When I started a home business years ago, it was a sort of umbrella under which I managed all of my arts activities - dance classes, choreography, storytelling, and the design and marketing of fabric toys. I never really gave up the name, and have used it to identify myself as an artist ever since. So it is only natural that I named this blog, and my google pages, the Cat's Cupboard.
Here's how it goes:
The Cat's Cupboard - a nursery game my grandma used to play with me. Can be played with two or more people. I used to play with my Grandmother and my two little sisters. I taught my kids.
A Holds out fist, thumb up.
B What's that?
A Cat's cupboard.
B What's in it?
A Bread and cheese.
B Where's my share?
A Cat's got it.
B Where's the cat?
A In the bush.
B Where's the bush?
A Fire burned it.
B Where's the fire?
A Water quenched it.
B Where's the water?
A Bull drank it.
B Where's the bull?
A Farmer (or butcher) killed it.
B Where's the farmer?
A Rope hung him.
B Where's the rope?
A Knife cut it.
B Where's the knife?
A Hammer broke it.
B Where's the hammer?
A Behind the door cracking nuts. The first one to crack a smile and show their teeth gets a smack!
Then commences a staring contest with lips tightly shut. The first one to giggle gets a kiss on the cheek or a tap on the wrist by the other.
B Grabs A's thumb with B's fist, B's thumb up.
A What's that?
B Cat's cupboard...and so on until all thumbs are in a tower in the centre and no one has any free hands left to cover smiles. And of course, there is all the hanging and the cutting and the smashing images - sort of forbidden when you are a kid. Also the game gradually increases in speed and level of hysteria. It's great fun!
9 comments:
Catherine, This is rather random, but I was having a rambling conversation with my sister on the phone this afternoon, and she asked me if I could remember a funny little story our grandma used to tell us......... we were wracking our brains to remember, and all we could come up with was "behind the door, cracking nuts..." I googled, found your post. Pretty funny. Thanks for jogging our memories! Her version was slightly different, we don't think she called it a cat's cupboard, but from "where's my share" on, it is the same. After "behind the door cracking nuts" she would say, "pea, pea, plum, the first one to smile or laugh out loud gets a crack on the head!" Anyway, it was a fun thing to find. Thank you! -Kat
Wow, Kat! I gotta tell ya - you are the first person in my life, outside my family that I have ever had tell me that they knew the Cat's Cupboard story. I like the "pea, pea, plum" bit. I will have to add it. Also hilarious that your name is Kathleen and you go by Kat. I am Catherine, but have always identified with 'cats' of various descriptions. Haven't been on the blog for ages. So glad I finally checked and saw your comment. Catherine
One other thing. Was your grandma from anywhere near Hamilton, Ontario?
Catherine, I happened to be home last weekend (I live in CA, "home" is Indiana) and my sister and I were again talking about the cat's cupboard story, and asking my dad about it. He mentioned that he thought it was an elderly neighbor that told us the story rather than Grandma. It is such a dim memory, but on further reflection, both my sis and I started remembering Mrs. Stair's gnarled fingers in the game rather than our Grandma's. So I think perhaps it was from her. I don't remember where she was from. My sister did more searching, and found old versions of the same story with origins in England and Ireland. I can ask her where she found these if you are interested. Cheers! Kat
Absolutely! Please do ask her to tell me where she found them when she has time. I am from and continue to live in Ontario, Canada. My grandmother's family was here for a couple of hundred years, from Prussian stock, but there is a Scottish line as well on her mother's side. So maybe that's how it came down in her family. Catherine
WOW!! All my brother (60) and I could remember was, "Behing the door crackin' nuts." I also remember the phrase, "What you got there? Club fist. Take it off or I'll knock it off." I remember playing this with my Pennslyvania Dutch&Cherokee mom and my uncles. Being 48 years-young, my memory is starting to go, lol! THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this!! I am one happy girl tonight! :-D
Hey, Roguemoon - thanks for stopping by my little used blog. I am writing a thesis and never did get into the blog thing. Also sidetracked by facebook. But really glad I posted Cat's Cupboard. So neat to get these threads about it's history. The Pennsylvania Dutch connection makes sense. My grandmother comes from a community settled by Empire Loyalist expelled from New Jersey and Pennsylvannia in the 1790's. So it may more likely come from them than from the Brits. Your comment sounds vaguely familiar and the game does start with a club fist. Can't see how to work it into my version though. Fun, eh?! Where did you live when you played the game with your mom and uncles? With the bull, the butcher, the hammer and the door it doesn't sound like it would be early Cherokee to me. But what do I know? These oral traditions change so much over the years, maybe it did originate here.
Hi, Catherine - In my family, the game had a different name, but it definitely had the same line "behind the door cracking nuts, and the first one to laugh or speak gets a great big whack" (or the sound of my grandfather's hands slapping together :-)
It was a favorite game, people rarely play such games with their children anymore, and it's a real pity.
Best regards,
Karyl Severson
Well, Karyl
You wouldn't believe what a kick I get out of responses like yours to the Cat's Cupboard. I did play the game with my kids, and have used the name for my business and on-line identity. But your remarks have reminded me that it is about time to introduce it to my 6 year-old granddaughter. Next time I see her, for sure. Fun, eh!?
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