Page:Cornish feasts and folk-lore.djvu/188

 176 Cornish Games. 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," etc., 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 ! fool ! come to school. And find me out the : " giving the assumed name of one of the players. If the fool fixed on the right person, he stayed in and the other went out, which of course involved re-naming ; but if he made a mistake they all cried out — " Fool ! fool ! go back to school. And learn your letters better. " He retired, pretended to knpck his head against the door, and returned, when he was again asked in the same words to name some other player. Some of the games were much rougher, such as "Pig in the middle and can't get out," and " Solomon had a great dog." For the first, one of the children stood in the centre, whilst the others danced around him in a circle, saying, "Pig in the middle and can't get out." He replied, " I've lost my key but I will get out," and threw the whole weight of his body suddenly on the clasped hands of a couple to try and unlock them. When he had succeeded he changed the words to, " I've broken your locks, and I have got out." One of the pair whose hands he had opened took his place, and he joined the ring.