The interest may be increased by calling the race an international one the teacher providing small flags of different nations or the children may cut and paint these of paper. The first child in each row chooses the country he will represent by the selection of a flag at the beginning of the game. This he places on the rear desk and it is held aloft by the last player when he regains his seat indicating that his country has come in first second etc. in the automobile race.

The leader may choose any gymnastic positions that are familiar such as chargings head bendings trunk bendings arm movements knee bendings hopping jumping dancing steps etc. or imitate familiar actions such as hammering sawing washing ironing sewing stone cutting shoveling riding horseback etc.

One player is chosen to represent the “Old Buzzard” another player represents a hen and the remainder are chickens. All the players circle around the buzzard saying in chorus –

“Chickany chickany crany crow
I went to the well to wash my toe
And when I came back a chicken was gone.”

The hen finishes by asking alone “What oclock is it old buzzard ” The buzzard crouches on the ground during the repetition of the verse going through the pantomime of building a fire with sticks and in answer to the question may name any hour as eight oclock nine oclock ten oclock. So long as the buzzard does not say twelve oclock the players continue to circle around repeating the verse the final question being asked each time by a different player until the buzzard finally says “Twelve oclock ” When this occurs the ring stands still and the following dialogue takes place between the buzzard and the hen –

Hen. Old buzzard old buzzard what are you doing
Buz. Picking up sticks.
Hen. What do you want the sticks for
Buz. To build a fire.
Hen. What are you building a fire for
Buz. To broil a chicken.
Hen. Where are you going to get the chicken
Buz. Out of your flock

The buzzard who keeps a crouching attitude with face downcast during this dialogue suddenly rises on the last words and chases the players who scatter precipitately. When a player is captured the buzzard brings him back lays him down and dresses him for dinner while the rest of the players group around. The buzzard asks of the captured chicken “Will you be picked or scraped ” and goes through the motions of picking feathers or scaling fish as the chicken decides. The buzzard then asks “Will you be pickled or salted ” “Will you be roasted or stewed ” each time administering to the recumbent chicken the appropriate manipulations. At the end he drags the victim to a corner and the game goes on with the remainder of the players.

All but two of the players form a ring by clasping hands the inclosure serving as the garden. Within this one of the odd players who is assigned to be the scamp takes his place. The other odd player the gardener moves around on the outside of the circle.

The gardener calls to the scamp inside “Who let you in my garden ” and the scamp answers “No one ” whereupon he starts to run away the gardener chasing him. The gardener must take the same path followed by the scamp in and out under the arms of the players who must lift their hands to let them pass. The gardener must also go through all of the movements performed by the scamp who may jump “leapfrog” over any player in the circle turn somersaults crawl between the legs of a circle player double unexpectedly on his path circle around one of the players or resort to any other device for making the chase difficult. If the scamp be caught he becomes gardener and the gardener joins the circle. The former scamp now gardener chooses a new scamp to go into the circle.

Should the gardener fail to follow in the exact path of the scamp or to perform any of the feats or antics of the scamp the gardener must at once join the ring and the scamp then has the privilege of choosing a new gardener.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.–This game may be played by the entire class forming a circle around the room as close to the seats as possible to leave room for the chase outside the circle. Where seats can be turned up this should be done to give the runners opportunity to cross and recross the center space easily. The scamp however may vault over seats in his efforts to escape or delay the gardener.