Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/436

402 and is thus carried about, whilst they sing this unmeaning verse:

Aprite, aprite porte, &c.—Our 'Frog in the middle and can't get out.' All dance round in a circle, except the one in the middle, who sings:—"Aprite, aprite porte a povere Farcone!" or as Cortese quotes them,—"Apere le porte, ca Farcone vole ntrare." Upon which all lift up their hands, without letting go, and sing, "Le porte stanno aperte, si Farcone vole entrare," (The gates stand open, if Falcon wishes to come in). If the Falcon can then get out of the ring, he is free; if not, the dance begins again. See Galiani, Del Dial. Napol. p. 118.

Fourth Day, Page 235.—The games mentioned here are as follows:—Sseca-mautone—Ccapo o croce—Cucco o viento—Mazz' e ppiuzo—La Morra—Paro o sparo—La Campana—Le 'Nnorchic—Le Ccastellucce—Accosta palla—Chioppa o separa—Lo Tuocco—La Palla—Li Shriglie.

Capo o croce.—A game known to the Romans by the name of 'Caput aut navim.' Our 'Toss up,' or 'Head or tail.'

Mazza e piuzzo.—Explained above at page 236, note.

La Morra.—A well-known game. The Romans called it 'Micare,' (sc. digitis). It was formerly played in Germany, and called 'Fingerlein snellen.'

Paro o sparo.—'Even or odd.' It was called by the Greeks artiazein, and by the Romans 'Par impar.'

Lo Tuocco.—Perhaps our English game of 'Tag' (Touch, from the Latin tango or tago), in which one, who is called Tag, runs after and tries to touch the others; when he succeeds he cries Tag, and the one touched becomes Tag in his turn.