The child who is caught takes the middle, while the frog joins the circle.

GIANT

This game must be arranged in the nature of a surprise for the company a.s.sembled. The giant is formed by two youngsters, one of whom seats himself on the shoulders of his friend. A large cloak should then be thrown over them, to make it appear as if it were only one person, and the top boy might wear a mask to prevent recognition. The giant then enters the room and commences dancing. Great amus.e.m.e.nt is afforded the little folk by this game.

c.o.c.k FIGHTING

This is a most amusing game, and although only two boys can play at it at one time, they will keep the rest of the company in roars of laughter. The two who are to represent the "c.o.c.ks" having been chosen, they are both seated upon the floor.

Each boy has his wrists tied together with a handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the ankles with another handkerchief; his arms are then pa.s.sed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed over one arm, under both knees, and out again on the other side over the other arm. The "c.o.c.ks" are now considered ready for fighting, and are carried into the center of the room, and placed opposite each other with their toes just touching. The fun now commences.

Each "c.o.c.k" tries with the aid of his toes to turn his opponent over on his back or side.

The one who can succeed in doing this first wins the game.

It often happens that both "c.o.c.ks" turn over at the same time, when the fight commences again.

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GAMES WITH THE ALPHABET

It is necessary for these games that a large boxful of letters should be provided, which can be purchased at any toy store or made by the young people themselves by being cut out of newspapers. The children should seat themselves round the table; the letters should then be well shuffled and dealt round to the players. Each child has to form a word or sentence out of the letters which he has received. Another variation is to select a long word, and then in a given time to try to form several words from it. Names of well-known men, places, etc., can also be given. These games are not only amusing, but serve at the same time to instruct the young folk.

HONEY POTS

For little ones there is scarcely a more popular game than "Honey Pots." Small children of three and four can be included in this game, but there should be two bigger children for the "Buyer" and the "Merchant." The children, with the exception of the Buyer and Merchant, seat themselves upon the floor of the room, with their knees raised and their hands clasped together round them. These children are called "Honey Pots." The Merchant and the Buyer then talk about the quality and quant.i.ty of the Honey, and the price of each Pot. It is agreed that the price to be paid shall be according to the weight of the "Honey" and the "Pot." The children are carefully "weighed" by raising them two or three times from the floor and swinging them by the arms, one arm held by the Merchant and the other by the Buyer.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

When the "Honey Pots" are all weighed, the Buyer says he will purchase the whole of the stock, and asks the Merchant to help him carry the Pots home. Then the Merchant and the Buyer carry the children, one by one, to the other end of the room.

When all are safely at the Buyer's house, the Merchant goes out of the room, but suddenly returns and says to the Buyer: "I believe you have carried off my little daughter in one of the Honey Pots." The Buyer replies: "I think not. You sold me all the Pots full of Honey, but if you doubt me you can taste them."

The Merchant then pretends to taste the Honey, and after having tried two or three Pots exclaims: "Ah! this tastes very much like my little daughter." The little girl who represents the Honey Pot chosen by the Merchant then cries out: "Yes, I am your little girl," and immediately jumps up and runs away, the Buyer at the same time endeavoring to catch her.

When the one Honey Pot runs away, all the others do the same, the Buyer catches whom he can, and the game recommences.

THE SPELLING GAME

Each player in this game has what are called three "lives," or chances. When the company is seated in a circle, the first player mentions a letter as the beginning of a word. The game is for each of the company, in turn, to add a letter to it, keeping the word unfinished as long as possible.

When a letter is added to the former letters and it makes a complete word, the person who completed it loses a "life." The next player then begins again.

Every letter added must be part of a word, and not an odd letter thought of on the spur of the moment. When there is any doubt as to the letter used by the last player being correct, he may be challenged, and he will then have to give the word he was thinking of when adding the letter. If he cannot name the word, he loses a "life;"

but if he can, it is the challenger who loses.

This is an example of how the game should be played. Supposing the first player commences with the letter "p;" the next, thinking of "play," would add an "l;" the next an "o," thinking of "plough;" the next person, not having either of these words in his mind, would add "v;" the next player, perhaps, not knowing the word of which the previous player was thinking, might challenge him, and would lose a "life" on being told the word was "plover." The player next in turn would then start a new word, and perhaps put down "b," thinking of "bat;" the next thinking, say, that the word was "bone," would add an "o," the next player would add "n;" the player whose turn it would now be, not wanting to lose a "life" by finishing the word, would add another "n;" the next player for the same reason would add "e," and then there would be nothing else for the next in turn to do but to complete the word by adding "t" and thus losing a "life."

It will be seen that there are three ways of losing a "life." First, the player may lay down a letter, and on being challenged be unable to give the word. Secondly, he may himself challenge another player who is not at fault. Thirdly, he may be obliged to add the final letter to a word, and so complete it.

This is a most amusing game for a large party, for as the different persons lose their three "lives," the players gradually dwindle down to two or three, when it gets very exciting to see who will be the last person left in, for he or she will be declared the winner.

"DRAW A PAIL OF WATER."

"Draw a pail of water For my lady's daughter; My father's a king and my mother's a queen, My two little sisters are dressed in green; Stamping gra.s.s and parsley, Marigold leaves and daisies, One rush, two rush, Pray thee, fine lady, come under my bush."

Two children stand face to face, holding each other's hands. Two others also face each other holding hands across the other two. They seesaw backward and forward, singing the above lines.

When they come to the line, "Pray thee, fine lady, come under my bush," another child pops under and comes up between one child's arms.

They sing the verse again and another child creeps under another pair of arms, and so on until there are eight children standing facing each other. The must then jump up and down until one falls down, when she is almost sure to pull the others over.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Each player is furnished with a pencil and two slips of paper. On the first slip a question must be written. The papers are then collected and put into a bag or basket.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Then the players write an answer on their second slip. These are put into a different bag, and the two bags are then well shaken and handed round to the company.

Every one draws a question and an answer, and must then read the two out to the company.

The result is sometimes very comical; for instance:

Questions

Do you like roses?

Where are you going to this summer?

Do you like beef?

Do you like spiders?

Answers

Yes, with mustard.

I am very much afraid of them.