The poor man was digging,
To and fro, to and fro;
And his spade on his shoulder,
To and fro, to and fro.
The poor man was digging,
To and fro, to and fro;
And he caught the black cross,
To and fro, to and fro.
—Isle of Man (A. W. Moore).
A common game, children sitting on either end of a plank supported on its centre, and made to rock up and down. While enjoying this recreation, they sing the verse. Addy, Sheffield Glossary, gives Ranty or Rantypole, a plank or pole balanced evenly, upon which children rock up and down in see-saw fashion. Jamieson, Etymological Dictionary, gives Coup-the-Ladle as the name for See-saw in Aberdeen. Moor, Suffolk Words and Phrases, describes this game, and gives the same words to be sung while playing as Halliwell’s above. Grose gives “Weigh,” to play at See-saw. Holloway, Dictionary of Provincialisms, says, in Norfolk See-saw is called Titti cum Totter; and in Gainford, Durham, Ewiggy Shog. Halliwell gives versions of [Nos. II.] and [III.] in his Nursery Rhymes, and also other verses with the opening words “See-saw,” namely, “See-saw, Jack-a-Daw,” “See-saw, Sack-a-day;” but these are not connected with the game by Halliwell, and there is nothing in the words to indicate such a connection. Mactaggart, Gallovidian Encyclopædia, calls the game “Coggle-te-Carry,” but gives no verses, and Strutt calls it “[Titter Totter].”—Sports, p. 303. He does not give any rhymes, except to quote Gay’s poem, but it is possible that the rhyme to his game may be [No. I.] Brogden gives “Hightte” as the game of See-saw. The [Manx version] has not before been published, and Mr. Moore says is now quite forgotten in the Isle. The game is called “Shuggy-shoo” in Irish, and also “Copple-thurrish,” evidently “Horse and Pig,” as if the two animals were balancing against each other, and alternately becoming elevated and depressed.—Ulster Journ. Arch., vi. 102. The child who stands on the plank in the centre and balances it, is frequently called the “canstick” or “candlestick.”
See-Sim
A children’s game. If one of the party is blindfolded, it is “[Blind-Sim].”—Spurden’s East Anglian Glossary.
Shame Reel, or Shamit Dance
In several counties of Scotland this was the name of the first dance after the celebration of marriages. It was performed by the bride and best man and the bridegroom and best maid. The bride’s partner asked what was to be the “sham spring,” and she commonly answered, “Through the world will I gang wi’ the lad that lo’es me,” which, on being communicated to the fiddlers, was struck up, and the dance went on somewhat punctiliously, while the guests looked on in silence, and greeted the close with applause. This dance was common in Forfarshire twenty years ago.—Jamieson’s Dictionary.
See “[Cushion Dance],” “[Salmon Fishers].”