Children’s Games
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Skeat, Walter William
A. Putus tali. (Parted from the rope.)
Q. Mana pas? (Where is your pass?)
In reply to this last question the pass (i.e. the fruit or piece of wood) was shown and both boys rejoined the ranks, whereupon the game recommenced da capo.
Hantu Musang or “The Pole-cat Fiend,” is a game in which a boy sits down (between two others) with a cloth thrown over his head, the ends of which are twisted up (like rope ends) by the two boys on each side of him; the cloth fits his head like a cap, with a long end at the back and in front. First the boy in front pulls his end of the cloth and then the boy at the back pulls his end, thus causing the boy between them to rock to and fro. This treatment is continued for some time while they repeat the following rhyme:—
Chok gĕlechok
....
Gali-gali ubi.
A-digging tapioca
Mana kayu bongkok
Wherever (there is) knotted timber
Disitu musang jadi.
There the pole-cat breeds.
Chang gulichang
....
Serak bunga lada
Scatter (?) pepper-blossom.
Datang hantu musang
The pole-cat fiend has arrived
Ayam sa’ekor t’ada.
And not a fowl is left.
As soon as this rhyme is finished the two outside boys make off as fast as they can, pursued by the “pole-cat,” who is allowed to give a really good bite (in the arm) to the first person he overtakes.
Main Tunggul.—This game I saw played with four boys a side. A boy was selected to represent the tunggul or stump, and took up his position at a little distance (about half-way between the two parties as they stood facing each other a few yards apart). Up to the stump (tunggul) a boy from each of the sides alternately ran and whispered the name of a boy belonging to the opposite party. This whispering was continued until the names of the two boys selected happened to agree, the tunggul then making a gesture, at which the boys of one of the sides crossed over and carried back on their shoulders the boys belonging to the opposite side.
Kuching (the Cat Game) was a mere guessing game. The “guesser,” or witness (saksi), stood at a little distance with his face turned away whilst another boy was selected to play “puss,” and yet another boy was permitted to twitch him on the ear or wherever else he might prefer. Then the “witness” was told to turn round, and going up to the “cat” he made his guess.
Sorok-sorok is merely the Malay equivalent of our hide-and-seek, with the exception that whereas hide-and-seek may be played by day as well as by night, the game of sorok-sorok should properly be played at night alone.
Fig. 4.—Main Galah Panjang.
Main Galah Panjang.—A square of ground is marked out into four quarters by a cross (as in the accompanying figure), and on it a game not unlike our own “Tom Tiddler’s Ground” is played (by three players on each side). The name means the “Long Pole” game.
Another child’s game is called Sanĕbang, and is played as follows:—
Two players sit down on the floor facing each other and chant the following rhyme, one of them lightly touching the other’s left arm in time to the music:—
Sanebang sanebu
Sanebang! sanebu!
Kuala Sambau
At the mouth of the (river) Sambau
Ujan bunut
In the drizzling rain
Mandi katong
Bathes the Katong,176
Sentak pĕlok
Twitch and embrace
Tangan Tuan Pŭtri
The Princess’s hand.