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HOT COCKLES |
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Hot Cockles
At Sheffield a boy is chosen for a Stump, and stands with his back against a wall. Another boy bends his back as in " Leapfrog," and puts his head against the Stump. The cap of the boy who bends down is then taken off, and put upon his back upside down. Then each of the other boys who are playing puts the first finger of his right hand into the cap. When all the fingers are put into the cap, these lines are sung— The wind blows east, the wind blows west, The wind blows o'er the cuckoo's nest. Where is this poor man to go ? Over yond cuckoo's hill I O. Then the boy whose back is bent jumps up, and the others run away crying out, " Hot cockles." The boy who is caught by the one whose back was first bent has to bend his back next time, and so on.—S. O. Addy.
At Cork a hankerchief is tied over the eyes of nnp of the company, who then lays his head on a chair, and places his hand on his back with the palm uppermost. Any of the party come behind him and give him a slap on his hand, he in the meantime trying to discover whose hand it is that strikes.— Miss Keane.
" Hot Cockles" is an old game, practised especially at Christmas. One boy sits down, and another, who is blindfolded, kneels and lays his head on his knee, placing at the same time his open hand on his own back. He then cries, " Hot cockles, hot! " Another then strikes his open hand, and the sitting boy asks who strikes. If the boy guessed wrongly, he made a forfeit; but if rightly, he was released.— Notes and Queries, 4th series, ix. 262. The sport is noticed by Gay—
As at hot-cockles once I laid me down, I felt the weighty hand of many a clown ; Buxoma gave a gentle tap, and I Quick rose and read soft mischief in her eye. Halliwell describes it rather differently. The blindfolded boy lies down on his face, and, being struck, must guess who it is that hit him. A good part of the fun consisted in the |
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