Spanish Highways and Byways

by Katharine Lee Bates

'A candle here?'

'Otherwhere.'

"'Candle, a candle!'

'Loss on loss.'

'Where is light?'

'In the Holy Cross.'"

For all these games, common to childhood the world over, have a rhyming element in the Peninsula, where, indeed, the ordinary intercourse of children often carries verses with it. For instance, our youngsters are content with cries of "Tell-tale!" and "Indian-giver!" but under similar provocation the fierce little nurslings of Catholic Spain will sing:—

"Tell-tale! Tell-tale!

In hell you'll be served right,

All day fed on mouldy bread,