A singular rustic amusement. One lays his hand down on a table, another clashes his upon it, a third his on that, and so on ([fig. 1]). When all the players have done this, the one who has his hand on the board pulls it out and lays it on the one uppermost ([fig. 2]): they all follow in rotation, and so a continual clashing and dashing is kept up; hence the name “Dish.” Those who win the game are those who stand out longest—viz., those who are best at enduring pain. Tender hands could not stand it a moment: one dash of a rustic “loof” would make the blood spurt from the tip of every finger. It is a piece of pastime to country lads of the same nature as “Hard Knuckles” (Mactaggart’s Gallovidian Encyclopædia). This is a well-known game for small children in London. After each child’s hands have been withdrawn and replaced on top as many times as possible without deranging the order, a general scramble and knocking of hands together ends the game (A. B. Gomme). Jamieson (Etymological Dict.) gives this as a sport of children.
See “[Dump],” “[Green Grass],” “[Hot Cockles].”
Doddart
A game played in a large level field with a bent stick called “doddart.” Two parties, headed by two captains, endeavour to drive a wooden ball to their respective boundaries (Halliwell’s Dictionary). Brockett (North Country Words) adds to this that the captains are entitled to choose their followers by alternate votes. A piece of globular wood called an “orr” or “coit” is thrown down in the middle of the field and driven to one of two opposite hedges—the alley, hail-goal, or boundary. The same game as “[Clubby],” “[Hockey],” “[Shinney],” “Shinneyhaw.”
Doncaster Cherries
One boy kneels, holding a long rope, the other end of which is held by another boy; the other players stand round about with handkerchiefs in hands, knotted. The one who holds the rope-end and standing cries out—
Doncaster cherries, ripe and sound;
Touch ’em or taste ’em—
Down, you dogs!
—Earls Heaton, Yorkshire (H. Hardy).