My Book of Indoor Games by Clarence Squareman (top novels to read .txt) 📖
- Author: Clarence Squareman
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It is always well to have a curtain if you can; a sheet makes an excellent one. Two children standing upon chairs hold it up on each side, and at a given signal drop it upon the floor, so that, instead of the curtain rising, it drops. When it has been dropped, the two little people should take the sheet corners in their hands again, so that they have only to jump upon the chairs when it is time to hide the picture.
Of course, these instructions are only for living pictures on a very small scale; much grander arrangements will be needed if the performance is to take place before any but a "home audience."
As I told you before, comic living pictures are the easiest to perform on account of the dresses being easier to make, but there are other living pictures which are easier still, and which will cause a great deal of fun and merriment. They are really catches, and are so simple that even very little children can manage them.
You can arrange a program, and make half a dozen copies to hand round to the audience.
The first living picture on the list is "The Fall of Greece" and sounds very grand, indeed; but when the curtain rises (or rather, if it is the sheet curtain, drops), the audience see a lighted candle set rather crookedly in a candlestick and fanned from the background so as to cause the grease to fall.
Here are some other similar comic tableaux which you can easily place before an audience:
"Meet of the Hounds."—A pile of dog biscuits.
"View of the Black Sea."—A large capital C blackened with ink.
"The Charge of the Light Brigade."—Half a dozen boxes of matches labeled: "10 cents the lot."
These are only a few of the many comic living pictures you can perform; but, no doubt, you will be able to think of others for yourselves.
Acting ProverbsThe best way to play this game is for the players to divide themselves into two groups, namely, actors and audience. Each one of the actors should then fix upon a proverb, which he will act, in turn, before the audience. As, for instance, supposing one of the players to have chosen the proverb, "A bad workman quarrels with his tools," he should go into the room where the audience is seated, carrying with him a bag in which there is a saw, a hammer, or any other implement or tool used by a workman; he should then look round and find a chair, or some other article, which he should pretend requires repairing; he should then act the workman, by taking off his coat, rolling up his sleeves, and commencing work, often dropping his tools, and grumbling about them the whole of the time.
If this game be acted well, it may be made very entertaining. Sometimes the audience are made to pay a forfeit each time they fail to guess the proverb.
Shouting ProverbsThis is rather a noisy game. One of the company goes outside the door, and during his absence a proverb is chosen and a word of it is given to each member of the company. When the player who is outside re-enters the room, one of the company counts "One, two, three," then all the company simultaneously shout out the word that has been given to him or her of the proverb that has been chosen.
If there are more players present than there are words in the proverb, two or three of them must have the same word. The effect of all the company shouting out together is very funny. All that is necessary is for the guesser to have a sharp ear; then he is pretty sure to catch a word here and there that will give him the key to the proverb.
ProverbsThis is a very interesting game, and can be played by a large number at the same time. Supposing there are twelve persons present, one is sent out of the room, while the others choose a proverb. When this is done, the "guesser" is allowed to come in, and he asks each person a question separately. In the answer, no matter what question is asked, one word of the proverb must be given. For illustration we will take "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
1. John must use the word "A" in his answer.
2. Gladys must use the word "bird" in hers.
3. Nellie must use the word "in" in hers.
4. Tommy must use the word "the" in his.
5. Estelle must use the word "hand" in hers.
6. Ivy must use the word "is" in hers.
7. Wilfrid must use the word "worth" in his.
8. Lionel must use the word "two" in his.
9. Vera must use the word "in" in hers.
10. Bertie must use the word "the" in his.
11. Harold must use the word "bush" in his.
The fun becomes greater if the answers are given quickly and without allowing the special word to be noticed. It often happens that the "guesser" has to try his powers over several times before succeeding. The one who by giving a bad answer gives the clue, in turn becomes guesser, and is then obliged to go out of the room while another proverb is chosen.
Here is a list of proverbs:
A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A cat may look at a king.
Aching teeth are ill tenants.
A creaking door hangs long on the hinges.
A drowning man will catch at a straw.
After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a mile.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
A good servant makes a good master.
A good word is as soon said as an evil one.
A little leak will sink a great ship.
All are not friends that speak us fair.
All are not hunters that blow the horn.
All is fish that comes to the net.
All is not gold that glitters.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
A pitcher goes often to the well, but is broken at last.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
A small spark makes a great fire.
A stitch in time saves nine.
As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.
As you sow, so you shall reap.
A tree is known by its fruit.
A willful man will have his way.
A willing mind makes a light foot.
A word before is worth two behind.
A burden which one chooses is not felt.
Beggars have no right to be choosers.
Be slow to promise and quick to perform.
Better late than never.
Better to bend than to break.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Care killed a cat.
Catch the bear before you sell his skin.
Charity begins at home, but does not end there.
Cut your coat according to your cloth.
Do as you would be done by.
Do not halloo till you are out of the wood.
Do not spur a willing horse.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Empty vessels make the greatest sound.
Enough is as good as a feast.
Faint heart never won fair lady.
Fine feathers make fine birds.
Fine words butter no parsnips.
Fire and water are good servants, but bad masters.
Grasp all, lose all.
Half a loaf is better than no bread.
Handsome is as handsome does.
Happy is the wooing that is not long in doing.
He that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.
Hiders are good finders.
Home is home though it be ever so homely.
Honesty is the best policy.
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
It is an ill wind that blows nobody good.
It is never too late to learn.
It is not the cowl that makes the friar.
It is a long lane that has no turning.
It's a good horse that never stumbles.
It's a sad heart that never rejoices.
Ill weeds grow apace.
Keep a thing for seven years, and you will find a use for it.
Kill two birds with one stone.
Lazy folk take the most pains.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Let them laugh that win.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Many a true word is spoken in jest.
Many hands make light work.
Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Old birds are not to be caught with chaff.
Old friends and old wine are best.
One swallow makes not a spring, nor one woodcock a winter.
People who live in glass houses should never throw stones.
Possession is nine points of the law.
Procrastination is the thief of time.
Short reckonings make long friends.
Safe bind, safe find.
Strike while the iron is hot.
Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.
The more the merrier, the fewer the better cheer.
The darkest hour is just before the daylight.
The cobbler's wife is the worst shod.
There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.
There's a silver lining to every cloud.
Those who play with edge tools must expect to be cut.
Time and tide wait for no man.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Union is strength.
Waste not, want not.
What the eye sees not, the heart rues not.
When rogues fall out honest men get their own.
When the cat's away, the mice play.
Willful waste makes woful want.
You cannot eat your cake and have it also.
This is a very good game and will combine both instruction and amusement. The idea is that the company imagines itself to be a party of travelers who are about to set out on a journey to foreign countries. A good knowledge of geography is required, also an idea of the manufactures and customs of the foreign parts about to be visited. It would be as well, if not quite certain about the location of the part, to refer to a map.
A place for starting having been decided upon, the first player sets out upon his journey. He tells the company what spot he intends to visit (in imagination) and what kind of conveyance he means to travel in. On arriving at his destination, the player states what he wishes to buy, and to whom he intends to make a present of his purchase on returning home.
This may seem very simple, but it is not nearly so easy as it appears. The player must have some knowledge of the country to which he is going, the way he will travel, and the time it will take to complete the journey. To give an instance, it will not do for the player to state that he is going to Greenland to purchase pineapples, or to Florida to get furs; nor will it do for him to make a present of a meerschaum pipe to a lady, or a cashmere shawl to a gentleman.
More fun is added to this game if forfeits are exacted for all mistakes.
The game continues, and the second player must make his starting point from where the first leaves off. Of course, all depends upon the imagination or the experience of the player; if he has been a traveler or has read a good deal, his descriptions should be very interesting.
Postman's KnockOne player begins the game by going out of the room, and then giving a double (or postman's) knock at the door; it is the duty of one of the other players to stand at the door inside the room to answer the knocks that are made, and to ask the postman for whom he has a letter. The postman names some member of the company, generally of the opposite sex; he is then asked, "How many cents are to be paid?" Perhaps he will say "six"; the person for whom the letter is supposed to be must then pay for it with kisses, instead of cents; after which he or she must take a turn as postman.
"Our Old Grannie Doesn't Like Tea."All the players sit in a row, except one, who sits in front of them and says to each one in
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