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, and _vice 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 fence the 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.
FOX AND GEESE
(For other games sometimes known by this title, see _Fox Trail_
and, 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.
FOX AND SQUIRREL
_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 TRAIL (DOUBLE RIM)
(Fox and Geese; Half Bushel)
(See also _Fox 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 with chalk. 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.
[Illustration diagram: 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 outer
rim, 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.
[Illustration diagram: 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 TRAIL (SINGLE RIM)
(Fox and Geese; Half Bushel)
(See also _Fox 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 the
spokes 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.
FRENCH TAG
_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. (See _Tag._)
FROG IN THE MIDDLE
_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 more than
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.
GARDEN SCAMP
_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 as possible 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.
GOING TO JERUSALEM
_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 to one 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!"
GOOD MORNING
_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!"
GUESS WHO
_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 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.
GYPSY
_5 to 10 players._
_Indoors; out of doors._
This is one of the traditional dramatic games, obviously an
abbreviated form of _Mother, 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 one
To 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.
HANG TAG
_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.
HAVE YOU SEEN MY SHEEP?
_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 is dressed 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.
HIDE AND SEEK
The following games of hiding and seeking will be found in
alphabetical order:--
Hide and Seek
I spy!
Ring-a-lie-vio
Run, Sheep, Run!
Sardines
Smuggling the Geg
Ten Steps
Yards Off
HIDE AND SEEK
_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."
HIDE THE THIMBLE
(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.
HIGH WINDOWS
_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 too long, 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.
HILL DILL
_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.