Read Ebook: My Book of Indoor Games by Squareman Clarence

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Ebook has 879 lines and 43989 words, and 18 pages

Third player: "Almonds?" "No."

Fourth player: "Asparagus?" "No."

Fifth player: "Artichoke?" "Yes."

The last player, having guessed correctly, may now apprentice his son. No player is allowed more than one guess.

CAT AND MOUSE

The children sit in two rows opposite each other with a space between. One child takes the place of "cat," being blindfolded, and one takes the place of "mouse," and is also blindfolded, the cat standing at one end of the row and the mouse at the opposite end. They start in opposite directions, guiding themselves by the chairs, the cat trying to catch the mouse. When the mouse is caught it is made the cat, and one of the company takes the place of the mouse.

THE SEA KING

This game can be played by any number of children. They proceed by first choosing one of the party to act as the Sea King, whose duty it is to stand in the center of a ring, formed by the players seating themselves round him. The circle should be as large as possible. Each of the players having chosen the name of a fish, the King runs round the ring, calling them by the names which they have selected.

Each one, on hearing his name called, rises at once, and follows the King, who, when all his subjects have left their seats, calls out, "The sea is troubled," and seats himself suddenly. His example is immediately followed by his subjects. The one who fails to obtain a seat has then to take the place of King, and the game is continued.

BUFF SAYS "BAFF"

This is a game in which no one is allowed to smile or laugh. All the players, except one, sit in a row or half circle; one goes out of the room and returns with a stick or poker in his hand, and a very grave and solemn face. He is supposed to have just returned from a visit to Buff. The first player asks him: "Where do you come from?" "From Buff." The next asks: "Did he say anything to you?" To which the reply is:

"Buff said 'Baff,' And gave me this staff, Telling me neither to smile nor to laugh. Buff says 'Baff,' to all his men, And I say 'Baff' to you again. And he neither laughs nor smiles, In spite of all your cunning wiles, But carries his face with a very good grace, And passes his staff to the very next place."

If he can repeat all this without laughing, he delivers up his staff to some one else, and takes his seat; but if he laughs, or even smiles, he pays a forfeit before giving it up.

BLIND MAN'S BUFF

In the olden times this game was known by the name of "Hood-man Blind," as in those days the child that was chosen to be "blind man" had a hood placed over his head, which was fastened at the back of the neck.

In the present day the game is called "Blind Man's Buff," and very popular it is among young folk.

Before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toys and footstools put out of the way. The child having been selected who is to be "Blind Man" or "Buff," is blindfolded. He is then asked the question, "How many horses has your father got?" The answer is "Three," and to the question: "What color are they?" he replies: "Black, white, and gray." All the players then cry: "Turn round three times and catch whom you may." Buff accordingly spins round and then the fun commences. He tries to catch the players, while they in their turn do their utmost to escape "Buff," all the time making little sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of the players is caught, when Buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. If the guess is a correct one, the player who has been caught takes the part of "Buff," and the former "Buff" joins the ranks of the players.

PUSS IN THE CORNER

This game is really for five players only, but, by a little arrangement, six or seven children can take part in the fun.

Four players take their places in the different corners of the room, while the fifth stands in the middle. If a greater number of children wish to play, other parts of the room must be named "corners," so that there is a corner for every one.

The fun consists in the players trying to change places without being caught; but they are bound to call "Puss, puss," first, and to beckon to the one they wish to change with. Directly they leave their corners, the player in the center tries to get into one of them.

When the center player succeeds in getting into a corner, the one who has been displaced has to take his place in the middle of the room.

THE POSTMAN

For this game all the players, except two, seat themselves in a circle. One of the two left out is blindfolded and is called the "Postman," the other is called the "Postmaster-General." Each of the players seated in the circle chooses the name of a town, which the "Post-master-General" writes down on a slip of paper, so that he may not forget it. He then calls out the names of two towns, thus: "The post from Aberdeen to Calcutta." At once, the players who have taken those names must change places, and while doing so the "Postman" must try to catch one of them. If he succeeds in doing so he takes his place in the circle, having chosen a town for his name, and the one caught becomes "Postman" in place of him. Sometimes "General post" is called, when all have to change places, and the "Postman" is then almost sure to gain a seat.

THE DWARF

This is a most amusing game if well carried out. The two performers must be hidden behind two curtains in front of which a table has been placed.

One of the performers slips his hands into a child's socks and little shoes. He must then disguise his face, by putting on a false mustache, painting his eyebrows, sticking pieces of black court plaster over one or two of his teeth, which will make it appear as though he has lost several teeth. This, with a turban on his head, will prove a very fair disguise. The second performer must now stand behind the first and pass his arms round him, so that the second performer's hands may appear like the hands of the dwarf, while the first performer's hands make his feet. The figure must, of course, be carefully dressed, and the body of the second performer hidden behind the curtains.

The front player now puts his slippered hands upon the table and begins to keep time, while the other performer follows suit with his hands.

The dwarf can be used either to tell fortunes, make jokes, or ask riddles, and if the performers act their parts well, the guests will laugh very heartily.

HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE

One of the company goes out of the room, while the others choose a word to be guessed, one with two or three different meanings being the best.

We will suppose that the word "Spring" has been thought of. When the person who is outside the room is recalled, he asks each one in succession: "How do you like it?" The answers may be "Dry" , "Cold and clear" , "Strong" , and "High" . The next question is: "When do you like it?" The answers may be: "When I am in the country," "When I am thirsty," "When my watch is broken."

The next question is: "Where do you like it?" and the answers may be: "Anywhere and everywhere," "In hot weather," "In the clock." The game is to try and guess the word after any of the answers, and if right, the player last questioned takes the place of the one who is guessing; if wrong, the questioner must try again.

OLD SOLDIER

Old Soldier is a game for young children, and though it seems very simple, yet there is a good deal of fun in it. One of the children pretends to be an old soldier, and goes round begging of each of the other players in turn, saying that he is "poor, and old, and hungry," and asking what they will do for him or give him. In answering the Old Soldier, no one must say the words: "Yes," "No," "Black," or "White," and he must be answered at once without hesitation. Any one who does not reply at once, or who uses any of the forbidden words, must pay a forfeit.

BOB MAJOR

Two of the players sit down, and a cloth, large enough to prevent their seeing anything, is put over their heads. Then two other persons tap them on the head with long rolls of paper, which they have in their hands, and ask, in feigned voices, "Who bobs you?" If either of those who have been tapped answers correctly, he changes places with the one who has tapped him.

DUMB CRAMBO

Divide the company into two equal parts, one-half leaving the room; the remaining players should then select a word, which will have to be guessed by those outside the door. When the word has been chosen--say, for instance, the word "will"--the party outside the room are told that the word they are to guess rhymes with "till." A consultation then takes place, and they may think that the word is "ill." The company then enter and begin to act the word "ill," but without speaking a word. The audience, when they recognize the word that is being performed, will immediately hiss, and the actors then retire and think of another word.

Thus the game goes on until the right word is hit upon, when the company who have remained in the room, clap their hands. The audience then change places with the actors.

TRADES

Each player must choose a trade and pretend to be working at it. For instance, if he is a tailor, he must pretend to sew or iron; if a blacksmith, to hammer, and so on. One is the king, and he, too, chooses a trade. Every one works away as hard as he can until the king suddenly gives up his trade, and takes up that of some one else. Then all must stop, except the one whose business the king has taken, and he must start with the king's work. The two go on until the king chooses to go back to his own trade, when all begin working again. Any one who fails either to cease working or to begin again at the right time, must pay a forfeit.

A somewhat more elaborate and livelier game of Trades is played by each boy in the party choosing a trade which he is supposed to be carrying on. The leader must invent a story, and, standing in the middle, must tell it to the company. He must manage to bring in a number of names of trades or businesses; and whenever a trade is mentioned, the person who represents it must instantly name some article sold in the shop.

THE SCHOOLMASTER

This is always a favorite game. One of the players is chosen schoolmaster, and the others, ranged in order in front of him, form the class. The master may then examine the class in any branch of learning. Suppose him to choose Geography, he must begin with the pupil at the head of the class, and ask for the name of a country or town beginning with A. If the pupil does not reply correctly before the master has counted ten, he asks the next pupil, who, if he answers rightly--say, for instance, "America," or "Amsterdam," in time, goes to the top of the class. The schoolmaster may go on in this way through the alphabet either regularly or at random, as he likes. Any subject--names of kings, queens, poets, soldiers, etc.--may be chosen. The questions and answers must follow as quickly as possible. Whoever fails to answer in time, pays a forfeit.

RULE OF CONTRARY

This is a simple game for little children. It is played either with a pocket-handkerchief, or, if more than four want to play, with a table-cloth or small sheet. Each person takes hold of the cloth; the leader of the game holds it with the left hand, while with the right he makes pretense of writing on the cloth while he says: "Here we go round by the rule of contrary. When I say 'Hold fast,' let go; and when I say 'Let go,' hold fast." The leader then calls out one or other of the commands, and the rest must do the opposite, of what he says. Any one who fails must pay a forfeit.

SIMON SAYS

Seat yourselves in a circle and choose one of the company to be the leader, or Simon. His duty is to order all sorts of different things to be done, the funnier the better, which must be obeyed only when the order begins with "Simon says." As, for instance, "Simon says: 'Thumbs up!'" which, of course, all obey; then perhaps comes: "Thumbs down!" which should not be obeyed, because the order did not commence with "Simon says."

Each time this rule is forgotten a forfeit must be paid. "Hands over eyes," "Stamp the right foot," "Pull the left ear," etc., are the kind of orders to be given.

THE BIRD-CATCHER

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