Another game, resembling onr English children's play of "Tig" and "Touching wood," is called Kibòkabòka (bòka is the Malagasy word for a leper); it is played thus:—
The children all take fast hold of hands and form a large ring, and put one of the number to stand in the middle of the circle. Then they go round and from side to side, singing,
Those who touch this one are lepers;
Those who touch this one are lepers.
And those who touch the one in the centre they call bòka (a leper) and place in the middle as well, not stopping the game until every one has been touched. And when that is finished, every one bows down to the ground and says: "Listen, O grandfather beneath the earth, for I am no leper, for the lepers at Naméhana[1] only are lepers." Then they spit, saying "Poà."[2]
In the second form of this game the children assemble in some numbers, and one of them hides a small stone, concealing it inside the palm of the hand, putting it opposite one or other of his fingers. He then bids his companions choose, and when one guesses right the finger where the little stone is, that one is called bòka, and they all rush away to save themselves upon some stone. But when they come down on the ground they are chased by the one called bòka, and if he touches any one then his leprosy removes to the one touched. And so they go on until all have had their turn. At the end they all spit, and say "Poà, for it is not I who am a leper."
Another game is called Mifàmpibàby, i.e., "Carrying each other on the back," the little ones being carried by the big ones round the house, with the following ditty:—
Carry me on your back, O big one!
Where shall I carry you, eh?
Carry me to follow a clod, oh!
What sort of clod is that, eh?
The tàkatra's[3] nest, I mean, oh!
That tàkatra whose mate is dead, eh?
Take me home, O big one.
- ↑ This is one of the old towns in Imérina, where those afflicted with this disease live separate from other people.
- ↑ It is a common practice with the Malagasy to spit if they smell anything offensive. See Folk-Lore Record, vol. ii. p. 37.
- ↑ The tàkatra (Scopus umbretta) is a bird which builds a very large and conspicuous nest in the trees, carrying up a great quantity of dry grass and sticks, &c.
