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12 BADDIN—BADGER THE BEAR |
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Baddin
The game of " Hockey " in Cheshire.—Holland's'Glossary.
Badger the Bear
A rough game, sometimes seen in the country. The boy who personates the Bear performs his part on his hands and knees, and is prevented from getting away by a string. It is the part of another boy, his Keeper, to defend him from the attacks of the others.—Halliwell's Dictionary.
This is a boys' game, and is called "Buffet the Bear." It may be taken part in by any number. One boy—the Bear— goes down on all fours, and lowers his head towards his breast as much as possible. Into his hand is placed one end of a piece of cord, and another boy, called the Keeper, takes hold of the other end in one hand, while he has in the other his cap. The other boys stand round, some with their caps in hand, and others with their neckties or pocket-handkerchiefs, and on a given signal they rush on the Bear and pelt him, trying specially to buffet him about the ears and face, whilst the Keeper does his best to protect his charge. If he happens to strike a boy, that boy becomes the Bear, and the former Bear becomes the Keeper, and so on the game goes.—Keith, Banffshire (Rev. W. Gregor).
I saw this game played on Barnes Green, Surrey, on 25 th August 1892. The boys, instead of using their hats, had pieces of leather tied to a string, with which they struck the Bear on the back. They could only begin when the Keeper cried, " My Bear is free." If they struck at any other time, the striker became the Bear. It is called " Baste the Bear."-—A. B. Gomme.
Chambers (Popular Rhymes, p. 128) describes this game under the title of - The Craw." It was played precisely in the same way as the Barnes game. The boy who holds the end of the long strap has also a hard twisted handkerchief, called the cout; with this cout he defends the Craw against the attacks of the other boys, who also have similar couts. Before beginning, the Guard of the Craw must call out— Ane, twa, three, my Craw's free. |
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