The players choose a name, and another player asks them questions, beginning with, "The Parson's hen-roost was robbed last night, were you there?" To all questions each player must answer by repeating his own name only: if he forgets and says, "Yes" or "No," he has to take the questioner's place. Haxey, Lincolnshire (Mr. C. C. Bell). Rockety Row A play in which two persons stand with their backs to each other, one passing his arms under the shoulders of the other, they alternately lift each other from the ground.-Jamieson's Dictionary. See "Bag o' Malt," "Weigh the Butter." Roll up Tobacco See "Bulliheisle," "Eller Tree," "Wind up the Bush Faggot." Roly-poly A game played with a certain number of pins and a ball, resembling half a cricket ball. One pin is placed in the centre, the rest (with the exception of one called the Jack) are placed in a circle round it; the Jack is placed about a foot or so from the circle, in a line with the one in the circle and the one in the centre. centre one is called the King, the The King L Queen The King counts one between that and the Jack, the Queen. for three, the Queen two, and each of the other pins for one each, except Jack. The art of the game lies in bowling down all the pins except Jack, for if Jack is bowled down, the player has just so many deducted from his former score as would have been added if he had not struck the Jack (Holloway's Dict. Provincialisms). This game was formerly called "Halfbowl," and was prohibited by a statute of Edward IV. (Halliwell's Dictionary). Brockett (North Country Words and Phrases) says it is a game played at fairs and races. It is, under the name of "Kayles," well described and illustrated by Strutt (Sports and Pastimes, p. 270, 271), which is reproduced here. It will be seen that Jamieson describes it as played with a pole or cudgel. He says this game no doubt gave origin to the modern one of "Nine-pins;" though primitively the Kaylepins do not appear to have been confined to any certain number nor shape. . . . The Kayle-pins appear to have been placed in one row only. He also says that "Half- bowl," played in Hertfordshire, was called "Roly-poly." Jamieson (Dictionary) gives this as "Rollie-poly," a game of nine-pins, called also Kayles. The name "Rollie-poly" was given to it because it was played with a pole, or cudgel, by which the pins were knocked over. In the West of Scotland, where this game was in great repute in olden times, it formed one of the chief sports of Fastern's-e'en, and was a favourite amusement at fairs and races. The awards for successful throwing were generally in the form of small cakes of gingerbread, which were powerful incentives to the game, and never failed to attract players in response to the cry, "Wha'll try the lucky Kayles?" Ronin the Bee A rude game. A cazzie, or cassie, is unexpectedly thrown over the head of a person. When thus blindfolded he is pressed down, and buckets of water are thrown upon the cassie till the victim is thoroughly saturated.-Jamieson's Dictionary. See "Carrying the Queen a Letter," "Ezzeka." Rosy Apple, Lemon and Pear -Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews). I. Rosy apple, lemon, or pear, I know who will be the bride. Take her by her lily-white hand, Lead her to the altar; Give her kisses,-one, two, three,— Mrs. (child's name) daughter. -Hersham, Surrey (Folk-lore Record, v. 58). II. Rosy apple, lemon, and pear, A bunch of roses she shall wear; Gold and silver by her side, Choose the one shall be her bride. Take her by her lily-white hand, Give her kisses,-one, two, three, To old mother's runaway daughter. -Symondsbury, Dorsetshire (Folk-lore Journal, vii. 210). III. Rosy apple, lemon, and a pear, A bunch of ribbons she shall wear; Gold and silver by her side, I know who will be her bride. Take her by the lily-white hand, Give her kisses,-one, two, three,— For Mrs. daughter. -Maxey, Northants. (Rev. W. D. Sweeting). IV. Rosy apple, lemon, and a pear, I know who shall be a bride. Take her by the lily-white hand, Give her kisses,-one, two, three,- -Deptford, Kent (Miss Chase). V. Rosie had an apple and a pear, I knows who shall be her bride. Give her a kiss, and one, two, three, -Ogbourne, Wilts. (H. S. May). VI. Rosy apples, mellow pears, Take her by her lily-white hand, Lead her across the ocean; Give her a kiss, and one, two, three, -Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews). VII. A rosy apple, lemon, and a pear, Take her by her lily-white hand, Give her a kiss by one, two, three, Mrs. -Cowes, I. of Wight (Miss E. Smith). VIII. Roses up, and roses down, I wadna gie ye a bunch o' flowers Gie her a kiss, and one, two, three, For she's a lady's daughter. -Berwickshire (A. M. Bell) Antiquary, xxx. 16. IX. Maggie Littlejohn, fresh and fair, Gold and silver by her side, I know who is her bride. Take her by the lily-white hand, Give her kisses,-one, two, three,— X. Roses up, and roses down, And roses in the garden; A bunch o' roses she shall wear; -Rev. W. Gregor. (bread). |