This is the way we mend our clothes, We mend our clothes, we mend our clothes, This is the way we mend our clothes, So early Thursday morning.

This is the way we sweep the house, We sweep the house, we sweep the house, This is the way we sweep the house, So early Friday morning.

Thus we play when our work is done, Our work is done, our work is done, Thus we play when our work is done, So early Sat.u.r.day morning.

ITISKIT, ITASKET

All the players but one stand in a circle with clasped hands; the odd player, carrying a handkerchief, runs around on the outside of the circle, singing:

Itiskit, itasket, A green and yellow basket; I wrote a letter to my love And on the way I dropped it.

Some one of you has picked it up And put it in your pocket; It isn't you--it isn't you--

The last phrase is repeated until the player reaches one behind whom he wishes to drop the handkerchief, when he says, "It is you," and immediately starts on a quick run around the circle. The one behind whom the handkerchief was dropped picks it up and at once starts around the circle in the opposite direction, the object being to see which of the two shall first reach the vacant place. The one who is left out takes the handkerchief for the next round.

Should a circle player fail to discover that the handkerchief has been dropped behind him until the one who has dropped it has walked or run entirely around the circle, he must yield his place in the circle to the handkerchief man, changing places with him.

FARMER IN THE DELL

The players stand in a circle. One of their number is in the center.

He is the farmer in the dell. At the singing of the second verse, where the farmer takes a wife, the center player beckons to another, who goes in and stands by her. The circle keeps moving while each verse is sung, and each time the player last called in beckons to another; that is, the wife beckons one into the circle as the child, the child beckons one for the nurse, etc., until six are standing in the circle.

When the lines, "The rat takes the cheese," are sung, the players inside the circle and those forming it jump up and down and clap their hands in a grand confusion, and the game breaks up.

The farmer in the dell, The farmer in the dell, Heigh-o! the cherry-oh!

The farmer in the dell.

The farmer takes a wife, The farmer takes a wife, Heigh-o! the cherry-oh!

The farmer takes a wife.

The wife takes a child, The wife takes a child, Heigh-o! the cherry-oh!

The wife takes a child.

The child takes a nurse, etc.

The nurse takes a cat, etc.

The cat takes a rat, etc.

The rat takes the cheese, etc.

The succeeding verses vary only in the choice in each, and follow in this order.

THE KING OF FRANCE

The King of France with forty thousand men Marched up the hill and then marched down again.

The players stand in two rows or groups facing each other. Each group has a leader, who stands in the center and represents a king leading his army.

The game or play is a simple one of imitation, in which the players perform in unison some action first indicated by one of the leaders.

The leaders of the two groups take turns in singing the verse, at the same time marching forward during the first line of the verse, and back again to their places during the second line, ill.u.s.trating the action that is then to be taken by all. The verse is then sung by both groups while advancing toward each other and retreating, performing the movements indicated by the leaders. The movements ill.u.s.trated by the leaders may be anything suitable to an army of men, the words describing the movement being subst.i.tuted for the line, "marched up the hill," thus:

The King of France with forty thousand men Waved his flag and then marched down again.

The following variations are suggested, each of which indicates the movements to go with it:

Gave a salute, etc.

Beat his drum, etc.

Blew his horn, etc.

Drew his sword, etc.

Aimed his gun, etc.

Fired his gun, etc.

Shouldered arms, etc.

Pranced on his horse, etc.

It is scarcely necessary to say that a real flag and drum add much to the martial spirit of the game, and if each soldier can have a stick or wand over his shoulder for a gun, the esprit de corps will be proportionately enhanced.

LONDON BRIDGE

London bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down.

London bridge is falling down, My fair lady!

Build it up with iron bars, Iron bars, iron bars, Build it up with iron bars, My fair lady!

Iron bars will bend and break, Bend and break, bend and break, Iron bars will bend and break, My fair lady!

Build it up with gold and silver, etc.

Gold and silver will be stolen away, etc.

Get a man to watch all night, etc.

Suppose the man should fall asleep? etc.

Put a pipe into his mouth, etc.

Suppose the pipe should fall and break, etc.

Get a dog to bark all night, etc.

Suppose the dog should meet a bone? etc.

Get a c.o.c.k to crow all night, etc.

Here's a prisoner I have got, etc.

What's the prisoner done to you? etc.

Stole my hat and lost my keys, etc.

A hundred pounds will set him free, etc.

A hundred pounds he has not got, etc.

Off to prison he must go, etc.

Two of the tallest players represent a bridge by facing each other, clasping hands, and holding them high for the others to pa.s.s under.

The other players, in a long line, each holding the other by the hand or dress, pa.s.s under the arch while the verses are sung alternately by the players representing the bridge and those pa.s.sing under, those forming the arch singing the first and alternate verses and the last "Off to prison." As the words

"Here's a prisoner I have got,"

are sung, the players representing the bridge drop their arms around the one who happens to be pa.s.sing under at the time. The succeeding verses are then sung to "Off to prison he must go." During this last one the prisoner is led off to one side to a place supposed to be a prison, and is there asked in a whisper or low voice to choose between two valuable objects, represented by the two bridge players, who have previously agreed which each shall represent, such as a "diamond necklace" or a "gold piano." The prisoner belongs to the side which he thus chooses. When all have been caught the prisoners line up behind their respective leaders (who have up to this time been the holders of the bridge), clasp each other around the waist, and a tug of war takes place, the side winning which succeeds in pulling its opponent across a given line.

Where a large number of players are taking part, say over ten, the action may be made much more rapid and interesting by forming several spans or arches to the bridge instead of only one, and by having the players run instead of walk under. There is thus much more activity for each player, and the prisoners are all caught much sooner.

SINGING GAMES FOR SMALL CHILDREN