Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium

by Jessie H. Bancroft

The holder answers, "Fine," if a boy, and "Superfine," if a girl, and adds, "What must the owner do to redeem it?"

The judge then pronounces sentence. Part of the sport of this imposing of penalties for forfeits is the ignorance of the judge as to who is the owner of the forfeit.

The following penalties are appropriate for the paying of forfeits, and many of the feats previously described are also suitable.

The practice of forfeits is prehistoric, and is thought to have originated in the custom of paying ransom for immunity from punishment for crimes. As used in games of later years, the main object has been to make the offender ridiculous.

AFFIRMATIVE, THE.—A player is required to ask a question that cannot be answered in the negative. The question is, "What does y-e-s spell?"

BLARNEY STONE.—The player is required to pay a compliment to each person in the room in turn.

BLIND WALTZ.—Two players are blindfolded and told to waltz together.

CHEW THE STRING.—Two bonbons are wrapped in paper and tied each to a piece of string six yards in length. These are placed on the floor at a distance from each other, the free end of each string being given to one of the two players who are assigned to this penalty. At a signal, each player puts his piece of string in his mouth, and with hands behind back chews rapidly at the string, trying to get it all into the mouth. The one who first gets to his piece of candy is rewarded by having both pieces.

CONSTANTINOPLE.—The player is required to "Spell Constantinople, one syllable at a time." As soon as he gets to the letter "i," all of the other players shout the following syllable, "No!" The speller naturally thinks that he has made a mistake, and commences again. Each time that he gets to the letter "i," the same cry of "No" is made, and the poor victim may become very much confused, and doubt his own memory as to spelling before he discovers the trick.

CORDIAL GREETING, A.—This penalty is imposed upon two players at once. They are blindfolded and led to opposite corners of the room. They are then told to go toward each other and shake hands.