Buck buck

Last updated
College students playing the game (United States, 2006) MBI BuckBuck crop.jpg
College students playing the game (United States, 2006)

Buck buck (also known as Johnny-on-a-Pony, or Johnny-on-the-Pony) is a children's game with several variants. [1] [ failed verification ] One version of the game is played when "one player hops onto another's back" and the climber guesses "the number of certain objects out of sight". [1] Another version of the game is played with "one group of players [jumping] onto the backs of a second group in order to build as large a pile as possible or to cause the supporting players to collapse." [1]

Contents

Children's Games (1560) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder shows five boys playing buck buck BRU - CHD 37.jpg
Children's Games (1560) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder shows five boys playing buck buck

As early as the 16th century, children in Europe and the Near East played Buck, Buck, which had been called "Bucca Bucca quot sunt hic?" [2] [3] Pieter Bruegel's painting Children's Games (1560) depicts children playing a variant of the game. [4] [5] Folklorists Iona and Peter Opie claim that the game goes back to the time of Nero in the first century.[ citation needed ]

Other national names and variants

In the United Kingdom, the game is sometimes called High Cockalorum, but has a large number of different names in various local dialects. These include: "Polly on the Mopstick" in Birmingham, "Strong Horses, Weak Donkeys" in Monmouthshire, "Hunch, Cuddy, Hunch" in west Scotland, "Mont-a-Kitty" in Middlesbrough, "Husky Fusky Finger or Thumb" in Nottinghamshire, "High Jimmy Knacker" in east London, "Jump the Knacker 1-2-3" in Watford, "Wall-e-Acker" or "Warny Echo" in north West London, "Stagger Loney" in Cardiff, "Pomperino" in St Ives, Cornwall and "Trust" in Lancashire. [6] The game is sometimes played in the sergeants' or officers' messes of the British Armed Forces. [7]

In Mexico and El Paso, the game is known as el chinche de agua (water bug). [8]

In the Chile, the game is called Caballito de Bronce (Little Brass Horse) [9]

In Australia a similar game is called "stacks-on" the goal being to jump onto the player declared by yelling "stacks-on <name>". The declared player attempts to remain upright, while the other players all try and jump on top of them until they collapse

A similar game malttukbakgi (말뚝박기) is played in South Korea, [10] [11] by children up until high school. In malttukbakgi, there are two teams. The first time has one person stand up against the wall and the rest of the team queue behind them with their heads tucked between the legs of the person in front, in a formation that resembles a long "horse". The other team then jumps up onto the backs of the first time one by one, with as much force as possible. If anyone from any team falls to the floor, that team loses. If everyone stays up, then the person against the wall and the person in front play a game of gawibawibo (rock, scissor, paper) to determine the winner.

Players of uzun esek Bandirma Uzun esek 2927.jpg
Players of uzun eşek

In Turkey, a similar game is uzun eşek ("long donkey"). [12] [13] The person standing up is the referee and is called the "pillow". One team bends over, then the other team one by one jumps on the "donkey". If the Donkey can stand the pressure, the first person to go in the jumping team puts up one or two with his fingers. If the donkey can guess the number right, they are permitted to jump. If the jumpers fall to the ground, it is the donkey's turn to jump. If the donkey falls, the jumpers jump again.

Bill Cosby's 1967 album Revenge includes a track "Buck, Buck" in which he describes playing the game as a child. He mentions that in his hometown of Philadelphia it was called "Buck Buck", while in New York City it was known as "Johnny on the Pony". This track introduces Fat Albert, "the baddest Buck Buck breaker in the world," who "weighed 2,000 pounds" and could cause earthquakes when he ran down the street. The character would later become the basis for the cartoon series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids which includes a buck buck episode (season 1 episode 6). Fat Albert and his friends also play a game of buck buck in the film Fat Albert (2004). The same story, in a slightly different form, is also included in Cosby's book Childhood.

In the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, the heroes use a game of buck buck as an attack that is key to their defeat of the main villain. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Player character</span> Character controlled by a game player

A player character is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not controlled by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs). The actions of non-player characters are typically handled by the game itself in video games, or according to rules followed by a gamemaster refereeing tabletop role-playing games. The player character functions as a fictional, alternate body for the player controlling the character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Platformer</span> Video game genre

A platformer is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels with uneven terrain and suspended platforms of varying height that require jumping and climbing to traverse. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay, such as swinging from vines or grappling hooks, jumping off walls, gliding through the air, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines.

<i>Donkey Kong Country</i> 1994 video game

Donkey Kong Country is a 1994 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It is a reboot of Nintendo's Donkey Kong franchise and follows the gorilla Donkey Kong and his nephew Diddy Kong as they set out to recover their stolen banana hoard from the crocodile King K. Rool and his army, the Kremlings. The player traverses 40 side-scrolling levels as they jump between platforms and avoid obstacles. They collect items, ride minecarts and animals, defeat enemies and bosses, and find secret bonus stages. In multiplayer modes, two players work cooperatively or race.

<i>Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest</i> 1995 video game

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest is a 1995 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on 21 November 1995 in Japan, 4 December in North America, and 14 December in Europe. It is the second installment of the Donkey Kong Country series and the sequel to Donkey Kong Country (1994).

<i>Donkey Kong Land</i> 1995 video game

Donkey Kong Land is a 1995 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It condenses the side-scrolling gameplay of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game Donkey Kong Country (1994) for the handheld Game Boy with different level design and boss fights. The player controls the gorilla Donkey Kong and his nephew Diddy Kong as they defeat enemies and collect items across 30 levels to recover their stolen banana hoard from the crocodile King K. Rool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pig (card game)</span> Card game

Pig is a simple, collecting card game of early 20th century American origin suitable for three to thirteen players that is played with a 52-card French-suited pack. It has two very similar and well known variants – donkey and spoons. It is often classed as a children's game. It may be descended from an old game called vive l'amour.

<i>Banjo-Kazooie</i> (video game) 1998 video game

Banjo-Kazooie is a 1998 platform game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Controlling the player characters, the bear Banjo and the bird Kazooie, the player attempts to save Banjo's kidnapped sister Tooty from the witch Gruntilda. The player explores nine nonlinear worlds to gather items and progress. Using Banjo and Kazooie's traversal and combat abilities, they complete challenges such as solving puzzles, jumping over obstacles, and defeating bosses.

An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and platform games. Multiplayer online battle arena and some real-time strategy games are also considered action games.

<i>Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids</i> American animated television series

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids is an educational American animated television series created, produced, and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert himself. Filmation was the production company for the series. The show premiered in 1972 and aired until 1985. The show, based on Cosby's remembrances of his childhood gang, focused on Fat Albert, and his friends.

<i>Donkey Kong Jungle Beat</i> 2004 video game

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a 2004 platform and score-attack game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It follows the gorilla Donkey Kong as he sets out to defeat a series of evil kings to conquer the jungle. Jungle Beat is designed for use with the DK Bongos, a bongo drum-style GameCube controller created for the Donkey Konga (2003) rhythm game. The player controls Donkey Kong through various side-scrolling levels as he collects bananas, swings on vines, chains combos, rides animals, and defeats enemies and bosses.

<i>Fat Albert</i> (film) 2004 film by Joel Zwick

Fat Albert is a 2004 American live-action/animated comedy film based on the 1972 Filmation animated television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids created by Bill Cosby. Kenan Thompson stars as the title character. Fat Albert transforms the cartoon characters into three-dimensional humans, who have to come to grips with the differences that exist between their world and the real world.

<i>Wild & Crazy Kids</i> 1990 American TV series or program

Wild & Crazy Kids is an American television game show in which large teams, usually consisting entirely of children, participated in head-to-head physical challenges on Nickelodeon. The show lasted for three seasons from 1990 until 1992 for a total of 65 episodes. Wild & Crazy Kids starred three teenage co-hosts Omar Gooding and Donnie Jeffcoat in all three seasons, accompanied by Annette Chavez in season 1 and Jessica Gaynes for the last two seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USA Cartoon Express</span> American television programming block

The USA Cartoon Express was a programming block consisting of animated children's series which aired on the USA Network from September 20, 1982 to September 15, 1996. Cartoon Express was the first structured animation block on cable television, predating Nickelodeon's Nicktoons and Cartoon Network by a decade.

<i>Wrath of the Black Manta</i> 1989 video game

Wrath of the Black Manta is a side-scrolling action game published by Taito for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1990 and in the PAL region in 1991. It is a localized version of Ninja Cop Saizou, a Family Computer game developed by A.I and published by Kyugo in 1989, but with drastic changes to the game's graphics, soundtrack and level designs.

<i>Ninja Gaiden</i> (2004 video game) 2004 video game

Ninja Gaiden is a 2004 action-adventure game developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo for the Xbox. It was released in March 2004. Set in the futuristic version of the 21st century, players control Ryu Hayabusa, a master ninja, in his quest to recover a stolen sword and avenge the slaughter of his clan. It was inspired by Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden series, and is set in the same continuity as Team Ninja's Dead or Alive fighting games.

<i>Fat Princess</i> 2009 video game

Fat Princess is an action real-time strategy video game developed by Titan Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It was released in North America, Europe and Australia on July 30, 2009, and in Japan on December 25 the same year, as Pocchari Princess. It was included on the Best of PlayStation Network Vol. 1 compilation disc, released on June 18, 2013. A PlayStation Portable version, titled Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake, was released in 2010.

Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert is an animated primetime television special which originally aired on November 12, 1969, on NBC in the United States.

The 2021 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2020–21 season. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the NBA for the second consecutive year, the regular season was reduced to 72 games for each team and the start date of the playoffs was moved from its usual time in mid-April to May 22, 2021. It ended with the 2021 NBA Finals in July.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "buck buck". Dictionary of American Regional English . Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  2. ↑ Spadaccini, Stephanie & John Farnsworth (2005). "Johnny Ride a Pony". The Big Book of Rules: Board Games, Kids' Games, Card Games, from Backgammon and Bocce to Tiddlywinks and Stickball. Penguin. pp. 221–222. ISBN   978-0-452-28644-3.
  3. ↑ Hindman, Sandra (September 1981). "Pieter Bruegel's Children's Games, Folly, and Chance". The Art Bulletin . LXIII (3): 470–471. doi:10.1080/00043079.1981.10787905.
  4. ↑ "Game: Johnny On A Pony (Detail from Brueghel's Painting)". Elliot Avedon Virtual Museum of Games. University of Waterloo. February 9, 2010. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
  5. ↑ Clements, Rhonda L. (1995). Games and Great Ideas: A Guide for Elementary School Physical Educators and Classroom Teachers. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 10. ISBN   978-0-313-29460-0.
  6. ↑ "Your Letters". The Observer . London. 12 August 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Aircrew Forums - Military - Mess games". Professional Pilots Rumour Network. 24 September 2006. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Art Without Borders". New York Times. 8 Apr 2021.
  9. ↑ "7 juegos populares de la infancia para compartir este verano". El Ciudadano. 1 Aug 2022.
  10. ↑ "Crazy Korean Leap Frog Game". james1111134. September 11, 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved April 27, 2020– via YouTube.
  11. ↑ "Statue depicting Malttukbakgi (말뚝박기)" . Retrieved April 27, 2020– via imgur.com.
  12. ↑ "Uzun Esek". FaRuK2008. May 6, 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved April 27, 2020– via YouTube.
  13. ↑ "Turkish Children's Games". turkishculture.org. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  14. ↑ M. Enois Duarte, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) (Dolby Atmos)", High-Def Digest (December 17, 2014).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.