Games for Hallow-e'en

A maid and youth each places a chestnut to roast on fire, side by side. If one hisses and steams, it indicates a fretful temper in owner of chestnut; if both chestnuts equally misbehave it augurs strife. If one or both pop away, it means separation; but if both burn to ashes tranquilly side by side, a long life of undisturbed happiness will be lot of owners.

These portentous omens are fitly defined in the following lines:

"These glowing nuts are emblems true
Of what in human life we view;
The ill-matched couple fret and fume,
And thus in strife themselves consume;
Or from each other wildly start,
And with a noise forever part.
But see the happy, happy pair,
Of genuine love and truth sincere;
With mutual fondness while they burn,
Still to each other kindly turn;
And as the vital sparks decay,
Together gently sink away;
Till life's fierce trials being past,
Their mingled ashes rest at last."

This review comes from the ManyBooks.com page for Games for Hallowe-en

I found it rather interesting, to say the least! Ready?

BOOK REVIEW:

From user Zendai: Most of the games in this book are really just variations on picking a letter to determine the name of your future lover, the sort of games played by little girls for centuries. What's interesting though is that the author of this book is clearly either a pyromaniac or just plain hates children.

The very first game in the book suggests you place a cardboard box over your gas jets with some holes cut out in it to make a spooky face. If that wasn't flammable enough for you the book goes on to suggest cramming it full of crepe paper. The author rather reluctantly adds not to let the entire thing burst into flames.

My other favourite is the fun game of inviting your friends to thrust their hands into a bowl of flaming brandy to retrieve pieces of burning fruit. The person who gets the most is rewarded with being the one most likely to get married that year. Presumably to another person with blackened stumps instead of fingers.

Only really worth a read if you plan to set fire to your neighbours on halloween and want something to blame it on. None of the other games are really that interesting.
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Isn't that funny how different things were back then compared to how they are now? We are so uber safe in our society today that some of the games in this book just drop our jaws to the floor! And I know I've had arguments with people even just 30 years older than I, about how we are too safe and we are being ridiculous in our quest for safety, safety, safety!

I guess it's that pendulum swinging wildly from one side to the other, eh?

1. The dragon consists of half a pint of ignited brandy or alcohol in a dish. As soon as brandy is aflame, all lights are extinguished, and salt is freely sprinkled in dish, imparting a corpse-like pallor to every face. Candied fruits, figs, raisins, sugared almonds, etc., are thrown in, and guests snap for them with their fingers; person securing most prizes from flames will meet his true love within the year.

2. Or, slips of paper on which verses are written are wrapped tightly in tin-foil and placed in dish. Brandy is poured on and ignited. The verse each person gets is supposed to tell his fortune.

Place burning dish in middle of bare table, for drops of burning spirits are often splashed about.

This book is also in the public domain and you can read it online or download it in several formats here: Games For Hallowe'en by Mary E. Blain