Читать книгу What Shall We Do Now?: Five Hundred Games and Pastimes - Dorothy Canfield Fisher - Страница 47

In this game, which is usually played by girls, one player hides her eyes, while the others, who are sitting in a row, pass a ball from one to another until it is settled who shall keep it. This done, they all hide their hands in their laps, as if each one had it; and the other player is called, her aim being to discover in whose hands the ball is hidden. She examines the faces of the others very closely until she makes up her mind which one probably has the ball, and then addresses that one thus—

Lady Queen Anne, she sits in the sun,

As fair as a lily, as brown as a bun,

She sends you three letters and prays you'll read one.

To this the player replies—

I cannot read one unless I read all;

and the seeker answers—

Then pray, Miss [whatever the name is], deliver the ball.

If the ball really is with this player, the seeker and she change places, but otherwise the seeker hides her eyes again and the ball changes hands (or not). And so on until it is found.

Another way is for sides to be taken, one consisting of Queen Anne and her maids and the other of gipsies. The gipsies have the ball first, and, having hidden it, they advance in a line toward Queen Anne, each holding up her skirts as if the ball were there, singing—

Lady Queen Anne, she sits in the sun,

As fair as a lily, as brown as a bun.

King John has sent you letters three,

And begs you'll read one unto me.

Lady Queen Anne and her maids reply—

We cannot read one unless we read all,

So pray, Miss [whatever the name of the player chosen may be], deliver the ball.

If they have hit upon the right player she goes over to Queen Anne's side. But if not, the gipsies sing—

The ball is mine, it is not thine,

So you, proud Queen, sit still on your throne,

While we poor gipsies go and come.

They then turn round and hide the ball again.