, -^ ^ V ' . U "^ ;--r-Wv -^ ^ V ,^ \ t X^^^. (^ '■ -^.c^S 0" o 0' '/- ■/ A a s V 1 * ; ^ ^^^^ ^ S ' % "■^,- ^^^ #' -^^^ ^-T'^'Digitized by the Internet Archive ^.^ ,x-^ in 2011 with funding from - \X The Library of Congress •x^' ''•>'. ' ;^' '/.s-'^-'/V ' ;-^ ^y •r"^ ■""c •^ V^^ 'V^ %, ..-xv:^' .:^"^:' ^ ^, .'^■^ ,\V * ■ »5 "^ ' -A ^ r'-V * '" ..V,. . - •:- 'V A ^V -- \' <'/''' /!lttp://www.archiye.org/details/whenniotherletsusOOkeye •a (A ^^ s- ■' _ ,-v --> WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY ^K ,;/;! The May-Pole. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY By ANGELA M. KEYES It HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH IN THE BROOKLYN TRAINING SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS ILLUSTRATED BY ADA BUDELL NEW YORK MOFFAT, YXKVt AND COMPANY 1911 Copyright, 1911, by MOFFAT. YARD AND COMPANY NEW YORK All rtghis reserved Published, September, 1911 0^ (C^ ni A 'J op: o INTRODUCTION My dear Children: Here is a whole book of Play I have written for you. I know you will like it. What fun you will have being the traveling showman! and building a theatre to give a merry puppet play ! and putting up the mysterious shadow screen ! ! Grownups as well as boys and girls like your- self will enjoy guessing the charades. And what splen- did stories you will tell, especially at night, in the winter, before the open fire. If you have half so good a time playing this book as I have had writing it for you, I shall be content. A last word, be sure to invite father and mothei* to the Pageant of New Year's Resolutions; they will find in it a joy deeper than you can know. With best wishes of Angela M. Keyes. New York City, July, 1911. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Puzzles — Pictures of Animals 3 Playing Charades 5 Tom Thumb , . . . 6 Blue Beard 11 Old King Cole 18 Alice in Wonderland 25 Giving Out Charades ,31 Puzzles in Spelling 35 Cutting Words' Heads off 39 Making Word Squares 41 Puzzles in Arithmetic 42 Playing Proverbs 44 Riddles 45 Conundrums 51 The Do As I Do Club 58 Making Rhyming Alphabets 60 May Day 64 Spring 65 A New Year's Pageant of Good Resolutions . . 66 A Wild Beast Snow 76 Another Way to Hold a Wild Beast Show ... 80 The Traveling Show of Mother Tabbyskins . . 81 Puppet Plays 90 CONTENTS PAGE The Puppet Play op the Princess of the Pea . . 92 The Top and the Ball 97 Shadow Play 103 The Table and the Chair Ill The Owl and the Pussy Cat 115 The Sleeping Beauty 117 The Bremen Town-Musicians . 122 The Candles 128 Answers i 133 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE The May Pole Frontispiece Pictures of Animals 2 Spinning Tales 24 Pictures — Names of Places 33, 34 Proverbs in Pictures 37, 38 Tailpiece 40 Tailpiece 43 Tailpiece 50 Tailpiece 57 Tailpiece 58 The New Year Crown by Father Time .... 67 The Birds Are Set Free 71 The Traveling Showman 89 A Puppet Show 91 The Princess on the Pea 94 Shadow Play 104 End Piece 135 There was once a simple boy and once a simple girl, And they met one day with their brains in a whirl ; Said the boy, ^^Can you guess what's the word that isn't yesV Said the girl, *' Maybe so. Do you think it can henoV WHEN MOTHEK LETS US PLAY Ka3 UoS- Picture Names of Animals. "VYHEX MOTHER LETS VS PLAY 6 PUZZLES PICTURE NAMES OF ANIMALS What animal does the picture name ^ 1 2 3 4 5 «. Make some pictures of your own. Try starling, swalloiv, hluehird, reindeer, turkey, fox. Think of others. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY While we play the play out, You make the charade out. WHEN MOTHER LETS TS PLAY PLAYING CHARADES Grown-iips as well as children will enjoy seeing you play the charades. A back room with a curtain or a folding screen is a good place to play. Two of you should take charge of the curtain. Another should run the play. "When everything is ready this girl or boy may step before the curtain and tell that the charade to be played is the name of a story (or a rhyme) well known to boys and girls. He explains that each word of the name will be played and then the whole name. After the play the audience tries to guess the name. If you wish you may give the play on father's or mother's or one another's birthday. Learn your parts and practice once or twice before the time comes. It is not necessary to ^^ dress up," but, if you don't overdo it, it is fun. You will find with each play hints about dressing up. 6 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY TOM THUMB PLAYERS Of first word: Tom, butcher, customer, boys and girls. Of second word : Leader, several boys and girls. Of whole name: King, queen, lords, ladies, pages, harper, Tom Thumb. COSTUMES (If desired.) Butcher: — Butcher's apron and sleeves, knife. King: — Crown (cardboard), ermine trimming on cloak (cotton batting with black spots), sword and sceptre (cardboard). Queen : — Crown, ermine on gown, train. Ladies: — Trains, fans. Pages : — Velvet. Tom Thumb (very small child) : — Cauzy jacket and trousers, sword, cap with feather. Harper: — Long flowing cloak, gray beard, harp (cardboard). TOM Scene: Street showing butcher shop (big sign will do, pig hanging up) ; girls or boys play- ing nearby. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 7 {Tom comes along ivliistling, and sees the pig hang- ing outside the butcher's shop. He looks around to see that no one is ivatching, and makes off icith it. As he does so, some of the children turn around and see him. They cry to the others, '^0 look at Tom; lie's stealing a pig." A customer goes into the store. The butcher comes out to get the pig. He fields it go)ie.) Butcher (speaking to the boys) : What's be- come of my pig ? Boys: Tom took it. Butcher: Who"? Boys: Tom. Butclier: Ha, Tom, the piper's son. Worthless fellow ! (He goes after Tom, the boys at his heels. The customer, with an angry toss of the head, goes home. Soon back runs Tom down the street, crying loudly. After him come the butcher and the children. At his shop door the butcher shakes his fist at Tom and goes in.) The children (singing out mockingly after Tom) : Tom, Tom, the piper's son. Stole a pig and away he rmi ! The pig was eat, Tom was beat, And he ran crying down the street. Boo-hoo-Tom ! Boo-hoo-Tom ! 8 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY It was you, Tom ! It was you, Tom ! Boo-hoo-Tom ! Boo-lioo-Tom. (CURTAIN) II THUMB Scene: — A room showing children playing the game ^^ Simon Says." (The players sit in a row. They clasp their hands, thumbs down. The leader gives the commands. The players must obey only when the command be- gins with 6i Simon Says.") Leader: Simon Says, ^^ Thumbs up." (All the players except one put np their thumbs.) This player: The right thumb or the left thumb ? Leader: Did I say which thumb? You must pay a forfeit. Say quickly : A thumb tumbled Against a thumb. Did a thumb Tumble against a thumb ? If a thumb tumbled WHEX MOTHER LETS TS PLAY 9 Against a thumb, Where is the thumb That tumbled against a thumbs (The player does so.) Leader (going on witli the game) : Simon Says, *^ Thumbs down." (The players obey.) Leader: ^'Wiggle waggle, wiggle waggle." (One player obeys.) Leader: Pay a forfeit, Simon did not say it. Do this quickly (showing him) : AYiggle waggle, (Tlie player must keep both Wiggle waggle, ^^^^^^ ^™'^^^-) Wiggle waggle wum ! First the right, (Tlie player moves the right thumb as fast as he can. ) Then the left (He changes to the left.) Thumb, thumb, thumb. (He moves one after the other. ) (CURTAIN) III TOM THUMB Scene: The king and queen on a throne, pages behind, lords near king, ladies near queen, at distance a harper playing. 10 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY (Suddenly Tom Thumb appears. One of the ladies in waiting catches sight of him.) Lady: Look, your majesty, what a queer wee mannie ! (One of the lords picks up Tom Thumb and car- ries him on his shoulder to the king.) King: Who are you? Whence did you comef Tom: My name is (Tom Thumb), From the fairies I've come. When King Arthur shone, This court was my home, In me he delighted, By him I was knighted, Did you never hear of (Sir Thomas Thumb) % (CURTAIN) (The name is to be hummed, not said.) (The name is to be hummed.) WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 11 BLUEBEARD PLAYERS Of first word : A group of children. Of second word: Snow-Wliite, Rose-Red, dwarf. Of wliole name : Bluebeard, wife, Sister Anne, two brothers. COSTUMES (If desired.) Snow- White (a fair-haired child) : — White ; blue ribbons. Rose-Red (a dark red-cheeked child) : — White; red ribbons. Dwarf : — Bro^AHi, long pointed shoes, cut down at sides and up at back, pointed hood, long white beard (tow, will do). Bluebeard: — Loose dressing gown over baggy trousers, bright-colored silk handkerchief bound around the head as a turban, short sword of silver cardboard, beard of bluish color. BLUE (The children stand in a group and sing the verses to any simple joyons tune they may choose or make np.) 12 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY What is blue ? Baby's eyes are blue Like chinks of heaven coming through; An angel shut them in her eyes To light her safely down the skies. "What is blue ? (Holding up the flowers.) Bluebells are blue ; Forget-me-nots of the same bright hue, Wherever by the road they blow, They tell you of someone you know. What is blue ? (Looking up.) The sky is blue, With moon and stars shining through. The Milky Way all ghostly white With track of spirits passed to light. (Every second child faces backwards. All take hands. Keeping hold, they glide along slowly, mov- ing in and out like a winding stream.) What is blue? The river is blue, On it goes past me and you To cast itself on ocean's breast. Though long it may not stay to rest. (The players, with as little breaking of the line as possible, change the winding line into a circle, all now facing in. They move around as they sing,) WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 13 Blue is the river that flo\Yeth by, Blue as a flower is baby 's eye, Blue is a sign of all things true, The starry sky is the deepest blue. (CURTAIN) BEARD (Snow-White and Rose-Red are in a wood pick- ing up sticks for the fire. They see something near a tree, bobbing back and forth.) (plants put here and there Wn.L DO FOR THE WOOD.) Snotu-Wliite: What can that be, Rose-Red'? Rose-Red: Don't be afraid, Snow-White. Let us go and see. (They go nearer and see a dwarf with an old withered face and a very long snow-white beard. He has an ax in his hand. The end of the beard is caught in a crack of the tree, and the little fehow is jumping backward and forward like a dog tied to a rope. He glares at the girls with fiery eyes.) Dwar^f: Why do you stand there ^. Can you not come here and help me ? Rose-Fed: What are you about there, little man? Dtvarf: You stupid, prying goose! I had just driven the wedge in to split the tree to get 14 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY a little wood for cooking. But the horrid wood was too smooth and the wedge flew out. The tree closed quickly and caught my beau- tiful white beard ! (The children tug at the beard but cannot get it out. ) Bose-Bed: I will run and fetch someone. Dtuarf (snarls, pulling at his beard) : You silly goose! and leave my beautiful beard this way! Snoiu-White: Don't be cross. I will help you. (She takes scissors out of her pocket and cuts off end of his beard.) Divarf (stamping about in rage) : Stupid things to cut off a piece of my beard ! (CURTAIN) BLUEBEARD (The two sisters, Fatima, Bluebeard's wife, and Anne, are seated embroidering. In comes Blue- beard. He has arrived home before they expect him. The sisters are startled. They rise and bow before him. Anne then leaves the room. Fatima goes forward to meet him. She shrinks from him as he comes near.) Bluebeard: Well, little wife, my business is done sooner than I expected. WHEN MOTHER LETS US TLAY 15 Fatiiua (in rather trembling tones) : So I see, my lord. Bluebeard (looking at her sharply) : Bring me my keys. (Fatima goes out. She brings them and hands them over with shaking fingers.) Blue!) card (searching among them) : I do not find here the key of the blue chamber, which I forbade you to open. Fatima (in frightened tones) : I must have left it in mv room. ft- Bluebeard (sternly) : Bring it then, at once. (She panses in terror, then goes ont, and brings back the key.) Bluebeard (looking at the key) : There is blood on this key. How came it there ? Fatima (trembling with fright) : I — I — Bluebeard (fiercely) : You know well, madam, how it came there. And I know too; you have opened the blue chamber against my orders. I hope you were pleased with what you saw. In another moment you yourself will be there with the rest. (He seizes her and drags her along the gronnd.) Fatima (shrieking) : My lord, my lord; do not kill me ! I will never disobey you again. 16 WHEN" MOTHER LETS US PLAY Bluebeard (dragging lier along) : I'll take care of that. Fatima: Give me a few minutes to pray. Only a few minutes, dear lord. Bluebeard (flinging her down) : I will give you one quarter of an hour ; not a moment longer. (Fatima rushes out. Bluebeard goes out by an- other door. Anne comes into the room and looks out the window.) Fatima (calling from behind scenes) : Sister Anne! Sister Anne! Do you see anyone coming ? Anne: I see nothing but the sun glowing, and the grass growing. Fatima (a few minutes later) : Sister Anne ! Sister Anne ! Do you see anyone coming 'F Anne: I see nothing but the dust whirling. Fatima (eagerly) : Oh! is it my brothers? Anne: Alas, no; I see now it is naught but a flock of sheep. Bluebeard (outside, shouts) : The time is up. Come down ! Fatima: I am coming. Fatima (calling again): Sister Anne! Sister Anne! Do you see anyone coming'? Anne : I see two horsemen, but they are a great way off. WHEX :mother lets us play 17 Fatima (joyfully): God be praised; they are my brothers. Bluebeard (striding in, with short sword in hand, and speaking in a voice of thunder) : Come Aovm ! or I will fetch you. (Anne runs out.) Fatima (coming in slowly, throws herself at her husband's feet) : Mercy, mercy! Grant me onlv a little time. Bluebeard: Your tears will not move me. You must die. (Again he seizes her by the hair and raises his arm to strike. At this moment a horn sounds a loud blast. Bluebeard rushes out to see who it is. He is met by the brothers, who fall upon him and kill him. Fatima and Anne, who has followed her brothers, embrace each other with joy.) (SIXGIXG BEHIXD SCENES TO SAME TUNE AS USED WITH THE FHIST WORD) : Blue is a sign Of all things true — But whisper low. And I'll tell to you That beards on chins Are not true blue. (CURTAIN) 18 WHEN MOTHER LETS TJS PLAY OLD KING COLE PLAYEES Of first word : — Old lady, child. Of second word: — King, queen, herald, pages, lords, ladies, child, old man, two kings, sol- diers. Of third word : — Peddler, old woman, lazy boy, mother, other buyers. Of whole title: — King, two pages, three. fiddlers, courtiers. OLD (An old lady sits in an armchair, knitting. A child is playing abont the floor. After a minute or two the old lady lets her knitting fall into her lap and drops asleep, smihng. The child turns around, rests his chin on his hands, and looks at her. Soon he begins to think aloud about her.) Child: Grandmother is very old. Her face is all wrinkled and her hair is white. But her eyes, when they're ojoen and she's telling stories, shine like two bright stars. Grand- mother can tell wonderful stories. She's so old she must know a great deal. Why, she was alive before father and mother ; she must be very, very old ! WHEN MOTHEK LETS US TLAY 19 KING (A boy is sitting among his playmates shaping a gold paper band into a crown. The others are look- ing at a book, in which they have been reading of a king. The boy begins to play being king. The others join in the play.) Boy: If I were a king (Putting- on crown.) I'd wear a crown, And hold my court In this very to^T.i. I 'd take my place On my throne of gold, And hear the wrongs Of young and old. (One girl plays the queen. Pages hold up or make believe to hold up the king's and queen's train. Ladies stand near queen, lords near king.) With a wave of my sceptre (Waving his sceptre.) I 'd summon my slaves To drive from the town All wicked knaves. (A herald with trnmpet at his lips cries, '^Oyez, Oyez! Let anyone who has been wronged come to the king.'' A boy leading an old man comes in. 20 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY He and the old man kneel before the king, and point to one of the lords.) (Two king's soldiers appear; they drive out the lord.) Then I 'd give a great feast And a splendid ball And invite all my subjects From liut to hall. (All form in procession: herald with trumpet at lips, king and queen with pages holding trains, lords and ladies two by two, old man and boy, others.) (CURTAIN) COLE (Coal) (Along comes a pedler with a cart or wheelbarrow of coal.) Pedler (sings) : Coal, coal, coal, To keep old Winter out ! Coal, coal, coal, Good housewives, all come out. (Out hobbles a little old woman with a small pail.) Pedler (stopping, and taking up his shovel) : How much do you want, Goody % Old tvoman (in high squeaky voice) : Not so fast. Master Pedler, not so fast. How do you sell your coaK WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 21 Pedler (singing, as he fills the scuttles of one or two others, who have come out) : Sixpence the bushel, Three pence the pail, If I don't give good measure Then send me to jail. Old woman (in coaxing tone) : Take two pence now from a poor old woman; there's a sweet lad. Pedler (getting ready to move on) : Sixpence the bushel. Three pence the pail; If I don't give good measure Then send me to jail. Old woman (holding up her small pail) : Such a little pail, sweet lad — Pedler (catching it up) : A pail ! nay, 'tis a cup ! For one penny, Goody, I'll fill this up. (He does so. The old woman fishes up a penny from a deep pocket, and hobbles off with the coal, in high good humor.) Pedler (moving off) : Coal, coal, coal. To keep old Winter out. 22 WHE:Nr mother lets us play Coal, coal, coal, Good housewives, all come out. (As he disappears an angry woman with sleeves rolled np pushes forward a sleepy boy. She thrusts a scuttle into the boy's hand.) Angry ^voman: There, sleepy head, he's gone now and I haven 't a bit of coal in the house. Of all the lazy — (She makes a clutch at the boy. He dodges and runs off.) Pedler (in distance) : Coal, coal, coal. To (CURTAIN) OLD KING COLE (King Cole, fat and merry-looking, sits on a throne. A page stands at either side, a step or two back. Three fiddlers are at the rear of the room, one sleeping, the others laughing and talking. King Cole (in loud hearty tone) : What ho! My pipe and bowl. (The pages advance and with a bow present them. King Cole takes a long drink and puffs at his pipe.) WHEN MOTHER LETS TS TLAY 23 King Cole: And now, bully boys, Let's have some noise; Call up our fiddlers three ! (One of the king's officers orders them forward, shaking the sleeping one so hard that the poor man rolls on the ground. Here he sits up, rubs his bumped head, sees the otlier fiddlers going forward, seizes his fiddle and catches up with them. The fiddlers begin to play, the king keeping time with his foot and his pipe. From behind the scenes comes the song to the fiddlers' tune:) SOXG (Old King Cole) (This line hummed, Was a merry old soul, ^'^^ ^^'^-^ And a merry old soul was he ; He called for his pipe, And he called for his bowl. And he called for his fiddlers three. And every fiddler had a fine fiddle And a very fine fiddle had he, ^^ Twiddle dee, twiddle dee!" Said the fiddlers three : Oh, there 's none so rare As can compare With (King Cole) {^^me is to be and his fiddlers three. ^^™^'^^' ^^"^ ^"^^'^ (CURTAIN) 24 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY Spiuuiug Tales. WHEN .MUTliEK LETS US I'LAY 25 ALICE IN WONDERLAND ALICE Little children are seated in a circle an older child telling them this story : Little Alice In a palace Peaked and Pined away, Till the doctor Said, quite solemn: '^She must run And play With the healthy Village children All the livelong day !'^ So they sent An invitation Instant on its way •To the blacksmith's Little daughter To come up and play In the palace With sweet Alice; And as sure as you When they asked her 26 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY What her name was She said Alice too ! So that Alice In a palace Runs and romps all day, And that other now no longer Peaks and pines away. (CURTAIN) IN (Boy or girl calls to playmates, who are hiding:) Come in, come in. Wherever you are ! Come in, come in, Wherever you are ! They run in, crying, ^^ What's the matter'?" The one who called asks, ^^Is everyone inl" '^Yes, yes," answer the others. ^^Then you're in and I'm out," shouts he, mak- ing off. (CURTAIN) WONDERLAND Some boys (or girls) arrive at a strange place. They look about in wonder at a shrinking giant, a dwarf, and a riddUng hand. The giant stalks np WHEN MOTHER LETS TS PLAY 27 and down, shrinking and stretching. The dwarf grins at them. The hand gives them a riddle. To play the shrinking giant: Put a giant's false face and wig on the straw end of a sweeping-broom. Fasten a stick or a clothes-hanger to form the shoul- ders of the giant. Over this hang a very long cloak. Now carry the broom, head up, covering yourself with the cloak. Make yourself tall or short by mov- ing the broom handle up and down. To play the dwarf: You need two for this part. One stands behind a table covered with a cloth that hides him from the waist down. He slips his hands into a child's socks and small shoes placed on the table. The other hidden behind this one, passes his arms round the first so that his hands look from the front like the dwarf's hands. The dwarf may wear a pointed beard and a peaked cap or a turban. To play the riddling hand: Stand behind a screen or curtain and thrust out your right hand, putting down the fourth and fifth fingers. Hold the first finger straight up, and the middle finger at a slant between the thumb and first finger. On the top joint of the first finger, mark out a face in char- coal. Put on the finger a brightly-colored handker- chief knotted at one corner. (The little man now wears a cap. The rest of the handkerchief forms his robe.) When you ask the riddle, make the little man nod his head and wave his arms, as if it is he who is speaking. 28 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY Hand (giving the riddle) : ' How many wonders in Wonderland ^ One of the children: What a question! Another: Nobody knows the answer to it. Hand: That's what makes it a riddle! The children: Oh, it's a riddle, is if? Hand: Yes. How many wonders in Wonder- land *? A child: Why, one, of course! Gtan^ (stalking up) : Which one? I'm a won- der ! Dtvarf (waving his arms and grinning horribly) : So am I! Finger (wagging up and down, screams) : So am I. The child: I don't mean that at all. I mean in Wonderland. The three begin to cry, ^ ^ I 'm the wonder of all Wonderland. I — ' ' (CURTAIN) ALICE IN WOITOERLAND PLAYERS Alice : A little girl. The Mock Turtle : A taller girl or boy wearing over his ordinary clothes stiff paper or leather shaped and painted to look like tur- tle shell. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 29 The Gryphon : A girl or boy, taller than Alice, wearing over his clothes something whose upper half looks like an eagle's head and whose lower half looks like a lion 's skin. WHAT THE PLAYERS DO The three players, Alice in the centre, do and sav what is told below: (From Lewis Carroll's ^^ Alice in Wonderland.") The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes. He looked at Alice and tried to speak, but, for a minute or two, sobs choked his voice. ^^Same as if he had a bone in his throat," said the Gryphon; and it set to work shaking him and punchmg him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle, with tears running dowTi his cheeks, went on again: ^^You may not have lived much under the sea — (^^I haven't," said Alice) — and per- haps you were never even introduced to a lob- ster — (Alice began to say, ^^I once tasted — " but checked herself hastily, and said, ^'No, never") — so you can have no idea what a de- lightful thing a Lobster-Quadrille is!" ^'No, uideed," said Alice. ''What sort of dance is iti" ''Why," said the Gryphon, "you first form into a line along the sea-shore — " 30 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY ^^Two lines!" cried the Mock Turtle. ^^ Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on: then, when you've cleared all the jellyfish out of the way — '' ^^That generally takes some time," interrupted the Gryphon. " — you advance twice — " ^^Each with a lobster as a partner!" cried the Gryphon. '^Of course," the Mock Turtle said; ^^ advance twice, set to partners — " ^' — change lobsters, and retire in same order," continued the Gryphon. ^^Then, you know," the Mock Turtle went on, ^ ' you throw the — ' ' ' ' The lobsters ! ' ' shouted the Gryphon, with a bound into the air. '' — as far out to sea as you can — " ' ' Swim after them ! ' ' screamed the Gryphon. ' ' Turn a somersault in the sea ! ' ' cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about. ' ' Change lobsters again ! ' ' yelled the Gryphon, at the top of its voice. ^^Back to land again, and — that's all the first figure, ' ' said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice; and the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again very sadly and quietly, and looked at Alice. (CURTAIN) WHEN MO'I^HER LETS US PLAY 31 GIVING OUT CHARADES Read or tell, and let the others guess what the word is : I am a word made up of two small words. My first is a bright color, my second gives a sound, and my whole is a wild flower. (Blue-bell.) I am a word made up of two small words. My first is a fruit, my second is a fruit, and my tuhole is a fruit. (Crab-apple.) I am a word of three letters. My first you will find in a tortoise shell cat ; The place for my second is inside your hat ; My third is an insect you often may see; When it rains, some people take shelter in me. (Cab.) I am a word made up of two small words. In the winter time my first is seen. When the weather's keen and cold; And straight into my second made By joyous children young and old. If now my whole you 'Id surely find First and second you must bind, 32 WHElSr MOTHER LETS US PLAY And plain before your eyes you'll see A winter favorite in round soft me. (Snowball.) We are little airy creatures, All of different form and features ; One of us in glass is set, A second will be found in jet ; And one of us is cased in tin, And a fourth a box within ; If tbe -fifth you would pursue, It can never fly from you. — Jonathan Swift. (The vowels a, e, i, o, u.) Make some up. Here are good w^ords : Side- hoard , ice-cream^ mushroom. You will think of many more. MAKING UP PLAYS FOR CHARADES Try making up plays for charades. These names would make good ones : Little Red Riding Hood Jack and the Bean Stalk Old Mother Huhhard (Bring in the word so that it will be the chief thing in the play, but not so that you give away the charade.) WHEX MOTHER LETS ITS PLAY 33 No 3 -c^or PICTURE NAMES OF PLACES What place does the picture name *? Make up picture names for other places in America^ in Europe, near your home. 34 WHEN" MOTHER LETS US pLAY tan Picture Names of Places. (See page 33) WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 35 PUZZLES IN SPELLING Are YOU a good speller"? Spell live mouse-traj) with three letters. (c-a-t) Spell dried grass ^Adth three letters. (h-a-y) Spell hard water with three letters. (i-c-e) Spell frozen rain with four letters. (h-a-i-1) Spell ground wheat with five letters. (f-1-o-u-r) Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot, Nine davs old. «/ Spell me tliat in four letters. (t-h-a-t) Spell with three letters something to cover the head. (h-a-t) Spell cow with four letters. (b-e-e-f) Spell young sheep with four letters. (1-a-m-b) 36 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY Spell sheep with six letters. (m-u-t-t-o-n) If when you 're hungry You would eat, Join me at once And take your seat. (me at — meat) Take four initials from the winds, And in a certain order place ; You've tidings straight from every land, I know it by your face. (K E. W. g.— news) What word is shorter when you add a syllable to if? (Short.) Can you spell coffee-pot without spelling tea- pot? (C-o-f, cof, f-ee, fee, coffee, p-o-t, pot. You said t pot,) Make one word of the letters in new door. (One word.) When may donkey be spelled with one letter ? (When it is you (u).) Make up some yourself. O me ! have you heard ? The head's off a word. , ■WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 37 Proverbs in Pictures. 38 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY PROVERBS IN PICTURES Tell the proverb by the picture. Get up a ^'proverbs in pictures" contest. Ap- point judges of the pictures. Award a prize for the best. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 39 CUTTING WORDS' HEADS OEF Leave me whole and I'm something to sit in, Cut off my head and I grow on yours ; Behead me again and I '11 be near you Day and night while life endures. (Chair, hair, air.) Put on my whole and fast you may whirl Over the ice on a winter's day, Strike off my head and out steps a girl With a bloom on her cheeks like buds in May. Behead me again and I change to a word That tells all too plainly what dog did to bird. (Skate, Kate, ate.) Whole, I go round with you over the land, Behead me and you have me under your foot. Behead me again and out I'll wriggle To seek the dee]3 waters of finny land. (Wheel, heel, eel.) Whole, I 'ni the fruit of the rixoening grain ; Golden in sunshine, sparklmg in rain ; Behead me, I 'm daughter of light and of fire ; Take my head off again if so you desire ; But before you go on any farther than that Behead me once more to see what you're at. (Wheat, heat, eat, at.) 40 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY When whole I crawl down garden path, My house I carry on my back ; Though you behead me I am longer Than a pigmy carpet tack ; "When next you strike be sure to hit Not your finger but my head ; Alas, you've left me in such plight I must betake me to my bed. (Snail, nail, ail.) Try making up some, in rhyme or not, as you please. It is good fun. Here are a few words : plate (late^ ate) ; eup {up) ; staMe (tahle^ able) ; glance (lance) ; charm (harm^ arm) ; glowing (lowing y owing ^ wing). You will think of many others. WHEX MOTHER LETS US TLAY -^1 MAKING WORD SQUARES Did you ever try squaring words ^ The words you square must have the same number of letters in them and spell the same when read down and to the right ; thus : cat hop pot bay ate one ore aye tea pet tea yes tin fond ice Ohio net nine does Try some yourself ; begin thus boy man a J n and fill out the square. 42 WHEN l\1()'nii:il LM'IVS lis rhAY PUZZLES IN ARITHMETIC I asked a woniaii liow many ducks she had. She said: ^Must now, as they ran down the ]3ath to tlu^ j)()nd, I saw there was a diiek in front of two dneks, a duek behind two dueks, and a duck between two ducks." How many ducks were there? (Three chicks, one after the other.) A certain room has eight corners. In every corner sits a cat, on every cat's tail sits a cat, and before eacli cat is a cat. How many cats in the room ? ( I^hght cats.) Arrange as a square the numbers 1 tlirough 9, making three rows of three figures each. The sum of each add(ul uj), down, or across must be 15. '2 !) 4 7 5 a (> 1 8 A man has to cross a river with a fox, a goose, and some corn, but his little boat will liold only one at a time. Now if he should leave the fox and tlie goose and take the corn, the fox would ent the goose. And if* he sliould leave the goose WKKN iSlOTHKK FJ-Vrs IS I'l.AY 43 and ilic corn and lake I lie fox, ilic v^oo^c woidd (\'ii Iho corn. VVliai is he (o do i* (Take fii'st tlio gooS(», IIkmi llic I'ox, ncxi hi'ini;- ili(^ i;-oos(' hack willi him, Ihcn caiTy ih(^ corn o\'cr and (M)nic hack for lh(^ t^oosc.) 4'rv niakin;;- np some ariilnnciic |)n///lcs. 44 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY PLAYING PROVERBS Half the children at a time may be players and half audience. The players decide on a proverb and play it before the audience. The audience may have three chances to guess the proverb. It is wise to appoint two judges whose duty it is to say whether the proverb has been played fairly. Here are some good proverbs to play : A cat may look at a king. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy^ A stitch in time saves nine. A rolling stone gathers no moss. Better late than never. Make hay while the sun shines. Many hands make light work. Too many cooks spoil the broth. When the cat's away the mice will play. Look before you leap. Give a prize to the one who guesses most proverbs. WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 45 RIDDLES See whether your plajanates will guess these. A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose, A hundred eyes and never a nose. (A cinder.) As I went over Lincoln Bridge, I met Mister Rusticap ; Pins and needles on his back, A-going to Thorny fair. (A hedgehog.) As round as an apple, As deep as a cup. And all the king's horses Can't pull it up. (A well.) Long legs, crooked thighs. Little head and no eyes. (A pair of tongs.) As I went through the garden ga|). Whom should I meet but Dick Red Cap! A stick in his hand, a stone in his throat. If you'll tell me this riddle I'll give you a groat. (A cherry.) 46 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY Little Nancy Etticoat, In a white petticoat, With a red nose; The longer she stands, The shorter she grows. (A candle.) I have a little sister, they call her Peep, Peep. She wades the waters, deep, deep, deep ; She climbs the mountains high, high, high ; Poor little creature, she has but one eye. (A star.) Formed long ago, yet made to-day. And most employed when others sleep ; What few would like to give away. And fewer still to keep. — Hon, James Fox (A bed.) Thirty white horses On a red hill ; Now they tramp, Now they stamp, Now they stand still. (The teeth.) I saw you where you never were. And where you could not be. And yet within that very place Tour face I often see. (In a looking-glass.) WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 47 Though I dance at a ball, Yet I 'm nothing at all : What am I? (A shadow.) Pray tell me the answer I beg : It has a broad foot But no sign of a leg. (A hill.) If a pig wore a wig, What should we say ? (Treat him as a gentleman And say, ^^Good day.") If his tail chanced to fail, What should we do "I (Send him to the tailoress To get one new.) — Cliristina G. Rossetti It has only one ej^e And that cannot see, But my sister says, '^It is useful to me." (A needle.) (Who Avere they?) As I was walking through the woods, I heard them titter, ^'Te-he-he: 48 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY We've brought our trunks, but what's the use. We haven't any lock or key." (Trees.) It is neither rich nor rare, With small round head and ne'er a hair. (A pin.) Old Mother Twitchett Has but one eye, And a long tail Which she lets fly, And every time She goes over a gap She leaves a bit of her tail In a trap. (A needle and thread.) There is something That hasn't a leg to stand on, But a round white face With a short and long hand on. (A clock.) Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere ; By the dusty roadside. On the sunny hillside, Close by the noisy brook, In every shady nook, I come creeping, creeping everywhere. — Sarah Roberts Boyle, (The grass.) WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 49 I met a little lady, A stranger here mayliap ; She wore a gown of green, She wore a scarlet cap. Graceful was her figure, Her manners very fine ; A fairy airy creature, Her name was — — Mary F, Butts (Columbine.) Eagle of flowers ! I see thee stand And on the sun's noon-glory gaze; With eye like his, thy lids expand. And fringe their disk with golden rays. — Montgomery, (The sunflower) Many, many welcomes, February fair-maid, Eyer as of old time Solitary firstling. Coming in the cold time, Pro23het of the gay time, Prophet of the May time. Prophet of the roses, Many, many welcomes February fair-maid. — Tennyson (The snowdrop.) 50 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY There is a flower, a little flower, With silver crest and golden eye, That welcomes every changing hour And weathers every sky. — James Montgomery (The daisy.) There is one that has a head without an eye. And there's one that has an eye without a head : You may find the answer if you try; And when all is said, Half the answer hangs upon a thread ! — Christina G, Rossetti (A needle and thread.) WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 51 CONUNDRUMS What is the highest public building in this part of the world ? (The i)ublic library has the most stories.) I'll tell you something that will tickle you. Whaf? (A feather.) Why is a crying baby like a sunflower ^ (Because it's mostly yell-o(w.) What is it that goes Up and down, Up and down, Touching neither sky nor ground ^ (A pump handle.) What is it that comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years ^ (The letter M.) When do you become a country of South America ? (When you are Chile.) What kind of ears has an engine "? (Engineers.) What key is the hardest to turn ^ (A donkey. )^ 52 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY When are cooks cruel ^ (When they beat eggs and whip cream.) What is that which goes up the hill and down the hill, and yet stands still 'F (The road.) What is that which is full of holes and yet holds water 'F (A sponge.) Why are washerwomen great travelers ? (Because they often go from pole to pole.) When is a clock on the stairs dangerous "? (When it runs down and strikes one.) When is a chair like a lady's dress ? (When it is sat in.) What word may ISe pronounced quicker by adding a syllable to it "? (Quick.) Who dares sit before the Queen with his hat on? (The coachman.) What looks most like the half of a cheese ? (The other half.) If the alphabet were going out to a party when would the last six letters start 1 (After T.) WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 53 What is the best thmg to put into pies "I (Your teeth.) Which are the oldest knives or forks ^ (Fingers and teeth.) What makes more noise than a pig under the fence '^ (Two pigs.) When was beef highest "? (When the cow jumped over the moon.) Why is the sound of a bell like a circle of gold "? (Because it is a ring.) Why do the queen's pages remind you of a railway "? (Because they are trainbearers.) Why is the alphabet like the mail ? (Because it has letters in it.) When is a sailor not a sailor ^ (When he is a-board.) How can a boy make his jacket lasf? (By making his coat and waistcoat first.) On what toe does a corn never come 1 (The mistletoe.) Why is an axe like coffee "? (It must be ground before it can be used.) 54 WHEN" MOTHER LETS US PLAY On what side of a house does a yew-tree grow ? (The outside.) "Why are washerwomen silly people ^ (Because they put out their tubs to catch soft water when it rains hard.) What is the oldest piece of furniture in your house ? (The multiplication table.) How do we know that the cow jumped over the moon ? (By the Milky Way.) Why is a mischievous boy like a bottle of pat- ent medicine "? (When taken he must be well taken.) On what side of the mug is the handle ^ (The outside.) If you call a sheep's tail a leg, how many legs will he have ? (Four ; calling a thing so doesn't make it so.) Why do you always put on your left shoe last ? (When you have put one on, the other is left.) What is the longest word in the language ^ (Smiles: there is a mile between the first and the last letter.) WHEN MOTHER LETS TS TLAY 55 Tell me the name of the oldest Avhistler in the world and of the tune he whistles ? (The wind; he whistles ^^Over the hills and far away. ' ') How may yon change a pumpkin into a squash "? (Throw it up and it will come down a squash.) What is white and black and red (read) all over ? (A newspaper.) Why is a policeman like a rainbow ^ (Because he rarely appears until the storm is over.) Why are clouds like coachmen '? (Because they hold the rains (reins).) What is that which you may keep after giving to someone else ^ (Your word.) What is that which is invisible yet never out of sight? (The letter S,) What is the color of a grass plot covered with snow? (Invisible green.) What animal carries baggage ? (The elephant carries his trunk.) 56 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY What did Abraham Lincoln answer when asked how long a man's legs should be '^, (Long enough to reach the ground.) What two animals follow you everywhere ? (Your calves.) There are Three of us in six, And five of us in seven, Four of us in nine. And six in eleven. Who are we ^ (Letters.) What is taken from you before you can get it ? (Your portrait.) When does a farmer behave rudely towards his corn? (When he pulls its ears.) Why would a spider make a good one to write letters to '^ (He drops a line by every post.) Where is the largest diamond kept ? (In the baseball field.) How might you remove A from the alphabet ^ (B-head it.) What insect attends school f (The spelling bee.) WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 57 What is the key of good manners ? (Be naturaL) Which is bigger, Mr. Bigger or Mr. Bigger 's baby"? (The baby is a little Bigger.) He can do little Who cannot do this. 58 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY THE DO AS I DO CLUB All except two of the players go out of the room, closing the door. The two left call one in and tell him he may join their club if he guesses its name. They politely give him a chair. The two now make every movement he makes and repeat every word he says. If he guesses the name ''The Do As I Do Club/' they shake hands with him and tell him he is now a member and may help to admit others. If, after a fair chance, he cannot guess they tell him he is not yet fit to join and politely bow him out of the room, calling in the next. The name should be guessed in a whisper, that it may not be heard by those outside. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 59 ALPHABET RHYMES ^^Are you sure of your ABC's "?" ^'Yes, and my D's and T's." Then without loss of time Turn a neat alphabet rhjone. 60 WHEN MOTHER LETS rS PLAY MAKING RHYMING ALPHABETS It is fun to make up rhyming alphabets, each player making a rhyme for a letter. Buy the wooden or cardboard letters in a toyshop, or cut large letters out of newspapers. Put them into a box, shake up, and give out to the players. Al- low two minutes for the rhyme. Have the rhymes read in alphabetical order. Demand a forfeit from any player who fails to make a rhyme. The forfeit may be saying the alphabet backwards from any letter, wearing a dunce cap, wearing down the back a card printed, ABC Class. Here are a few rhymes to show you how to do it: A was an apple That grew on a tree. Till the wind sent it tumbling Thump on me. B was a bumble bee, Burly and big. He stung my left ear And my feet danced a jig. C was a cherry, So round and so red. AVHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 61 With a stick in his hand And a stone in his head. D was a dumpling Of apples and cream, If you ate one at night You had a bad dream. Go on with the alphabet. Make up a rhTOiing alphabet like the one in Mother Goose : A was an apple-pie B bit it C cut it D dealt it and so on. Yours might be : A was an alligator B bleated at it C caught at it D ducked for it E entreated it F frightened it G giggled at it H halloed at it and so on. 62 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAT Make up animal rhyming alphabets, all the rhymes to be about animals ; for example, ANIMAL A was an antelope, Graceful and fleet ; When he heard the hound's cry He beat a retreat. B was a bear, Burly and big; He stood on his hind legs And danced with a pig. Make up toy rhyming alphabets ; for example, TOY A was an air ship That through the air soared ; The birds saw it passing And cried, ^^AU aboard." Make up story people rhyming alphabets ; for example. A was Alice In wonderland, Where she did some things She hadn't planned. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 63 YE MERRIE FESTIVAL Garlanded and crowned, Gather we around, To greet with song and play This gladsome festal day. 64 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY MAY DAY The most charming way to celebrate May Day is to dress in white and walk in procession to a nearby wood or park. Here some of you should make a throne of moss and boughs for the May Queen. Some should weave for her a crown and sceptre of flowers. Some should go off to find a tall, slim pole to be used as the May pole. The rest should weave wreaths of spring flowers for everyone and twine garlands to be wound about the May pole. When everything is ready, choose the May Queen, lead her to the throne, crown her and give her the sceptre of flowers, crying, ^'Hail, Queen of the May!" Now bring the May pole, and fasten the garlands to the top. Two of you may now hold the May pole firmly in place, the rest catch up the ends of the garlands and circling about the pole, twine them about it, as they sing spring songs. After this, it is time to go home, carrying the May pole and singing. Here is a spring poem to sing : WHEK MOTHER LETS rs PLAY 65 SPRING Spring, the sweet Spring, is the year's pleasant king; Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring. Cold doth not sting, the pretty birds do sing. Cuckoo, jug- jug, pu-we, to-witta-^YOo ! The palm and May make country houses gay, Lambs frisk and play, the sheiDherds pi23e all day, And we hear aye birds tune this merry lay, Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo. — Thomas Nash Play this in honor of the New Year. Invite your parents to it. 66 WHEK MOTHER LETS US PLAY A NEW YEAR'S PAGEANT OF GOOD RESOLUTIONS The claildren greet tlie young New Year, as he is crowned by Father Time, and declare their good resolutions. PLAYEES The New Tear : — A young child. Father Time : — One of the older children. Reverence to Parents : — First child. Kindness to Animals : — Second child. Attention to Studies : — Third child. Enjoyment of Play: Fourth child. Little children as birds, other children as singers and dancers. COSTUMES (IF DESIRED) The New Year : White with silver border, cloak of cotton batting painted with black spots (to look like ermine), silver crown and scep- tre, number of year showing on crown. Father Time : White wig and beard, long brown robe, in hand scythe or sickle of cardboard. Reverence to Parents: White, wreath and bouquet of white roses. Kindness to Animals: White, wreath and bouquet of red roses. WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 67 7 The New Year Crowned by Father Time. 68 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY Attention to Studies : White, book in hand. Enjoyment of Play: White, wreath of green smilax, kite in hand. Birds : Brown. The rest of the children : White, blue ribbons. (On a throne is seated the New Year. Fa- ther Time places in his hand a sceptre and on his head a crown. From all sides children troop joyously toward the throne.) FATHER TIME Here come the children, O little New Year, With promises sweet Thee to greet; Quick feet dancing, Glad eyes glancing Joy's new birth Into every vein Of the wishful earth. Here at thy feet They would repeat Their firm resolves Of service meet. WHEN ]MOTHEll LETS US PLAY 69 THE FIEST CHILD AS EEVEREXCE TO PARENTS (Stepping forward.) O parents dear, whom I love best And in whose love I'm richly blest, Thy words I firm resolve to heed And prove my love by loving deed. No fretful frown I'll e'er allow Lodgment on my childish brow, Within mv heart ino'ratitude Shall ne'er its ugly form intrude, But love and reverence there shall rest Sovereign lord within my breast. THE SECOND CHLLD AS KINDNESS TO ANIMALS (Stepping forward.) I'll hurt no helpless living thing. Crawling worm or birds that sing. Fish that in the waters cool Hide for fear in shady pool. Frisky colt whose back I stride. Cat or dog the hearth beside ; But with all creatures, I will dwell, Whether of sea or earth or air. In gentleness and friendship fair. 70 WHEN" MOTHER LETS ITS PLAY While the Third Child is speaking, a cage, full of very little children as birds, is formed on one side of the stage, hidden by the children standing near the throne. At the last words these children move aside and see it. They open the door (draw back the ribbons) and set the birds free. To form the cage : A tall child holds a pole with a spreading yellow top like that of an nmbrella; yellow ribbons from the center of the top's npper side fall to the floor as the wire bars. The birds huddle inside the cage, peeping faintly. SONG OF CHILDREN SETTING BIRDS FREE We'll open the door of the captive cage And set all the wild birds free! Hark ! the whirr of wing, As the birds upspring ! Away through the air and sunshine bright, Up to the blue of heaven's height, They wing and soar, To droop no more 1 (The little children, moving their arms as if birds' wings, fly about and off the stage.) WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 71 The Birds Are Set Free. 72 WHEN MOTHER LETS ITS PLAY In the leafy bough of the forest tree They'll nest, and sing in ecstasy Bird melody ^^.^,^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^-^^^ Of wild joy, free! behind the scenes.) THE THHID CHILD AS ATTENTION" TO STUDIES Knowledge I'll seek and helpful skill. My lessons do with cheerful will, Tables I'll con till to 9 times 6 The answer comes pat as conjurer's tricks, I '11 know all the words in the spelling book Nor think to depend on a last good look, I '11 turn from a story to do my sums And shut my ears to the roll of drums, When soldiers come marching down my street I '11 twist my toes round the chair legs ' feet ; The master's commands I'll straight obey Nor let my thoughts inattentive stray. Rebuke I '11 take with heart all meek, And diligent will I wisdom seek. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 73 THE FOURTH CHILD AS ENJOYMENT OF FLAY (Bounding forward.) When tasks are done, with joyous shout I '11 call my playmates to come out, And away we '11 go with a whoop and a sprmg, To wrestle and tumble, to catch and fling, To run a race to a distant goal. Or roll a hoop or climb a pole. To walk on stilts at a dizzy height All thuigs to view with a loftier sight, To wave my cap and never fall And pretend not to be on stilts at all; O little New Year, I'd love to play From morn till night each summer's day. But as I am resolved no task to shirk I'll stop my play when it's time for work. (All the chiklren, led by Enjoyment of Play, sing and do joyously what the song tells. All their movements are in time to the music of the song.) PLAY AND SONG OF JOYOUS CHILDREN Two by two; (Ttiey march two by two.) March out of school. Careful not to Break the rule, 74 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY Bed line in, And red line out, Now we circle All about. (They play red line; with as little breaking of the line as possible they form a cir- cle.) Squat tag, Cross tag, Puss-in-corner ; Mary's caught. Hush ! don 't warn her. (They squat, cross fingers, play puss-in-the-corner.) Hide and seek, And marble statues. Still, don't move — (They play hide and seek, and marble statues.) Hark, the bell 1 Mark it well ! Recess is done, Into school Goes everyone. (A bell sounds; all stop playing.) Two by two, March into school, Careful not to Break the rule. (They march off, leaving grouped about the New Year the four resolutions.) . WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 75 FATHER TIME (Moving off.) Speed on thy way, O happy New Year ; In every place Children will greet thee With smiling face : Make them strong to do And patient to bear ; Let love attend them Everywhere ! (CURTAIN) In onr wild menagerie Beasties mar-vel-ous you'll see! 76 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY A WILD BEAST SHOW PLAYERS Showman Hyena Keeper Panther Lioness Tiger Bear Monkey Lion (The beasts are of course boys or girls covered with animals ' skins. The yard may be a back room with folding doors or curtains. The cages may be made with screens covered in front with netting. The chairs for the people may be in the front room. Make the show as ^'real-looking'' as possible. At the entrance, print np in large letters the price of admission (so many pins or buttons, or perhaps a foreign stamp). The ticket-taker may keep calling, ''Get your tickets here for the wonderful wild beast show," or whatever he thinks will attract the crowd. Now and then one of the animals should roar. It helps also to put up large colored pictures of ani- mals. A few boys or girls should go about selling peanuts and lemonade (for pins, buttons, stamps). When the doors (or curtains) are drawn the ani- mals set up a terrific roaring. The showman cracks his whip, they become silent. He then begins to show off each beast in turn. The keeper passes from cage to cage, feeding the animals or talking to them or sweeping in front of their cages. AVHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY i i A quick way to l)reak up the show is to let a few of the wild beasts loose among the audience. To make fun, a pet monkey may play pranks on the keeper and showman. If there are too many lines for one showman to learn have several players for this part. The show- man should say the lines in loud sing-song tones. (Most of the lines are from an old book called ^'Poetry for Children/' by Charles and Mary Lamb. If you find some of the words hard to pronounce, ask a grown person to help you.) THE SHOW Shotvman (bowing to the people and pointing to his menagerie) : Within the boundaries of this yard, Each in his narrow prison barr'd, Dwells every beast that may be found On Af ric or on Indian ground. (The beasts stand on their hind legs and howl at the people. The showman cracks his whip, they lie do\ATi silent.) Shotvman (going over to the cages) : In that uneasy close recess Couches a sleeping lioness; That next den holds a bear ; ^, , (The bear rolls over.) the next (Tj^^ ^^,^^^ ^^^^^^^^ A wolf, by hunger ever vext . showmg his teeth.) 78 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY (The monkey snatches off the keeper's hat. The keeper makes after him and gets it back, shaking his fist. Each time the monkey is chased the other animals rage and roar.) Showman: There fiercer from the keeper's lashes, His teeth the fell hyena gnashes ; That creature on whose back abound Black spots upon a yellow ground, A panther is. (The monkey climbs np on the showman's back and begins to make the same movements he has seen the showman make : point out the beast, turn to peo- ple, and so on. The showman shakes him otf, and shows him the whip. The monkey slinks back to his place.) SJiowmcm: That catlike beast that to and fro Kestless as fire does ever go, A tiger is. Observe how sleek And glossy smooth his coat; no streak On satin ever match 'd the pride Of that which marks his furry hide. How strong his muscles! he with ease Upon the tallest man could seize ; In his large mouth away could bear him, And into thousand pieces tear him. WHEN MOTHER LETS IIS PLAY 79 (The monkey makes off with food from the keep- er's basket. The keeper and the showman chase him and lock him np in an empty cage.) SJiowman: That lordly creature next to him A lion is. Survey each limb. In force and swiftness he excels Each beast that in the forest dwells; The savage tribes him king confess Throughout the howling wilderness. Woe to the ha|)less neighbourhood When he is press 'd by want of food! Of man, or child, or bull, or horse He makes his prey, such is his force. (At a nod from the showman the keeper pulls the nets from the cages, the beasts rush out among the people, howling. This of course puts an end to the show.) 80 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY ANOTHER WAY TO HOLD A WILD BEAST SHOW PLAYERS Showman. One or two assistants. Build up a menagerie with screens, covered in front with a curtain. Behind the curtain have a small table with a mirror on it. Tell your assistants to hide behind the cages and imitate the roaring of lions and tigers, and the braying of a donkey. As soon as everything is ready and the people in their places, take your place as showman in front of the curtain, and invite the people to view the ani- mals. Explain that only one person may come at a time as too many would excite the animals. As the first person steps up, ask him which ani- mal he wishes to see first. (The donkey now sets up a long, loud braying.) He will at once say (or you suggest) that he wishes to see a donkey. Conduct him to the mirror, where he sees his own face. Warn him to keep the secret. (He will be sure to, so that the next player may be caught.) Bring out the droll puppets And let 's give a sliow ; I'll be the showman And you must all go. WHEX :\IOTHER LETS TS TLAY 81 THE TRAVELING SHOW OF MOTHER TABBYSKINS It is great fun to play traveling showman. x\ll you need is a very simple playhouse on wheels, some boys or girls as helpers, and of course the show. To add to the fun your helpers may put up ahead of time signs telling the name of the play to be given, the time and place, and the price of admission (per- haps pins, buttons, or stamps). A wheelbarrow, an open express wagon, or a pair of wheels on an iron or wooden frame will do to move the show from place to place. On the wheels place a good-sized box so that its open top will be the back of the house and the bottom the front. Cut a square opening in the front of the house, at one side, for a window, and cut an opening from top to floor at the end of the other side, for a door. Place three boards, each about a foot in width, as ground, or street, on the front and both sides of the house. Be sure that the street is level with the floor of the house, so that it will be easy to make the play- ers go in and out the doorway. If you wish, you may paint the house dark brown or green. Hang a pair of curtains of the same color as the inside walls at the back, and a bright chintz curtain at the window and at the door. If you sew rings to the curtains and hang the curtains on strong cords, or better, brass rods, you will find it easier to draw them. 82 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY THINGS NEEDED INSIDE THE HOUSE A small stool or chair at tlie window. A doll's bed opposite the doorway. PLAYERS Mother Tabbyskins : — A stuffed chintz cat, wear- ing a cap and a shawl, spectacles. Kittens : — Three stuffed chintz kittens. Doctor Mouse : — A stuffed gray or brown mouse, on wheels, with a small leather bag hung around the neck. Doctor Dog: — A stuffed chintz dog, wearing a high hat, a muffler around his neck, a coat and trousers. He should stand on his hind legs, on wheels, and carry a cane in one front paw and a bag in the other. A Child : — A boy or a girl. A Second Child : — A boy or a girl. Other Children : — Several boys or girls. HOW TO MANAGE THE PUPPETS The showman should have all the players in place before he opens the show: Mother Tabbyskins seated inside at the window, the Kittens in a row outside facing her, the Children playing jacks or something else off to one side of the house, Doctor Mouse and Doctor Dog, with strings attached to their legs, back, out of sight, at either side, ready for their part. ^VHEX MOTHER LETS US TLAY 83 The showman will ueed two strings on the dog's feet, one to draw the dog into the house, and one on the opposite leg to turn him around and draw him out. He must have the strings laid along the street and the floor of the house so that the ends come out at the hack, where he ^duIIs them. The showman works from the back, behind the curtains, keeping out of sight. He or one of his help- ers does the talking for the pupjDets, moving or turn- ing them to make them look as if they were talking. He should give each player a suitable voice.' To make it look as if Mother Tabbyskins eats Doctor Mouse, the showman jerks her forward in the bed with one hand and pulls the mouse out at the back with the other. As the curtain has been drawn across the doorway when Doctor Dog prepares to eat Mother Tabbyskins, the showman has a good chance to stuff Mother Tabbyskins inside the Doc- tor's coat. MOTHER TABBYSKINS A Child (pointing out Mother Tabbyskins) : Sitting at the v^dndow, In her cloak and hat, There is Mother Tabbvskins The 7^eal old cat ! 84 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY The Other Children (singing out together) : (Chorus.) (They hobble up and Very old, very old, ^"^"' ^^ '^ ^^^^'^ Crumplety and lame ; Teaching kittens how to scold. Is it not a shame *? A Second Child (pointing out the kittens) : Kittens in the garden (The kittens spit and Looking in her face, ^"^^ "^ Learning how to spit and snarl. Oh, what a disgrace ! The Other Children (singing out together) : Very wrong, very wrong, (They mn over to ■xr Til chase away the kittens. Very wronsT and bad: m, i, ? -f «^ ^ The showman s assist- Such a subject for a song ant pulls the strings. Makes us all too sad. The First Child does not go. He watches Mother Tabbyskins.) Mother Tah^y shins (sticking out her head howls) : Mi — eow — eow — eow ! Mi — eow! (short and sharp). (She hobbles down from the window.) (At her cry the children run over to see what is the matter.) AVHEN MOTHER LETS TS PLAY 85 The First Child (telling them what has hap- pened) : Old Mother Tabbyskins, Sticking out her head, Gave a \\o\\\ and then a yowl, Hobbled off to bed. The Other Children (singing out together) : Very sick, very sick, Very savage, too ; Pray, send for a doctor quick — Any one will do! (A mouse comes along.) A Third Child (catching sight of him) : Doctor Mouse comes creeping. Creeping to her bed. (The curtain on the door is drawn back. Mother Tabbyskins is seen in bed. Doctor Mouse goes in and over to the bed. The children go near the house (but do not hide the doorway), the Third Child in the lead. He goes on telling the others what he sees and hears.) The Third Child: Lanced her gums and felt her pulse. Whispered, ' ' She is dead. ' ' 86 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY The Other Children (singing out together) : Very sly, very sly, The real old cat, Open keeps her weather eye — Mouse ! beware of that. Mother Tabbyskins, with a cry, springs on the Mouse. The Third Child cries out : Old Mother Tabbyskins, Saying, '' Serves him right,'' Gobbled up the doctor, with Ill-concealed delight. The Other Children (singing out together, as they run away) : Very fast, very fast, Very pleasant, too — ^^What a pity it can't last; Bring another, do. ' ' (CURTAIN) (Doctor Dog comes along quickly.) The Third Child (catching sight of him) : Here's Doctor Dog come running. (The children run back.) (Doctor Dog stands at the door a minute.) The Third Child (going on) : WHEX :\IOTHER LETS ITS PLAY 87 Just to see her begs ; (Going- nearer to ad- Eouncl his neck a comforter, ^"^^'^ ^^""-^ Trousers on his legs. The Other Children (singing out together) : Very grand, very grand — Golden-headed cane Swinging gaily from his hand, Mischief in his brain. Doctor Bog: ^^Dear Mother Tabbyskins, And how are you now ? Let me feel your pulse — so, so ; Show your tongue — bow, wow." The Children (mimicking a doctor) : Very ill, very ill; Please attempt to purr ; Will you take a draught or pill ? Which do you prefer? (Doctor Dog turns toward door, barking. The curtain is drawn to let him in, then let down.) The First Child (looking at the closed door) : Ah, Mother Tabbyskins, Who is now afraid'? Of poor little Doctor Mouse You a mouthful made. 88 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY The Otlier Children (listening, sing out to- gether) : Very nice, very nice, Little doctor tie ; But for Doctor Dog's advice You must pay the fee. The Third Child (who has been looking in at the window) : Doctor Dog goes nearer, Says she must be bled ; The First Child (listening) : I heard Mother Tabbyskins (Mother Tabbyskins Screaming in her bed. ""'''' ^^^' ^^""^^' ^^- ^ eow.) The Other Children (listening, sing out to- gether) : (Chorus.) Very near, very near. Scuffling out and in, Doctor Dog looks full and (Tbe door is opened; ^„ggp Doctor Dog comes out, -TT-n . m 1 T 1 • r» looking Very fat. Tbe Where is Tabbyskm? bed is se^n to be empty.) The Second Child (holding up his forefinger) ; I will tell the Moral Without any fuss; WHEN MOTHER LETS TS PLAY 89 Those \y1io lead the yoimg astray ALWAYS suffer^hiis. (END OF THE PLAY) (The traveUng' showman comes out, hows to the people, and prepares to move off to another place.) The Traveling: Showman. 90 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY PUPPET PLAYS THE PUPPET THEATRE A toy theatre is fun. Get or make a wide, open box about four feet long. Stand the box on end. The open side will be the back of the theatre. Now take out most of the wood at the top, so that you have an open top. In the upper part of the front cut an opening about a foot and a half, to show a stage. Make the floor of the stage by putting boards across on rests nailed to the inner sides of the theatre. With cross pieces give the theatre a high pointed front — this will hide you when you are at the back. Paint the theatre brown or dark green. Hang curtains on rods across the front and the back of the stage. MAKING THE PUPPETS PLAY Stretch wires from one side to the other, across the top of the stage, about two inches apart. Fasten wires or strings to the puppets and hang the puppets on the wires across the top of the stage. Keep the puppets close to the sides, behind the curtains, until needed. When needed move them out into place on the stage. (See that some go on at one side and some at the other. A little practice will show you also which should go on the same wire with others and which should not.) It is of course better fun not to let yourself be seen WHEX :\IOTHER LETS US PLAY 91 as YOU put on the players. For this reason it is wise to set up tlie theatre between portieres or screens that will hide you. You do the talking for the puppets, but you make them look and act as if they are doing it. This is easy. All you have to do is to lift or bend or turn or move forward or back whichever puppet is talk- in.of. A Puppet Show. 92 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY THE PUPPET PLAY OF THE PRINCESS ON THE PEA (From Hans Andersen's story.) PLAYERS (Sawdust dolls dressed for their parts.) Prince: Boy doll, golden hair, velvet knee breeches and jacket, silk stockings, slippers, sword, cap with plume. King: Boy doll, gray wig, cloth breeches and cloak with ermine trimming (cotton bat- ting spotted black with ink or coal), silk stockings, slippers, sword, crown. Queen: Girl doll, gray wig, satin gown with train, ermine trimming, crown. Princess : Girl doll, shabby dress. ACT I The prince cannot find a real princess. Scene: The King and Queen talking to the Prince, who has just arrived home. King: Well, my son, have you found a princess to marry? Prince (speaking sadly): Alas! no, father. Not a real princess. Queen: Have you searched everywhere? Prince: I have traveled all over the world. Queen: And you found no princesses? WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 93 Prince (sighing) : There Avere j^^'^i^^^^^^^ enough, but whether they were real prin- cesses I could not quite make out. There was always something that did not seem quite right. ^ (He sighs deeply.) (CURTAIN) ACT II A princess comes in out of the storm and rain. Scene : The Prince is by himself at one side of the stage ; the King and the Queen at the other grieve over his sadness. Queen: He is still sad. Surely there must be a real princess somewhere. (There is a crash of tlmnder (the showman's as- sistant bangs together tin pans, behind the stage), then a downpour of rain. .(Another assistant, keep- ing his body and hand out of sight, pours water from a watering-can into a pail at the open back of the stage.) In the midst of the storm there is a knock- ing at the gate outside. The three start up and listen.) King: I will see who it is. (He goes over to one side.) Princess (speaking outside) : May I come in? King: Who are you? Princess: I am a princess. 94 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY The Princess on the Pea. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 95 (She comes in.) Queen: What! a Princess! Avitli the rain run- ning down your hair and in at the points of your shoes and out at the heels. Fie ! ^Princess (sweetly) : Yes, I am a real princess. Queen (nodding her head, thinks aloud) : Well, we shall soon find that out. She goes to the other side. (The showman pushes out from side a bed.) She takes all the bedding off. (The sho\^mian of course does this, pulling it off by means of strings.) Queen: Now we'll see whether she is a real princess. I'll place a tiny pea on the bed- stead (the shoAMiian lets it do^^al by means of a string) and pile twenty mattresses upon the pea and twenty eider-down beds on top of the mattresses. (The shoT\^iian does this.) There! She shall sleep on that to- night, and we'll soon see whether she is a princess. (CURTAIN) ACT ni The Prince finds a Princess. Scene: The Queen next morning inquiring how the Princess has slept; the King and the Prince nearby. Queen: How did you sleep last nights 96 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY (The Prince goes nearer to hear her answer.) Princess : Oh, miserably ! I scarcely closed my eyes all night long. I lay on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over. It was dreadful!'^ Prince (starting forward, joyfully) : She is a real princess. No one could be so tender but a real princess. (The two rush toward each other.) Queen (to King) : "Wasn't that clever of me ^ King: The pea shall be placed in the museum, And if no one take it away There it shall stand for ever and aye. (CURTAIN) WHEX :\r OTHER LETS TS PLAY 97 THE TOP AND THE BALL A PUPPET PLAY (Prom Hans Andersen's story.) PLAYERS The Top: A large toy top, a face marked out on it in heavy white lines. The Ball: A large rubber ball painted a shiny brown to look like morocco, a face marked out on it in heavy white lines. Owner of top : A boy doll. Servant-girl: A girl doll in servant's cap and apron. THINGS XEEDED FOR THE PUPPET PLAY Three other tops of same make and size as first, one red and yellow, one old and shabby, one gold. A shabby, rain-soaked ball of same shape and size as first. Tiny cans of red paint, yellow paint, gilding ; a brush. A box in which to place the Top and the Ball. A dust-box. HOW TO MAX^AGE THE TOP AXD THE BALL Place them in a box tipped forward enough so that they may be seen. (They are of course hung by wires from the wires across the top of the stage.) 98 WHEN" MOTHER LETS US PLAY The boy only pretends to paint the top. With a quick movement the showman puts forward, in its place, another top already in the box, but hidden. HOW TO SPEAK FOR THE TOYS The showman may do the speaking himself or he may let an assistant do it. It will make the toys seem more toylike and also delight the audience to give them queer, small voices, the top's with a wooden or humming sound in it, the ball's light and high. By moving the toy, lifting it, making it bow or turn its face or back, or go nearer or farther away, the speaker makes it look as if it were doing the speaking. ACT I The Top tries to get the Ball to love him. Scene : The Top and the Ball lying together in a box. The Top (turning toward the Ball) : Shall we not love each other, living here together in the same box? The Ball lifts herself proudly and turns away from the Top. A boy comes to the box with red and yellow paints and a brush. He paints the top red and yellow. He then goes out. The Top (eagerly, to the Ball) : Look at me! What do you say now"? Will you not love me? We go so well together! You jump WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 99 and I dance. No one conld be happier than we shonld be ! The Ball (tossing her head) : Indeed! Do you think so"? Perhaps you do not laiow that my papa and my mamma were morocco sli^o- pers, and that I haA^e a cork in me "? Til Top : Yes, but I am made of mahogany, and the mayor himself turned me. He has a turning lathe of his own and he amuses him- self with it. The Ball (eagerly, turning toward him) : May I be sure of that ? The Top (hopefully, moving nearer) : May I never be whipped again if it is not true ! The Ball (drawing back) : You talk well for yourself. But I caimot do what you ask. I am as good as half engaged to a swallow. Every time I leap up into the air he sticks his head out of the nest and says, ^^ Will 3^ou % Will you'?" And now I have said ^^Yes" inside, and that is half engaged. But I promise never to forget you. The Top (moving back) : Much good that will do! (CUKTAIX) 100 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY ACT II THE BALL DISAPPEARS The Boy comes to the box, picks up the Ball, and goes out. The Top looks after the Ball. The boy outside plays with the ball, throwing it up into the air. He counts aloud the bounces, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (throwing it so that it will bounce outside the open back of the stage, where the Top and the au- dience may see it). (The showman does this out- side.) The Top (watching the ball) : How high she flies into the air ! Like a bird ! After the ninth count, the boy throws the ball so that it does not come down. He comes in, looking all about for it, can't find it, says, ^'It's lost," and runs off. The Top (sorrowfully) : I know very well where she is. She is in the Swallow's nest, and has married the Swallow. (CURTAIN) ACT III THE END OF EACH The Top, now looking old and faded, lies alone in the box. The Ball shabby and rain soaked, lies in a dust-box nearby. (These are the other toys put in the places of the first.) The Boy comes in, WHEX :mother lets vs play 101 carrying gold paint and a brush. He gilds the top (the showman puts a gilt top in its place) and car- ries it ot^ with him. He spins it again and again. (The showman spins it outside the open back of the stage. He keeps himself out of sight.) At last it springs high and comes down into the dust-box. (The showman makes it fall into the dust-box.) The Boy comes in searching for it, but cannot find it. "Now that's gone too," he says, and goes out. The Top (from dust-box). Here's a nice place to lie in! The gilding will soon leave me here. And what a rabble IVe come amongst ! He looks at a round thing like an apple — the Ball, now faded and old. TJie Ball (tiu^ning toward the Top) : At last here is someone with whom one may talk. (Moving a little nearer) : I am really morocco, sewed by hand, and have a cork in me. But no one would think it to look at me. I came very near marrying a Swallow, but I fell into the gTitter on the roof, and have been there five seasons. That's a long time, you know, for a young girl. The Top says nothing. The servant comes to empty dust into the box. She sees the Top. Servant: Aha, there's a gold Top! It's much too good to be thrown away. If little mas- 102 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY ter doesn't want it, 111 give it to a boy who does. She stoops to pick it out of the dust- box. (CURTAIN) WHEN" MOTHER LETS US PLAY 103 SHADOW PLAY TEE SEADOW STORY OF TEE LITTLE OLD WOMAN AND EEB COMPANY Shadow play is the best fun of all. THE SHADOW SCEEEN All you have to do is to stretch a stout piece of cord across a part of the room where there is a good light, hang on the cord curtains of stuff that will not let the light through, and put up between the two curtains, on a cord stretched a little behind the other, a sheet. Now cover the sheet near the top with stuff that will keep out the light. Do the same with the lower part of the sheet high enough to hide you where you stand behind it. The portion of the sheet left between the top and bottom coverings is to be the shadow screen. THE SHADOW PLAYERS AND PLECES The pieces needed for The Little Old Woman and her Company are a fireplace, a spinning wheel, and a chair. The players are a little old woman, about 6 inches high, and a much bigger old man, about 10 inches high. Draw the outlines of the pieces on thin wood or stiff cardboard, and cut them out carefully. The woman and the man must be made with movable parts. (You need only a sideways figure of the woman but a full front figure of the man.) Draw 104 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY M^/.//' Shadow Play. WHEN MOTHER LETS US i'LAY 105 and cut each part by itself. The woman ^s head may wear a cap. Make holes at the joining places and fasten the parts together with wire hooks that will not come imdone easily. Fasten a string to any part that is to he moved. (You may he able to find in a toyshop jumping jacks all made that will suit. But it is more fun to make them yourself.) To make the man as queer and funny as possible, give either a pointed or square shape to all his parts. Cut holes in both figures for eyes. Cut out a nose and a mouth also in the man's face. SHOWIXG THE FIGURES ON THE SCREEN Keep the curtains drawn across the screen until everything is ready. Fix in place close to the screen, on a narrow ledge placed across the lower edge, the fireplace and near it the spinning wheel and the chair. Seat the little old woman in the chair, one hand holding the thread and one placed as if turning the wheel. Arrange where you can get at them easily, the strings that move the upper part of her body (as she sways back and forth while she spins — you need not try to keep this up too long), and that move her feet (when she jigs at the end). Now get the man ready. He is to appear on the screen part by part. As you must not let yourself nor your hands be seen, the best thing to do is to stand on a chair behind the curtain at the side where the man is to appear and let the parts down on the 106 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY seen by means of strings. You must be sure to keep your hands above the covering at the top of the screen. You will need a little practice in hooking the parts together easily. (Use well open hooks with a good catch.) When everything is ready your helpers should put out all the lights in the room except the one be- hind the screen. They should now draw back the curtains before the screen. Now tell the story, and as you tell it show what happened as follows : One night a little old (She is shown seated, woman sat all alone by the ^p™^^^-) fire spinning and wishing for some one by the fire to keep her company. And still she sat, (Swaying ill time to And still she spun, ^"^^^ ^'^^^^'^ And still she wished for company. And by and by in from (The feet come on somewhere came a pair of ^^® stage.) big, big feet and sat down by the fireside. And still she sat, And still she spun. And still she wished for company. WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 107 In came a pair of small, small legs and sat down on (The legs come m.) top of the big, big feet. And still she sat, And still she s^Dun, And still she ^Yished for company. In came a pair of thick, thick, knees, and sat doA^^i on (Tiie kiiees come in.) the small, small legs. And still she sat, And still she spun. And still she wished for company. In came a pair of thin, thin thighs, and sat do^Yn on (The thighs come in.) the thick, thick knees. And still she sat. And still she spun, And still she wished for company. In came a pair of huge, huge hips, and sat down on (The hips come in.) the thin, thin thighs. And still she sat, And still she spun, And still she wished for company. 108 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY In came a wee, wee waist, and sat down on the huge, (The waist comes in.) huge hips. And still she sat, And still she spun. And still she wished for company. In came a pair of broad, broad shoulders, and sat (The shoulders come down on the wee, wee waist. ^'^ And still she sat. And still she spun. And still she wished for company. In came a pair of smiall, small arms, and hung down (The arms come in.) from the broad, broad shoul- ders. And still she sat, And still she spun. And still she wished for company. In came a small, small neck, and sat down on the (The neck comes in.) broad, broad shoulders. And still she sat. And still she spun. And still she wished for company. WHEN :\iOTHEU LETS US TLAY lOD (Tlic head conies in.) (The little old woman now stops.) (The little old wom- an may speak in a high squeaky voice; the man in a gruff voice. Move the figure to look as if speaking. ) In came a huge, huge head, and sat down on the small, small neck. So now the whole of him was there, and the little old woman f omid her tongue. Quoth she : How did you get such big, big feet ^ Quoth he : Much tramping, much tramping (gruffly) . How did you get such small, small legs ? Ai-h-h-h-h (sighing and whining in self pity) , up late and little to eat. How did you get such thick, thick knees '^ Much praying, much praying (piously). How did you get such thin, thin thighs "? Ai-h-h-h-h (sighing, as before), up late and little to eat. How did you get such huge, huge hi23S ^ Much stooping, much stooping (gruffly). How did you get such a wee, wee waist "? Ai-h-h-h-h (as before) , up late and little to eat. How did you get such broad, broad shoulders ? 110 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY With carrying brooms^ with carrying brooms (gruffly). How did you get such small, small arms ? Ai-h-h-h-h (as before), up late and little to eat. How did you get such huge, huge hands ^ Threshing with an iron flail, threshing with an iron flail (gruffly). How did you get such a small, small neck ^ Ai-h-h-h-h (as before), up late and little to eat. How did you get such a huge head I Much thinking, thinking, much thinking, thinking (sharply). ^^Well," said the little old woman, ^^what do you come for *? ' ' ^^For you!" he shouted at (He springs toward the top of his voice, ^^ to keep ^''; She springs up, ^ -^ and the two dance a you company. ji^^ And so the little old woman had her wish; and the little old man had plenty to eat after that, and might go to bed as early as he liked. (CURTAIN) WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 111 THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR (A Shadow Story.) THINGS NEEDED A cardboard chair and a cardboard table. A group of cardboard people — ladies, gentlemen, children. A cardboard castle. A cardboard duck, a beetle, and a mouse. A dish of beans and bacon — colored beans and strips of paper. THE showman's PART He stands below the screen and j)nts up the figTires as he tells the story. He may hold them by pieces of cardboard left on for the purpose. His assistants put up the castle, holding it by a cardboard handle; also the people, a group (in one piece) held by a cardboard handle. They put on, in the same way, the dish of beans and bacon. The showmen must keep themselves and their hands out of sight. To get the toys into position to dance on their heads, use hooks or strings to turn them upside do^vn with a quick but steady movement. This will take some ^^rac- tice. When it comes to toddling to their beds make them toddle off the stage at the sides. 112 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR (Verses by Edward Lear.) Said the Table to the Chair, ^^You can hardly be aware How I suffer from the heat And from chilblains on my feet. If we took a little walk, We might have a little talk; Pray let us take the air," Said the Table to the Chair. (The Table and the Chair are shown near each other.) Said the Chair unto the Table, ^'Now, you know we are not able : How foolishly you talk. When you know we cannot walk!" Said the Table with a sigh, ^^It can do no harm to try. I 've as many legs as you : Why can 't we walk on two "? ' ' (The Chair leans to- ward the Table.) (The Table leans to- ward the Chair.) So they botll went slowly (Several people-flat, - cardboard men, women, down, And walked about the town children — appear, ing with wide star- open WHEN MOTHER LETS VS PLAY 113 With a cheerful, bumpy sound As they toddled round and round ; And everybody cried, As he hastened to their side, '^See! the Table and the Chair Have come out to take the air!" eyes and open mouths to watch the Table and the Chair. The two go bumping along close to- gether.) But in going down an alley, To a castle in a valley, They completely lost their wav, And wandered all the day ; Till, to see them safely back. They paid a Ducky-quack, And a Beetle, and a Mouse, Who took them to their house. (The stage shows at one end a castle. Near- by are a Duck, a Bee- tle, and a Mouse. The Table and the Chair move about as if lost. They stop in front of Duck, Beetle, and Mouse. All five turn back, the three lead- ing.) Then they whispered to each other, ^^O delightful little brother. What a lovely walk we've taken ! Let us dine on beans and bacon." (The Table and the Chair whisper, their heads together. A dish of beans and bacon ap- pears. They all crowd around it. They dance on their heads. They toddle off.) 114 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY So the Ducky and the leetle Browny-Mousy and the Bee- tle Dined, and danced upon their heads Till they toddled to their beds. (CURTAIN) Try telling this as a shadow story; you will find it easy: WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 115 THE OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT (Edward Lear.) In a beautiful pea-green boat : They took some honey and plenty of money Wrapped up in a five-pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, ^^O lovely Pussy, oh, Pussy, my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, You are. You are ! What a beautiful Pussy you are!" Pussy said to the Owl, ^'You elegant fowl. How charmingly sweet you sing ! Oh, let us be married, too long we have tarried ; But what shall we do for a ring'?" They sailed away for a year and a day, To the land where the bong-tree grows ; And there in the wood a Piggy-wig stood, With a ring at the end of his nose, His nose. His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose. ^^Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring '? ' ' Said the Piggy, ' ' I will. ' ' 116 WHEN" MOTHER LETS ITS PLAY So tliey took it away and were married next day By the turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon ; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon. The moon. The moon. They danced by the light of the moon. Let's pretend Arabian Nights And tell o 'er a thousand tales ; The fire, it flares in witch lights, And the Nightmare sweeps by on wild gales. Stories are the best of all. There is room for only a few in this book, but that is no matter. You know a great many: Tom Thumb, Jack the Giant Killer, Aladdin. Tell them. Play some of them, making up the play yourself. Sometimes try mak- ing up stories ; it is fun. WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 117 THE SLEEPING BEAUTY A long time ago, \Yhen wishing was having, there were a king and a queen who Avished every day that they liad a little child, but they never had one. Now one day, when the queen was bathing, a frog poked his head ujd out of the water and said, ^^You shall have your wish; be- fore another 3^ear has rolled around you shall have a daughter. ?? And Avhat the frog said came true! Before the year was out the queen had a little girl, who was so lovely that the king was overjoyed and ordered a great feast. He invited to the feast not only his relatives and friends, but also the Wise Women that they might be kind to the child. There Avere thirteen of them in the kingdom but as he had only twelve golden plates for them to eat from he had to leave one out. Well, the feast was held with great splendor and after it the Wise Women came forward to give their magical gifts to the babe. One said, ^'She shall be as beautiful as the dawn'' ; another *'She shall be as graceful as a fawn"; another, ^^She shall sing as sweetly as a nightingale''; another, ^^She shall play on the lute and the harp"; another, '^She shall have gold and sil- 118 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY ver"; another, ''She shall be as good as she is beautiful." When the eleventh had given her gift, the thirteenth, who had not been asked to the feast, rushed in. She was in a fury because she had not been invited. Without greeting any- one she shook her finger at the babe and cried in a loud voice: ^^The king's daughter shall in her fifteenth year prick herself with a spindle and fall down dead." And without saying a word more she turned around and left the room. Everyone was shocked. But the twelfth, whose wish was still unsaid, came forward: ''I cannot altogether undo the evil," said she, ^^but only soften it ; the princess shall not die ; she shall fall into a deep sleep that shall last a hundred years. ' ' And the king, to keep his dear child from pricking her finger, ordered that all the spindles in the land should be burned. As the little princess grew up all the gifts of the Wise Women came to her and she was so beautiful and wise and good that everyone loved her. Now it happened that on the very day she was fifteen years old she wandered all about the pal- ace, looking into all the rooms till at last she came to an old tower. She climbed up the nar- row winding staircase until she reached a little WHEN MOTHER LETS ITS PLAY 119 door. A rusty key was in the lock. When she turned it the door sprang open and there in the little room sat an old woman spinning flax. ^'Good day, old dame," said the little prhicess; ^Svhat are you doing ^" *'I am spinning, fair child," said the old woman, nodding her head. ^'What is that, that rattles round so merrily?" said the girl, and she took the sj)indle in her hand to look at it. But no sooner had she touched it than the magic wish came true ; she pricked her finger with it, and fell do^YD. in a deep sleep. And this sleep went over the whole palace ; the king and queen went to sleep and the whole court with them. The horses, too, went to slee^^ in their stalls, the dogs in the yard, the pigeons on the roof, the flies on the wall ; even the fire that was fiaming on the hearth became quiet and slept, the roast left ofl frizzling, and the cook, who was just about to box the ears of the scullery boy be- cause he had forgotten something, kept his hand where it was and slept. And the wind fell, and on the trees before the castle not a leaf moved. And around the castle there grew up a hedge of thorns so high that nothing of the castle could be seen, only the tip of the topmost tower. The story of the '^Sleeping Beauty," for so jthe princess was named, went about the coun- 120 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY try, and from time to time men came and tried to get through the thorny hedge into the castle but the thorns held them like hands and they could not get loose again and so died. And the story went far and wide. Well, after long, long years, just when the hun- dred years had passed, a king's son came into that country and heard an old man talking about the thorn hedge and the beautiful princess who had been asleep behind it for a hundred years. The old man had heard the story, he said, from his grandfather, who used to tell that many a brave man had attempted to break through the hedge and find the princess. The moment the youth heard the tale he felt that the task must be his. ^^I am not afraid," said he ; ^^I will find the beau- tiful maiden." Off he set straightway and lo! when he came to the hedge its thorns changed into flowers and it opened of itself to let him pass unhurt, then closed again behind him. In the castle yard he saw the horses and the spotted hounds lying asleep and on the roof of the stable sat the pigeons with their heads under their wings ; and everywhere was no sound but a gentle breathing. In the castle the flies were asleep on the wall, and in the kitchen the cook was still holding out his hand to box the boy, and the maid was sitting WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 121 by the black hen she Avas going to pluck. He went into the great hall and there he saw all the ladies and gentlemen hi waiting and the pages lying asleep, but their lips were red and their cheeks rosy, and up by the throne lay the king and queen. Then he went on still farther and all was so quiet that he could hear his own breath and came at last to the tower and opened the door. And there he saw a sight so beautiful that he could not turn his eyes away ; it was the sleeping princess, fairer than the dawn; and he knelt by her side and kissed her. And lo ! as soon as he did so she opened her eyes and looked at him sweetly. Then they went down together. And the king awoke and the queen and the whole court and looked at one another in great astonishment. The horses in the stalls woke up and shook them- selves ; the hounds jumped up and wagged their tails; the pigeons took their heads from under their wings, looked aromid, and flew away into the open country. The flies on the wall crept again, the fire in the kitchen blazed and the joint began to turn and frizzle, the cook gave the boy such a box that he said, ^'Wow, wow," and the maid plucked the fowl. And that very day the prince married the prin- cess and they lived happy forever and ever after. —Folk Tale 122 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY THE BREMEN TOWN-MUSICIANS A certain man had a donkey. This donkey had carried the corn-sacks to the mill for many a long year. But his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to think how he might best save the donkey's keep. But the donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen. ^' There,'' he thought, '^I can surely be town- musician. ' ' When he had walked some way, he found a hound lying on the road, gasping like one who had run till he was tired. ^^What are you gasping so for, you big fellow ? ' ' asked the donkey. ^^Ah," replied the hound, ''as I am old, and daily grow weaker, and no longer can hunt, my master wanted to kill me. So I took to flight; but now how am I to earn my bread ? ' ' ''I tell you what," said the donkey; ''I am go- ing to Bremen, and shall be town-musician there. Come with me and engage yourself also as a musician. I will play the lute, and you shall beat the kettledrum. ' ' The hound agreed, and on they went. Before long they came to a cat sitting on the WHEN MOTHER LETS US TLAY 123 path, with a face like three rainy days ! ' ' Now then, old shaver, what has gone askew with you % ' ' asked the donkey. ^^Who can be merry when his neck is in dan- ger"?" answered the cat. ^^ Because I am now getting old, and my teeth are worn to stumps, and I prefer to sit by the tire, rather than hunt about after mice, my mistress wanted to drown me, so I ran away. But now good advice is scarce. Where am I to go"?" ^'Go with us to Bremen. You miderstand night music, so 3'Ou may be a town-musician." The cat thought well of it, and went with them. After this the three came to a farm-yard, where the cock was sitting upon the gate, crowing with all his might. ^'Your croAV goes through and through one," said the donkey. ^'What is the matter ? ' ' ^'I have been foretelling fine weather, but guests are coming for Sunday, so the housewife has no pity, and has told the cook that she in- tends to eat me in the soup to-morrow, and this evening I am to have my head cut off. Now I am crowing at full pitch while I can." ^^Ah, but Eed-comb," said the donkey, ^^you had better come away with us. We are going to Bremen; you may find something better than death anpvhere. You have a good voice, and 124 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY if we make music together it must have some quality ! ' ' Tlie cocl^ agreed to this plan, and all four went on together. They could not, however, reach the city of Bremen in one day, and in the evening they came to a forest where they meant to pass the night. The donkey and the hound laid them- selves down under a large tree, the cat and the viock settled themselves in the branches ; but the cock flew straight to the top, where he was most safe. Before he went to sleep he looked round on all the four sides, and thought he saw in the distance a little spark burning. So he called out to his companions that there must be a house not far off, because he saw a light. The donkey said, ^^If so, we had better get up and go on; the shel- ter here is bad.'' The hound thought that a few bones with some meat on would do him good too ! So they made their way to the place where the light was, and soon saw it shine brighter and grow larger, until they came to a well-lighted robber 's house. The donkey, as the biggest, went to the window and looked in. ^^What do you see, my grey-horsed' asked the cock. ^'What do I see?" answered the donkey; ^^a table covered with good things to eat and drink, and robbers sitting at it enjoying themselves." WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 125 "That would be tlie sort of thing for us," said the cock. * ' Yes, yes ; ah, howl wish we were there ! said the donkev. Then the animals thought together how they miglit drive awav the robbers, and at last they hit on a plan. The donkey was to place himself with his fore-feet upon the window-ledge, the hound was to jump on the donkey's back, the cat was to climb upon the dog, and lastly the cock was to flv up and perch upon the head of the cat. When this was done, at a given signal, they be- gan their music together: the donkey brayed, the hound barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed ; then they burst through the window mto the room, so that the glass clattered! At this horrible din, the robbers sprang up, thinking no less than that a ghost had come in, and fled m a great fright out into the forest. The four com- panions now sat dovm at the table, well content with what was left, and ate as if they were going to fast for a month. As soon as they had done, they put out the light, and each sought for himself a sleepmg- place that suited him. The donkey laid himself down on some straw in the yard, the hound lay behind the door, the cat upon the hearth near the warm ashes, and the cock perched himself upon 126 "WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY a beam of the roof. And being tired with their long walk, they soon went to sleep. When it was past midnight, and the robbers saw from afar that the light was no longer burn- ing in their house, and all looked quiet, the cap- tain said, ^^We ought not to have let ourselves be frightened out of our wits.'' So he ordered one of them to go and examine the house. The messenger finding all still, went into the kitchen to light a candle, and, taking the glisten- ing fiery eyes of the cat for live coals, he held a match to them to light it. But the cat did not understand the joke, and flew in his face, spit- ting and scratching. In great fright he ran to the backdoor, but the dog, who lay there, sprang up and bit his leg ; and as he ran across the yard by the straw heap, the donkey gave him a smart kick with its hind foot. The cock, too, who had been awakened by the noise, cried down from the beam, ' ' Cock-a-doodle-doo ! ' ' The robber ran back as fast as he could to his captain, and said, ^'Ah, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, who spat on me and scratched my face with her long claws; and by the door stands a man with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg ; and in the yard there lies a black monster, who beat me with a wooden club; and above, upon the roof, sits the judge, who called WHEX :\[OTHER LETS US PLAY 127 out, ^Bring the rogue here to me!' so I got away as well as I could." After this the robbers did not trust themselves in the house again ; but it suited the four musi- cians of Bremen so well that they did not care to leave it any more. And the mouth of him w^ho last told this story is still w^arm. —Folk Tale 128 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY THE CANDLES There was a great Wax-ligiit that knew well enough what it was. ^'I am born in wax, and moulded in a form," it said. ^^I give more light and burn a longer time than any other light. My place is in the chandelier, or in a silver candlestick." ' ' That must be a charming life ! ' ' said the Tal- low-candle. ^^I am only of tallow, — only a tal- low dip ; but then that is better than to be a mere taper, dipped only two times: I am dipped eight times, to get a decent thickness. I'm sat- isfied. It would, to be sure, be luckier still to have been born in wax, and not in tallow; but one doesn't place himself in this world. They are put in great rooms, and in glass candlesticks. I live in the kitchen, — but that is a good place, too: they get up all the dishes in the house there. ' ' ^^But there is something that is more im- portant than eating!" said the Wax-candle. ^'Good company, — to see them shine, and shine yourself. There is a ball here this evening. Now I and all my family are soon to be sent for. " Scarcely was this said, than all the Wax-lights were sent for, — but the Tallow-candle too. The mistress took it in her delicate hand, and carried WHEN MOTHEK LETS US PLAY 129 it out into the kitchen. There stood a little boy with a basket that was full of potatoes, and a few apples were in it too. The good lady had giyen all these to the poor boy. ''Here is a candle for you, my little friend," said she. ''Your mother sits up and works far into the night, — she will use this." The lady's little daughter stood by her, and when she heard the words "far into the night," she said eagerly, "And I'm going to sit up till night, too ! We 're going to haye a ball, and I 'm to wear big red bows for it. ' ' How her face shone ! yes, that was happiness ! No wax-light could shine like the child's eyes. "That is a blessed thing to see," thought the Tallow-candle. "I shall neyer forget it, and certainly it seems to me there can be nothing more." And so the Candle was laid in the basket imder the coyer, and the boy took it away. "Where am I going to now?" thought the Candle. "I shall be with poor folks, perhaps not once get a brass candle-stick; but the Wax- light is stuck in silyer, and sees the rich ones! What can there be more delightful than to be a light among fine folks? That's my lot, — tallow, not wax. ' ' And so the Candle went to the poor people, a 130 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY widow witli three children, in a little, low room, just over opposite the rich house. ^^God bless the good lady for what she gave!'' said the mother; ^4t is a splendid candle, — it will burn till far into the night. ' ' And the candle was lighted. ' ' Pugh ! " it said. ' ^ That was a horrid match she lighted me with. One hardly offers such a thing as that to a wax-light, over at the rich house. ' ' There also the wax-lights were lighted, and shone out over the street. The carriages rum- bled up to the rich house with the guests for the ball, dressed so splendidly ; the music struck up. '^Now they're beginning over there," felt the Tallow-candle, and thought of the little rich girl's bright face, that was brighter than all the wax-lights. ^^That sight I never shall see any more." Then the smallest of the children in the poor house came — she was a little girl — and put her arms around her brother's and sister's necks. She had something very important to tell, and must whisper it. ^^We're going to have this evening, — just think of it, — we're going to have this evening warm potatoes!" and her face beamed with hap- WHEX MOTHER LETS US PLAY 131 piness. The Candle shone straight at her, and saw a haj^piness, as great as was in the rich house, where the little girl said, ''We are going to have a hall this evening, and I shall wear big red bows.'^ ''Is it such a great thing to get Avarm pota- toes?" thought the Candle. "Well, here is just the same jov among the little things!" and it sneezed at that, — that is, it sputtered, and more than that no Tallow-candle could do. The table Avas spread, the potatoes were eaten. Oh, how good they tasted! it was a real feast; and then each got an apple besides, and the smallest child sang the little verse, — **Now thanks, dear God, I give to Tliee, That Thou again hast filled me. Amen." *'Was not that said prettily?" asked the little girl. "You mustn't ask that or say it," said the mother. "You should only thank the good God, who has filled you." And the little children went to bed, gave a good-night kiss, and fell aslee]_3 at once ; and the mother sat till far into the night, and sewed, to get a living for them and herself. And from the rich house the lights shone, and the music sounded. The stars twinkled over all the 132 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY houses, over the rich and over the poor, just as clear, just as kindly. ^'That was in truth a rare evening,'' thought the Tallow-candle. ^'Do you think the wax- lights had any better time in their silver candle- sticks ? That I 'd like to know before I am burnt out!" And it thought of the happy children's faces: the two alike happy, the one lighted by wax- light, the other by tallow-candle. Yes, that is the whole story. — Hans Christian Andersen, WHEN ]\IOTHER LETS US PLAY 133 ANSWERS TO PICTURE NAMES OF ANIMALS 1 — Donkey 2 — Monkey 3 — Peacock 4 — Eobin 5 — Sparrow ANSWERS TO PICTURE NAMES OF PLACES 1 — America 2 — New Jersey 3 — Pennsylvania 4 — Newfoundland 5 — Manhattan 6 — Delaware 7 — Maryland ANSWERS TO PROVERBS IN PICTURES 1 "When the cat 's away The mice will play. 2 Too many cooks spoil the broth. 3 A bird in the hand Is worth two in the bush. 134 WHEN MOTHER LETS US PLAY 4 Early to bed And early to rise, Makes a man healthy, Wealthy and wise. 5 A stitch in time saves nine. 6 If you would thrive, Rise at five ; If you've thriven. You may lie till seven. 7 Slow and steady wins the race. 8 Many hands make light work. 9 Two heads are better than one. 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