A row of holes large enough to contain the ball is made, one for each boy. The player to whom is allotted the last hole takes the ball, stands off, and rolls it in such a way as to stop in one of the holes. The boy into whose place the ball has rolled seizes it, while the rest scatter, and throws it at some one of the group; if he succeeds in hitting him, a stone is placed in the hole of that boy; if not, the thrower must put a stone in his own. The rolling of the ball is then repeated. When five stones (called babies[110]) are lodged in any hole, that boy is out of the game.
This New England game is exactly paralleled in Switzerland and Austria.
No. 138.
Hat-Ball.
This is the same game as the preceding, played (among the Pennsylvania Germans) with hats instead of holes. The ball is tossed into the hat of the player who is to begin. The first to get five stones in his hat loses, and must undergo the punishment of being "paddled," passing under the legs of the row of players for that purpose.
No. 139.
Corner-Ball.
This is also an old game kept up by the Pennsylvania Germans—Pennsylvania Dutch,[111] as they are commonly called. Four players stand on the four angles of a square, and the four adversaries in the centre.
The ball is passed from one to another of the players in the corners, and finally thrown at the central players. For this purpose the following rhyme (which our readers may translate if they can) is used by the boy who aims the ball at the players in the centre. These last, if they can catch the ball, may fling it back.
Bŏla we Sols,
Butar we Schmŏls,
Pĕf'r gat uf,
War fongt schmeist druf.
If the player in the corner hits a central player, the latter is out, and vice versâ.