The h2g2 Literary Corner: Spanish Fly
Created | Updated Aug 30, 2015
Today, the Literary Corner takes a look at games played by boys in the 1860s. We express concern about one of them, starting with the name.
Spanish Fly1
From Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopaedia of Sports and Amusements, 1869. It was published in London. Of course.
This game is capable of being varied to any extent by an ingenious boy2, but it is generally played in the following way: – One boy, selected by chance3, sets a back, as in "fly the garter4," and another is chosen leader5. The game is commenced by the leader leaping over the one who gives the back, and the other players follow in succession; the leader then leaps back, and the others follow; then they all go over in a cross direction, and return, making, in all, four different ways6. The leader then takes his cap in both hands, and leaves it on the boy’s back while he is "overing," and his followers perform the same trick; in returning, the last man takes the lead, and removes his cap without disturbing the others, and each boy does the same: this trick is repeated in a cross direction. The next trick is throwing up the cap just before overing, and catching it before it falls; the next, reversing the cap on the head, and so balancing it while overing, without ever touching it with the hands; both tricks must be performed while leaping the four different ways. The leader, with his cap still balanced, now overs, and allows his cap to drop on the opposite side; the others do likewise, but they must be careful not to let their caps touch the others, nor to let their feet touch any of the caps in alighting; the leader now stoops down, picks up his cap with his teeth, and throws it over his head7 and the boy’s back; he then leaps after his cap, but avoids touching it with his feet. The other players follow him as before. The next trick is "knuckling," – that is to say, overing with the hands clenched; the next, "slapping," which is performed by placing one hand on the boy’s back, and hitting him with the other8, while overing; the last, "spurring," or touching him up with the heel9. All these tricks must be performed in the four different directions, and any boy failing to do them properly goes down, and the game begins afresh.
Ed. Note: We expect the kid who 'sets a back' in this exercise in insanity to spend many fruitful hours in therapy.
