It is to this plant that Shakespeare doubtless alludes in “Hamlet” (Act iv. sc. 7), where:—­

                             “Long purples
  That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,
  But our cold maids do dead-men’s fingers call them.”

In the south of Scotland, the name “doudle,” says Jamieson, is applied to the root of the common reed-grass (Phragmites communis), which is found, partially decayed, in morasses, and of “which the children in the south of Scotland make a sort of musical instrument, similar to the oaten pipes of the ancients.”  In Yorkshire, the water-scrophularia (Scrophularia aquatica), is in children’s language known as “fiddle-wood,” so called because the stems are by children stripped of their leaves, and scraped across each other fiddler-fashion, when they produce a squeaking sound.  This juvenile music is the source of infinite amusement among children, and is carried on by them with much enthusiasm in their games.  Likewise, the spear-thistle (Carduus lanceolatus) is designated Marian in Scotland, while children blow the pappus from the receptacle, saying:—­

  “Marian, Marian, what’s the time of day,
  One o’clock, two o’clock—­it’s time we were away.”

In Cheshire, when children first see the heads of the ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) in spring, they repeat the following rhyme:—­

“Chimney sweeper all in black,
  Go to the brook and wash your back,
  Wash it clean, or wash it none;
  Chimney sweeper, have you done?":—­

Being in all probability a mode of divination for insuring good luck.  Another name for the same plant is “cocks,” from children fighting the flower-stems one against another.

The common hazel-nut (Corylus avellana) is frequently nicknamed the “cob-nut,” and was so called from being used in an old game played by children.  An old name for the devil’s-bit (Scabiosa succisa), in the northern counties, and in Scotland, is “curl-doddy,” from the resemblance of the head of flowers to the curly pate of a boy, this nickname being often used by children who thus address the plant:—­

  “Curly-doddy, do my biddin’,
  Soop my house, and shoal my widden’.”

In Ireland, children twist the stalk, and as it slowly untwists in the hand, thus address it:—­

  “Curl-doddy on the midden,
  Turn round an’ take my biddin’.”

In Cumberland, the Primula farinosa, commonly known as bird’s-eye, is called by children “bird-een.”

  “The lockety-gowan and bonny bird-een
    Are the fairest flowers that ever were seen.”

And in many places the Leontodon taraxacum is designated “blow-ball,” because children blow the ripe fruit from the receptacle to tell the time of day and for various purposes of divination.  Thus in the “Sad Shepherd,” page 8, it is said:—­

  “Her treading would not bend a blade of grass,
  Or shake the downy blow-ball from his stalk.”