Call and Response Games Draw A Bucket Of Water
( Call and Response, Choreographed, Singing and Song )4 to 60 or more players. Indoors out of doors. This game is played in groups of four generally by girls. Two players face each other clasping hands at full arms length. The other two face each other in the same way with their arms crossing those of the first couple at right angles. Bracing the feet the couples sway backward and forward singing the following rhyme —
Draw a bucket of water
For my ladys daughter.
One in a rush
Two in a rush
Please little girl bob under the bush.
As the last line is said the players all raise their arms without unclasping the hands and place them around their companions who stoop to step inside. They will then be standing in a circle with arms around each others waists. The game finishes by dancing in this position around in a ring repeating the verse once more.
I saw a ship a-sailing a-sailing on the sea
And oh it was laden with pretty things for me.
There were comfits in the cabin and apples in the hold
The sails were made of silk and the masts were made of gold.Four and twenty sailors that sat upon the deck
Were four and twenty white mice with chains about their necks.
The captain was a duck with a packet on his back
And when the ship began to move the captain cried quack quack
The players hold hands and circle rapidly while singing. After the last verse one of the players breaks the circle and with his next neighbor raises his hand high to form an arch calling “Bid bid bid ” which is the call for ducks. The player on the opposite side of the break in the circle proceeds to pass under this arch the entire circle following all holding hands and answering “Quack quack quack ”
When all have passed through the two players at the opposite end of the line raise their hands and cry “Bid bid bid ” while the two who first made the arch pass through drawing the line after them and calling “Quack quack quack ” This passing of the ducks under the gateway is continued during one or two repetitions of the music. The players should repeat “Bid bid bid ” and “Quack quack quack ” in rhythm during all of this latter part of the play.