Games for Everybody Part 7

A forfeit should be paid by everyone who is caught, and the fisherman can exchange places if he wishes.

MALAGA GRAPES.

All the players sit in a circle and one who knows the trick takes a small cane in his right hand; then, taking it in his left hand, he pa.s.ses it to his neighbor, saying: "Malaga grapes are very good grapes; the best to be had in the market." He tells his neighbor to do the same.

Thus the cane pa.s.ses from one to the other, each one telling about the grapes; but if any should pa.s.s the stick with the right hand, a forfeit must be paid. The trick must not be told until it has gone around the circle once or twice.

PART II.

GAMES FOR ADULTS

SPOON PICTURES.

It will be necessary for two of the players to know how to play the game. One is sent out of the room, and the other remains inside to take a picture of one of the guests. This is done by holding up a spoon or some polished surface to a player's face.

When the picture is taken, the one outside is called in, given the spoon, told to look at it, and guess whose picture it is. In a short time she has guessed correctly, to the amazement of the guests. She leaves the room again, while another picture is taken, is called in, and guesses that, and so on.

If any guest thinks he can do it, he may have a trial, but he may fail. Finally it is discovered that the one who remained inside and took the pictures sits in exactly the same position as the person whose picture was taken. If his feet were crossed and his hands folded, the leader will take that position. If another person is in that position, the one who guesses waits until one makes a change, and thus the name may be guessed.

BOOTS, WITHOUT SHOES.

All the players are sent out of the room. The leader remains inside and calls one player in. They both sit down together and the leader says: "Say just what I say. Say boots, without shoes." (With a short pause after boots.) The victim may repeat the whole sentence and the leader says, "No, I want you to say boots, without shoes," and thus it may go on until the leader has given the simple statement in all sorts of tones and expressions, and finally, the player realizes that when told to say "Boots, without shoes," she must simply say "Boots."

Each player in turn is called in and put through the ordeal, affording much amus.e.m.e.nt for those already in the room, until all have guessed it and laughed over it.

PROVERBS.

Any number of persons may play this game. One is sent out of the room while the rest choose some proverb. Then he is called in and asks each player in turn a question. In the answer, no matter what the question is, one word of the proverb must be given.

Suppose the proverb "Make hay while the sun s.h.i.+nes" is taken, then player No. 1 would have "Make"; No. 2, "hay"; No. 3, "while"; No. 4, "the"; No. 5, "sun"; No. 6, "s.h.i.+nes"; No. 7, "make"; etc., giving each player a word, often repeating the proverb several times.

The answers to the questions must be given quickly, and no special word emphasized. Often the one guessing will have to go around several times before he can discover any word which will reveal the proverb. The one whose answer gave the clue must leave the room next, and it becomes his turn to guess.

ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, OR MINERAL.

When the party is large, this game affords much amus.e.m.e.nt. One player is sent out of the room. While he is gone the players decide upon some object which he is to guess. He is then called in, and asks each one a question.

The answers to the questions must be either "Yes" or "No," and a forfeit must be paid if any other answer is given.

Suppose the object chosen is a piece of coal in the fireplace. The player will begin by finding out whether the object chosen is of the animal, vegetable, or mineral kingdom; thus the following questions may be asked: "Is it a mineral?" "Yes." "Is it hard?" "Yes." "Is it very valuable?" "No." "Is it bright and s.h.i.+ny?" "Yes." "Is it gold?"

"No." "Silver?" "No." "Is it in this room?" "Yes." "Is it black?"

"Yes." "Is it a piece of coal?" "Yes."

The correct object being guessed, another player is sent out and the game continues.

WHAT TIME IS IT?

It requires two players who understand this game, a leader and his accomplice. The accomplice leaves the room, while the leader and the rest remain inside. The leader asks the players what hour they will choose for the accomplice to guess. One will say: "Four o'clock." The a.s.sistant is called in and he questions the leader, saying: "Well, what time is it?" The leader answers thus: "Don't you know?"; next, "Doubtless, dancing time." The a.s.sistant immediately answers "Four o'clock," to the amazement of the company.

The key is that each hour, from 1 to 12 o'clock has been named according to the letters of the alphabet in rotation, from A to K, The leader, in answering, must be very careful to begin each answer with the letter indicating the chosen hour; thus in the above the a.s.sistant noticed that each answer began with "d," and "d" being the fourth letter, four o'clock was the time chosen. Only the exact hours must be chosen. As the different players think they understand the game, they may take the a.s.sistant's place, and many ludicrous mistakes will be the result until the game has been explained to all.

IT.

One of the players who does not know the game is sent out of the room. While he is gone, the others are supposed to be thinking of some person whom he is to guess when he comes in, but it is arranged that each one describes his right hand neighbor when asked any questions. It is more amusing if the circle is composed of boys and girls alternating.

The player is called in, having been told beforehand that he is to guess what person the company thought of and that that person is "It."

He begins by asking "Is it in this room?" "Yes." "Is it a boy?"

"Yes." "Is his hair long or short?" "Very long," and so on, until the information he has obtained may be the following: "A boy, very long hair, pink waist, blue eyes, has a beard, very stout, about 6 feet tall, about 8 years old." The player, astonished at such information, may keep up guessing, until, by closely questioning each one, he guesses correctly. If he cannot guess, it is explained to him who "It"

is.

HOW, WHEN, WHERE.

One of the players leaves the room while the others select some word with two or three meanings, which is to be guessed. Suppose the word "trunk" is thought of. When the player is summoned in he asks each one in turn "How do you like it?" The answers may be "full of clothes,"

"when the outside is brown," (meaning a tree trunk), "shut up in a cage," (referring to an elephant's trunk).

The next time around the question is "When do you like it?" and the answers may be, "When I'm going away," "When I'm in the country,"

"When I visit the Zoo."

The last question is "Where do you like it?" and the answers may be "In my room," "In the woods," "On the animal it belongs to." The questioner must try to guess the word from the various answers. If he succeeds, the person whose answer revealed the word must leave the room, but if he fails, he has to guess again.