Now I daresay you’ve heard of leap-frog, and maybe you think there’s only one way of playing it. Well, if you want to see how our boys can invent things out of their heads because, and only because, they have no bats or other things to play with, you should come and watch them at their leap-frog and duty games. (In leap-frog and overbacks they go in certain fixed orders over each others’ backs; in duty one man stays down until another fails in the duty and takes his place). Always inventing new kinds, too. You could write a whole book about sports of this kind, each with its separate rules and separate name—fancy names they are, some of them—and each with its “showman” or “duty-man” or “namer” who decides what things are to be done. There’sALL THE WINKLES, a grand game for as manyas you like; andHOPPING TO LONDONandALL THE WAY TO LONDONandRACING TO LONDONandFOUR WAYS TO LONDONandHOT PIESandCOLD PIESandHERE COMES MY SHIP FULL SAILandBUNNY RABBIT(rather difficult) andHOP, STEP AND JUMPandHOPPING ROUND BIG BENandALL HANDS ON DECK(also calledFINGER ON THE BLOCK).Cut-a-lump(orCUTTER)—that’s another kind. Bill bends down in the gutter, while the others stand up behind him in a row; the first of them is called cut-a-lump. He goes over Bill’s back, and where his feet touch the ground—there he makes a mark; then the next boy, without moving from his old place, has to jump over Bill and touch the same mark; then the next, and the next—over they go! Of course, it becomes more difficult with each jump, as the distance gets wider.Whoever first misses the mark must take the place of Bill, who then becomes cutter in his turn. That’s cut-a-lump: see?
Now I daresay you’ve heard of leap-frog, and maybe you think there’s only one way of playing it. Well, if you want to see how our boys can invent things out of their heads because, and only because, they have no bats or other things to play with, you should come and watch them at their leap-frog and duty games. (In leap-frog and overbacks they go in certain fixed orders over each others’ backs; in duty one man stays down until another fails in the duty and takes his place). Always inventing new kinds, too. You could write a whole book about sports of this kind, each with its separate rules and separate name—fancy names they are, some of them—and each with its “showman” or “duty-man” or “namer” who decides what things are to be done. There’sALL THE WINKLES, a grand game for as manyas you like; andHOPPING TO LONDONandALL THE WAY TO LONDONandRACING TO LONDONandFOUR WAYS TO LONDONandHOT PIESandCOLD PIESandHERE COMES MY SHIP FULL SAILandBUNNY RABBIT(rather difficult) andHOP, STEP AND JUMPandHOPPING ROUND BIG BENandALL HANDS ON DECK(also calledFINGER ON THE BLOCK).Cut-a-lump(orCUTTER)—that’s another kind. Bill bends down in the gutter, while the others stand up behind him in a row; the first of them is called cut-a-lump. He goes over Bill’s back, and where his feet touch the ground—there he makes a mark; then the next boy, without moving from his old place, has to jump over Bill and touch the same mark; then the next, and the next—over they go! Of course, it becomes more difficult with each jump, as the distance gets wider.Whoever first misses the mark must take the place of Bill, who then becomes cutter in his turn. That’s cut-a-lump: see?
Why it’s called cut-a-lump?
Because he cuts a lump off the distance in front of Bill.
Then there’sFROG IN FIELDandFROG IN THE MIDDLEandFROG IN THE WATERandINCH IT UPandSHRIMPS(where you have to go over a boy’s back with your cap doubled up on your head—many duty-games have to be played with caps) andLOBSTER(also calledEGGS AND BACON, where you have to throw down your cap while going over his head and pick it up with your teeth without rolling off his back) andEGG IN A DUCK’S BELLY(holding the cap between your legs) andCAT O’ NINE TAILSandSPUR THE DONKandOVER THE MOONandFOOT IT(where youjump sideways) andCHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADEandCAT ON HOT BRICKS(about as good as any) andPOSTMANandHOPPING ALL THE WAY TO CHURCHandMUSSENTOUCHET—
“In mussentouchet one boy flies over back and then he puts the boys hats anywhere he likes [on their bodies] and tells them to run to certain spot and they must not touch their hats the one whose hat falls off is down”—
“In mussentouchet one boy flies over back and then he puts the boys hats anywhere he likes [on their bodies] and tells them to run to certain spot and they must not touch their hats the one whose hat falls off is down”—
andNEWSPAPERS(orPAPERS) andTWO FOOT FLYandSTIFF-LEGGED COPPER(also calledPOLICEMANorSTIFF BLOATERSorSHOWING NO IVORY, because, after jumping over, you have to stand stock still and not show either your teeth or your finger nails) andWHITEWASHandPLATES AND DISHESandFLYING THE GARTERandWRITING LETTER TO PUNCHandSENDING LETTER TO CANADA, which is played like this:
“When all the boys have gone over the boy who they call namer calls out sending a letter to Canada. Then the boy who is down has to bend down again then all the boys write the letter on his back then they put it up his coat then stamp it then they hit him with their knees on the....”
“When all the boys have gone over the boy who they call namer calls out sending a letter to Canada. Then the boy who is down has to bend down again then all the boys write the letter on his back then they put it up his coat then stamp it then they hit him with their knees on the....”
or perhaps you can understand it better from this:
“One boy bends down and then you pretend to write on his back then you bang for the Stamp and then put it under his coat and push him first leap over his back and say Sending a Letter to Canada.”
“One boy bends down and then you pretend to write on his back then you bang for the Stamp and then put it under his coat and push him first leap over his back and say Sending a Letter to Canada.”
Perhaps you think these are all the duty-games they play, but there are a good many more, such asFLIES ROUND THE JAM-POTandHOT COCKLES AND HOT MUSTARD(rather likeBUNNY RABBIT) andSHOOTING THE MOON(played with caps and spittle) andYANK HIM OVERandUPSETTING THE APPLE-CARTandWEAK HORSES(played against a lamp-post where you pile yourselves as high as possible) andSTEPPING-STONES(difficult) andGLORYandFISHING FOR OYSTERSandTICKLERSandCOUNTRY(orNORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST) andBUMPER(orBUMPUMS) andSMASHING YOUR GRANDMA’S WINDOWSandBACKY-OandROMAN CANDLES(orTHUMBS UP: very difficult) andCHINESE ORDERSandCHINESE YUM-YUMandKING JOHN SAYS SOandDEAD SOLDIERSandSALMON FISHINGandMISCHIEFandPULLING LEGSandFOLLOW MY LEADER(yes; duty) andPIGGY BACKSandWHEELBARROWSandJOCKY WHACKandSWIMMING IN BLUE WATER.Swimming in blue wateris played like this:
“One boy stoops down in bending attitude, and another boy lays on his back crossways, and does the action of swimming, if the boy who is swimming falls off he has to be down”—
“One boy stoops down in bending attitude, and another boy lays on his back crossways, and does the action of swimming, if the boy who is swimming falls off he has to be down”—
andCARRYING THE OLD WOMAN’S WASHINGandMESSENGERS(orMESSAGES) andELEPHANTS’ TRUNKS AND TAILSandSKINNING A RABBITandMOGGIES[D]ON THE WALLandSOPPY SOLDIERandTAILOR.
And if you’re not yet tired of duty-games, I will tell you one or two more. There’sPICKING LEAVESandSCISSORSandTHROUGH THE MOONandPULLING BONES OUT OF FISHESandPORTER COLLECTING TICKETS(orTICKET PUNCHING) andHOP THERE AND BACK AGAINandUP SIDES DOWN MIDDLEandNELSONandHIDING HATS IN THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENTandPOLLY TELL ME THE TIME(duty) andBUCK, BUCK, HOW MANY FINGERS HAVE I GOT UPandSOLOMON SILENT READING.Solomon silent reading—queer name, isn’t it? This is how the game goes:
“First of all a boy bends down and each boy flies over and the Duty man being last shouts out a game while flying over such as Solomon silent reading. A boy must bend down, then the Duty man thinks of a word and writes it on the boy’s back with his finger, then the one who is bending down getsup and tells the Duty man what he wrote, then all the other boys stoop down one at a time and the Duty man repeats the writing [on their backs] and the last one to get it wrong has to give down”—
“First of all a boy bends down and each boy flies over and the Duty man being last shouts out a game while flying over such as Solomon silent reading. A boy must bend down, then the Duty man thinks of a word and writes it on the boy’s back with his finger, then the one who is bending down getsup and tells the Duty man what he wrote, then all the other boys stoop down one at a time and the Duty man repeats the writing [on their backs] and the last one to get it wrong has to give down”—
andBULL-DOG RACEandEATING FISH AND POTATOESandUPSETTING MOTHER’S GRAVYandHANDS OFFandCAP TELLINGandWHO WILL TAKE THE PIG(or theUGLY BEAR)TO MARKETandARM’S LENGTHandLAUGH AND CRYandBRASS BANDandCANNON BALLSandFOOT ITandDEAF AND DUMB MOSES(also calledDUTY FOUR, where you have to pretend to be deaf and dumb) andFIRE ENGINES(orFIREMAN: duty) andSTICK IN THE MUD(orSTICKUMS) andBRITISH WORKMANandSUGAR CANESandCARRYING CROCODILES’ FOOD. You playCROCODILES’ FOODlike this:
“All the boys leap over one’s back and then run to end of street and then you all come back with your hands and feet on the ground and your chest above the ground and then you place your hat on your chest and walk along and the boy who falls over has to go down”
“All the boys leap over one’s back and then run to end of street and then you all come back with your hands and feet on the ground and your chest above the ground and then you place your hat on your chest and walk along and the boy who falls over has to go down”
in other words, the cap (the crocodiles’ food) has to lie on your stomach, which is sometimes called chest, while you move forwards with your back to the earth supporting yourself on hands and feet, as you can see perfectly well from this other description:
“Have to run to top of street then the boy who is down shouts out carrying crocodiles food, then the other boys have to come back with their hats on their chests andtheir hands behind and running along on their backs”
“Have to run to top of street then the boy who is down shouts out carrying crocodiles food, then the other boys have to come back with their hats on their chests andtheir hands behind and running along on their backs”
andGAMMON RASHERandCATCHING STONESandRACE FOR A LEAFandCARRIAGESandALL SORTSandPULLING UP FATHER’S RHUBARBandHAYSTACKandKING’S DINNERandMOUSE IN THE TRAPandPUNCTURED TYREandCOBBLERandDRUMSandFOOT AND LEEandFINGER IN THE BIRD’S NESTandBABBLEandOVER GARDEN WALLandTHREE AND ONandHOW FAR CAN YOU RUNandBUNG THE BARRELandPICKING THE BLOATERandSIFT THE GRAPESandHOT ROLLSandWARNIE I’M A COMING—and that’s just a few of them.
Warniehas to be played against a wall, and this is what they say to it:
Hi Jimmy Nacko, one, two, three—Obobé,Obobé-all-y-over!
Hi Jimmy Nacko, one, two, three—Obobé,Obobé-all-y-over!
Hi Jimmy Nacko, one, two, three—Obobé,Obobé-all-y-over!
Hi Jimmy Nacko, one, two, three—Obobé,
Obobé-all-y-over!
Warnie, I suppose, means “I warn ye”, because they say it just before they jump. But I can’t even make a guess at Obobé—wish I could. It’s quite possible that it never meant anything at all, to begin with. The boys sometimes call it High Bobbery—it’s a way they have, of working the old names round into a sort of sense, when they’ve forgotten their real meaning. I must write and ask Aunt Eliza; she knows everything (thinks she does). As to Jimmy Nacko—they sometimes call it Jimmy Wagtail, but one of the lads tells me it means “Neck, ho!” which only shows how they like twisting the names about. (That’s why they now say shuttlecock instead of shuttlecork, because they forget it’s played with a cork). What I think about Jimmy Nacko is this: judging by his name, he was justan old shonk[E]of some kind....
And now I must tell you aboutRELEASE. There is one game of this kind played by small children, and not worth talking about. But the realRELEASE(orROBBERS AND COPPERS) is quite another thing altogether. In release you take sides and catch prisoners; you have to touch their heads and “crown” them; that’s what makes them prisoners. And that’s what makes them so wild—because the other chaps can’t always release them; and that’s why the old people bar the game—because you always get your clothes torn; and that’s why it’s also calledBEDLAM—because there are so many rows while it’s going on. You see, they don’t like being made prisoners and being “crowned” and having their heads touched—notat all, at all. Just mad, it makes them.
“D’ye want a claht over the jor?” says one. “’Cos yer never did touch me ’ead, so there.”
“Ole Ikey see’d me doos it.”
“Liar. ’Cos ’e wos t’ovver side o’ the street.”
“’E never. Yer wos on the grahnd when I crahned yer napper.”
“Liar. Yer sez I wos a-layin dahn when all the time I wos on me stumps. Yer finks I’m up the pole to ’ear yer tork. Knock ’arf yer fice orff.”
“Not ’arf. Yer knows I touched yer nut ’cos don’t yer remember me a-standin on yer arms?”
“Ef yer want an eye bunged up or a punch on the snaht—”
“Well ef I’m a liar yore the biggest. So yer lumps it. I’m goin to be blowed ef I play wiv alahsy blisterin blitherin blinkin blightin bloomin bleedin blasted baastard wots got a movver wots got a bloke wots—”
“’Ere, d’ye want a clip on the Kiber-pass?”
“Garn! P.........,[F]an play wiv the steam.”
FOOTNOTES:[D]Moggies are cats.[E]A shonk is a foreigner, generally a Jew.[F]Four words censored.
[D]Moggies are cats.
[D]Moggies are cats.
[E]A shonk is a foreigner, generally a Jew.
[E]A shonk is a foreigner, generally a Jew.
[F]Four words censored.
[F]Four words censored.