Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 16, 1905.djvu/393

 Collectanea. 343

the initials she herself wrote. Those who follow her do not stop at their own beds, but do the whole line. Making a mistake puts a player out, the one doing it oftenest without mistake winning the game.

IMITATIVE GAMES.

(P. 140, after line 18.)

The words used in various districts generally show a common origin, but with variations pointing to inexact memory. Thus in "When I was a Lady," a sample of the Uist words is here given —

" ^Vhen I had a baby, a baby, a baby, When I had a baby, this way I would go, See, O this way, that way, this way, that way, See, O this way, that way, O then, O then, O then."

Our sample verses, in addition to that given, commence " When I was a lady" — "When I was a gentleman " — "When my husband died " — and " When I was a drunkard."

In Uist also the version sent us of " When I was a farmer " goes thus —

' ' Do you know how does the farmer, the farmer, the farmer.

Do you know how does the farmer, sow his barley and his wheat ?

This, how does the farmer, the farmer, the farmer,

This, how does the farmer, sow his barley and his wheat."

The girls playing sing in unison, holding up the skirt of their dress and imitating with their right hand the sowing of seed.

The next verse is "Cut his barley and his wheat," and while singing it they imitate the use of the scythe.

(P. 141, after line 7.)

Imitating the actions of a leader without moving from the spot are the following, being games in which, if lads take part, it is m company with girls.

Aunt Dinah's dead.

The players sit in a circle, and one is chosen as leader. The leader says to her neighbour, " Aunt Dinah's dead." Her neigh- bour replies, " What did she die of? " " Of doing this," says the