At Wakefield the children playing "Battledore and Shuttlecock" take it in turn, and say the following sentences, one clause to each bat, and repeated until the shuttlecock falls:--
1st. This year, next year, long time, never.
2nd. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
3rd. Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief.
5th. Coach, carriage, wheelbarrow, donkey-cart.--Miss Fowler
Grandmother, grandmother, Tell me the truth, How many years have I been to school? One, two, three, &c.
Grandmother, grandmother, Tell me no lie, How many children Before I die? One, two, three, &c.
In the same way the following questions are put and answered:--
How old am I? How long am I going to live? How many children shall I have?
Black currant, Red currant, Raspberry tart, Tell me the name Of my sweetheart. A, B, C, D, &c.
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, potter's boy, flour boy, thief.
On their buttons they say: "Bought, given, stolen," to show how acquired.--Miss Chase.
One, two, buckle my shoe, Three, four, knock at the door, Five, six, pick up sticks, Seven, eight, lay them straight, Nine, ten, a good fat hen, Eleven, twelve, ring the bell, Thirteen, fourteen, maids a courting, Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen, Seventeen, eighteen, mistress waiting, Nineteen, twenty, my plate's empty.
One, two, three, four, Mary at the cottage door, Eating cherries off a plate, Five, six, seven, eight.
Up the ladder, down the wall, A twopenny loaf to serve us all; You buy milk and I'll buy flour, And we'll have pudding in half an hour. One, two, three, four, five, six, &c.
This year, next year, some time, never, repeated.
A, B, C, D, E, &c., repeated for the initial letter of the future husband's name.
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, apothecary, ploughboy, thief, for future husband's vocation.
Monday, Tuesday, &c., for the wedding day.
Silk, satin, cotton, rags, for the material of the wedding gown.
Coach, carriage, wheelbarrow, dungcart, for conveyance on wedding day.
Big house, little house, pigsty, barn, for future home.--(A. B. Gomme.)
It will be seen that many of these divination formulæ are used in other connections than that of "Shuttlecock," but this rather emphasises the divinatory character of the game in its original form.--See "Ball," "Teesty-tosty."