Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 16, 1905.djvu/100

 78 Collectanea.

who toed a line, his heels together. Bending down he stretched his arm as far as he could without moving his feet at all and placed one of the stones on the ground. Rising to his full height, his feet still steady, he jumped as far as he could in the line of the stone placed and placed the second stone, the same being repeated and the third stone placed. Separating the feet, wob- bling so as to move from the spot jumped on put the competitor out. The one who could reach furthest with three leaps was successful. The ground must not be touched by the other hand from that which places the stones. It is usual not to place the stones at the uttermost stretch on a first trial.

(P. 2, after line 12.)

Leum a Bhradain. (The Salmon's Leap.)

The performer lay flat down, his feet together, his hands close to his side, on the ground. Drawing up the feet and with a powerful jerk of the whole body, the upright position had to be gained without staggering or stumbling, with no assistance from the hands. A successful performance was a veritable salmon's leap.

Leum Maighiche. (Hare's Leap.)

Several take part in this. One lies down on the ground on his back ; another jumps over him and lies down where he has landed parallel to the one already down. Another leaps over both and likewise lies down till all are down, or the distance that can be leapt is covered. The first to go down then rises and leaps over the party, followed in rapid succession by the remainder, the fun largely consisting in the rapidity in which they follow each other. If one is slow in clearing the way for his successor, he is said to be " run down," and must retire from the game.

This was also played in Orkney. ^ y

Cuddies and Weights.

The players are divided into two parties, and, with the assist- ance of a counting-out rhyme, the one half become "cuddies," the other the "weights." The "cuddies" on all fours are ridden by the "weights," and their business is to prance and fling and in every way to do their best to rid themselves of their riders, shout-