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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	50o                  MEMOIR ON THE STUDY OF "Gled-wylie," " Auld Grannie," " Old Cranny Crow," all played in the dialogue form, the dialogue announces that the fox wants some food, and he arouses the suspicion of the goose or hen by prowling around or near her dwelling. After a parley, in which he tries to deceive the mother animal, he announces his intention of catching one of the chickens. The hen declares she will protect her brood, and a contest ensues. These games have of course arisen from the well-known pre­datory habits of the wolf, fox, and kite. On the other hand, the games illustrating the hunting or baiting of animals, such as " Baste the Bear," " Fox in the Hole," " Hare and Hounds," are simply imitations of those sports. "Baiting the Bear," a popular and still played game, has continued since the days of bear-baiting. I may also mention the games dealing with ghosts. " Ghost at the Well," " Mouse and Cobbler," show the prevailing belief in ghosts. Playing at Ghosts has been one of the most popular of games. These two show the game in a very de­generate condition. I need not, I think, describe in detail any more of the dialogue games. There are none so good as " Mother, the Pot boils over," but that was hardly to be ex­pected. The customs which no doubt were originally drama­tised in them all have in many cases been lost, as in the case of some versions of " Mother, the Pot boils over." The dialogue games appear to me to be later in form than both line and circle games. They are, in fact, developments of these ear­lier forms. Thus the "Fox and Goose " and "Hen and Chickens " type is played practically in line form, and belongs to the con­test group, while the " Witch " type is probably representative of the circle form. But they have assumed a dramatic char­acter of a very definite shape. This, as will be seen later on, is of considerable importance in the evidence of the ancient origin of games; but I will only point out here that this group has allowed the dramatic element to have full scope, with the result that a pure dialogue has been evolved, while custom and usage has to some extent been pushed in the background. The next group is the arch form of game. This I divide into two kinds—those ending in circle or dance form, and