Swearins somethin you do on a thing like, swearing on your pinky for instance? Means the Pinky's forfeit if you go back on what you said. Most people, they wouldn't sweat a pinky none.
No. They didn't. Well, duno about the latter bits. Da' didn't though. Still alive he is.
So basically, this friend, they're just looking to see what might kill 'em like, is that it?