• Paddy from Home.
• Paip.
• Pallall.
• Pally Ully.
• Pat-ball.
• Pay-swad.
• Pednameny.
• Peesie Weet.
• Peg and Stick.
• Peg-fiched.
• Peggy Nut.
• Peg-in-the-Ring.
• Peg-top.
• Penny Cast.
• Penny Hop.
• Penny Prick.
• Penny Stanes.
• Phœbe.
• Pick and Hotch.
• Pi-cow.
• Pigeon Walk.
• Pig-ring.
• Pillie-Winkie.
• Pinch.
• Pinny Show.
• Pins.
• Pirley Pease-weep.
• Pitch.
• Pitch and Hustle.
• Pitch and Toss.
• Pit-counter.
• Pits.
• Pize Ball.
• Plum Pudding.
• Plum Pudding and Roast Beef.
• Pointing out a Point.
• Poncake.
• Poor and Rich.
• Poor Mary sits a-weeping.
• Poor Widow.
• Pop Goes the Weasel.
• Pop-the-Bonnet.
• Poppet-Show.
• Port the Helm.
• Pots, or Potts.
• Pray, Pretty Miss.
• Pretty Little Girl of Mine.
• Pretty Miss Pink.
• Prick at the Loop.
• Prickey Sockey.
• Prickie and Jockie.
• Priest-Cat (1).
• Priest-Cat (2).
• Priest of the Parish.
• Prisoner’s Base.
• Puff-the-Dart.
• Pun o’ mair Weight.
• Punch Bowl.
• Purposes.
• Push in the Wash Tub.
• Push Pin.
• Push the Business On.
• Puss in the Corner.
• Pussy’s Ground.
• Pyramid.
• Quaker.
• Quaker’s Wedding.
• Queen Anne.
• Queen Mary.
• Queen of Sheba.
• Ragman.
• Rag-stag.
• Rakes and Roans.
• Rakkeps.
• Range the Bus.
• Rax, or Raxie-boxie, King of Scotland.
• Relievo.
• Religious Church.
• Rigs.
• Ring.
• Ring a Ring o’ Roses.
• Ring by Ring.
• Ringie, Ringie, Red Belt.
• Ring-me-rary.
• Ring-taw.
• Rin-im-o’er.
• Robbing the Parson’s Hen-Roost.
• Rockety Row.
• Roll up Tobacco.
• Roly-poly.
• Ronin the Bee.
• Rosy Apple, Lemon and Pear.
• Roundabout, or Cheshire Round.
• Round and Round the Village.
• Round and Round went the Gallant Ship.
• Round Tag.
• Rounders.
• Rounds.
• Row-chow-Tobacco.
• Rowland-Ho.
• Rumps.
• Rusty.
• Sacks.
• Saddle the Nag.
• Saggy.
• Sailor Lad.
• Sally go Round the Moon.
• Sally Water.
• Sally Sober.
• Salmon Fishers.
• Salt Eel.
• Save All.
• Say Girl.
• Scat.
• Scop-peril.
• Scotch-hoppers.
• Scots and English.
• Scratch Cradle.
• Scrush.
• Scurran-Meggy.
• See-Saw.
• See-Sim.
• Shame Reel, or Shamit Dance.
• She Said, and She Said.
• Shepherd and Sheep.
• Shepherds.
• Shinney, or Shinty, or Shinnops.
• Ship.
• Ship Sail.
• Shiver the Goose.
• Shoeing the Auld Mare.
• Shue-Gled-Wylie.
• Shuttlefeather.
• Shuvvy-Hawle.
• Silly Old Man.
• Skin the Goatie.
• Skipping.
• Skyte the Bob.
• Smuggle the Gig.
• Snail Creep.
• Snapping Tongs.
• Snatch Apple.
• Snatch Hood.
• Soldier.
• Solomon.
• Sort’em-billyort’em.
• Sow-in-the-Kirk.
• Span Counter.
• Spang and Purley.
• Spangie.
• Spannims.
• Spawnie.
• Spinny-Wye.
• Splints.
• Spurn point.
• Spy-arm.
• Stacks.
• Stag.
• Stagging.
• Steal the Pigs.
• Stealy Clothes.
• Steik and Hide.
• Sticky-stack.
• Sticky Toffey.
• Stiff Police.
• Stik-n Snael.
• Stocks.
• Stones.
• Stool-ball.
• Strik a Licht.
• Stroke.
• Stroke Bias.
• Sun and Moon.
• Sunday Night.
• Sun Shines.
• Sweer Tree.
• Swinging.
• Tait.
• Teesty-Tosty.
• Teter-cum-Tawter.
• Tee-to-tum.
• Thimble Ring.
• Thing done.
• Thread the Needle.
• Three Days’ Holidays.
• Three Dukes.
• Three Flowers.
• Three Holes.
• Three Jolly Welshmen.
• Three Knights from Spain.
• Three Little Ships.
• Three Old Bachelors.
• Three Sailors.
• Through the Needle Eye, Boys.
• Thun’er Spell.
• Tick.
• Tickle me Quickly.
• Ticky Touchwood.
• Tig.
• Time.
• Tip it.
• Tip-Cat.
• Tip-tap-toe.
• Tiring Irons.
• Tisty Tosty.
• Titter-totter.
• Tit-tat-toe.
• Tods and Lambs.
• Tom Tiddler’s Ground.
• Tops.
• The Totum, or Tee-to-tum.
• Touch.
• Tower of London.
• Town Lovers.
• Trades.
• Trap, Bat, and Ball.
• Tray-trip.
• Tres-acre.
• Tribet.
• Trippit and Coit.
• Trip and Go.
• Trip-trout.
• Troap.
• Troco, Trucks.
• Troule-in-Madame.
• Trounce-Hole.
• Troy Town.
• Truncher.
• Trunket.
• Truss.
• Tuilyie-wap.
• Turn, Cheeses, Turn.
• Turn Spit Jack.
• Turn the Ship.
• Turn the Trencher, or, My Lady’s Toilet.
• Turvey.
• Tutt-ball.
• Twelve Days of Christmas.
• Twelve Holes.
• Uncle John is Ill in Bed.
• Up the Streets.
• Wadds and the Wears (1).
• Wadds and the Wears (2).
• Waggles.
• Wallflowers.
• Warney.
• Way-Zaltin.
• We are the Rovers.
• Weary.
• Weave the Diaper.
• Weigh the Butter.
• When I was a Young Girl.
• Whiddy.
• Whigmeleerie.
• Whip.
• Whishin Dance.
• Who goes round my Stone Wall.
• Widow.
• Wiggle-Waggle.
• Wild Boar.
• Wild Birds.
• Willie, Willie Wastell.
• Wind up the Bush Faggot.
• Wind, The.
• Wink-egg.
• Witch, The.
• Witte-Witte-Way.
• Wolf.
• Wolf and the Lamb.
• Would you know how doth the Peasant.

ADDENDA

• A’ the Birdies.
• All the Boys.
• American Post.
• As I was Walking.
• Auld Grannie.
• Ball.
• Bannockburn.
• Black Doggie.
• Bonnet Ridgie.
• Button.
• Canlie.
• Carry my Lady to London.
• Cat and Dog Hole.
• Catch the Salmond.
• Chicken come Clock.
• Chippings, or Cheapings.
• Chucks.
• Churning.
• Codham, or Codhams.
• Colley Ball.
• Dan’l my Man.
• Deil amo’ the Dishes.
• Dig for Silver.
• Dillsee Dollsie Dee.
• Doagan.
• Down in Yonder Meadow.
• Draw a Pail of Water.
• Drop Handkerchief.
• Dumb Crambo.
• Dump.
• Eendy, Beendy.
• Farmer’s Den.
• Fire on the Mountains.
• Fool, Fool, come to School.
• French Jackie.
• Galloping, Galloping.
• Gallant Ship.
• Galley, Galley Ship.
• Glasgow Ships.
• Granny’s Needle.
• Green Gravel.
• Green Grass.
• Green Grass (2).
• Heap the Cairn.
• Hear all!
• Hen and Chickens.
• High Windows.
• Hot Cockles.
• Hulla-balloo-ballee.
• Isabella.
• Jenny Jones.
• Jockie Rover.
• Jolly Lads.
• Jolly Miller.
• Keys of Heaven.
• Kick the Block.
• Lady of the Land.
• Leap-Frog.
• London Bridge.
• Lubin, Looby Loo.
• Magician.
• Mannie on the Pavement.
• Merry-ma-Tanza.
• Milking Pails.
• My Delight’s in Tansies.
• Namer and Guesser.
• Needle Cases.
• Nuts in May.
• Odd Man.
• Old Cranny Crow.
• Old Johanny Hairy, Crap in!
• Paper of Pins.
• Pickie.
• Poor Widow.
• Queen Anne.
• Rashes.
• Sally Water.
• Shuffle the Brogue.
• Soldiers, Soldiers.
• Three Dukes.
• Three Knights.
• Tug of War.
• We are the Rovers.
• When I was a Young Girl.