Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 59

Here we dance, looby, looby, looby, loo, Every Sat.u.r.day night,

the circle gallops halfway around to the left for the first line, and reverses the action, returning to place on the last line.

For the alternate verses which describe action the movements are suited to the words; for instance, when the left hand is called for, the players lean far forward and stretch the left hand into the ring while singing the first line, turn around, and stretch the left hand outward for the second line, shake the hand hard on the third line, and on the last line jump or spin completely around.

This is a very ancient game, supposed to have originated in a choral dance, probably in celebration of the rites of some deity, in which animal postures were a.s.sumed or animal rites were an object. Later, it was an old court dance, stately and decorous as the minuet.

m.u.f.fIN MAN

_6 to 30 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

The players stand in a circle, with one or more in the center. The circle dances around and sings the first two lines of the following verse. They then stand still while the player or players in the center choose each a partner who enters the circle with him; they clasp hands and dance around, singing the last two lines:--

Oh, have you seen the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man?

Oh, have you seen the m.u.f.fin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!

Oh, yes, I've seen the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man, Oh, yes, I've seen the m.u.f.fin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!

[Ill.u.s.tration music: (The) m.u.f.fin Man

Oh, have you seen the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man? Oh, have you seen the m.u.f.fin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!

Oh, yes, I've seen the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man, the m.u.f.fin man, Oh, yes, I've seen the m.u.f.fin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!

Miss Newton has a very good adaptation of this game for the schoolroom or parlor, in which four or five players stand in corners. Each of these chooses a partner at the end of the second line, and these groups of two dance in a circle.

MULBERRY BUSH

_6 to 60 players or more._

_Indoors; out of doors._

Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush, So early in the morning!

[Ill.u.s.tration music: MULBERRY BUSH

Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush, So early in the morning!

This is the way we wash our clothes, We wash our clothes, we wash our clothes, This is the way we wash our clothes, So early Monday morning.

This is the way we iron our clothes, We iron our clothes, we iron our clothes, This is the way we iron our clothes, So early Tuesday morning.

This is the way we scrub the floor, We scrub the floor, we scrub the floor, This the way we scrub the floor, So early Wednesday morning.

This is the way we mend our clothes, We mend our clothes, we mend our clothes, This the way we mend our clothes, So early Thursday morning.

This is the way we sweep the house, We sweep the house, we sweep the house, This is the way we sweep the house, So early Friday morning.

Thus we play when our work is done, Our work is done, our work is done, Thus we play when our work is done, So early Sat.u.r.day morning.

The players stand in a circle clasping hands, and circle around, singing the first verse. In the second and alternate verses the action indicated by the lines is given in pantomime. In all verses the players spin around rapidly, each in her own place, on the repet.i.tion of the refrain, "So early in the morning."

This is one of the oldest traditional games, and probably one of the most widely known. It is considered to have originated as a marriage dance around a sacred tree or bush, our mistletoe custom having come from the same source.

NUTS IN MAY

_6 to 60 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

(Sung to the air of "Mulberry Bush")

Here we come gathering nuts in May, Nuts in May, nuts in May.

Here we come gathering nuts in May, On a cold and frosty morning.

Whom will you have for nuts in May, Nuts in May, nuts in May?

Whom will you have for nuts in May On a cold and frosty morning?

We'll have (Mary) for nuts in May, Nuts in May, nuts in May, We'll have (Mary) for nuts in May, On a cold and frosty morning.

Whom will you send to fetch her away, To fetch her away, to fetch her away?

Whom will you send to fetch her away, On a cold and frosty morning?

We'll send (Alice) to fetch her away, To fetch her away, to fetch her away.

We'll send (Alice) to fetch her away, On a cold and frosty morning.

The players stand in two lines facing each other and holding hands, with a wide s.p.a.ce between which will admit of advancing toward each other and retreating. The first line sings the first verse, advancing toward its opponents and retreating. The second line then advances and retreats and sings the second verse. The first line again advances and retreats, singing the third verse, naming some player who stands in the opposing line. The second line, unwilling to yield a player so easily, then advances and retires, singing the fourth verse, in which it suggests that some one be sent to take the one who has been selected for "nuts," and the first line then advances and retires, singing the last verse, in which it names some player from its own side whom it considers a good match for the player whom it has called from the opposite side.

The lines then stand still while these two players advance to the center, draw a mark on the ground, or throw a handkerchief down to serve the purpose, take hold of right hands across the line, and have a tug of war. The player who is pulled across the line becomes the captured "nut" and joins the side of her captors. The game is then repeated, with the change that the lines of players sing the verses that were sung by their opponents the previous time, the second line of players starting with the first verse. This should be continued until all of the players have taken part in the tug of war. The line wins which gets the most "nuts."

For large numbers of players, instead of a tug of war between two players only, the two lines may advance, each player joining hands with the one opposite, and all taking part in the tug of war. Still another method is to have the two players who are named, join hands, with the players of their respective sides all lined up behind them for a tug of war, as in London Bridge.

OATS, PEAS, BEANS