The Town of Barbarie.
The above is the name of a game which I found being played by boys in North Co. Dublin (March, 1918). It was played as follows: Some boys line up in a row, one of whom is called the prince. Two others get out on the road and join hands and represent the town of Barbarie. One of the boys from the row then comes up to the pair, walks around them, and asks
"Will you surrender, will you surrender,
The town of Barbarie?"
They answer
"We won't surrender, we won't surrender.
The town of Barbarie."
Being unsuccessful he goes back to the prince and tells him that they won't surrender. The prince then says
"Take one of my good soldiers."
This is done, and the whole row of boys are brought up one after the other till the town is taken by their parting the joined hands of the pair who represent the town of Barbarie.
(Note.—Variants and illustrations of this game are given in the Dictionary of British Folk-lore, ed. A. B. Gomme, vol. i. pp. 18-21.)