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CHILDREN'S GAMES 477
The arch form of game, or tug-of-war as it is usually called, subdivide into two methods :—
Arch Form.
(i) Draw a Pail of Water. (2) Fool, Fool, come to School.
Hark the Robbers (some versions). Hark the Robbers (some versions).
How many Miles to Babylon. Little Dog, I call you.
London Bridge. Namers and Guessers.
Long Duck. Oranges and Lemons.
Thread the Needle. Three Days' Holidays.
Through the Needle Eye. Tug of War.
Winding Up, or Serpent's Coil Form.
Bulliheisle. Snail Creep.
Eller Tree. Tuilzie Wap.
Port the Helm. Winding up the Bush Faggot.
The first or line form of games is characterised by no one player being distinguished above his fellows; there are no distinct or separate characters to be played. All the players on one line say the same words and perform the same actions; all advance together and retire together. Each line stands still while the other line advances, retires, and has its " say." In this way questions are asked and answers are given. Questions and answers form an essential part of the line form of game. The one line of players imply action of a party composed of several persons who are of the same opinion, and the line on the opposite side is a party who hold different opinions, and express these in words and by actions; so that in no game played in line form do we get unanimous action of all the players, but half and half.
These line games represent in the main a contest, and there are contests of different kinds; that is, war between the people of two different locations, between parishes or border countries of different nationalities, and contests for wives, of a more or less friendly nature. That the lines or sides indicate people who come from one country or district to another country or district is shown, I think, by the fact that a line is drawn in the middle of the ground, which line separates the territory of the two sides. Players can go as far as the line on their own |
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