Acting and Dramatic Games Beast Bird Or Fish
( Acting and Dramatic, BeanBag, Call and Response, Educational, Marble Coin Pebble and Jack )The players stand or are seated preferably in a circle. One player stands or sits in the center with a soft ball made by crushing paper or knotting up a handkerchief. This is thrown at one of the players by the one in the center who says quickly “Beast bird or fish ” then repeats one of these classes and immediately counts ten whereupon the player who has been hit by the ball must name some beast or bird or fish according to the class last named by the thrower. This must be done before the latter has finished counting ten. For instance the thrower will say as he throws “Beast bird or fish –Bird ” whereupon the player hit by the handkerchief must name a bird while the thrower counts ten. This must not be a repetition of any bird previously named in the game. Should the player who is hit by the ball fail to meet the requirements he changes places with the thrower. Should he succeed the thrower repeats the game by hitting some other player.
IN THE SCHOOLROOM this game may be played with all the players but one in their accustomed seats.
An old English form of this game substitutes the words “Fire air and water ” for “Beast bird and fish ” the players being required to name some animal that lives in the air or water when those elements are named but to keep silence when fire is named. In this form the game is supposed to be a survival of fire worship.