ID: 865
Date: 1900 - 2006
Title: I'm the King of the castle
Gender: Male and Female 
Classification: Game 
Rhyme: 

I'm the king of the castle,
You're the dirty rascal.

(Nelson, 1970s; Dunedin, 1990s; Stoke, 1990s;   Auckland, 1990s x 2; Greymouth, 1990s; Christchurch, 1998 x 2; NZ ex Canada, 1998; Templeton, 1999;  Rangiora, 2000;  Te Awamutu, 2000; Christchurch, 2000; Gisborne, 2001; Napier, 2002; Dunedin, 2003; Fairlie, 2003; Timaru, 2004; Christchurch, 2006)

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Background Info: Originally a game and challenge in which a player of greater height than the others, dares all comers to pull him/her down. Once the 'king' has been pulled down, the one who causes the downfall takes the royal position.

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Universal rhyme, 1900-2006. Goome, 1894:300-301.
Possibly dates back to Roman times 20BC (Horace).

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Sutton-Smith, 1959:147. Comparison with the rough and tumble game of "No Man Standing." A cry of defiance with which the king challenges the rabble. Description of "an extremely dangerous game and after many had been bruised and broken and an eye nearly gorged out, the authorities stepped in and stopped the game". (Nelson, 1890)

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Opie, 1992:254 records the name of "Keep the Castle", and in Scotland, "Haud the Bowerique".
A seventeenth century Scottish version:

I William of the Wastle,
Am now in my Castle,
And awe the Dogs in the Town,
Shan't gar me gang down.

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Keywords: power 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 2 
Incidence: 19