The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2)

This volume gathers a remarkable selection of traditional children’s games once played across England, Scotland and Ireland. Compiled in the late nineteenth century by a diligent folklorist, the collection brings together contributions from dozens of local informants, each carefully credited, and cross‑referenced with earlier scholarly sources. The editor’s aim was to preserve these oral and musical traditions before they faded, presenting them in an orderly, alphabetic framework that also serves as the opening section of a larger folklore dictionary.

The book offers more than simple rules: each entry includes the full lyrics, a harmonised melody, and clear instructions for playing, all set within decorative borders illustrated by Winifred Smith. Both indoor pastimes and outdoor pursuits are represented, reflecting games that originated with children and, in some cases, later migrated to adult gatherings. Listeners will hear the lively cadence of centuries‑old rhymes and gain insight into the cultural life of the British Isles, making the collection a vivid portal into a forgotten playground.