CHAPTER III
GAME OF WORDS—PRINCE OF INDIA—EXCHANGE—SHADOW BUFF—TAILLESS DONKEY —THROWING THE HANDKERCHIEF
FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS
You can learn the colors of the flags of all nations by referring to a large dictionary, or to a book on flags. The flags are drawn with colored crayons, or painted in water colors, on a large water-color card, or a sheet of water-color paper. Large cards with numbers down the sides are given to each player, with a pencil. The card of flags is then hung where all can see it, and half an hour is allowed for all to guess the countries to which the flags belong. The answers are written on the individual cards, and the papers are signed with the names of the players.
A prize is given to the player who has the greatest number of correct answers.
ANOTHER GAME OF WORDS
The players, each of whom is supplied with paper and pencil, are divided equally into two sides, and the leader, having selected a word, suppose "notwithstanding," each party sets to work to see how many different words they can make of the same letters. (Thus from the word above suggested may be made "not, with, stand, standing, gin, ton, to, wig, wit, his, twit, tan, has, had, an, nod, tow, this, sat, that, sit, sin, tin, wink, what, who, wish, win, wan, won," and probably a host of others.) A scrutiny is then taken, all words common to both parties being struck out. The remainder are then compared, and the victory is adjudged to the one having the largest number of words.
GRAMMATICAL GAME
This is played by each person drawing, say, twenty letters haphazard, and trying to form them into a phrase or sentence, the palm of merit being awarded to the player who, at the same time, produces the most coherent phrase, and also succeeds in using the greatest proportion of the letters assigned to him.
MENAGERIE
This is a very funny game if the ringmaster keeps up a running fire of witty remarks. He stands in the circle of animals—otherwise guests—and, whip in hand, shows off his animals, and their tricks, singly, and in groups. The lion roars, as well as performs; the dog barks, and performs the tricks he is told to show off; the canary warbles its song; the bee buzzes; the donkey brays, balks and kicks, etc. At the end of the performance there is a grand circus parade, with music.
PRINCE OF INDIA
The players are numbered from one upward.
The leader stands in front of them and says: "The Prince of India has lost his pearl. Did you find it, number seven?" Upon this, number 7 replies, jumping to his feet quickly:
"I, sir, I?"
The leader replies, "Yes, you, sir!"
Number 7 says: "Not I, sir!"
Leader: "Who then, sir, if not you?"
Number 7: "Number 4, sir."
Number 4 jumps up, and says: "What, sir? I, I?"
Leader: "Yes, sir; you, you."
Number 4: "Not I, not I, sir."'
Leader: "Who then, sir?"
Number 4: "Number 2, sir."'
Then number 2 jumps to his feet.
This goes on until the leader reaches the last one in the circle. If he can repeat again "The Prince of India has lost his pearl," before this one can jump to his feet, they exchange places.
EXCHANGE
A blindfolded player stands in the center; the others are seated about him in a circle. Each one is numbered. The blindfolded player calls out two numbers, whereupon the players bearing those numbers exchange places, the blindfolded 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 formed by the chairs.
HUNT THE RING
All the players stand in a circle holding a long cord, which forms an endless band upon which a ring has been slipped before it was joined at the ends. This ring is passed rapidly from one player to another—always on the cord and concealed by the hand—while somebody in the center endeavors to seize the hands of the person who holds it, who, when actually caught, takes his place within the circle.
If the circle is very large, two rings may be slipped upon the cord, and two players placed in the center together.
A small key may be used instead of a ring, while still another variation is to have the concealed object a small whistle with a ring attached. When this is adopted, an amusing phase of the game is to secretly attach a string to the whistle and fasten this to the back of the player in the center by means of a bent pin at the other end of the string. Then while feigning to pass the whistle from hand to hand, it is occasionally seized and blown upon by some one in the ring, toward whom the victim is at that moment turning his back, causing that individual to be greatly puzzled.
SHADOW BLUFF
A sheet being stretched across one end of the room, one of the players being seated upon a low stool facing it, and with his eyes fixed upon it. The only light in the room must be a lamp placed upon a table in the center of the room. Between this lamp and the person on the stool, the players pass in succession, their shadows being thrown upon the sheet in strong relief. The victim of the moment endeavors to identify the other players by their respective shadows, and if he succeeds the detected party must take his place.
It is allowable to make detection as difficult as possible by means of any available disguise that does not conceal the whole person, any grimacing, contortion of form, etc.
GUESSING EYES AND NOSES
A sheet is fastened up between two doors. Holes are cut in it, and some of the party go behind the sheet and stand with their eyes at the holes, while the others must guess to whom the eyes belong. Failing to guess correctly, they must give a forfeit.
THE TAILLESS DONKEY
An amusing game, at which any size party may play and enjoy it for hours. Cut a large figure of a donkey, minus a tail, from dark paper or cloth, and pin it upon a sheet stretched tightly across a door-way. Each player is given a piece of paper, which would fit the donkey for a tail, if applied. On each tail is written the name of the person holding it. When all is ready, the players are blindfolded in turn—placed facing the donkey a few steps back in the room—then turned around rapidly two or three times, and told to advance with the tail held at arm's length, and with a pin previously inserted in the end, attach it to the figure of the donkey wherever they first touch it. When the whole curtain is adorned with tails—(not to mention all the furniture, family portraits, etc., in the vicinity)—and there are no more to pin on, the person who has succeeded in fastening the appendage the nearest to its natural dwelling place, receives a prize, and the player who has given the most eccentric position to the tail entrusted to his care, receives the "booby" prize, generally some gift of a nature to cause a good-humored laugh.
THROWING THE HANDKERCHIEF
A very old and still quite popular game. The company being seated around the room in a circle, some one stationed in the center throws an unfolded handkerchief to one of the seated players. Whoever receives it must instantly throw it to some one else, and so on, while the person in the center endeavors to catch the handkerchief in its passage from one player to another. If he catches it, as it touches somebody, that person must take his place in the center. If it is caught in the air, the player whose hands it last left enters the circle.
The handkerchief must not be knotted or twisted, but thrown loosely.