It is probably the same game as Fox and Goose. Fox and Goose (1) In Dorsetshire one of the party, called the Fox, takes one end of the room or corner of a field (for the game was equally played indoors or out); all the rest of the children arrange themselves in a line or string, according to size, one behind the other, the smallest last, behind the tallest one, called Mother Goose, with their arms securely round the waist of the one in front of them, or sometimes by grasping the dress. The game commences by a parley between the Fox and Goose to this effect, the Goose beginning. What are you after this fine morning? Taking a walk. With what object? To get an appetite for a meal. What does [will] your meal consist of? A nice fat goose for my breakfast. Where will you get it? Oh, I shall get a nice morsel somewhere; and as they are so handy, I shall satisfy myself with one of yours. Catch one if you can. A lively scene follows. The Fox and Mother Goose should be pretty evenly matched; the Mother with extended arms seeking to protect her Brood, while the Fox, who tries to dodge under, right and left, is only allowed in case of a successful foray or grasp to secure the last of the train.
12, for instance, the move would be recorded: S f 3 n e 5, that is, the Springer at f 3 “nimmt” whatever it found at e 5. A check is indicated by a plus sign, +, following the move. In Diagram No. 11, for instance, the last move of the white Queen would be: D e 8-c 6 +; and Black’s reply would be: D b 8-b 7. _=THE OPENINGS.=_ Time and experience have shown that it is best for each player to adopt certain conventional openings, in order to develop his pieces. White always has the advantage, usually believed to be equal to 55%, counting drawn games as one half. This is because White can usually take more risks in offering a gambit than Black can in accepting it, and the best judges say that they would rather give a Knight and take the white pieces, than give Pawn-and-move and take the black. _=Gambit=_ is a term used in Italian wrestling, and means that the adversary is given an apparent advantage at the start, in order more successfully to trip him up later on. There are a great many chess openings, all of which have been analysed as far as the tenth move, including every possible variation on the way.
In retaining the suit, the second-best is led if three or more remain, and on the third round, or in a discard, the highest is played, always retaining the fourth-best and those below it. For instance: With the 8 7 5 2 of a suit which partner leads, the 5 is played to the first round. If the suit is returned, the 7 is played; and next time the 8. Holding only three originally, the lowest is played to the first round, and the higher of two returned, in the usual way. The chief value of this signal is that the return of the lowest of a suit shows absolutely no more, instead of leaving the original leader in doubt as to whether it is the only one, or the lowest of three remaining. It is also a great exposer of false cards. _=Discard Signalling=_ is another method of indicating plain suits. When a player is known to have no trumps, and therefore cannot be calling for them, he may use the trump signal in any plain suit which he wishes led to him. As a general rule, a player should not use this signal unless he has a certain trick in the suit in which he signals. Some players use what is called the reverse discard; a signal in one suit meaning weakness in it, and an invitation to lead another.
Bull in the Park. Bulliheisle. Bummers. Bun-hole. Bunch of Ivy. Bung the Bucket. Bunting. Burly Whush. Buttons. Buzz and Bandy.
As soon as either side reaches 500, they win the game, even if it is in the middle of a hand; but the hand must be played out in order to see how many points are won by each side. It should be observed that although the bidder’s side may make nine or ten tricks the adversaries can win the game if they get enough to count out before the bidder, by reaching 500 first. _=Tricks and Honours.=_ The score for tricks and for honours must be kept separate, usually above and below the line, as at bridge. All trick points, which are the only ones that count toward game, are placed below the line; the honour points above. For winning a game, 1,000 points are added in the honour column. The side that first wins two games of 500 points each adds 2,000 rubber points in the honour column. _=Slams.=_ If a little slam, 12 tricks, is made, but has not been bid, it is worth 1,000 points in honours. If a little slam, “six tricks,” has been bid and is made, it is worth 5,000 more for bidding it, or 6,000 altogether.
218) gives some versions of Witch which show a connection between that game and this. See Keeling the Pot, Witch. Mount the Tin One child throws a tin (any kind of tin will do) to some distance, and then walks towards it without looking round. The other children, in the meantime, hide somewhere near. The child who threw the tin has to guard it, and at the same time try to find those who are hiding. If he sees one he must call the name, and run to strike the tin with his foot. He does this until each one has been discovered. As they are seen they must stand out. The one who was first found has to guard the tin next time. Should one of the players be able to strike the tin while the keeper is absent, that player calls out, Hide again.
Chinny-mumps. Chock or Chock-hole. Chow. Chuck-farthing. Chuck-hole. Chucks. Church and Mice. Click. Click, Clock, Cluck. Clowt-clowt.
_=11. Dealing Before the Draw.=_ After the age, [the player on the dealer’s left,] has put up the amount of the blind, the dealer distributes the cards face down, one at a time, in rotation, until each player has received five cards. _=12.=_ The deal passes to the left, except in jack pots, when it may be agreed that the same dealer shall deal until the pot is opened. _=13. Misdealing.=_ A misdeal does not lose the deal; the same dealer must deal again. It is a misdeal: If the dealer fails to present the pack to the pone; or if any card is found faced in the pack; or if the pack is found imperfect; or if the dealer gives six or more cards to more than one player; or if he deals more or fewer hands than there are players; or if he omits a player in dealing; or if he deals a card incorrectly, and fails to correct the error before dealing another. _=14.
Sweeting. Maxey Rev. W. D. Sweeting. NORTHUMBERLAND { Brockett s _Provincial Words_, ed. { 1846. Hexham Miss J. Barker. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Miss Peacock.
G. L. Gomme. Clapham Miss F. D. Richardson. Hersham _Folk-lore Record_, vol. v. Redhill Miss G. Hope.
The Belfast version is practically the same, except that the verses are not sung as a dialogue, but by all the players together, and the prisoner, when caught, has the choice of sides, by being asked, Which will you have, a golden apple or golden pear? and according to the answer given is sent behind one of the leaders. The Norfolk and Shropshire games are different. Miss Matthews thus describes the Norfolk game: Two girls take hold of hands, and another, the prisoner, stands between them. The rest form themselves into a line opposite, and advance and retreat while singing the first verse, the gaolers singing the next verse, and so on alternately. [At the end of the last verse but one] the children break the line, form themselves into a ring, and dance round the prisoner, singing the final verse. Miss Harley describes the Shropshire version as follows: The first six verses are sung by the alternate parties, who advance and retire, tramping their feet, at first, to imitate the robbers. The last verse is sung altogether going round in a ring. In the Shipley version, Miss Busk says: The children form themselves into two lines, while two or three, representing the robbers, swagger along between them. When the robbers sing the last verse they should have attained the end of the lines [of children], as during the parley they were safe; having pronounced the defiance they run away. The children in the lines rush after them, and should catch them and put them in prison.
1 again. The turns are very difficult. CUSHION CARROMS. This is a variety of the three-ball game in which a cushion must be touched by the cue ball before the carrom is completed. The cushion may be struck first, and the object ball afterward, or the object ball first, and then the cushion. In the _=Three-cushion Carrom Game=_, three cushions must be touched by the cue ball before completing the count. In the _=Bank-shot Game=_, the cue ball must strike at least one cushion before touching the object ball. The _=Four-ball Game=_ is now obsolete. It was first played on a table with corner pockets, and afterward on a carrom table, two red balls being used, one spotted on the red and the other on the white spot. Two carroms could be made on one shot.
The first card withdrawn is placed about six inches from the box, and the second is laid close to the box itself. [Illustration] Every two cards withdrawn in this manner are called a _=turn=_, and there are twenty-five turns in each deal, Soda and Hoc being dead cards. In making the first turn, the Soda begins the pile farther from the box, and the next card taken out is called a _=loser=_, which is placed close to the box. The card left face upward in the box is the _=winner=_ for that turn, so that there must be a winner and a loser for every turn; the loser outside the box, and the winner left in it. On the next and all following turns, the winning card on the previous turn will be placed on the same pile as the Soda, so that it shall be possible at any time to decide which cards have won, and which have lost. The _=Object of the Game=_ is for the players to guess whether the various cards on which they place their money will win or lose. They are at liberty to select any card they please, from the ace to the King, and to bet any amount within the established limit of the bank. _=The Layout.=_ All bets are made with counters of various colors and values, which are sold to the players by the dealer, and may be redeemed at any time. These counters are placed on the layout, which is a complete suit of spades, enamelled on green cloth, sufficient space being left between the cards for the players to place their bets.
Where a player and his partner have an option of exacting from their adversaries one of two penalties, they should agree who is to make the election, but must not consult with one another which of the two penalties it is advisable to exact; if they do so consult, they lose their right; and if either of them, with or without consent of his partner, demand a penalty to which he is entitled, such decision is final. [This rule does not apply in exacting the penalties for a revoke; partners have then a right to consult.] 85. Any one during the play of a trick, or after the four cards are played, and before, but not after, they are touched for the purpose of gathering them together, may demand that the cards be placed before their respective players. 86. If any one, prior to his partner playing, should call attention to the trick--either by saying that it is his, or by naming his card, or, without being required so to do, by drawing it toward him--the adversaries may require that opponent’s partner to play the highest or lowest of the suit then led, or to win or lose the trick. 87. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the decision of his adversaries. 88. If a bystander make any remark which calls the attention of a player or players to an oversight affecting the score, he is liable to be called on, by the players only, to pay the stakes and all bets on that game or rubber.
What did you do with it? Bought a calf. What did you do with it? Sold it. What did you do with the money? Gave it to the butcher, and he gave me a penny back, and I bought some nuts with it. What did you do with them? Gave them to the butcher, and he s behind the churchyard cracking them, and leaving you the shells. --Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews). IV. Mother, mother, may I go to play? No, daughter, no! for fear you should stay. Only as far as the garden gate, to gather flowers for my wedding day. Make a fine curtsey and go your way. [They all curtsey and scamper off, and proceed to plan some mischief.
The marble there is called a buck. Pegsy was the name of the No. 5 stage of the Wakefield version, and this varies too, inasmuch as it was the same gob which is picked up and then laid down before catching the buck. Mr. Kinahan says, Jackstones, played with three or four small stones that are thrown up in the air and caught again, seems to have been a very ancient game, as the stones have been found in the _crannogs_ or lake-dwellings in some hole near the fireplaces, similar to where they are found in a cabin at the present day. An old woman, or other player, at the present time puts them in a place near the hob when they stop their game and go to do something else (_Folk-lore Journal_, ii. 266). In the Græco-Roman saloon, British Museum, is a statue originally composed of two boys quarrelling at the game of Tali (see _Townley Gallery_, i. 305; Smith s _Dict. Greek and Roman Antiq.
. The trevit is, in fact, the trap itself, and the trevit-stick the stick with which the trap is struck. The tribbit-stick is elsewhere called primstick, gelstick, buckstick, trippit, and trevit. Atkinson says that spell is O.N., spill meaning a play or game, and the probability is that the game is a lineal descendant from the Ball-play of the Old Danes, or Northmen, and Icelanders. Spell and knor is a corruption of spell a knor, the play at ball. Nurspel is simply ball-play, therefore which name, taken in connection with the fact that the game is elsewhere called Spell and Knor, and not Knor and Spell, is significant. There is one day in the year, Shrove Tuesday, when the play is customarily practised, though not quite exclusively.--Atkinson s _Cleveland Glossary_.
_=DEALING.=_ The age having put up the amount of the blind, and the cards having been shuffled by any player who chooses to avail himself of the privilege, the dealer last, they are presented to the pone to be cut. The pone may either cut them, or signify that he does not wish to do so by tapping the pack with his knuckles. Should the pone decline to cut, no other player can insist on his so doing, nor do it for him. Beginning on his left, the dealer distributes the cards face down one at a time in rotation until each player has received five cards. The deal passes to the left, and each player deals in turn. _=IRREGULARITIES IN THE DEAL.=_ The following rules regarding the deal should be strictly observed:-- If any card is found faced in the pack the dealer must deal again. Should the dealer, or the wind, turn over any card, the player to whom it is dealt must take it; but the same player cannot be compelled to take two exposed cards. Should such a combination occur, there must be a fresh deal by the same dealer.