The Merchant then pretends to taste the Honey, and after having tried two or three Pots exclaims:  “Ah! this tastes very much like my little daughter.”  The little girl who represents the Honey Pot chosen by the Merchant then cries out:  “Yes, I am your little girl,” and immediately jumps up and runs away, the Buyer at the same time endeavoring to catch her.

When the one Honey Pot runs away, all the others do the same, the Buyer catches whom he can, and the game recommences.

* * * * *

THE SPELLING GAME

Each player in this game has what are called three “lives,” or chances.  When the company is seated in a circle, the first player mentions a letter as the beginning of a word.  The game is for each of the company, in turn, to add a letter to it, keeping the word unfinished as long as possible.

When a letter is added to the former letters and it makes a complete word, the person who completed it loses a “life.”  The next player then begins again.

Every letter added must be part of a word, and not an odd letter thought of on the spur of the moment.  When there is any doubt as to the letter used by the last player being correct, he may be challenged, and he will then have to give the word he was thinking of when adding the letter.  If he cannot name the word, he loses a “life;” but if he can, it is the challenger who loses.

This is an example of how the game should be played.  Supposing the first player commences with the letter “p;” the next, thinking of “play,” would add an “l;” the next an “o,” thinking of “plough;” the next person, not having either of these words in his mind, would add “v;” the next player, perhaps, not knowing the word of which the previous player was thinking, might challenge him, and would lose a “life” on being told the word was “plover.”  The player next in turn would then start a new word, and perhaps put down “b,” thinking of “bat;” the next thinking, say, that the word was “bone,” would add an “o,” the next player would add “n;” the player whose turn it would now be, not wanting to lose a “life” by finishing the word, would add another “n;” the next player for the same reason would add “e,” and then there would be nothing else for the next in turn to do but to complete the word by adding “t” and thus losing a “life.”

It will be seen that there are three ways of losing a “life.”  First, the player may lay down a letter, and on being challenged be unable to give the word.  Secondly, he may himself challenge another player who is not at fault.  Thirdly, he may be obliged to add the final letter to a word, and so complete it.

This is a most amusing game for a large party, for as the different persons lose their three “lives,” the players gradually dwindle down to two or three, when it gets very exciting to see who will be the last person left in, for he or she will be declared the winner.