The Traditional Children's Games of England Scotland
& Ireland In Dictionary Form - Volume 2

With Tunes(sheet music), Singing-rhymes(lyrics), Methods Of Playing with diagrams and illustrations.

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	i86	SEE-SIM
	The poor man was digging, To and fro, to and fro ; And he caught the black cross, To and fro, to and fro.—Isle of Man (A. W. Moore). A common game, children sitting on either end of a plank supported on its centre, and made to rock up and down. While enjoying this recreation, they sing the verse. Addy, Sheffield Glossary, gives Ranty or Rantypole, a plank or pole balanced evenly, upon which children rock up and down in see-saw fashion. Jamieson, Etymological Dictionary', gives Coup-the-Ladle as the name for See-saw in Aber­deen. Moor, Suffolk Words and Phrases, describes this game, and gives the same words to be sung while playing as Halliwell's above. Grose gives " Weigh," to play at See­saw. Holloway, Dictionary of Provincialisms, says, in Norfolk See-saw is called Titti cum Totter; and in Gain ford, Durham, Ewiggy Shog. Halliwell gives versions of Nos. II. and III. in his Nursery Rhymes, and also other verses with the open­ing words " See-saw," namely, " See-saw, Jack-a-Daw," " See­saw, Sack-a-day;" but these are not connected with the game by Halliwell, and there is nothing in the words to indicate such a connection. Mactaggart, Gallovidian En­cyclopedia, calls the game " Coggle-te-Carry," but gives no verses, and Strutt calls it "Titter Totter."—Sports, p. 303. He does not give any rhymes, except to quote Gay's poem, but it is possible that the rhyme to his game may be No. I. Brogden gives " Hightte " as the game of See-saw. The Manx version has not before been published, and Mr. Moore says is now quite forgotten in the Isle. The game is called " Shuggy-shoo " in Irish, and also " Copple-thurrish," evidently " Horse and Pig," as if the two animals were balancing against each other, and alternately becoming elevated and depressed.— Ulster Joum. Arch., vi. 102. The child who stands on the plank in the centre and balances it, is frequently called the " canstick " or " candlestick." See-Sim A children's game. If one of the party is blindfolded, it is " Blind-Sim."—Spurden's East Anglian Glossary.