Each boy has his wrists tied together with a handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the ankles with another handkerchief; his arms are then passed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed over one arm, under both knees, and out again on the other side over the other arm.  The “cocks” are now considered ready for fighting, and are carried into the center of the room, and placed opposite each other with their toes just touching.  The fun now commences.

Each “cock” tries with the aid of his toes to turn his opponent over on his back or side.

The one who can succeed in doing this first wins the game.

It often happens that both “cocks” turn over at the same time, when the fight commences again.

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[Illustration]

GAMES WITH THE ALPHABET

It is necessary for these games that a large boxful of letters should be provided, which can be purchased at any toy store or made by the young people themselves by being cut out of newspapers.  The children should seat themselves round the table; the letters should then be well shuffled and dealt round to the players.  Each child has to form a word or sentence out of the letters which he has received.  Another variation is to select a long word, and then in a given time to try to form several words from it.  Names of well-known men, places, etc., can also be given.  These games are not only amusing, but serve at the same time to instruct the young folk.

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HONEY POTS

For little ones there is scarcely a more popular game than “Honey Pots.”  Small children of three and four can be included in this game, but there should be two bigger children for the “Buyer” and the “Merchant.”  The children, with the exception of the Buyer and Merchant, seat themselves upon the floor of the room, with their knees raised and their hands clasped together round them.  These children are called “Honey Pots.”  The Merchant and the Buyer then talk about the quality and quantity of the Honey, and the price of each Pot.  It is agreed that the price to be paid shall be according to the weight of the “Honey” and the “Pot.”  The children are carefully “weighed” by raising them two or three times from the floor and swinging them by the arms, one arm held by the Merchant and the other by the Buyer.

[Illustration]

When the “Honey Pots” are all weighed, the Buyer says he will purchase the whole of the stock, and asks the Merchant to help him carry the Pots home.  Then the Merchant and the Buyer carry the children, one by one, to the other end of the room.

When all are safely at the Buyer’s house, the Merchant goes out of the room, but suddenly returns and says to the Buyer:  “I believe you have carried off my little daughter in one of the Honey Pots.”  The Buyer replies:  “I think not.  You sold me all the Pots full of Honey, but if you doubt me you can taste them.”