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ALMONDS AND REASONS—ANGEL AND DEVIL |
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V. Darby and Joan were dressed in black, Sword and buckle behind their back. Foot for foot, and knee for knee, Turn about Darby's company.
—H alii well's Nursery Rhymes, p. 121.
(b) The children form pairs, one pair following the other, with their arms linked behind. While the first four lines are repeated by all, they skip forward, and then skip back again. At the end of the last line they turn themselves about without loosing hands.
(c) Miss Burne includes this among obscure and archaic games, and H alii well-Phillips mentions it as a marching game. The three first versions have something of the nature of an incantation, while the fourth and fifth versions may probably belong to another game altogether. It is not clear from the great variation in the verses to which class the game belongs.
Almonds and Reasons
An old English game undescribed.— Useful Transactions in Philosophy, 1709, p. 43.
Angel and Devil
One child is called the "Angel," another child the "Devil," and a third child the "Minder." The children are given the names of colours by the Minder. Then the Angel comes over and knocks, when the following dialogue takes place.
Minder: "Who's there?"
Answer: "Angel."
Minder: " What do you want ? "
Angel: "Ribbons."
Minder: " What colour ? "
Angel: "Red."
Minder retorts, if no child is so named, " Go and learn your A B C." If the guess is right the child is led away. The Devil then knocks, and the dialogue and action are repeated — Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase).
See " Fool, fool, come to School." |
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