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300 KING OF CANTLAND—KING O' THE CASTLE
King of Cantland
A game of children, in which one of a company, being chosen King o' Cantland, and two goals appointed at a considerable distance from each other, all the rest endeavoured to run from one goal to the other; and those whom the King can seize in their course, so as to lay his hand upon their heads (which operation is called winning them), become his subjects, and assist him in catching the remainder.—Dumfries (Jamieson). Jamieson adds : " This game is called ' King's Covenanter' in Roxburgh." He also refers to the game of '* King and Queen of Cantelon," recorded by Mactaggart. He considers the origin of this game to be representative of the contentions about the " Debatable Lands " on the border. This game was played at University Coll. School, London, under the name of " Kings': (A. Nutt).
See " How many miles to Barley Bridge ? " " King Caesar."
King o' the Castle
One boy is chosen as King. He mounts on any convenient height, a knoll, or dyke, or big stone, and shouts— . A'm King o' the Castle, An' fah (who) '11 ding (knock) me doon ? The players make a rush at the King, and try to pull him down. A tussle goes on for a longer or a shorter time, according to the strength of the King and his skill in driving off his assailants. The boy that displaces the King becomes King, and is in his turn assaulted in the same way. The game may go on for any length of time. Another form of words is—
I'm the King o' the Castle, An' nane can ding me doon.
—Keith (Rev. W. Gregor). Other words sung by the Scotch children are—
I, Willy Wastle,
Stand on my castle,
And a' the dogs o' your toon
Will no drive Willie Wastle doon. Chambers (Popular Rhymes, p. 114) records the tradition that when Oliver Cromwell lay at Haddington he sent to require the governor of Home Castle, in Berwickshire, to surrender; |
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