GAMES.
BOY’S GAMES.
In the Highlands of Scotland, as in every other place where there are children, youthful plays and amusements had their sway, and it is worthy of attention how these amusements were eminently calculated to develop and strengthen mind and muscular strength in the young. The various amusements of Riddles, and the many forms of indoor or house games are too numerous to describe, and in many instances not worth while dwelling upon. These games particularly called out the power of close attention and of ready speech, and were as often played out of doors as indoors, according to weather.
I.
Wrestling Matches.
When the youth of a village met at acéilidh, or indoor gathering, and a wrestling match was resolved upon, one of them was appointed a king or master of the ceremonies, and the company was bound to be obedient to him in everything. In the following game a stout and likely lad was fixed upon to come in, in the character of a “Desert Glede” (Croman Fàsaich). When he came in, the following speech occurred: addressing the king, he said:—
Croman.
“Leigeadh da, leigeadh da, Dia,”
Righ.
“Co as a thàinig thu, a Chromain Fhàsaich, no ’de an dràsda thug so thu?”
Croman.
“Thàinig mi a m’ fhonn ’s a m’ fhearann, ’s a m’ fhàsach fhéin.”
Righ.
“’Dé chuir fearann ’s fonn ’s fàsach agadsa ’s mise gun fhonn gun fhearann gun fhàsach.”?
Croman.
“Mo chruas, ’s mo luathas, ’s mo làidireachd fhéin.”
Righ.
“Tha òganach geur donn agamsa a leagadh tu, ’s a bhreabadh tu, ’s a bheireadh sia deug dh’ iallan do dhroma asad, agus iall g’ ad cheangal; ’s a mhi-mhodhaicheadh do bhean ann an clais na h-inne ’s tu fhéin ceangailte.”
Croman.
“Cuir a mach so e ma ta.”
Kite, or Glede.
“Permit, permit, O Deity.”
King.
“Where have you come from, Kite of the Desert, and what has now brought you here?”
Kite.
“I come from my own land and soil and desert.”
King.
“How have you land and soil and desert, when I have neither land nor soil nor desert?”
Kite.
“My own hardiness and swiftness and strength.”
King.
“I have a smart brown-haired youth, who can throw you down, and kick you, and take sixteen thongs out of your back, and a thong to tie you with, and who can throw your wife into the byre gutter while you yourself are tied.”
Kite.
“Send him out here then.”
The wrestling then began, and the one who proved victorbecame “Desert Glede” for the next encounter, until the whole were run over.
The words were sometimes used in the following form:—
Righ.—“Dida-a-didacha-dìsa, a Chromain Fhàsaich, co as dràsda a choisich thu?”
Croman.—“Feuch ’bheil gìomanach donn agad a chumas rium.”
Righg.—“Tha agamsa gìomanach donn a chumas riut ’s a dheanadh loth pheallagach dhiot aig dorus an tighe, etc.”
King.—“Deeda-a-deedacha-deesa, Desert Glede, whence have you walked from now?”
Kite.—“Try whether you have a brown-haired youth to match me.”
King.—“I have a brown-haired youth that will match you and make a matted colt of you at the door of the house, etc.”
Another game popular on these occasions was one of forfeits, known as the “Parson’s mare has gone amissing,” (Làir a’ pharsonaich air chall). Every boy and girl in the company has a false name, given for the occasion, such as “Old Cow’s Tail” (Earball Seana Mhairt); “Rooster on the House-top” (Coileach air Tigh), etc. The king, or overseer, commencing the game says,
“The parson’s mare has gone amissing,And it is a great shame that it should be so;Try who stole her.”Làir a’ pharsonaich air chall,’S mòr an nàire dh’ i bhi ann;Feuch cò ghoid i.
“The parson’s mare has gone amissing,And it is a great shame that it should be so;Try who stole her.”Làir a’ pharsonaich air chall,’S mòr an nàire dh’ i bhi ann;Feuch cò ghoid i.
“The parson’s mare has gone amissing,And it is a great shame that it should be so;Try who stole her.”
“The parson’s mare has gone amissing,
And it is a great shame that it should be so;
Try who stole her.”
Làir a’ pharsonaich air chall,’S mòr an nàire dh’ i bhi ann;Feuch cò ghoid i.
Làir a’ pharsonaich air chall,
’S mòr an nàire dh’ i bhi ann;
Feuch cò ghoid i.
Looking round the circle, he fixes upon some one, and mentions him by the assumed name. He fixes, for instance, on the one to whom the name of “Old Cow’s Tail” was given,and the person mentioned or denoted was bound at once to answer, saying
“It’s a lie from you”(’S breugach dhuit e)
“It’s a lie from you”(’S breugach dhuit e)
“It’s a lie from you”(’S breugach dhuit e)
“It’s a lie from you”
(’S breugach dhuit e)
to which the answer is,
“Who then is it?”(Feuch cò eile e?).
“Who then is it?”(Feuch cò eile e?).
“Who then is it?”(Feuch cò eile e?).
“Who then is it?”
(Feuch cò eile e?).
The person accused at once passes it on by mentioning some one else, such as the “Rooster on the House top,” and the same query and answer, “Who then is it?”, etc., is passed on. The first one who fails in giving a ready reply has to submit to give a forfeit which the ruler keeps in security till all have been exacted; then some one bends down and rests his head upon the king’s knee, when the forfeits are held upon his head and he is made to award the punishment of redeeming them. He does not see whose forfeit it is, and the penalty imposed is sometimes very ludicrous and impossible. One, for instance, has to sit on the fire till his stomach boils (Suidhe air an teine gus am bi a ghoile air ghoil); another is to go out to the hillock in front of the village and bawl out three times,
“This is the one who did the mischiefAnd who will do it to-night yet.”(’S mise an duine a rinn an t-olc’S nì mi ’n nochd fhathast e).
“This is the one who did the mischiefAnd who will do it to-night yet.”(’S mise an duine a rinn an t-olc’S nì mi ’n nochd fhathast e).
“This is the one who did the mischiefAnd who will do it to-night yet.”
“This is the one who did the mischief
And who will do it to-night yet.”
(’S mise an duine a rinn an t-olc’S nì mi ’n nochd fhathast e).
(’S mise an duine a rinn an t-olc
’S nì mi ’n nochd fhathast e).
This game requires great readiness and retentiveness of mind. The attention being kept continually on the strain in case one’s own assumed name be called out, and a readiness to pass the accusation on to another.
The game of “Hide and Seek” was practised in the Highlands in many forms. Probably the earliest and simplest is that of young children playing round their mother, while she was engaged in baking bread. It was the custom in olden times to gather the meal or remains of dough left over afterthe oatcakes of bread were made, and duly work it into a cake by itself, called theBonnach Beag, or “Little Cake,” also known asSiantachan a’ Chlàir, “The Charmer of the Board,” which was supposed to be of mysterious value in keeping want away from the house. This little cake was given to the children, and when butter was ready or accessible, was thickly covered and given to the little fry, making a very welcome and grateful treat. Sometimes when the butter was very thickly spread, and perhaps with the thumb as the readiest and most convenient substitute for a knife, the housewife said, “Here take that; it is better than a hoard of cloth” (Gabh sin; ’s fhearr e na mìr liath ’an clùd). Hence the expression that was used to denote that the preparations were not quite over:
“Cha ’n ’eil am bonnach beag bruich fhathast.”(The little cake is not ready yet).
“Cha ’n ’eil am bonnach beag bruich fhathast.”(The little cake is not ready yet).
Not infrequently the little things hid their heads under their mother’s apron, thinking, like the ostrich of the desert that if their heads were hidden, none of the rest of them would be seen. When children played the game in the open air, the stackyard was commonly resorted to, and the one who was fixed upon as the Blind Man, while the rest were hiding themselves had to call out three times,
“Opera-opera-bo-baideag”
adding at the third time,
“Dalladh agus bodharadh agus dìth na dà chluais air an fhear nach cuala sud.”
(Blindness and deafness and the loss of both ears be the lot of the one who will not hear that).
The Blind-man then caught hold of one of the stacks, and went round, guided by his hands, giving occasional kicks in case any one should be hiding himself near the ground.