"Thank you; that is of no use to me," replies the grasshopper, and goes on to the next player. As soon as any one offers the grain of food which the grasshopper has written down the paper must be produced, and the one who guessed the word pays a forfeit and becomes grasshopper. If no one guesses the word, the grasshopper pays a forfeit.
The game then goes on in the same way, except that a different question is asked on the second round.
"Neighbors," says the grasshopper, "I have eaten abundantly and would have a dance. Which would you recommend?"
A waltz, a polka, a quadrille, etc., are suggested, and when this question has gone the round, the grasshopper asks what music he can dance to, and the ants suggest the music of the violin, the piano, cornet, etc. Then the grasshopper says he is tired of dancing and wishes for a bed, and the ants offer him moss, straw, grass, and so on, to lie upon.
"I should sleep very comfortably," the grasshopper says, "but I am in fear of being pounced upon by a hungry bird. What bird have I most reason to fear?" The ants answer: The rook, the lark, the cuckoo, etc.
When the game is ended, the forfeits that have been lost must be called.
The Magic Whistle
All the players but three stand in two rows facing each other. One player sits at the end of the two rows, another leads a third player into the room and makes him kneel down before the player who is seated, and who is called the President.
The President then proceeds to make all sorts of "magic" passes over the kneeler's face, back, and hands. While he is doing this, the boy who led the victim in fastens a whistle to his coat. It must be slung on to a piece of string or tape, and fastened very loosely, so that it can be easily grasped and yet will not knock against the wearer's back.