Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/240

216 other. We still have nothing of winning or losing, except in those games of this class where, as in the case of “Oranges and Lemons,” the game ends by one party or side pulling the other over a boundary or division line.

This is a very favourite game with Dorset children, and can be played with any large number of them. Two of the tallest of the party are chosen to be “Orange” and “Lemon”; but the rest must not know which child is “Orange” and which is “Lemon.” The two stand facing one another, and taking each other hold by both hands (the right hand of the one taking the left of the other, and vice versâ) raise them as high as their shoulders. The rest of the party then form into a line or string, one behind the other, holding only the frock or jacket of the one immediately in front of them, and in this form pass once round “Orange” and “Lemon,” who are standing erect in the midst. They then creep underneath their raised arms, singing meanwhile:

It should be so arranged that the end of the line should be about to pass under the improvised archway just when they come to the word “Sunday,” then the raised arms drop and enclose within their grasp the last one of the line. This one they keep fast whilst the others pass on still singing as before. The captive then is asked which she will have, “Orange or Lemon?” (This should be asked and the answer given in a whisper so that none of the others can hear.) On her making her choice she is told to go behind the one she has selected and clasp her round the waist. By this time the rest of the children ought to be ready to pass under again, and again the last one of the