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MOTHER, MOTHER, THE POT BOILS OVER |
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Mother counts the children by the seven days of the week, " Monday," "Tuesday," &c, and appoints another girl to act as guardian over them. She then pretends to go out washing, removing to a short distance so as to be within ear-shot of the other children. As soon as the Mother has gone, the old Witch comes and says, " Please, can I light my pipe ? " Then the children say, " Yes, if you won't spit on t' hearth." She pretends to light her pipe, but spits on the hearth, and runs away with the girl called Sunday. Then the Guardian, among the confusion, pretends to rush down stairs, and, failing to find Sunday, calls out, " Mother, mother, t' pot boils over." The Mother replies, " Put your head in ; " the Guardian says, " It's all over hairs; " the Mother says, " Put the dish-clout in;" the Guardian says, " It's greasy ; " the Mother says, " Get a fork; " the Guardian says, "It's rusty;" the Mother says, "I'll come mysen." She comes, and begins to count the children, Monday, Tuesday, up to Saturday, and missing Sunday, asks, "Where's Sunday?" the Guardian says, "T old Witch has fetched her." The Mother answers, " Where was you ? " " Up stairs." The Mother says, " What doing ? " " Making t' beds." " Why didn't you come down?" " Because I had no shoes." " Why didn't you borrow a pair ? " " Because nobody would lend me a pair." "Why didn't you steal a pair." " Do you want me to get hung ? " Then the Mother runs after her, and if she can catch her thrashes her for letting Sunday go. Then the Mother pretends to go out washing again, and the Witch fetches the other days of the week one by one, when the same dialogue is rehearsed.—Dronfield, Derbyshire (S. O. Addy).
This game was also played in London. The dramatis persona? were a mother, an eldest daughter, the younger children, a witch, and a pot was represented by another child. The Mother names the children after the days of the week. She tells her eldest daughter that she is going to wash, and that she expects her to take great care of her sisters, and to be sure and not let the old witch take them. She is also to look after the dinner, and be sure and not let the pot boil over. The Mother then departs, and stays at a little distance from the others. The eldest daughter pretends to be very busy |
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