Page:Shetland Folk-Lore - Spence - 1899.pdf/192



These may serve as specimens of Shetland riddles. There was scarcely anything either about the house, within or without the house, that was not made the subject of a guddik.

Another favourite pastime was going in wads (forfeits). There were various forms practised in this game. I shall mention one that I remember seeing in Unst, and which, I doubt not, is very old.

The young people are seated round the open fireplace. A piece of straw, or better still, of dried dockweed, say about eight inches long, is bent in the form of an acute triangle. Both the ends are lighted in the fire and begin to burn slowly, something like a cigar. It is now carefully balanced at the angular point on another straw held perpendicularly in the hand of No. 1, who