No. 89 Old Mother Tipsy-toe
This is a very popular game with girls in various parts of the United States.
The children sit in a row, with the exception of the mother, who comes up and asks each child in turn, “How did you tear your dress?” After hearing their various excuses, she again traverses the row, indicating the part of the dress to be mended, and saying:
I give you so much work to do,
Use thimble, thread, and needle too;
If you don’t get it done before I come back,
I’ll give you a slap across your back.
She slaps her children on the shoulder and goes out, forbidding them to follow her. As soon as her back is turned, they all jump up and run after her, shouting, “Old mother Tipsy-toe,”94 or, as in a variation from New York:
Old mother Tippety-toe, old mother Tippety-toe,
I’ll follow my mother wherever she go.
The mother now goes into a shop, and orders various articles, the children repeating after her whatever she says. For instance, the mother says, “I want two pounds of butter.” “I want two pounds of butter,” shout the children in chorus. Finally she says, “And I want a stick to whip my children with,” upon which she turns to leave the shop, while the children rush before her, and scramble back to their seats before their mother comes home. The latter then goes to each child in turn, saying, “Let me see how well you have mended your dress.” The children all hold the hem of their dresses as firmly as they can, with their hands somewhat apart. The mother strikes with her hand the part of the dress that is between their hands; and if they let it go, she scolds and beats them for their bad mending.
Cambridge, Mass.
In another way of playing, which makes the game one of chase, “Old mammy Tipsy-toe” addresses her children:
I give you this much work to do,
Use thread and needle, thimble too;
If you don’t have it done
By the time that I come home,
You’ll be beaten black and blue
With my old shoe.
She then makes preparations to depart:
I’m going to Lady Washington’s,
To get a cup of tea,
And five loaves of gingerbread,
So don’t you follow me.
The children, of course, pursue her with shouts of defiance, upon which she turns and chases them, while they rush to their places. She comes back, and demands of the children:
“Have you been out to-day?” “No.” “You have. Where have you been?” “To grandmother’s.” “What did you get?” “A slice of cake.” “Where is my share?” “In the band-box.” “But I might break my neck getting it.” “I wish you would.” On this, she chases the children, who fly and scatter. Any child she catches is out of the game, which is continued until all are captured.
Philadelphia.