Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 17, 1906.djvu/110

 98 Collectanea,

Will 0' The Wisp.

This is a night game. One of the party playing, provided with match paper (brown paper soaked in a solution of saltpetre) conceals himself, and showing the light in different places endeavours to get the others, who are searching for him, suffici- ently near to spring upon them and tig them before they can return to the den. The one caught becomes Will o' the Wisp.

I Spy Charlie across the Sea.

One boy remains in the den as " Hut," the rest having concealed themselves, give the signal (a whistle or such like) and Hut proceeds to look for them. When he perceives one, and he need not identify him, he cries, " I Spy Charlie across the sea," and makes for the den, trying to reach it before being over- taken by the one he has seen. If he succeeds in this he continues searching for the others till all are accounted for. But if one of those spied tigs Hut before reaching the den, all are called in and a new game begun with the same player as Hut.

(P. 213, after line 7.)

In Kintyre there were generally two or three "hares," all of whom had to be caught before the game was finished.

We have an account of " Hounds and Hares " as played in Orkney. There was an equal number of " Hounds and Hares," the hounds standing with their backs turned so that the Hares might conceal themselves unwatched. This they did in houses, garrets, stackyards, anywhere in fact. A sufficient time having been allowed, the Hounds sought them out in any place that seemed likely to harbour one, stackyards being treated as if an open thoroughfare, and houses entered without leave asked or an apology offered. A " Hare " having been found was at once pursued by the whole pack, and when caught stood aside while the search was renewed till all had been caught. Time permitting, the " Hounds " now became " Hares " in a new game. This was played after dark quite as often as in daylight.

Goid Colours. (Stealing Colours.)

Equal sides being formed, those "out" were given a fair start and pursued by the " ins." As each of the pursued was