1. Anyone grasping an ankle is safe. So is the owner of the ankle. Any number of people may grasp the same ankle.
2. Anyone not touching an ankle who is tagged, is “It.”
3. A whistle is blown every time a new “It” is put in.
4. A call of “Fruit basket!” makes it necessary for everyone to change his position.
One of the funniest phases of the game is the inevitable situation in which Mr. Jaeck, fat and forty and funny, makes a flying leap for an ankle, only to have the ankle pass on! You know where it leaves that Mr. Jaeck!
Tail Tag.
All players are arranged in columns, four in each column, the one in front with arms stretched out, while the others have their hands on the shoulders of the one in front of them. At a signal the last one in each group steps out to the front and faces his column. He is “It,” and it is his business to catch the tail, the last one of the column. The column, however, does everything possible to prevent his tagging the tail. The one in front with his arms stretched out widely, leads the defense and the rest of the team just hangs on blindly. The leader must keep his arms stiff while “It” tries every possible means of dodging around those arms in his effort to tag the tail. If he succeeds, the tail becomes “It,” while the former “It” goes to the head of the line, and the chase to tag the new tail is on.
In their frantic protection of their tail, someone of a column may fall down. Tell them all beforehand that that offense is forgivable only if they will jump up at once, whether they can or not!
Backward Tag.
Ralph is “It” and is chasing Bob. Bob wants to save himself so he jumps behind Fred and stands with his back against Fred’s back, which makes both Bob and Fred safe. Ralph immediately goes out to catch Billy, but Billy too, flies to find a neighbor with whom he can stand back to back, for anyone who stands with his back against that of another player is safe. But finally Ralph catches Don before he can get to another boy’s back and Don is “It.”