“Mind you are all good children.”
The Wolf comes directly the Shepherd goes out of sight, and takes away one of the Sheep. Shepherd comes back and begins to distribute the different things—
“Sunday, Monday,——why, where’s Tuesday?” (or Wednesday, as the case may be.)
The Children cry in chorus—
“Old Wolf came down the chimney and took him (or her) away.”
This formula is repeated till all the children (sheep) are stolen.
The Shepherd now goes to the Wolf’s house to look for his sheep—
Shepherd—“Good morning, have you seen my sheep?”
Wolf—“Yes, they went down Red Lane.”
[Shepherd looks down Red Lane.]
Shepherd—“I’ve been down Red Lane, and they’re not there.”
Wolf—“I’ve just seen them pass, they’re gone down Green Lane,” &c. These questions and answers continue as long as the children’s fancy holds out; then the Shepherd comes back.
Shepherd—“I’ve looked everywhere, and can’t find them. I b’lieve you’ve got them? I smell meat; may I go up and taste your soup?”
Wolf—“You can’t go upstairs, your shoes are too dirty.”
Shepherd—“I’ll take off my shoes” (pretends to take them off).
Wolf—“Your stockings are too dirty.”
Shepherd—“I’ll take off my stockings” (suits the action).
Wolf—“Your feet are too dirty.”
Shepherd—“I’ll cut my feet off” (pretends to cut them off).
(Milder version, “I’ll wash my feet.”)
Wolf—“Then the blood’ll run about.”
(Milder version, “Then they’ll wet my carpet.”)
Shepherd—“I’ll tie up my feet.”
(Or, “I’ll wipe my feet”)
Wolf—-“Well, now you may go up.”
Shepherd—“I smell my sheep.”
The Shepherd then goes to one child, pretends to taste—using fingers of both hands as though holding a spoon and fork—on the top of the child’s head, saying, “That’s my sheep,” “That’s Tuesday,” &c., till he comes to the end of the row, then they all shout out and rush home to the fold, the Wolf with them. A fresh Shepherd and Wolf are chosen, and the game starts once more.—Cornwall (Miss I. Barclay).
One player is chosen to be the Shepherd, another the Thief, and the rest the sheep, who are arranged in a long row. The Shepherd pretends to be asleep; the Thief takes away one of the sheep and hides it; he then says—