School: Ballyfin, Mountrath (roll number 15537)

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1. Games I Play - Rabbits and Twenty (continued)

   

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   in a row about mid-way between the "dens." One lad stands in front of them, and points to the boys in their order. When he comes to the end of the row, he counts himself, and then starts at the beginning of the row again. The person to whom he points, while saying "Twenty," is "out," which means that he goes out of the row, and goes into one of the "dens." The boys go on leaving the row until only one is left. This one must pursue the other boys until he catches one of them. The boys who are being pursued represent rabbits running from burrow to burrow. The "rabbits" object is to run from "den" to "den" without getting caught. When the pursuer catches a "rabbit," he must give him three taps on the back. The "rabbit" he has caught must now help him to catch other "rabbits." The catchers go" on catching until only one "rabbit" is left. This single"rabbit" now becomes a catcher, while the catchers become "rabbits," thus starting the game all over again.
   The dens represent rabbit-burrows, and, in the game, if a "rabbit" runs into a "den" he cannot be caught.
   "Rabbits" is played at all times of the year, but it is most popular when there is frost on the ground, as there is a good deal of

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Denis Meehan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Cappanrush, Co. Laois