Blind-Man’s Buff.
A player is led blindfolded into the middle of the room, taken by the shoulders, and turned around three times, after which he must catch somebody to replace him. As he is being turned, the others say:
“How many horses have you in your father’s stable?”
“Three; black, white and gray.”
“Turn about, and turn about, and catch whom you may.”
This game belongs to many countries, and is known by many different names. It is “Blind Cow” in Germany; “Blind Goat” in Sweden; “Blind Mouse” in South Germany and Servia; “Blind Hen” in Spain; “Blind Fly,” or “Blind Cat,” in Italy. To the English name, “Blind-man’s Buff,” correspond the Polish “Blind Old Man,” and the Norwegian “Blind Thief.”
A familiar variation makes this a ring-game. The blindfolded person stands in the centre, with a staff, while the ring circles about him. When he strikes the floor three times, the ring must pause. The person in whose direction he points must grasp the staff, and utter some sound, disguising the voice as much as possible. The first must then guess the name from the sound. This form of the game is called “Peg in the Ring.”