Running the Hood
Preserved but no longer current.
It is said that an old lady was passing over Haxey Hill, when the wind blew away her hood. Some boys began tossing it from one to the other, and the old lady so enjoyed the fun that she bequeathed thirteen acres of land, that thirteen candidates might be induced to renew the sport on the 6th of every January.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Running the Hood” mean?
It is said that an old lady was passing over Haxey Hill, when the wind blew away her hood. Some boys began tossing it from one to the other, and the old lady so enjoyed the fun that she bequeathed thirteen acres of land, that thirteen candidates might be induced to renew the sport on the 6th of every January.
Is “Running the Hood” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.