Chapter 6

One player is chosen for cat and one for rat. The others all form a circle with clasped hands. The cat stands outside of the circle and the rat inside. The game opens with a conversation between the cat and rat.

The cat says:--

"I am the cat."

The rat says:--

"I am the rat."

"I will catch you!"

"You can't!"

This last defiance is a signal for a chase. The cat tries to get into the circle, and the rat tries to evade him. Both may run in and out of the circle, but the players will assist the rat by raising their hands to let him run under, and they will try to foil the efforts of the cat by preventing his breaking through the circle, either inward or outward.

When the rat is caught, he joins the circle and the cat becomes rat, a new cat being chosen from the circle players.

This game is a great favorite with young children, and though very similar in its general form to Bull in the Ring, the slight difference of the circle assisting the rat and hindering the cat makes a great difference in the playing qualities of the game, rendering it much less rough than Bull in the Ring.

CATCH AND PULL TUG OF WAR

_10 to 100 players._

_Gymnasium; playground._

Any number of players may engage in this contest, which is one of the best for a large number, containing as it does both excellent sport and vigorous exercise.

A line is drawn down the middle of the playing space. The players are divided into two parties and stand one party on either side of the line. The game starts on a signal and consists in catching hold of an opponent by any part of his body, as hand, arm, or foot, reaching over the line and so pulling him across the boundary. Any number of players may try to secure a hold on an opponent and any number may come to his rescue and try to resist his being pulled over the line, either by pulling him in the opposite direction or by trying to secure a hold on one of the opponents. A player does not belong to the enemy until his entire body has been pulled over the line. He must then join his captors in trying to secure players from across the line. The party wins which has the largest number of players at the end of time limits.

CATCH OF FISH

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This is one of the very strenuous games, and affords opportunity for some very good exercise and sport.

A line is drawn across each end of the playground, beyond which the players stand in two equal parties, one at one end and one at the other. The players of one party clasp hands to form a fish net. The players in the other party are fish. At a given signal both advance toward the center of the playground, which represents a stream, the object of the fish being to swim across to the opposite shore without being caught in the net. To do this they will naturally dodge around the ends of the net.

The net should inclose or encircle any fish that it catches. The fish so caught may not try to break apart the clasped hands forming the net, but may escape only through the opening where the two ends come together. Should the net break at any point by an unclasping of hands, the fish are all allowed to escape, and the players go back to their respective goals and begin over again. Any fish caught in the net are thereafter out of the game until all are caught. After the net has made one catch, the sides exchange parts, those of the fish that are left forming the new net, and the first net crossing to the other side and becoming fish. The two sides thus exchange places and parts, until all on one side are caught.

For a large number of players it is better to have two small nets instead of one large one, the dodging being livelier and the progress of the game more rapid in every way.

CATCH THE CANE

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

The players, who should be numbered consecutively, stand in a circle or semicircle. One player stands in the center of the circle or in front of the semicircle, with his index finger on the top of a cane, wand, or closed umbrella, which stands perpendicularly to the floor. Suddenly he lifts his finger from the cane, at the same time calling the number assigned to one of the players in the circle. The person whose number is called must run forward and catch the cane before it lies on the floor. If he fails, he must return to his place in the circle; if successful, he changes places with the center player.

This game may have a great deal of sport in it if the action be kept lively and the one who is calling the numbers gives them in unexpected order, sometimes repeating a number that has recently been given, then giving a few in consecutive order, and then skipping over a long series, etc.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.--When played in the schoolroom, the player with the cane should stand in the center of the front of the room. The other players--part of the class at a time--may be lined up in front of the first row of desks, or only the players seated in the first row of seats may be called, according to the number of their row. At the discretion of the teacher this row may change to the rear row of seats, each line moving up one seat to make room for them.

This is an admirable game for making alert and active, children who are slow or dull.

CAVALRY DRILL

_10 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This is a game of leapfrog.

I. Two players make a back. They stand with backs to the jumpers and place their inside hands on each other's shoulders with arms extended at full length to leave a space between. The jumper places a hand on each of the inside shoulders. The push will be away from the center and the backs will need to brace themselves for this.

II. A back is made by two or more players standing close together with sides toward the jumpers, thus making a back several widths deep to jump over.

For whichever form of back is used, any player failing to clear the back without touching it is out of the game, the first two failing becoming backs for the next round when all have jumped. For large numbers of players this may be played as a competition between different groups.

CENTIPEDE

_9 to 12 players._

_Gymnasium; seashore._

The players sit in a circle on the floor, with their feet stretched out and mingled in a promiscuous pile. One player, who is leader, and stands outside the circle, touches one of the feet (he may mark it slightly with a piece of chalk if desired), and calling on some player by name, commands him to tell to whom the foot belongs. When this player has named some one, the leader commands the owner of the foot to stand up. If the guess be wrong, the leader chases the mistaken player and whips him with a knotted handkerchief. If the guess be right, the guesser is released from the game, sits down at one side, and chooses the next one to be It, while the one who was It takes a place in the circle.

This game lends itself especially to the gymnasium or seashore, where the dressing of the feet is inclined to be uniform.

The game is played by the modern Greeks.

CHANGING SEATS

_20 to 60 players._

_Schoolroom._

This game is played in several different forms. The following are very popular.

CHANGING SEATS--I

The teacher gives the command, "Change right!" whereupon each pupil slips from his own seat to the one across the aisle to the right, the pupils in the farthest right-hand row standing in the outside aisle. The next order may be, "Change left!" when all of the pupils slip back to their own seats, and the row that stood resumes its own.

In the same way the orders, "Change forward!" and "Change backward!" may be given, the row of pupils left out each time merely standing in the aisles.

CHANGING SEATS--II

In this form of the game the players in the displaced row run around the room and take the vacant row of seats on the opposite side. For instance, the teacher gives an order, "Change left!" whereupon all the pupils slip over into the seats next to them on the left, the outside row on the left side of the room standing in the aisle. The teacher then says "Run!" whereupon the pupils who are standing run across the front of the room and take the vacant row of seats on the right-hand side. The teacher may then again say, "Change left!" whereupon the entire class, as now seated, moves one place to the left, the outside players standing in the aisle as did their predecessors; on the command "Run!" they, too, run across the room and take the vacant row of seats on the right-hand side. The command may be given, "Change forward!" after which the displaced players run around the side of the room and take the vacant places at the rear; or if the command be "Backward!" the displaced players run forward and take the front row of seats.

The sport of the game consists in rapid changes and unexpected variations in the orders given by the teacher. With right conditions the command to run may be omitted, the displaced row of pupils understanding that they are to run as soon as they stand.

The action of the game may be slightly quickened by having the running row divide, half running around the room in one direction and half in the other. For instance, if the players in the right-hand row have been displaced, half of them may run to the rear of the room to reach the rear half of the outer row of seats on the opposite side, and the other half run across the front of the room to the forward half of this row of seats.

CHARLEY OVER THE WATER

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Parlor; gymnasium; playground._

One player is chosen to be Charley, and if there be more than twenty players there should be two or more Charlies, to make the action more rapid. Charley stands in the center; the other players join hands in a circle around him and dance around, repeating the rhyme:--

"Charley over the water, Charley over the sea. Charley catch a blackbird, Can't catch me!"

As the last word is said, the players stoop, and Charley tries to tag them before they can get into that position. Should he succeed, the player tagged changes places with him.

CHICKADEE-DEE

_5 to 10 players._

_Dark room._

This game is a good one for the loft of an old barn on a rainy day. The writer obtained the game from a group of boys, who found it one of their chief sports used in this way.

It is necessary to prepare in advance a rather large, soft bag; an oat sack or potato bag may be used. This should be nearly filled with dry leaves or some substitute, and the end gathered up and tied with a string, so as to leave quite a hilt or handle for a firm grasp. All light is shut out of the place, so that the sense of hearing will be the only guide in the game.

One player, who is It, is seated on the floor in the center of the loft or room, and holds the sack. The object of the game for this player is to tag or touch any of the other players with the sack without leaving his sitting position on the floor. The object of the other players, who are scattered promiscuously, is to approach as near as possible to the center player, taking him unaware, with a taunting cry of "Chickadee-dee!" close to his ear.

The game starts in perfect silence and darkness. A player steals up to the center man, calls "Chickadee-dee!" and darts back again as quickly as possible, the center man whirling his bag around in a circle and hitting out with it in the direction of the voice, trying to hit this player. While he is doing this, another player from some other direction repeats the call of "Chickadee-dee!" close to his ear, and darts back or dodges. Any tactics may be used for dodging, such as dropping to the floor, jumping, or the more usual modes of dodging.

Any player hit with the bag exchanges places with the one in the center.

CHICKEN MARKET

_5 to 20 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

This is one of the traditional dramatic games.

One player is chosen to be market man and another buyer; the rest of the players are chickens; they stoop down in a row and clasp their hands under their knees. The buyer approaches the market man and asks, "Have you any chickens for sale?" The market man answers, "Yes, plenty; will you walk around and try them?" Whereupon the buyer goes up to different chickens and tests them by laying over the head his clasped hands, palms downward and pressing inward. The buyer pretends to be dissatisfied with some of the chickens, saying, "This one is too tough," "This one is too old," "This one is too fat," etc., until at last he finds one that suits him, the chickens being supposed to go through this ordeal without smiling.

When a chicken is found that appears to be satisfactory, the buyer and the market man take him by the arms, one on either side, he still remaining in his first position with hands clasped under the knees, and swing him forward and backward three times. Should he stand this test without loosening his own grasp, he is supposed to be all right, and the buyer leads him off to the opposite side of the playground, or home. The game continues until all of the chickens are sold. Any chicken that smiles, or whose arms give way in the swinging test, must pay a forfeit, all of the forfeits being redeemed at the close of the game. Where there are more than ten players, there should be two or more buyers and sellers.

This game is played in various countries: in England as a "Sale of Honey Pots," in China as a "Fruit Sale," etc. The version here given is from Italy.

CHICKIDY HAND

_5 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

One player is chosen to be It, and stands near a post with the fingers of his hands interlocked. The other players, each clasping his own hands in the same way, crowd around the post and touch it with the clasped hands. The one who is It counts ten, whereupon the players all run, the one who is It trying to tag any of them. None of the players may unclasp their hands until they are tagged, whereupon they are prisoners and clasp hands with It, forming a line which thereafter is the tagging line, though only the original It may tag the other players. The game is a contest between the tagging line, which tries to recruit and retain its numbers, and the free players, who try (1) to avoid being captured for the tagging line, and (2) to reduce the tagging line by breaking through it; but the players in the line must resist this. Each time that the line is broken, the one of the two players (whose hands were parted) who stands toward the head of the line is dropped out of the game. A free player may not be tagged after he has thrown himself upon (touched) a pair of hands that he is trying to part. The last player caught by the tagging line is the winner and becomes It for the next game.

CHINESE CHICKEN

_5 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom; seashore._

This game is played with small blocks of wood or bean bags. Stones, or, at the seashore, bathing slippers, may be used instead. These are placed in straight rows of five to fifteen each, with intervals of about ten inches between them. The players are divided into groups numbering from five to ten each, and line up as for a relay race, each before one row of blocks or bags.

The game is played in the same way by each row of players, and while the game may be competitive between the different groups, in its original form it is for one group only. The first player in a group represents a "lame chicken," and hops on one foot over each bag until the end of the line of bags has been reached. The last bag is then kicked away by the "lame" (lifted) foot, after which it must be picked up and carried back over the same route to the first end of the line, when the same player hops back on the opposite foot, kicks away a second bag, picks it up and returns, and so on until he fails. Only one foot may touch the ground at a time, and may touch it but once in each space between the bags. No bag may be touched except the one at the end of the line, which is afterward picked up, and this must be secured without putting the lame foot upon the ground.

When the "chicken" infringes any of these rules, he must at once give place to another. The winner is the player who has at the end of the game the greatest number of bags.

This is a Chinese game, taken by kind permission of the author from Miss Adèle Fielde's _A Corner of Cathay_. The Chinese children play it with their shoes in place of the bean bag or block of wood.

CHINESE WALL

_10 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The Chinese wall is marked off by two parallel lines straight across the center of the playground, leaving a space between them of about ten feet in width, which represents the wall. On each side of the wall, at a distance of from fifteen to thirty feet, a parallel line is drawn across the ground. This marks the safety point or home goal for the besiegers.

One player is chosen to defend the wall, and takes his place upon it. All of the other players stand in one of the home goals. The defender calls "Start!" when all of the players must cross the wall to the goal beyond, the defender trying to tag as many as he can as they cross; but he may not overstep the boundaries of the wall himself. All so tagged join the defender in trying to secure the rest of the players during future sorties. The game ends when all have been caught, the last player taken being defender for the next game.

This is a capital game for both children and older players, as it affords opportunity for some very brisk running and dodging, especially if the playground be wide. It differs from Hill Dill and several other games of the sort in that there is a more limited space in which the center catcher and his allies are confined.

CIRCLE RACE

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The players stand in a circle a considerable distance apart and face around in single file in the same direction. At a signal all start to run, following the general outline of the circle, but each trying to pass on the outside the runner next in front of him, tagging as he passes. Any player passed in this way drops out of the race. The last player wins. At a signal from a leader or teacher, the circle faces about and runs in the opposite direction. As this reverses the relative position of runners who are gaining or losing ground, it is a feature that may be used by a judicious leader to add much merriment and zest to the game.

CIRCLE RELAY

_9 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The players stand in three or more divisions in single file, facing to a common center. In this formation they radiate like the spokes of a wheel. On a signal from a leader, the outer player of each file faces to the right. On a second signal, these outer players all run in a circle in the direction in which they are facing. The object of the game is to see which runner will first get back to his place. The one winning scores one point for his line. Immediately upon the announcement of the score, these runners all step to the inner end of their respective files, facing to the center, the files moving backward to make room for them. The signals are repeated, and those who are now at the outer end of each file face and then run, as did their predecessors. The line scoring the highest when all have run wins the game.

CIRCLE SEAT RELAY

_10 to 60 players._

_Schoolroom._

This game starts with the players all seated, and with an even number in each row. At a signal, the last player in each row runs forward on the right-hand side of his seat, runs around the front desk, and returns on the left-hand side of his own row. As soon as he is seated, he touches the player next in front on the shoulder, which is a signal for this one to start. He runs in the same way. This is continued until the last player, which in this case is the one sitting in the front seat, has circled his desk and seated himself with hand upraised. The line wins whose front player first does this.

This is one of the best running games for the schoolroom. As in all such games, seated pupils should strictly observe the rule of keeping their feet out of the aisles and under the desks.

Players must observe strictly the rule of running forward on the right-hand side and backward in the next aisle, else there will be collisions.

CLAM SHELL COMBAT

_2 to 30 players._

_Out of doors; seashore._

Each of the players is provided with an equal number of clam shells; the players then pair off in twos for the combat. Which of the two shall have the first play is decided by the players each dropping a clam shell from a height of three feet. The one whose shell falls with the hollow or concave side down has the first play. Should it be a tie, the trials are repeated until one player is chosen in this way. The play then opens with the unsuccessful player putting a clam shell on the ground, when the opponent throws another shell at it, trying to break it. If he succeeds, the opponent must put down another shell. This is kept up indefinitely, until a player's shells have all been won by the opposing thrower, or until the thrower fails to hit a shell, or his own breaks in doing so. Whenever one of these things occurs, he loses his turn, and must put down a shell for the opponent to throw at. The player wins who retains an unbroken shell the longest.

Where there is a considerable number of players, they may be divided into opposing parties, the players stepping forward in turn at the call of their respective captains.

This is a Korean game, reported by Mr. Culin.

CLUB SNATCH

_10 to 60 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This is one of the best competitive chasing games.

A goal is marked off across each end of the playground. Midway between the goals, an Indian club is placed; a handkerchief or other similar object may be used, placed on some support--on a stake driven into the ground, laid over a rock or stool, or hung on the end of a branch. A stone or dumb-bell laid on the ground may be substituted. In line with the club a starting base is marked on each goal line.

The players are divided into two equal parties, each having a captain. Each party takes its place in one of the goals. The object of the game is for one of the runners to snatch the club and return to his goal before a runner from the opposite goal tags him, both leaving their starting bases at the same time on a signal. The players on each team run in turn, the captains naming who shall run each time.

The captains toss for first choice of runners; the one who wins names his first runner, who steps to the running base, whereupon the competing captain names a runner to go out against him, trying to select one of equal or superior ability. Thereafter the captains take turns as to who shall first designate a runner.

When there is a large number of players, or very limited time, a different method may be used for selecting the runners. All of the players should then line up according to size, and number consecutively by couples. That is, the first couple would be number one, the second, number two, the third, number three, etc. The couples then divide, one file going to one team and the other to the opposite team. The players run thereafter according to number, the numbers one competing, and so on. Each player may run but once until all on the team have run, when each may be called a second time, etc. To avoid confusion, the players who have run should stand on one side of the starting base, say the right, and those who have not run, to the left.