On the floor or ground mark a circle, the diameter of which is two feet.
The easiest way would be to use a hoople of the correct size, and chalk it all around close to the wood. Be careful not to move the hoople while marking. Therefore, one person would better hold the hoople, while another uses the chalk.
Eight players are required, two and two standing together, taking the same positions as if they were to dance a quadrille. The circle must be in the centre of the space around which they stand, and the players should be six feet from the outer edge.
In the circle place four small articles, three without much value, and the other of some little value. As an example, put in three empty bottles, and one filled with inexpensive perfume, or if you use flowers, put three dandelions, and one half-blown rose. All articles must be laid side by side, and as nearly as possible, in the exact centre of the circle.
When all is ready, the host, being at the piano, should play “Pop Goes the Weasel,” and if the game is played out of doors, the same tune should be hummed or whistled. When the music starts, the head couples join hands and skip to the circle and then back, this must be again and again repeated, until the pianist suddenly stops. Those who have been skipping must then bow to each other wherever they happen to be, also unclasp their hands, and neither run nor walk, but skip as rapidly as possible to the circle; sometimes they are fortunate enough to be by it when the music stops; then at once pick up one of the articles, and skip back to the position held at the time the game started.
These movements must be finished before the musician again commences to play. Then, holding the article in one hand and your partner’s hand in the other, you skip twice around the circle, and return to position. The head couple leading, all the others following after the same order, as the march in a quadrille.
The articles are then put where they were at the game’s start, and the side couples repeat what the head couples have already done.
The musician should allow enough time to make it possible for all the players to pick up an article, but he must not allow too much time, or a prominent feature in the game is missed.
Every one is desirous to pick up the valuable article, but if you are not careful the music will start before you have gotten anything: in that case you must be blindfolded and skip all alone four times around the circle. While you are skipping, the spectators are clapping. Whoever is fortunate enough to have picked up the valuable article, may retain it as a favor. This must therefore have a duplicate, as the side couples have equal chances with the heads.