All in the Well
A juvenile game in Newcastle and the neighbourhood. A circle is made, about eight inches in diameter, termed the well, in the centre of which is placed a wooden peg four inches long, with a button balanced on the top. Those desirous of playing give buttons, marbles, or anything else, according to agreement, for the privilege of throwing a short stick, with which they are furnished, at the peg. Should the button fly out of the ring, the player is entitled to double the stipulated value of what he gives for the stick. The game is also practised at the Newcastle Races and other places of amusement in the North with three pegs, which are put into three circular holes made in the ground about two feet apart, and forming a triangle. In this case each hole contains a peg about nine inches long, upon which are deposited either a small knife or some copper. The person playing gives so much for each stick, and gets all the articles that are thrown off so as to fall on the outside of the holes.—Northumberland (Brockett’s North Country Glossary).
All the Birds in the Air
A Suffolk game, not described (Moor’s Suffolk Glossary). Jamieson also gives it without description. Compare the rhyme in the game “[Fool, fool, come to School],” “[Little Dog, I call you].”[Addendum]
All the Boys in our Town
All the boys in our town
Shall lead a happy life,
Except ’tis ——, and he wants a wife.
A wife he shall have, and a-courting he shall go,
Along with ——, because he loves her so.
He huddles her, he cuddles her,
He sits her on his knee;
He says, My dear, do you love me?
I love you, and you love me,
And we shall be as happy
As a bird upon a tree.
The wife makes the pudding,
And she makes it nice and soft—
In comes the husband and cuts a slice off.
Tas-el-um, Tos-el-um, don’t say Nay,
For next Monday morning shall be our wedding day;
The wife in the carriage,
The husband in the cart.
—Hampshire (from friend of Miss Mendham).