This is another forfeit game. All sit round the room and one begins I
love my love with an A, because he is amiable, and everyone follows in
their turn by repeating the form and qualification, beginning with the
same letter as Active, Artful, &c. Anyone using the word which has been
used pays a forfeit. Then it goes round with the letter B and so on
through the alphabet.
The Quaker Wedding:--The leader goes round with his eyes looking on the
ground and sings "Hast thou ever been to a Quaker's Wedding."?
This is repeated until he or she stops before one of the party, who then
answers--Nay, friend, nay. The leader then says, "Do as I do, Twiddle
thy thumbs and follow me." The selected one follows the leader singing
the same words and both twiddling their thumbs. Then they are all got in
line facing one way and kneel together as close as possible. When all
are kneeling the leader gives a sly push to the one next to her and the
whole row fall over amidst great laughter. I have played this game at
Christmas time and it was sometimes fixed as a forfeit.
When playing a losing game at Cards, Dominoes, etc., the chair in which
the unlucky player is sitting should be turned (by the occupant) from
right to left, to change the luck. It has been thought that this turning
is a form of Sun Worship.
Crane.:--This game was generally played during the Harvest Home Feast.
"A man holds in his hand a long stick, with another tied to the top of
it, in the form of an L. reversed, which represents the long neck and
beak of the crane. This with himself, is entirely covered with a large
sheet. He mostly makes excellent sport as he puts the whole company to
the rout, pecking at the young girl's and old men's heads, nor stands he
upon the least ceremony in this character, but he takes the liberty to
break the master's pipe, and spill his beer, as freely as those of his
men." This mostly begins the night's diversions, as the prologue to the
rest, while the booted boys wind up the entertainment. _Clare._ Village
Minstrel.