The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MUD GUTTER

THIS GAME WAS PLAYED ON ANY RELATIVELY LARGE, FLAT
SURFACE, USUALLY FROM ONE CURB OF A STREET ACROSS
TO THE OPPOSITE ONE. ONE PERSON IS ELECTED TO STAND
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, WHILE THE OTHERS ALL
LINE UP PARALLEL WITH THE CURB. THE OBJECT IS TO GET
TO THE OTHER CURB "SAFELY." THE PERSON IN THE CENTER
HAS A CHOICE OF COMMANDS, EITHER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
STEPS TO BE TAKEN OR THE YELL "MUD GUTTER." IF THE
PERSON IN THE CENTER (CALLED "IT") ORDERS THE OTHER
PLAYERS TO TAKE A NUMBER OF STEPS, USUALLY BETWEEN ONE
AND FIVE, THE PARTICIPANTS MOVE BACK, TAKE A RUNNING
START, USE THE CURB AS A DEPARTURE POINT, AND JUMP WITH
THE LARGEST STEPS THEY CAN. FROM THAT POINT WHICH YOU
JUMPED TO, YOU EXTEND AN IMAGINARY LINE AND YOU CAN'T
CROSS IT. ONCE YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DASH FOR
THE OTHER SIDE. IF "IT" CAN TOUCH OR TAG YOU IN THE
PROCESS OF THE DASH, YOU BECOME "IT" TOO AND HAVE TO
AID IN CAPTURING THE OTHER PEOPLE. IF YOU MAKE IT TO
THE OPPOSITE CURB WITHOUT BEING TAGGED, THEN YOU ARE
SAFE. ALSO WHEN YOU ARE STANDING ON YOUR IMAGINARY LINE
OR BEHIND IT, YOU CAN TRY TO ADVANCE A LITTLE AND
PRETEND THAT IS WHERE YOU LANDED. AT ANY TIME "IT"
CAN CHALLENGE YOU. HE MARKS THE SPOT WHERE YOU ARE
STANDING AND MAKES YOU START FROM THE CURB AGAIN AND
EXECUTE THE COMMANDED NUMBER OF LEAPS. IF YOU EQUAL
OR SURPASS THE MARKED SPOT, YOU GET A FREE PASSAGE TO
THE OTHER SIDE; IF YOU FALL SHORT, THEN YOU BECOME
ONE OF THE "IT" PEOPLE. OFTEN WHEN THE "ITS" ARE
CHASING SOMEONE ELSE, YOU CAN GET ACROSS TO THE OTHER
SIDE UNTOUCHED BUT NO ONE MAY RUN ACROSS WHILE A
CHALLENGE IS IN PROGRESS.
THE OTHER CALL IS "MUD GUTTER," WHICH MEANS THAT
EVERYONE MUST RUN ACROSS AS SOON AS THE YELL IS GIVEN.
THE "ITS" CAN USUALLY TAG AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN THIS
MANNER, SO ONLY THREE CALLS OF THIS TYPE CAN BE USED
IN ANY ONE GAME.
A FINAL POSSIBLE MOVE IS THIS. ONCE SAFE ON THE OTHER
SIDE, YOU CAN TRY TO SNEAK UP BEHIND "IT" AND TRY TO
TOUCH ONE OF YOUR COMRADES TRYING TO GET ACROSS. IF
YOU CAN TAG SOMEONE BEFORE BEING DISCOVERED AND TAGGED
YOURSELF, THEN YOU CAN ESCORT THAT PERSON SAFELY BACK
TO THE OTHER SIDE WITH YOU.
AS SOON AS THE SIDE OF THE STREET ON WHICH THE GAME
ORIGINATED IS EMPTY--THE PEOPLE EITHER BEING CAUGHT IN
SOME MANNER OR REACHING THE OTHER SIDE SAFELY--THEN THE
"ITS" MERELY TURN AROUND AND THE ORIGINAL SIDE NOW
BECOMES THE DESTINATION. THIS PROCESS CONTINUES UNTIL
EVERYONE IS CAUGHT. THIS ENDS THE GAME AND A NEW ONE
IS STARTED WITH THE FIRST PERSON CAUGHT IN THE
PREVIOUS GAME BECOMING THE FIRST "IT" FOR THE SECOND.

Submitter comment: AT GESU GRADE SCHOOL, (DETROIT, MICHIGAN) WE WOULD OFTEN
HAVE OVER THIRTY BOYS PLAYING THIS GAME EVERY DAY
BEFORE SCHOOL IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00001963 ca.