GAMES FOR COLD WEATHER.
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One of the best of these is called
"PRISONERS' BASE."
To play this, there must be a number of boys, not less than eight or
ten, and as many more as can be got together. To commence it, two
semicircles are drawn against a wall or hedge at the opposite sides of
the playground. These are called the BOUNDS.
Two other spaces are then marked out a little away from these to the
right or to the left. These places are called the PRISONS.
The game is commenced by a player from one side running out midway
between the bounds or prisons, a player from the other side immediately
following to capture him; one from the other side follows after the
second to capture him, and so on, both parties sending out as many as
they think fit. The object of each player is to intercept and touch any
player of the opposite side _who has left his bounds before him_, but he
is not at liberty to touch any that have started after him; it being
their privilege, if they can, to touch _him_ before he gets back to his
own bounds. A player must touch only one person each time he leaves
bounds, and cannot be touched by another after he has taken a prisoner.
Every player who is touched, must go to the prison belonging to his
adversaries, where he must remain until one of his own side can touch
him; and prisoners can neither touch nor be touched in their return to
their own bounds again. The game is won by that side which has taken all
the other party prisoners.
STAG OUT.
In this game, one boy personates the Stag, and with his hands closed
together, starts from his bounds after the other players. When he
succeeds in touching one who is called the Ass, the first who gets to
him rides him back to the bounds. The two then go out in the same
manner, then three, and so on, till the whole are caught.
WARNING.
This game is something similar to another very good game called
"Warning," which may be played by any number of players. One begins the
game in the same manner as in "Stag Out," repeating the following
words,--"Warning once, warning twice, warning thrice--A bushel of wheat,
and a bushel of rye, when the cock crows, out jump I--Cock a doodle
doo." He then runs out and touches the first he can overtake, who
returns to bounds with him. The two then join hands and sally forth, and
touch a third, who joins hands with the other two: again they sally
hand-in-hand, the two outside ones touching as many as they can.
Immediately a player is touched, they must break hands and run back to
the bounds. If any of the out-players can catch any of those who held
hands, they may ride them back to their bounds. When three are touched,
he who first begins the game has the privilege of joining the
out-players, whose object is always to break the line.
MOUSE IN THE CORNER.
In this game, one of the players takes the part of Puss, and places
himself in the centre, and the others playing take up their positions in
the four corners of the playground. Each of the players calls out,
"Puss, puss, puss, pretty puss,--how do you do pussy," and endeavour to
pass from corner to corner. The players are at liberty to change corners
in all directions, and if Puss can touch one when he is away from his
corner, the one so touched, after giving Puss a ride round the ground,
becomes Puss, or if Puss can take a vacant corner, the player without a
corner must do the same,--give Puss a ride round and become Puss.
KING OF THE CASTLE.
This is not a bad game. One player, called King of the Castle, places
himself on a little rising mound; the other players endeavour to push or
pull him from his elevation, and whoever succeeds in this, takes his
place.
HIPPAS.
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This game is something like the preceding, only that one boy mounts on
the back of another, who is called his Horse, another boy does the same,
and the two mounted boys endeavour to pull each other from the saddle.
This play is harmless when a soft piece of turf is chosen, but dangerous
on the stones or hard ground.
THREAD THE NEEDLE.
This is a good game,--any number of boys may play it. It is begun by
joining hands; and the two outside players at each end commence the game
by the following dialogue:--
How many miles to Babylon?
Three score and ten.
Can I get there by candle-light?
Yes, and back again.
Then open the gates without more ado,
And let the king and his men go through.
The player who stands at the opposite end of the line, now elevates his
hand, joined in that of the player next him, to form the needle's eye,
and the other outside player approaches running, and the whole line
follow him through, if possible, without breaking. This is continued,
each end holding up their hands successively, till the players are tired
of the sport.
TOUCH.
This is a game of speed. One volunteers to be Touch, and he pursues the
other players till he comes up with one of them and touches him; unless
the player so touched can say, "I touch iron," or, "I touch wood,"
before he is touched, he becomes Touch, and must give the player who
touched him a ride home. A player is liable to be touched only when
running from one piece of wood or iron to another.
There is another and a better game of Touch, called "Cross Touch," which
is played thus:--One volunteers to be Touch, and sallies forth from his
bounds. While he is pursuing one of the players, a third player runs
between him and the player pursued, and touch must then follow the one
who crosses till another crosses them, and so on, till at length the
whole playground will become a scene of activity and sport.
BOWLS.
"I will play at _Bowls_ with the sun and moon."--_Byron._
"He who plays _Bowls_ must expect rubbers."--_Bowles._
This is one of the best of games for hot or cold weather, for it is
excellent exercise, and requires skill and judgment. Few requisites are
required for it, but a level lawn, or tolerably level field, is
indispensable, as are the bowls, the Jack, and the players.
In playing bowls, partners may be chosen, if there are many players, or
the game may be played by two persons. When, however, there are three or
four of a side, there is more interest attached to the game. The best
player of my time was the good old schoolmaster, Mr. Fenn, from whom I
obtained all the particulars concerning Bowls.
The bowls used at this game are of wood, loaded with lead, or _biassed_,
as it is called, namely, there is one side thicker than the other, which
is marked, and this may be held either near or away from the thumb as it
may be required to lay the ball. No writer in a book can teach this, as
it depends upon the nature of the ground, and the situation of the balls
already bowled.
Before commencing the game, the first player leads out a small white
ball, called a Jack; he then lays his own balls as near to it as
possible; the players then follow in succession, but no partners follow
each other till the whole balls are delivered, and those who obtain the
nearest points to the Jack score one for each ball.
The number making the game is arbitrary, but eleven is generally fixed
upon. Of course it would be more were there a great number of bowlers.
The sport of the game consists in driving your opponent's ball from the
Jack, and putting your own near it. When one side scores eleven before
their opponents get five, it is called a _lurch_. The players at Bowls
change the Jack from one side of the green to the other after the whole
of each side have bowled once.
QUOITS.
"_Quoit_ me down, Bardolph."--_Shakspeare._
The game of Quoits resembles Bowls. It is played with flat rings of iron
of various weights. At a certain number of paces apart (to be agreed
upon), two circular pins of iron are driven into the ground. The players
beginning the game stand at one of these pins, called the Hob, and pitch
the quoits to the other, each person having two. When all the quoits are
cast from one Hob, the players walk to the other and pitch to the first,
and so on in succession.
Those who get nearest to the Hob, are, of course, nearest to the game,
and each pair of quoits counts two,--each single quoit, one; but if a
quoit belonging to A lies nearest to the Hob, and a quoit belonging to B
the second, A can claim but one towards the game, although all his other
quoits may be nearer to the Hob than all those of B, as the quoit of B
is said, technically, to have _cut them out_.
WHY AND BECAUSE.
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This is also a new game, and one of those that combine amusement and
instruction. To play it, a king must be chosen, who is called "King of
the Shy," who sets up a brick on its end and puts a stone upon it, as a
mark for the players to bowl their stones at, which they do
successively. When a player has bowled, if he knocks the stone off the
brick, he may take up his own stone and run back to his bounds, if he
can do so before the king sets his brick and stone up again; but if the
King can touch the player after having set his brick up, he is obliged
to answer a "Why," or be King instead of him. The "Why" must be proposed
by the King, and it may either be a conundrum, or it may contain the
reason of any thing, as, "Why does a stone fall to the ground?" "What
makes the smoke go up the chimney?" If the player cannot answer the
"Why," he is obliged to mind the shy and let the others bowl. Sometimes
it will happen, that of all the boys who have bowled at the shy, not one
has thrown it down; the King then looks sharply at each one who tries to
take up his stone, to touch him. It generally happens, that whilst the
King is pursuing one, who has taken up his stone, to touch him, all the
rest take to their stones, and make off home. But it should have been
said, that by the place from which they bowl, a string is stretched for
a leap, over which a player running from the King is obliged to jump
before he is considered home.
(_Some good Conundrum Questions for this game will be found in the "Book
of Sports," on In-Door Amusements._)
BOMBARDMENT OF A SNOW CASTLE.
There is no game like this for promoting warmth and exercising the
ingenuity. To play this, a Snow Castle, Tower, and Fort must be
constructed, and a Bombardment got up.
When the snow is on the ground, let a party go into a meadow and divide
themselves into two companies, and appoint a general to each. Each
company then takes up its respective position, and proceeds to build a
fort and castle, for defence, on each side; the dexterity with which the
work is performed, and the celerity with which it is accomplished, being
much in favour of those who play. During the building of the castle,
some must be employed as sharp-shooters, who must annoy the builders on
each side with snow balls, and some must be employed in making a store
of snow balls for the magazine. When the castle is commenced, the first
thing to be done is, for several of the builders to make a roll of snow
about eighteen inches in length, and as thick as his arm, and to roll
this on the snow, which will attach itself to it till it forms a large
ball as high as the builders's shoulders. This must be turned over on
its flat side, and as many more as can be arranged in the following
manner, for a fort (supposing the other side to be erecting a castle).
The foundation thus being laid, other balls not quite so large must be
rolled up and laid on the former, so as to make the rampart about four
feet high. Behind this, a single line of snow balls must be placed,
about one foot in height, on which the attacking party may mount to
discharge their balls to the castle opposite. On elevated parts of the
forts, long sticks with pocket-handkerchiefs, as flags, must be raised,
and in the centre, a larger flag should be placed, and it must be the
object of the opposite party to demolish them with their balls. When a
player wishes to throw a ball, he mounts upon one of the inner partings
of snow, discharges his shot, and jumps down behind the parapet for more
shot. The party on the opposite side may build their castle as they
please; but each party should watch each other's movements, and build
their different places of defence or annoyance in such a manner as to
defend themselves and annoy the enemy in the most effective manner. It
may be observed, that the fort must be so constructed with reference to
the castle, that it is brought to bear on every point of it. The two
ends are towers, which should be a foot higher than the ramparts, and
should be made by three snow balls laid one upon the other,--the last
one being turreted, with room for one boy to mount to the top, if
necessary, to discharge his shots. The highest place of all, is the
keep, and should be at least six feet high, with room and steps behind
for two boys to mount. Convenient places should be left behind, where
the ammunition should be piled up.
When the fort or castle is built, each party uses its best efforts for
the demolition of the other, but no one is allowed to make use of his
hands in the demolition of either castle or fort; battering-rams may
alone be employed. In ancient times, battering-rams were large beams,
hooped and shod with iron; but the moderns do things better, and the way
in which it may be done is as follows:--A boy who volunteers to be
battering-ram has his legs tied and then two other boys take him up,
and, swinging him by the arms and legs, force his feet against the
walls of the castle or fort to batter it down, the opposite party
pouring on them, all the while, snow balls heated to a white heat from
the ramparts above. Parties also may go out from one side to the other,
as in playing "Hippas," mounted, and may meet in the open space and
endeavour to pull each other from their horses. If a player on either
side can break over the fort and capture one of the flags without being
touched, he may bring it off and place it on his own ramparts as a
trophy, and the party from whom the flag is captured must not replace
it; but if in this act he is touched, he becomes a prisoner, and must
make snow-balls for his adversaries. Every one who is thrown down,
either from his horse or by any other means, is considered a dead man,
and can do nothing but make snow-balls for the opposite party. When the
flags are all struck on either side by being shot away, or when the men
are all taken prisoners or slain, or when the ramparts are demolished,
the victors may sing, "Old Rose and burn the Bellows."
BANDY BALL OR GOLF.
This game is played with a bat and a small ball; and the game consists
in driving the ball into certain holes made in the ground. Sometimes
these holes from first to last, are at the distance of half a mile or
even more from each other. There are many intervening holes. Those who
drive the ball into the greatest number of holes, of course win the
game; but the ball must never be driven beyond a hole without first
going into it. If the ball passes in the way beyond a hole, the player
is out.
FOOT BALL.
Foot Ball is a very simple game. A large soft ball is procured (which is
now made of Gutta Percha), and the players having assembled and taken
sides, a line is drawn across the playground, and the play commences.
The object of the play is, for each party to kick the ball across the
goal of the other, and to prevent it from passing their own. The party
into whose bounds the ball is kicked, loses the game.
TRUSSING.
This is an excellent game. In some places it is called "Cock Fighting."
To play it, two players must be matched against each other, and one is
sometimes called "Black Cock," and the other "White Cock." They are
seated on a carpet, or, what is better, the floor of the play-room, and
undergo the operation of "trussing." This is performed as follows:--The
hands are first tied with a handkerchief at the wrists. The ancles are
tied in the same manner. The Cock then has his hands brought to his
instep, while his knees pass between his arms, and a short stick is
thrust in under the knees and over the joints of the elbow, and secured
in this situation. The fight now begins by each Cock advancing towards
his enemy, and when they come close to each other, each endeavours, by
inserting his toes under the other's feet, to capsize him and throw him
over on the side; and whoever does this, is entitled to _crow_, and is
winner of the game. There is often a good deal of fun in this game, and
the players can rarely hurt each other.
FOLLOW MY LEADER.
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Follow my Leader is a very good game; and when the Leader is a droll
boy, causes much fun and laughter. The leader starts off at a moderate
pace, and all the other boys, in a line, one after the other, follow
him. They are not only bound to follow him, but do exactly what he does.
If he hops on one leg, or crawls on the ground, or coughs, or sneezes,
or jumps, or rolls, or laughs, all must do the same. If any boy fail to
follow his Leader, he is called the "Ass," and must be ridden by the boy
next him. Sometimes the Leader will leap a ditch, climb a tree, or run
into a river. But boys should be careful of very mad pranks in this
sport.
BLINDMAN'S BUFF.
In this game, a person is blindfolded, and endeavours to catch any one
of the players, who, if caught, is blindfolded and takes his place.
There is another Game something resembling it, called SHADOW BUFF. A
piece of white linen is thrown over a line across the room; between this
screen and close to the wall on one side, a candle is placed, and on the
other side, Buffy is obliged to stand, while the players moving between
the candle and linen show their shadows through it, and Buffy has to
distinguish each person by his shadow. When he does this, the player so
found out becomes Buffy and takes his place.
TIP-CAT.
For this game a piece of wood must be procured about six inches in
length and two inches thick, of the following shape:--
[Illustration]
that is, of a double curve. It will be seen by the shape of this, that
it will fly up as easily as a ball when it is laid in the trap, for the
striker has only to tap one end of it, and up it flies, making many a
summerset as it rises; while it is performing this turn-over motion,
which philosophers call the rotatory, the striker makes a blow at it and
sends it whither he pleases.
The proper way to play the game, is as follows:--A large ring is made on
the ground, in the middle of which the striker takes his station; he
then tips the Cat and endeavours to strike it out of the ring; if he
fail in this, he is out, and another player takes his place. If he
strike the Cat out of the ring, he judges with his eye the distance the
Cat is driven from the centre of the ring, and calls for a number, at
pleasure, to be scored towards the game. The place is now measured by
the stick with which the Cat is struck, and if the number called be
found to exceed the same number of lengths of the cudgel, he is out, but
if it does not, he obtains his call. Another method of playing, is to
make four, six, or eight holes in the ground in a circular direction, at
equal distances from each other, and at every hole is placed a player
with his cudgel. One of the party who stands in the field, tosses the
Cat to the batsman who is nearest to him, and every time the Cat is
struck, the players must change their situations and run over from one
hole to another in succession. If the Cat be driven to any great
distance, they continue to run in the same order, and claim a score
towards their game every time they quit one hole and run to another. But
if the Cat be stopped by their opponents, and thrown across between any
two of the holes before the player who has quitted one of them can reach
the other, he is out.
JINGLING.
This game is common to the West of England, and is called a "Jingling
Match." It is played by a number of players being blindfolded within a
ring formed for the game, and one or two others, termed the "Jinglers,"
not blindfolded, with a bell fastened to their elbow, also enter the
ring. The blinded players have to catch the Jingler, who moves about
rapidly from place to place. He who catches the Jingler wins the game;
but if after a certain time, agreed upon previously by the players, the
Jingler is not caught, he is declared the victor.
FRENCH AND ENGLISH.
French and English is another good game. A rope being provided, two
players stand out, and after having cleeped for first choice, select the
partners. After an equal number has been selected for each side, one
party attaches itself to one end of the rope, and the other party lays
hold of the other: a line is then made on the ground, and each party
endeavours to pull the other over this line. The party succeeding in
this, wins the game.