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AMUSEMENTS FOR EVERYBODY 53
"Thank you; that is of no use to me," replies the grasshopper, and goes on to the next player. As soon as any one offers the grain of food which the grasshopper has written down the paper must be produced, and the one who guessed the word pays a forfeit and becomes grasshopper. If no one guesses the word the grasshopper pays a forfeit.
The game then goes on in the same way, except that a different question is asked on the second round.
"Neighbors," says the grasshopper, "I have eaten abundantly and would have a dance. Which would you recommend ?"
A waltz, a polka, a quadrille, etc., are suggested, and when this question has gone the round the grasshopper asks what music he can dance to, and the ants suggest the music of the violin, the piano, cornet, etc. Then the grasshopper says he is tired of dancing and wishes for a bed, and the ants offer him moss, straw, grass, and so on, to lie upon.
"I should sleep very comfortably," the grasshopper says, "but I am in fear of being pounced upon by a hungry bird. What bird have I most reason to fear?" The ants answer: the rook, the lark, the cuckoo, etc.
When the game is ended the forfeits that have been lost must be redeemed.
Oats and Beans and Barley
All the children form a ring,, with the exception of one player who stands in the center. The children then dance round this one, singing the first three lines of the verses given below. At the fourth line they stop dancing and act the words that are sung. They pretend to scatter seed; then stand at ease, stamp their feet, clap their hands, and at the words:" Turn him round," each child turns round.
They then again clap hands and dance round, and when the words: "Open the ring and send one in," are sung the center child chooses a partner, who steps into the ring, and the two stand together while the other children sing the remaining verse, after which the child who was first in the center
joins the rkig and the game is continued as before.
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