See "Chickidy Hand," "Hornie," "Hunt the Stagie," "Shepherds," "Warney."
A man's game. Two men have their ankles tied together and their wrists tied behind their backs. They then try to knock each other down.--Patterson's _Antrim Glossary_.
The game represents the stealing of a woman's children and the recovery of them. The mother, before beginning to wash, disposes of her children in a safe place. She proceeds to do her washing. While she is busy a child-snatcher comes and takes away one. The others begin to cry. The mother hears them crying. She goes and asks the reason of their crying, and is told that a woman came and took away one of them. She scolds and beats them all; tells them to be more careful for the time to come, and returns to her washing. Again the children cry, and the mother goes to see what is the matter with them, and is told the same thing. She repeats her admonition and bodily correction, and returns to her work. This process is repeated till all the children are stolen. After finishing her washing, she goes to her children and finds the last one gone. She sets out in search of them, and meets a woman whom she questions if she had seen her children. She denies all knowledge of them. The mother persists, and at last discovers all her stolen children. She demands them back. The stealer refuses, and puts them behind her and stands on her defence. A tussel takes place. The mother in the long run rescues her children.--Fraserburgh (Rev. W. Gregor).
See "Mother, Mother, Pot boils over," "Witch."
The game of Hide and Seek.--Aberdeen (Jamieson).
A game among young people in running up the face or cut part of a hay-stack to try who can put in a stick the highest.--Brockett's _North Country Words_.
Name of a game (undescribed) recorded by the Rev. S. D. Headlam, as played by Hoxton School children at Hoxton.--_Church Reformer_, 1894.
A game (undescribed) recorded by the Rev. S. D. Headlam, as played by Hoxton School children.--_Church Reformer_, 1894.
Game of cat.--Elworthy, _West Somerset Words_. The short stick, pointed at both ends, is called a snell.
A schoolboys' game. Two boys pick a side, and there is one den only, and they toss to see which side shall keep it. The side which wins the toss then goes out, and when two boys have got a good distance off they cry "Stocks." The boys who keep the den run after them to catch them. When one is caught his capturer counts ten while he holds him (in a more primitive but less refined state, spat over his head) and cries _Stocks_. This prisoner is taken into the den. If they are all caught the other side turns out. But if one of the outer side can manage to run through the den and cry "Stocks," all the prisoners are relieved, and can go out again.--Easther's _Almondbury Glossary_. See "Stacks."