Muff Drill
Nine girls enter with muffs, made by covering a muff shape of tag board with white tissue paper; on one side of the muff is pasted an owl’s head, on the other a letter to spell the word “Hallowe’en.”
[Enter girls from left stage, in groups of three at a time. Each girl holds muff in right hand. First group marches to front, holds muffs up, down, right, left, to four counts; marches to back of stage and takes position facing audience. The second group of three now enters, goes through the same exercise and takes place in front of the first group. The last group enters, and goes through the same exercise as the others and takes place in front of others. All now march to front of stage keeping positions. Hold muffs up, down, right, left, wave to and fro, back line holds muffs up, second line holds muffs up, front line holds muffs up. Now put both hands in muffs, wave up, down, right, left, to and fro. All hold muffs over faces, lower them and recite]:
See the muffs on Hallowe’en,
Rather out of season;
Why at this hour they are seen,
We’d rather not tell the reason!
We hide our hands, ’tis very true,
And secrets we will keep from you;
Right foot, left foot, whirl ’round about,
The Hallowe’en muffs have all come out.
[Three girls on left side of group and three on right side face their respective sides and march across stage and return to their places. Center three now march around and weave in and out the left and right columns and resume position. All form circle and march around stage holding muffs high above heads, come to front of stage and holding muffs in both hands so letters are seen, recite]:
H.:
Hallowe’en, Hallowe’en,
Witches are seen.
A.:
All the fairy folks come out.
They’ll scare you without any doubt.
L.:
Look above you, look and see,
The owls are hooting merrily.
L.:
Learn to be heard, but never seen,
At this hour on Hallowe’en.
O.:
Over the hilltop, comes a shout,
Jack Frost cries, “Come out, come out!”
W.:
Witches and hobgoblins, too,
Are often on the watch-out for you!
E.:
Elves and fairies, Jack-o’-Lanterns, too,
Are waiting to scare you, it is true.
E.:
Every year strange sights are seen,
Out in the woods on Hallowe’en.
N.:
Now the last line we have spoken,
Witches’ spell is broken, broken.
[They all sing.]
Tune: “Blue Bells of Scotland.”
1.
Oh where, and oh where, is our witch on Hallowe’en?
Oh where, and oh where, is our witch on Hallowe’en?
She’s gone to scare you all,
For what reason we can’t tell;
So we sing you a song,
And we wish you very well.
[They continue singing.]
2.
Oh where, and oh where, is the black cat on Hallowe’en? etc.
3.
Oh where, and oh where, is Brownie Boy on Hallowe’en? etc.
4.
Oh where, and oh where, is the wise owl on Hallowe’en?
[At completion of the fourth verse they quickly whirl muffs around to show owl’s head, turn, and skip out right and left.]