No. 148 Five-stones
Such was the title of the common game in a New England town (Salem, Mass.).115 The same amusement, under the same name, was popular in Greece more than two thousand years ago, being mentioned as a girls’ game by Aristophanes. It is thus described by Pollux: “The game of ‘five-stones;’ little stones, pebbles, or bones are thrown up, so as to catch them on the back of the turned hand, or if not all are caught, the rest must be picked up with the fingers, while the others remain on the hand.”
A pleasing painting in the Museum of Naples represents goddesses playing at “Five-stones.” Aglaë is looking on; three of her bones lie on the ground, one is pressed by her thumb, the fifth is hidden by her garments. Hileæra has just thrown; she has caught three, the other two are falling to the ground. Niobe, Latona, and Ph$oelig;be are standing behind.
One of the movements of the Spanish game is still exactly the same as that described by the Greek writers of the second century. The game in America, as played in the childhood of the writer, also began with catching the stones on the back of the hand, at first one only out of the five tossed up, then two, three, four, and, finally, the whole five.
The game now consists of an indefinite number of figures, of which the names and arrangements vary in different localities. In all those described below, a single stone is tossed up, to be caught in the palm, and while this is in the air the others must be taken into the hand, or certain motions made.
Ones, twos, threes, fours.—The stones are rolled on the table or floor, either directly from the right hand, or over the back of the left hand resting on the table. A single stone being selected and tossed in the air, as above mentioned, the rest must be picked up; in the first figure one at a time, in the second by groups of two, in the third by three and one, and finally the whole four together. In case of an error, the next takes his turn.
Jumping the Ditch.—The four stones remaining, after one has been chosen, are placed in a line; the first and third of the row are then to be caught up together, and afterwards the second and fourth.
Knock at the Door, Strike the Match, Wash the Clothes, etc.—A selected stone being thrown up, motions corresponding to the title are to be made on the floor while it is in the air.
Set the Table.—Four stones are placed in a heap, as if to represent a pile of plates. One of these is taken from the heap, in the usual manner. It is then held between the thumb and palm of the right hand, and, with a second toss of the chosen stone, is deposited on the floor at the corner of an imaginary square. The square having been completed by four stones, motions are made to indicate the arrangement of the glasses, etc. Clear the Table is the reverse movement, in which the stones are again brought to the centre.
The Well.—The left hand is laid on the table with the thumb and index finger joined. Into the opening so formed the four stones are pushed, by a fillip of the finger. The hand is then removed from the table, and the stones must be caught up together as they lie. The figures vary, according as the thumb and index are made to form an arch or circle, are laid on the table or floor horizontally, or in an upright position, or, finally, as the hand is raised above the table in the form of a cup. These varieties receive the names of Peas in the Pod, Doves in the Cot, etc.
Horses in the Stall.—The left hand is laid on the table with the fingers extended, and four stones placed in front of the openings, representing stalls. A stone being thrown up as usual, the four others are filliped into the openings, and afterwards must be picked up together from the positions in which they lie. In Horses out of the Stall the stones are brought out from between the fingers, and then caught up.
Other movements are Feeding the Elephant, Spinning the Wheel, Going up the Ladder, etc., to the number of thirty or more. Failing to catch the stone thrown up, or not succeeding in the required motion, or touching a stone unnecessarily, constitute errors, in which case it is often required to go back to the very beginning of the game.
Instead of pebbles, little double tripods of iron, probably representing the more ancient bones, are generally in use; and the fifth stone, or “jack,” is often replaced by a ball or marble, the latter being allowed to bound before it is caught. This usage seems to be of German origin. Sometimes marbles are used, the “jack” being of a different color from the rest, and school-girls take pride in the beauty of the agates they employ for this purpose.
About Boston a similar game is much played under the name of “Otadama,” or “Japanese jacks.” Seven little silk bags are filled with rice, one, of a different color from the rest, being called the “jack.” The game consists of four parts. In the first figure, the silk bags being placed on the floor, the “jack” is thrown up, and the other six picked up one by one, being so deposited as to keep them together in groups of twos, so that two at a time may be caught up, which is the next thing to be done. Then come groups of three, four and two, and five and one, next the six together, the bags, after being caught, being so dropped as to prepare for the following movements. The next motion is “tattoo,” which consists in throwing up the “jack” and catching it on the back of the hand, then throwing it up again from the back of the hand and catching it in the fingers, without turning over the palm.
The second figure contains “second ones,” “second twos,” “second threes,” “second fours,” “second fives,” “second sixes.” These are the same as in the first figure, except that in each case the bags caught, instead of being merely dropped from the hand, as before, are tossed up together with the “jack,” which last must be caught again before falling. In the second and third figures “tattoo” follows every movement.
The third figure begins with “third sixes,” in which, the six bags being caught up and held tightly, the “jack” is again tossed, the six slapped on the floor, and the “jack” caught on the back of the hand. The second motion is “fourth sixes,” which resembles second sixes, except that the “jack” is now caught on the back of the hand. Next comes “touch.” The six bags are caught up, thrown with the “jack” into the air, and the floor is touched with the middle finger, before catching the “jack.” After this follows “fours and threes,” in which, the six bags having been caught up, the palm is turned uppermost with the seven bags (including the “jack”), and it is required to throw off first four at a time, and afterwards the other three. “Pack up” is the next motion. The six bags are caught up, compactly arranged in the palm of the hand, and must be thrown up and caught on the back of the hand. Two chances are allowed. The bags dropped the first time may be tried by themselves. Then “third ones,” which is the same as “second ones,” except that, the bags being placed in a row with the “jack” at the left, the “jack” is constantly exchanged for each bag that is caught up. “Tattoo” follows each of these movements.
The fourth and last figure is done with the left hand. The palm is turned towards the floor, upon which all the bags lie in a row, the “jack” at the right; a bag is then picked up by the thumb and forefinger, keeping the other fingers extended, and is tossed on the back of the hand. It must remain there while the second bag is picked up, and is tossed off the hand when the second is tossed on. This motion is repeated with the other five, ending with the “jack,” and the game is finished with “tattoo.”
The game is played by two or more. In case of an error, the next plays; but an error in the last figure requires the player to go back to the beginning of the game. The “jack” is often made square and somewhat flat, while the other bags are drawn up at two ends, and have a rounder shape. It is necessary that they should be soft and flexible.
This game is of Japanese origin, “Tedama”116—that is, “Hand-balls”—being its proper name. As the specimen given shows, it closely resembles the ancient game of “Five-stones.” We are informed, on Japanese authority, that stones are habitually used by boys in playing, and that the number of these varies. There can be no doubt that the two forms of this amusement are branches of the same root; and we thus have an example of a game which, having preserved its essential characteristics for thousands of years, has fairly circumnavigated the globe, so that the two currents of tradition, westward and eastward, from Europe and Asia, have met in America.
Footnotes
107 “Do you like best to stay at father’s or grandma’s?” “There’s the most berries at grandma’s—I’ll rather be there.” Georgia Boy.
108 Sphaeromachia.
109 Made, according to Johnson, with the leaves of newly sprung herbs.
110 The identical name in Austria, “Kinder.”
111 They are descendants of emigrants from the Upper Rhine, and speak a dialect resembling that of the Palatinate, but mixed with English words.
112 The like method in Austria, where the general idea of the game, and many particulars, are the same. There are, however, only two bases. The same way, even to the ability to throw the bat with two fingers, which is the test of a doubtful hold, is used in Switzerland to determine choice of sides in the game answering to No. 139. These coincidences seem to point to a remote antiquity of usage.
113 “Fen burnings!” “Roundings!” “Dubs!” “Knuckle down tight where you lay!” “Burnings” signifies breathing on a marble, and thereby getting certain advantages. The lads whom we quote never used the word marbles, but mibs. “Let’s play mibs.”
114 “Cherry-pits are in now; buttons won’t be in for a fortnight.”—New York boy.
115 Communicated by the late Mr. George Nichols, of Cambridge, Mass., formerly of Salem. The common name, Jack-stones, seems to be a corruption for Chuck-stones, small stones which can be chucked or thrown. “Chuckie-stanes,” in Scotland, means small pebbles. “Checkstones, small pebbles with which children play.”—Dialect of Craven.
116 O-tédama (pronounce as in Italian) is, we learn, compounded of O, the, te, hand, and tama, balls. It is played with song, which consists in chanting the titles of the several movements; thus, in the first figure, (1) O Hito, (2) O Fu, (3) O Mi, (4) O Yo, (5) O Itzu, (6) O Mu. The second figure, in which begins Tonkiri (“tattoo”), is called Zakara (a meaningless word); and the chant is, (1) O Hito Zakara, (2) O Fu Zakara, (3) O Mi Zakara, etc. These numbers are children’s numeration, of which there are two sorts; the present series continues, (7) Nana, (8) Ya, (9) Kono, (10) To. We have varying forms from a friend in Hartford, Conn., where the song has been borrowed from Japanese students. Probably provincial usages in Japan differ. We give the above terms (not the game, which is current in the United States), as written by a Japanese gentleman. It is noteworthy that this childish system has no connection with the regular table.