Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/57

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CORNISH FOLK-LORE.
49

"Eggs, butter, cheese, bread,
Stick, stack, stone, dead!"—(West Cornwall.)

To this latter there are several nonsensical modern additions. A game with a jingle somewhat like the first is played by children at Newlyn West, near Penzance, called—

"Vesey, vasey vum."

One child is blindfolded, the others hide something, and shout—

"Vesey, vasey, vum,
Buck-a-boo has come!
Find if you can and take it home,
Vesej, vasey vum! "

A search is then made for the hidden object: when found the finder in his turn is blindfolded.

After this digression I will give all the other forgotten games before describing those still played.


"Frskee, friskee, I was, and I was."

Known elsewhere as "Now we dance looby, looby, looby." To play it the children formed a ring and danced round, singing—

"Friskee, friskee, I was, and I was
A drinking of small beer."

They then stopped suddenly and said, "Right arms in!" (all were extended towards the centre of the circle); "Right arms out!" (all wheeled round with arms outstretched in the contrary direction); "Shake yourselves a little and little and turn yourselves about." The circle was reformed, "Friskee," &c., was repeated, and the game went on until all the different parts of the body had been named.


"Fool, fool, come to School."

All the children in this game, except one who left the room, called themselves by the name of some bird, beast, or fish. The child outside was brought in, and one chosen as schoolmaster said—

"Fool I fool I come to school, And find me out the ——:"