Cloved Fruit

Fruit (generally citrus, often a lemon or orange, though pears, apples, and kumquats have been known to make appearances, as well) that has had a whole lot of whole cloves stuck into it. Often referred to as a Cloven Fruit.

This is a game of offers. You pass it to one whose favour you hope to win, and they remove a clove. I’ve heard that in most places, the game’s really simple: you take a clove out with your teeth if you want to be kissed, and then pass it on. But around here, it’s a lot more complicated, and what, specifically, is done with the clove indicates the invitation given. Removing one with the fingers and tossing it away is a flat rejection. It’s considered to be kind of rude, and I’ve only seen someone do that once, when it wasn’t a mutual understanding. With the fingers, but keeping it: a kiss of the hand. With the fingers, but then popping it in your mouth: a kiss on the cheek. With the lips, but spitting it out: an invitation for a chaste kiss. With the lips, but keeping it in the mouth: an invitation for the other person to retrieve it, shown by the clove being retained on the tongue. And if they swallow it, well... that’s a clear invitation for far more than a kiss.

Then you pass the fruit on to someone else.

You hand it to someone whose answer you know, if you just want to get rid of it. For instance, you could pass it to your best friend, who will probably just take one and toss it out, which wouldn't be insulting, since you both would know where you stand with each other to begin with. It really gets interesting when you end up with a fruit that only has one clove left. That fruit is an invitation from the giver for... well, tent time. If the receiver takes the fruit at all, it’s a ‘yes’.

The important thing to remember about the cloved fruit is that it is a game. There is no obligation on anyone's part to do anything at all. You need not even take the fruit, though that is considered bad form, as it is very easy to simply ask for a kiss on the hand. As with any game played amongst adults, discretion is the better part of valour; wait for the person accepting the fruit to make a clear indication of what it is they desire. Not everyone will be familiar with all the rules, and they may be surprised, if they come from another kingdom, or have only been introduced to the simple version of the game.