"Begging."--Two girls turn, and two others run and skip together side by side. While still skipping they change places; one says, as she passes, "Give me some bread and butter;" the other answering, "Try my next door neighbour." This is continued until one trips.
"Winding the Clock."--Two turn the rope, and the skipper counts one, two, three, up to twelve, turning round each time she jumps or skips.
"Baking Bread."--Two girls turn, and another runs in with a stone in her hand, which she puts down on the ground, and picks up again while skipping.
"The Ladder."--The girls run in to skip, first on one foot and then the other, with a stepping motion.
Two other games are as follows:--(1.) Two ropes are used, and a girl holds either end in each hand, turning them alternately; the skipper has to jump or skip over each in turn. When the rope is turned inwards, it is called "double dutch," when turned outwards, "French dutch." (2.) The skipper has a short rope which she turns over herself, while two other girls turn a longer rope over her head.
The second class of games consists of those cases where the skipping is accompanied by rhymes, and is used for the purpose of foretelling the future destiny of the skipper. These rhymes are as follows (all collected by Miss Chase):--
Ipsey, Pipsey, tell me true Who shall I be married to? A, B, C, &c.
Letters--initial of one to whom you'll be married.--Hurstmonceux, Sussex.
Half pound tuppeny rice, Half a pound of treacle, Penny 'orth of spice To make it nice, Pop goes the weazle.
When I was young and able, I sat upon the table; The table broke, And gave me a poke, When I was young and able.
Every morning at eight o'clock, You all may hear the postman's knock. 1, 2, 3, 4. There goes "Polly."
Girl named running out, and another girl running in directly.--Marylebone.
Up and down the ladder wall, Ha'penny loaf to feed us all; A bit for you, and a bit for me, And a bit for Punch and Judy.
As they run thus, each calls in turn, "Red, yellow, blue, white." Where you are tripped, the colour stopped on marks that of your wedding gown.--Deptford.
Each of the two girls turning the rope takes a colour, and as the line of children run through, they guess by shouting, "Red?" "Green?" When wrong nothing happens; they take the place of turner, however, if they hit upon her colour. Another way is to call it "Sweet stuff shop," or "green grocers," and guess various candies and fruits until they choose right.--Deptford.