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T28 FIVESTONES |
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Chain eggs—i.e., to pick up one and drop it again until this has been done to each stone. Arches—i.e., gobs in a row. This was described by the player as " while the tally is up to sweep the whole row or line off the ground into the arch of the ringer and thumb before catching the tally."
(b) These games are variants of one common original. It is the same game as that described by F. H. Low in the Strand Magazine, ii. 514, as played in the London streets. The marble there is called a u buck." u 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 Grseco-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 Diet. Greek and Roman Antiq., s.v. Talus), and it is interesting to note that in the Deptford game the marble is called a " Tally."
Mr. Kinahan's note suggests that u Fivestones " may be an independent game, instead of a derivative from " Hucklebones." If this is so, we have interesting evidence of the spread or transmission of one game from at least two centres. Professor Attwell, in Notes and Queries, 8th ser., iv. 201, suggests that " Hucklebones " was introduced into Europe by the Romans, and was spread throughout the countries which formed the empire by means of Roman colonists and soldiers. Mr. Newell (Games, pp. 190-93) describes a similar game to " Fivestones" played in Boston under the name of "Otadama," or "Japanese Jacks." This game is of Japanese origin, "Tedama" (that is, " Handballs") being its proper name. He says there can be no doubt that the two forms of this amusement are branches |
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