Skittles (sport) of them, depending upon game variant. Exact rules vary widely on a regional basis. Also known as Old English Skittles, the Greater London version uses nine pins (made of hornbeam) and a cheese. The cheese is thrown at the pins using a swinging motion whilst stepping forwards. After an initial throw, the remaining pins (the 'broken frame') may end up in a variety of formations - each of which has a distinctive (and usually London-based) name, such as a London Bridge or a Portsmouth Road. Knocking down all the pins at once is known as a 'floorer' and is highly
The Sweethearts; or, The Top and the Ball debt to traditional folk or fairy material. The tale's inspiration is likely found in Andersen’s relationship with Riborg Voight, the daughter of a Danish merchant who declined his marriage proposal in 1830. Following her rejection, Andersen slipped into a deep depression. He questioned both his artistic abilities and his sexuality. He needed to get away from Denmark and planned a trip to Germany – his first excursion abroad. Andersen met Voight again in 1843 while on holiday on Funen and discovered she had become a frumpy, middle-aged matron. "The Sweethearts" was third in a volume of four tales that consisted