Collectanea. 205
hands under their knees, the brogue not being necessarily a slipper but some object recognized beforehand.
(P. 90, after line 14.)
In other places this is called "Smuggle the Geggie" and " Smuggle Eerie " modified as a girl's game. In the former case the ' geggie ' must not be transferred from one to the other and the method of recovery is by asking "Geggie or no geggie?" the player being bound to answer " yes " or " no." If she answers in the affirmative, she gives up the object, and the players change sides. If she answers "No," she stands aside for the rest of the game, while the proper holder may have managed to get it into the ^ den.' This form of the game is sometimes played by boys.
In the latter case a leading player takes, or pretends to take, something, a chuckie stone, a little earth, in her hand, and holding it out to another asks, "Something or nothing?" The one answers, and if she is correct the one who put the question becomes ' Hut' ; if the answer is wrong, she becomes ' Hut.' All then stand in a close ring round 'Hut,' holding their hands behind them, one of them having a ' geg,' which it is the duty of
- Hut ' to secure while it is being passed from one to the other.
When ' Hut ' pounces upon the one in whose possession it is they change places for the next game.
(P. 91, after line 20.)
Three Beggars Three
Seems a variant of the above. Three stand in front of the other players who are in a line with one of the party hidden behind them, crouching low, the others extending their skirts to hide her. The three advance in front singing —
" Here's three beggars three by three, Down by the door they bend their knee, Can we get lodgings here ? "
Those in the row reply together "No," and the beggars retire. This is repeated twice more, but on the third occasion the beggars dc not retire but proceed to search behind the row, when they apparently discover the one hidden, whom they take with them.
