Make a ring of children. In the center place five or six of the
smaller children of the party. This forms the pigeon-house and
pigeons.
Now choose one child (boy or girl) to open or shut this old-fashioned
dovecote.
He runs round the ring outside and gently pushes the children in
toward the center, and close to the pigeons, who are sitting on the
ground softly cooing (or not, just as they please).
This done he moves back. Let him be called the farmer or the farmer's
boy, if a name is wanted.
A pretty and lively tune is now started on the piano. Directly it
begins, the boy runs forward and pulls open the ring of children,
which widens out with raised arms, to form pigeon-holes.
The pigeons rise to their feet and fly out of these holes, round and
round the room.
As the music begins to stop and die away, the pigeons should return
to their dovecote, and when the last note sounds they should all be
settled again. The farmer's boy now runs round the ring, closing it in
and making all safe for the night.
This game can be played without music, and the elder children can take
their turn at being pigeons.
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