FARMER IS COMING (THE)

(Numbers Change; French Blind Man's Buff)

10 to 30 or more players.

Parlor; gymnasium; playground.

One player is blindfolded and stands in the center. The other players sit in chairs in a circle around him. It is advisable to have the circle rather large. The players are numbered consecutively from one to the highest number playing.

The game may start with the players sitting in consecutive order, or they may change places at the outset to confuse the blindfold player, although the changing of places takes place very rapidly in the course of the game. The blindfold player calls out two numbers, whereupon the players bearing those numbers must exchange places, the blindfold player trying meanwhile either to catch one of the players or to secure one of the chairs. Any player so caught must yield his chair to the catcher. No player may go outside of the circle of chairs, but any other tactics may be resorted to for evading capture, such as stooping, creeping, dashing suddenly, etc.

This game may be one of the merriest possible games for an informal house party. The writer recalls one such occasion when a prominent manufacturer was blindfolded and had located two players whose numbers he called for exchange, one of them a newly graduated West Point lieutenant, the other a college senior. The business man stood in front of the chair occupied by the lieutenant and close to it, taking a crouching attitude, with his feet wide apart and arms outspread ready to grasp the victim when he should emerge from his chair. Noiselessly the lieutenant raised himself to a standing position in his chair, and then suddenly, to shouts of laughter from the company, vaulted over the head of his would-be captor, while at the same moment the collegian crawled between his feet and took possession of the chair.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

One player, chosen to be the farmer, is seated. The remaining players, standing at a distance, select a leader who taps some of them on the shoulder as an invitation to go with him to the farmer's orchard for apples. Thereupon they leave their home ground, which has a determined boundary, and approach as near to the farmer as they dare. The game is more interesting if they can do this from various sides, practically surrounding him. Suddenly the farmer claps his hands and all players must stand still, while the leader calls out, "The farmer is coming!" The players try to get safely back to their home ground, the farmer chasing them. He may not start, however, until the leader has given his warning. Any player caught by the farmer changes places with him.

For the parlor or class room.—This game adapts itself well to indoor use, the farmer sitting on a chair in the middle of the room if in a parlor, or at the teacher's desk if in a schoolroom. The players are home when in their seats, and the farmer, to catch them, must tag them before they are seated.This is a particularly enjoyable game for an older person to play with children, the former enacting the farmer.

This is a particularly enjoyable game for an older person to play with children, the former enacting the farmer.

4 to 30 or more players.

Indoors; out of doors; schoolroom.

This game is a great favorite with boys for outdoor play, but may also be used in the gymnasium, various pieces of apparatus being used in lieu of a fence.

A certain length of fence is chosen for the game. The one who is It gives the other players a slight start in which to vault over the fence, when he immediately vaults over and tries to tag them. This tagging may be done only when both players are on the same side of the fence.

The dodging is made almost or quite entirely by vaulting or dodging back and forth across the fence within the length or boundariespreviously determined. Any player tagged must change places with the one who is It.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.—This game may be used in the schoolroom by vaulting over the seats. When played in this way, it is not allowable to reach across seats or desks to tag a player. The tagging must be done in the same aisle in which the tagger stands.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

diagram: Fire on the MountainsFire on the Mountains

A number of stools are placed in a circle with considerable space between them, there being two stools less than the number of players. If played out of doors, a stone may be used to sit on in place of a stool, or the players may stand, each on a spot or base marked on the ground. One of the odd players is a leader, and sits or stands in the center; the remainder are circle men and take each his place on a stool or base, the other odd man standing anywhere in the circle between the bases. The object of the game is for the circle men to change places on a signal given by the leader, each player trying to secure a stool and avoid being the odd man. The longer the distance between stools or bases the greater the sport. The running must be done in a circle outside of the bases, and no crosscuts through the circle are allowed. The player in the center repeats in rapid time the following lines:—

"Fire on the mountain, run, boys, run!You with the red coat, you with the gun,Fire on the mountains, run, boys, run!"

At any time, at the close of the verse, or unexpectedly, by way of interruption to it, the center player will call "Stool!" or "Base!" when all of the players must change bases. There will thus be one odd player left out. This player then steps one side and is out of the game, taking with him a stool belonging to one of the players, so that the number of stools is reduced by one; if bases are used, one is crossed out to show it is out of the game. The center player, who remains caller throughout, then repeats the verse and the signal for changing.

For each round of the game one player and one stool are taken out of the circle, until but two players and one stool are left. These two finish the game by circling the stool and some objective point a couple of yards away; when the signal to change is then given, the last one of the two to reach the stool becomes the leader for the next game.

VARIATION.—This game may be played without eliminating a player for each round. In this form, each player who is left out when stools or bases are taken must pay a forfeit, but continues actively in the game. The forfeits are redeemed when each player has been odd man at least once.

In this form of the game, instead of having one leader throughout, the leader (center man) should try to secure a stool for himself when the others change, the odd man becoming leader. There should then be but one stool or base less than the number of players.

This is a Scotch game, the reference to signal fires on the mountains, to red coats, and guns, having an obviously historic origin.

4 to 30 or more players.

Indoors, out of doors.

This game is suitable for little children. The players are divided into two equal parties, each party having a home marked off at opposite ends of the playground, with a long neutral spacebetween. One party represents a flower, deciding among themselves which flower they shall represent, as daisies, lilies, lilacs, etc. They then walk over near the home line of the opposite party. The opposite players (who represent the wind) stand in a row on their line, ready to run, and guess what the flower chosen by their opponents may be. As soon as the right flower is named, the entire party owning it must turn and run home, the wind chasing them. Any players caught by the wind before reaching home become his prisoners and join him. The remaining flowers repeat their play, taking a different name each time. This continues until all of the flowers have been caught.

10 to 30 or more players.

Gymnasium; playground.

The players stand in a circle with arms stretched sideways, resting on each other's shoulders, thus making a wide distance between. One player is chosen for runner and one for chaser. The game starts with the runner in one of the spaces under the outstretched arms of the players, and the chaser in a similar position on the opposite side of the circle. At a signal from a leader both start, the runner weaving in and out between the players or dashing across the circle in any way that he sees fit; but the chaser must always follow by the same route. If the runner be caught, he joins the circle; the chaser then takes his place as runner and chooses another player to be chaser.

The leader (who may be one of the players) may close the chase if it becomes too long by calling "Time!" when both runners must return to their places in the circle, new ones taking their places.

For large numbers there may be two or more runners and an equal number of chasers, or the players may be divided into smaller groups.

With various modifications, this game is found in many countries. As given here, it is of Italian origin.

5 to 60 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium; parlor; schoolroom.

One player, who is especially resourceful or skillful, is chosen as a leader. The others all form in single file behind him, and imitate anything that he does. The leader aims to keep the line moving, and should set particularly hard tasks for them, such as climbing or vaulting over obstacles, under others, jumping to touch high points or objects, going through difficult feats, jumping certain distances, taking a hop, skip, and jump, walking backward, turning around while walking, walking or running with a book on the head, etc. Any one failing to perform the required feat drops out of the game or goes to the foot of the line; or at the pleasure of the players may pay a forfeit for the failure and continue playing, all forfeits to be redeemed at the close of the game.

plate: FORCING THE CITY GATESFORCING THE CITY GATESReprinted from Dr. Isaac T. Headland's "The Chinese Boy and Girl," by kind permission of Messrs. Fleming H. Revell & Co.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

Two captains are selected, who alternately choose players until all are in two groups. The two sides then line up in two straight lines, facing each other about ten feet apart, and holding hands, each line representing the gates of a city. The captains dispose their men in line as they see fit, but it is advisable to alternate the larger or stronger players with the smaller or weaker ones, to equalize the strength at the points of attack. The captain of one side then names one of his players, who steps forward and tries to break through the hands of the opposing side, or he may dodge under them. If he does not succeed in one place, he may try in another, but may not have more than three trials. Should he succeed in breaking the opposing line or dodging under, he returns to his side, taking the two whose hands had been parted or evaded, as prisoners to reënforce his side. Should he fail in the third attempt, he is to remain on the side of his opponents. The captains alternate turns in sending forth a man to "force the city gates."The players taken from the opposing side must thereafter work for the side to which they are taken captive, each prisoner being placed in the line between two of the original team. The side wins which eventually secures all of the opposing players. The action may be made more rapid where a large number are playing by sending out two or more players at once.

This is a Chinese game, recorded by Dr. Headland, who has kindly supplied additional points to the author. Some modifications for large numbers have been found advisable under American school conditions.

10 to 100 players.

Out of doors; gymnasium.

This is one of the very strenuous games based on the idea of warfare. The underlying idea is exactly opposite to that of Robbers and Soldiers, being a game of attack and defense rather than of chase and capture.

diagram: FortressFortress

A fortress is marked on the ground, in the shape of a large square or oblong, the size differing with the area at disposal and the number of players. It should be not less than twenty-five by forty feet in dimensions. One or more sides of this may be situated so as to be inclosed by a wall or fence. A line should be drawn five feet inside of the fortress boundaries and another five feet outside of it; these mark the guard lines or limits for makingprisoners. Each party should also have its prison—a small square marked in the center of the fortress for the defenders, and another at some distant point for the besiegers.

The players are divided into two equal parties, each under the command of a general, who may order his men at any time to any part of the battle. One party of players are defenders of the fortress, and should scatter over it at the beginning of the attack and keep a sharp lookout on unguarded parts at any time. The other players, forming the attacking party, scatter under the direction of their general to approach the fortress from different directions. This may be done in a sudden rush, or deliberately before attacking. At a signal from their general, the besiegers attack the fortress.

The method of combat is entirely confined to engagements between any two of the opposing players, and is in general of the nature of a "tug of war." They may push, pull, or carry each other so long as they remain upright; but wrestling or dragging on the ground are not allowed. Any player so forced over the guard line becomes a prisoner to his opponent and is thereafter out of the game. If he be a besieger, captured by a defender, he is placed within the prison in the center of the fortress, and may not thereafter escape or be freed unless the general should make an exchange of prisoners. Should he be a defender, pulled over the outer guard line by a besieger, he is taken to the prison of the attacking party, subject to the same rules of escape. In the general engagement, players of equal strength should compete, the strong players with strong ones, andvice versa. The commanders should each give general directions for this to their men before the engagement opens.

The battle is won by either party making prisoners of all of the opponents. Or it may be won by the besiegers if one of their men enters within the guard line inside the fortress without being touched by a defender. Should a player accomplish this, he shouts "Hole's won!" Whereupon the defenders must yield the fortress, and the two parties change places, defenders becoming besiegers, andvice versa. The possibility of taking the fortress in this way should lead to great alertness on the part of the defenders, as they should leave no point unguarded, especially a fencethe enemy might scale. The guard line should be drawn inside any such boundaries, and a player entering in this way must of course get inside the guard line as well as over the fence. The attacking party on its part will use all possible devices for dashing into the fortress unexpectedly, such as engaging the players on one side of the fort to leave an unguarded loophole for entering at another.

The attacking general may withdraw his forces at any time for a rest or for conference; either general may run up a flag of truce at any time for similar purposes. Under such conditions the generals may arrange for an exchange of prisoners; otherwise there is no means of freeing prisoners.

(For other games sometimes known by this title, seeFox Trailand, in the division of Quiet Games,Naughts and Crosses.)

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

One player is chosen to be fox and another to be gander. The remaining players all stand in single file behind the gander, each with his hands on the shoulders of the one next in front. The gander tries to protect his flock of geese from being caught by the fox, and to do this spreads out his arms and dodges around in any way he sees fit to circumvent the efforts of the fox. Only the last goose in the line may be tagged by the fox, or should the line be very long, the last five or ten players may be tagged as decided beforehand. It will be seen that the geese may all coöperate with the gander by doubling and redoubling their line to prevent the fox from tagging the last goose. Should the fox tag the last goose (or one of the last five or ten, if that be permissible), that goose becomes fox and the fox becomes gander.

A good deal of spirit may be added to the game by the following dialogue, which is sometimes used to open it:—

The fox shouts tantalizingly, "Geese, geese, gannio!"The geese reply scornfully, "Fox, fox, fannio!"Fox, "How many geese have you to-day?"Gander, "More than you can catch and carry away."

Whereupon the chase begins.

This game is found in almost all countries, under various names and representing different animals.

20 to 60 players.

Schoolroom.

The players sit in their seats facing toward the aisles, so that each two adjacent lines have their feet in the same aisle and face each other. The game consists in passing or tossing some object (the squirrel), such as a bean bag, basket ball, or hand ball from one player across the aisle to another and back again, zigzagging down each aisle, to be followed at once by a second object (the fox); the effort being to have the fox overtake the squirrel before the end of the line is reached.

With very little children, passing is better than tossing; but with older children, or even with little ones, when more experienced, it is well to use the game as a practice for tossing and catching. The action should be very rapid. The game makes much sport for young children, and they are very fond of it.

(Fox and Geese; Half Bushel)

(See alsoFox Trail(Single Rim).)

3 to 30 or more players.

Out of doors; indoors; snow.

This form of Fox Trail, like the Single Rim game, is distinctively a snow game, but may be used anywhere that a large diagram may be marked on the ground or floor. This game differs from the Single Rim in the size and complexity of the diagram, there being two rims to the wheel instead of one. It also differs in the fact that there is one more player than the number of dens for the foxes, and in the methods by which the foxes may run or be chased.

A large diagram is drawn on the ground, resembling a wheel with two rims. In the snow this is trampled with the feet like a path; on bare ground or damp sand it may be drawn with the foot or a stick; in the gymnasium or on a pavement it may be drawn withchalk. The outer rim should measure from thirty to forty feet in radius; the inner rim should be ten feet from this. Across the circles are drawn straight lines resembling the spokes of a wheel, the number being governed by the number of players. Where these spokes touch the outer rim, a den or goal is marked for the foxes, there being one goal less than the number of foxes.

diagram: Fox Trail (Double Rim)Fox Trail(Double Rim)

One player, who is chosen as hunter, stands at his goal in the center or hub of the wheel. The balance of the players, who are foxes, take each a place in a den on the outer rim, with the exception of the odd fox, who stands elsewhere on the rim, trying to get a den whenever he can. The object of the game is for the foxes to run from den to den without being caught by the hunter. The method of running, however, is restricted. Both foxes and hunter are obliged to keep to the trails, running only on the lines of the diagram.

It is considered poor play to run from den to den around the outerrim, as there is practically no risk in this. The foxes may run in any direction on any trail, on the spokes of the wheel, or on either of the rims. They may turn off on the intersecting trail at any point, not being obliged to run entirely across to the opposite side of the rim, as in the simpler diagram given for the other game of this name. No fox, however, may turn back on a trail; having once started, he must keep on to the next intersecting point. Whenever the hunter succeeds in tagging a fox, the two players change places, the fox becoming hunter and the hunter fox.

diagram: Fox Trail (Single Rim)Fox Trail(Single Rim)

This game is excellent sport, and is one of the most interesting and popular of the chasing games. It is one of the very few distinctive snow games.

(Fox and Geese; Half Bushel)

(See alsoFox Trail(Double Rim).)

3 to 20 players.

Out of doors; snow; seashore; gymnasium.

This is one of the few distinctive snow games, but may be played anywhere that a large diagram may be outlined on the ground. It is very popular with children, and makes an admirable game for older players as well. See the more complicated form, with double-rim diagram, preceding this.

A large circle from fifteen to thirty feet in diameter should be marked on the ground and crossed with intersecting lines like thespokes of a wheel, there being about five such lines (ten spokes). The more players there are, the larger should be the circle and the greater the number of spokes; but there is no fixed relation between the number of spokes and players. If played in the snow, this diagram may be trampled down with the feet; if on the fresh earth or sand, it may be drawn with the heel or a stick; or if in a gymnasium or on a pavement, marked with chalk.

One player is chosen to be It or Hunter. He stands in the center, that is, on the hub of the wheel. The other players scatter around the rim and are foxes. They are not stationed at any one point as in the Double Rim game, but run or stand anywhere around the rim when not dashing across the spokes. The object of the game is for the foxes to cross the wheel to some opposite point without being tagged by the hunter. They may only run, however, on the prescribed trails,—that is, on the lines of the diagram. In this form of the game (the Single Rim diagram) they may run only straight across, and are not at liberty to turn an angle at the hub and seek refuge over any other trail than the direct continuation of the one on which they started. The hunter changes places with any one whom he tags.

4 to 60 or more players.

Indoors; out of doors.

In this form of tag certain boundaries are agreed upon beyond which players may not run, though they may climb or jump over any obstacles within the boundaries.

Any player who goes outside of the bounds is at once declared to be It by the pursuer. Otherwise the game is like ordinary tag, any player who is tagged by the chaser becoming It. (SeeTag.)

10 to 30 or more players.

Parlor; gymnasium; playground.

One player is chosen for the frog, and sits in the center on the floor with his feet crossed in tailor fashion. Where there are morethan twenty players, it is well to have at least two such frogs. The other players stand in a circle around the frog, repeating, "Frog in the sea, can't catch me!" They dance forward toward the frog and back, tantalizing him and taking risks in going near him, the object of the game being for the frog to tag any one of them, whereupon he changes places with such player. The frog may not at any time leave his sitting position until released by tagging another player.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom; parlor.

This game is a great favorite with children, and may be made an opportunity for much sport with youths and older players.

All but two of the players form a ring by clasping hands, the inclosure serving as the garden. Within this one of the odd players who is assigned to be the scamp takes his place. The other odd player, the gardener, moves around on the outside of the circle.

The gardener calls to the scamp inside, "Who let you in my garden?" and the scamp answers, "No one!" whereupon he starts to run away, the gardener chasing him. The gardener must take the same path followed by the scamp in and out under the arms of the players, who must lift their hands to let them pass. The gardener must also go through all of the movements performed by the scamp, who may jump "leapfrog" over any player in the circle, turn somersaults, crawl between the legs of a circle player, double unexpectedly on his path, circle around one of the players, or resort to any other device for making the chase difficult. If the scamp be caught, he becomes gardener, and the gardener joins the circle. The former scamp, now gardener, chooses a new scamp to go into the circle.

Should the gardener fail to follow in the exact path of the scamp, or to perform any of the feats or antics of the scamp, the gardener must at once join the ring, and the scamp then has the privilege of choosing a new gardener.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.—This game may be played by the entire class forming a circle around the room as close to the seats aspossible to leave room for the chase outside the circle. Where seats can be turned up, this should be done, to give the runners opportunity to cross and recross the center space easily. The scamp, however, may vault over seats in his efforts to escape or delay the gardener.

10 to 60 or more players.

Parlor; gymnasium; schoolroom.

A row of chairs is placed in the center of the room, so that they face alternately in opposite directions, one chair to one side, the next to the opposite side, etc. There should be one chair less than the number of players. The game is most interesting when played with musical accompaniment.

The game starts with all the players seated in the row of chairs except one. This odd one is the leader, and his first object is to recruit the players for his trip to "Jerusalem." He carries a cane and walks around the row repeating, "I'm going to Jerusalem! I'm going to Jerusalem!" in singsong. Every few moments he stops at his discretion and knocks with his cane on the floor behind the chair of some player. Immediately the player thus summoned rises from his chair and follows the leader, sometimes having a lively scramble to encircle the row of chairs and catch up with him. The next player knocked for follows this one, and so on, until all are moving around in single file. The leader may reverse his direction at pleasure. This general hurry and confusion for the start may, with a resourceful leader, add much to the sport of the game.

When the players are all recruited, they continue to march around the row of chairs, the main object of the game being the scramble for seats when the music stops, or upon some other signal to sit if there be no music.

The musician will add to the interest of the game by varying the time of the march from slow and stately time to "double quick." At any moment, after all the players are marching, the music may stop suddenly. Whenever this happens, the players all scramble for seats. There will be one odd player left without a seat. This player is thenceforth out of the game and retires toone end of the room, taking with him one of the chairs. This continues until there are only two players encircling one chair, and the one who secures it wins.

Where two players reach a chair at nearly the same time, the chair belongs to the one who first reached it, or who is sitting more fully on it. Sitting on the arm of a chair does not count, nor touching it with the hands or knees.

FOR THE GYMNASIUM.—When played in a gymnasium, a row of gymnasium stools may be used instead of chairs, and the gathering up of the players omitted, the game starting with the stools empty.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.—When played in the schoolroom, the game starts with all of the players ready to march, the first part of the game, in which they are recruited, being omitted. The class should march in serpentine form up one aisle and down the next, etc., instead of encircling a row of seats. There should be for a large class from one to six less seats than the number of players. For instance, one seat should be counted out in each row or each alternate row. The seat that is not in play may be designated by turning it up, if of that variety, and by placing a book on the desk belonging to it.

Wherever played, the game may be carried on without music, simply by the leader or teacher beating time and stopping when players are to sit; or he may give a signal or a command to "Sit!"

10 to 60 or more players.

Schoolroom; parlor.

This is a very pretty sense-training game,—cultivating discrimination through the sense of hearing. Little children are very fond of it, and it is most interesting and surprising to note the development of perceptive power through the playing of the game.

One player blinds his eyes. He may do this by going to a corner of the room and facing the wall, with his hand over his eyes; or a very pretty method is to have him go to the teacher or leader, with his face hidden in her lap, and her hands on either side of his head, like the blinders of a horse.

The teacher then silently points to some other player in the class,who rises at once and says, "Good morning, David!" (or whatever the child's name may be). The little guesser, if he has recognized the voice, responds with, "Good morning, Arthur!" (or other name). If he does not guess the voice after the first greeting, the child may be required to repeat it, until the guesser has had three trials. Should he fail on the third trial, he turns around to see who the player was, and changes places with him. If he names the right player, the guesser retains his position until he fails to guess the voice of the one greeting him, one player after another being required to stand and give the greeting "Good morning!"

When pupils have become somewhat proficient in the guesser's place, the others should be required to change their seats after the guesser has blinded his eyes, so that he will not be assisted in his judgment by the direction from which the voice comes, which is very easily the case where the other players are in their accustomed seats.

Of course the greeting will be varied according to the time of day, being "Good afternoon!" or "Good evening!" as may be appropriate. Occasionally, in a school game, a pupil from another room may be called in. Should a strange voice be heard in this way, the little guesser is considered correct if he answer, "Good morning, stranger!"

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium; parlor; schoolroom.

Where there are more than ten players, it is desirable to have them separated into several groups. Each group has a leader, and lines up in rank (side by side), with the leader in the middle. One odd player stands in front of the line, facing it.

The odd player asks:—"Have you seen my friend?"The line answers,"No."First player:—"Will you go and find him?""Yes.""Put your finger on your lips and follow me!"

The odd player asks:—"Have you seen my friend?"

The line answers,"No."

First player:—"Will you go and find him?""Yes.""Put your finger on your lips and follow me!"

The player in front then turns around and, with finger to his lips, runs to another part of the ground, all of the row falling in behind and following him, each player with finger on lips. When they have reached a new position, the first player stops with his back to the line, which re-forms in a new order under the direction of its leader, so that the players do not stand in the same relative positions as when the odd player faced the line. One player from the row selected by the leader now steps forward behind the odd player and says, trying to disguise his voice, "Guess who stands behind you!"

If the odd player guesses correctly, he retains his position, turns around, and the dialogue begins over again. If the guess be wrong, the one who is It changes places with the one whose name he failed to guess.

5 to 10 players.

Indoors; out of doors.

This is one of the traditional dramatic games, obviously an abbreviated form ofMother, Mother, the Pot Boils Over!

One player is selected for gypsy, and one for the mother. The others are children. The gypsy remains in hiding while the mother says to her children, pointing to the different ones in turn:—

"I charge my children every oneTo keep good house while I am gone;You and you, but specially you,Or else I'll beat you black and blue."

The mother then goes away and blinds her eyes. During her absence the gypsy comes in, takes away a child, and hides her. The gypsy repeats this until all of the children are hidden. The mother returns and finds her children gone, whereupon she has to find them. When all have been found and brought back home, all chase the gypsy.

10 to 100 players.

Playground; gymnasium.

One player is It, or chaser, and changes places with any other player whom he can touch (tag). In this form of the game, however,any player may escape being tagged by hanging from anything overhead which will enable him to lift his feet from the floor. When played out of doors, where there are trees, players will naturally jump to catch hold of the branches of the trees. In a playground or gymnasium pieces of apparatus may be used for the same purpose. A player is considered immune if, instead of hanging by his hands, he throws himself across some obstacle, such as a fence, which enables him to lift his feet from the ground.

The game is very uninteresting if players each choose a place and remain close to it in the intervals of the game; but it may be made full of sport if each will take risks and run from point to point, taunting the one who is It by going as near him as possible, or allowing him to approach closely before springing for the overhead support. The one who is It may not linger near any player to the extent of trying to tire him out in the hanging position, but must move rapidly from one to another.

A very interesting form of this game for the gymnasium allows no two players to hang from the same piece of apparatus; the last one taking possession has the right to remain hanging on the apparatus, the one before him being obliged to run at once for another place. This keeps the players moving and makes the game very lively.

TREE TOAD.—This is a form of Hang Tag played by the modern Greeks. It is played where there are trees, the players jumping to clasp the trunk of the tree as a means of lifting their feet from the ground when the branches are too high to reach. This makes a very funny, vigorous, and interesting form of the game, to be played in a grove or shaded lawn.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; parlor; gymnasium; schoolroom.

The players stand in a circle. One walks around on the outside, and touching one of the circle players on the back, asks, "Have you seen my sheep?" The one questioned answers, "How was he dressed?" The outside player then describes the dress of some one in the circle, saying, for instance, "He wears a red necktie; he isdressed in gray and has low shoes." The one questioned then names the player whom he thinks this describes, and if right, at once begins to chase him around the outside of the circle. Each of the circle players must be very alert to recognize himself in the description given by the outside player, for immediately that he is named he must run around the outside of the circle, chased by the player who guessed, and try to reach his own place before being tagged. The one who gives the description does not take part in the chase. Should the runner be tagged before returning to his place, he must take the place of the questioner, running in his turn around the outside of the circle and asking of some player. "Have you seen my sheep?"

IN THE SCHOOLROOM.—The players remain seated, with the exception of the one who asks the first question of any player he chooses. This player at once stands, guesses the player described, and chases him around the room, the one chased trying to gain his seat before being caught. If caught, he becomes questioner; if not caught, the same questioner and guesser play as before.

The following games of hiding and seeking will be found in alphabetical order:—

Hide and SeekSardinesI spy!Smuggling the GegRing-a-lie-vioTen StepsRun, Sheep, Run!Yards Off

2 to 20 or more players.

Indoors; out of doors.

This is a simple form of "I spy," played by very little children. One covers his eyes or blinds and the others hide. When securely hidden, they call "Coop!" and the one who is It goes in search of them. The call of "Coop!" may be repeated at the discretion of the hider. In this game the object is won when the searcher discovers the hidden players. There is no race for a goal as in "I spy."

(Magic Music)

5 to 60 players.

Schoolroom; parlor.

One player is sent from the room; while absent, one of those remaining hides a thimble, a cork, or some small object which has been previously shown to the absent one. When the object is hidden, the absent player is recalled, and proceeds to hunt for the hidden object. While he is doing this, the others sing or clap their hands, the sound being very soft and low when the hunter is far away from the object, and growing louder as he approaches it. The piano music is desirable, but for schoolroom use singing is found to be more interesting for all, as well as often more practicable. For very little children hand clapping is pleasing and sometimes more easily used than singing.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

All of the players but one join hands in a circle. The odd player in the center runs around on the inside of the circle and hits one of the players with a wisp of grass, if the game be played out of doors, or tags him if played indoors. Both players then run out of the circle, it being the object of the player who was tagged to catch the odd player before he can run three times around the outside of the ring. As the runner completes his third time around, the players in the circle cry "High Windows!" and raise their clasped hands to let both of the players inside. Should the one who is being chased succeed in entering the circle without being tagged, he joins the circle and the chaser takes his place in the center. Should the chaser tag the pursued before he can circle the ring three times and dodge inside at the close, the chaser returns to the circle and the one caught goes again into the center.

It is permissible to vary the chase by running away from the immediate vicinity of the circle. Should the chase then become toolong, the circle players may call "High Windows!" as a signal for the runners to come in. This call is made at the discretion of a leader, whether he be one of the circle players appointed for that purpose, or a teacher.

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium.

Two parallel boundary lines are drawn from thirty to fifty feet apart; or the game is often played between the curbings of a street, which serve as boundaries. One player is chosen to be It, and stands in the center. The other players stand in two equal parties beyond the boundary lines, one party on each side. The center player calls out, "Hill, dill! come over the hill!" The other players then exchange goals, and as they run across the open space the one in the center tries to tag them. Any who are tagged assist him thereafter in tagging the others.

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