Children’s Games
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Skeat, Walter William
I will now give some specimens of the games I have seen played by children:—
“Throwing the Flower across” (champak bunga sa-b’lah) is a game which I have seen thus played by boys.
A handkerchief was twisted up (like a rope) from corner to corner, folded in half, and then tied together at the ends.
Two couples stood facing one another at a few yards’ distance, and at a given signal one of the boys in each couple took his companion up on to his shoulders. The two who were mounted threw the handkerchief across to each other, and back again by turns. When the one failed to catch it, both riders dismounted and offered backs to their late “mounts,” who thus became riders, and threw the handkerchief in their turn. Each time, however, that a catch was made both parties crossed over. When three catches were made in unbroken succession (kĕlerik) the riders had the privilege of being carried across three times before recommencing play.
I should add that a coin was tossed up at the outset of the game to decide who were to start as the riders, and who were to be the ridden.
Main Sesel (or Kachau kueh) bears a strong family resemblance to our own “Hen and chickens.” When I witnessed it, a big boy played the “Paterfamilias” with a string of children at his back, each of whom was holding on to the one in front of him. Presently a “Cakeseller” presented himself, and the following conversation ensued:—
Paterfamilias: Ada kueh? (Have you any cake?)
Cakeseller: Ada. (I have.)
P.F.: Buleh aku b’li? (Can I buy some?)
C.: Buleh. (Yes.)
Here the Cakeseller hands a ball of earth to Paterfamilias, who passes it down the line of children to the youngest child at the end of the row. The conversation then recommenced—
Cakeseller: Aku minta’ duit. (I want my money.)
P.F.: Duit t’ada, anak kunchi tinggal di jamban. (I have got no money, I have mislaid the key.) Kalau mahu ambil budak, ambil yang di-b’lakang. (If you wish to take one of my children, take the last.)
Here a desperate effort was made by the poor Cakeseller to dodge past Paterfamilias and get at the boy, whom he eventually succeeded in carrying off.
Main Tul is a game somewhat resembling our own “Puss in the corner,” but with only one “home.” The “home” consisted of a stake planted upright, and the first “Puss” (orang tul) was selected by a species of divination depending upon repetition of the same formula as is used to select the blind man in Blind Man’s Buff (Main China Buta). There was (as I have said) only one home in this game, from which the players sallied forth to taunt the orang tul, and which they were obliged to touch in order to save themselves when closely pursued.
Main Sĕladang (Wild Bull game) is an excellent game for children with the shoeless feet of the East. A “wild bull” having been selected by repetition of the Ping hilang formula, went upon all fours, and entered into the following conversation between himself and one of the other players specially selected for the purpose. The latter opened negotiations with the clearly non-committal, if not very lucid remark, “Tam tam kul” to which the “Bull” replied, “Buat apa guna bakul” (What are you going to do with your basket?)
Boy: Mĕngisi arang. (To hold charcoal.)
Bull: Buat apa guna arang? (What will you do with the charcoal?)
Boy: Mĕnĕmpa (or masak) lĕmbing. (I shall forge a spear.)
Bull: Buat apa guna lĕmbing? (What use will you make of the spear?)
Boy: Mĕnikam sĕladang. (To stab a bull with.)
Bull (who is getting excited): Buat apa guna di-tikam? (What use will it be to stab him?)
Boy: Mĕngambil hati-nya. (To get his heart.)
Bull (who is now fairly savage): Buat apa guna hati-nya? (What use will you make of his heart?)
Boy: Buat santap Raja Muda. (Get the Crown Prince to partake (of it).)
The Bull at the end of this baiting was ready to “charge” anybody and everything, and did accordingly run at the rest of the players, kicking out with all his might at anybody who came near. As he had to move on all fours he could not go very fast, and the other players took advantage of this to bait him still further by slapping him on the back and jumping over him. Whenever they came near enough he lashed out with his heels, and when he succeeded in kicking another player below the knee, the latter became a Bull in his turn. Much agility is displayed in this game, which is thoroughly enjoyed by the players.
“Blind Man’s Buff” (Main China Buta, or “Blind Chinaman”) is played in exactly the same manner as our own Blind Man’s Buff; one of the party, with bandaged eyes, being required to catch any one who comes near him.
The first blind man—at the commencement of the game—is chosen as follows: the intending players sit down together in a close circle, each of them putting down the tips of their forefingers in the centre of the circle; then somebody who is not playing taps each of them on the head in turn, repeating at each tap a word of the following formula:—
ping
hilang
patah
paku
plate (=piring?)
disappear
break
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