Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-17

THE PLAYFUL PICCANINNY

no the children of Africa play games?
: Sure they do. Many of them are like
those played by American children; but
there are quite a few that are distinctly
African in origin which have never seen in
this country.
One of the most popular is bong bayamy,
or monkey trap. Twenty more or less, boys
join hands and sing a song about a monkey
being caught in trap, dancing in a circle as
they sing. When they reach that part of
their song story where the monkey tries to
escape, they stop circling, and the youngster
who has been chosen by lot to impersonate
the monkey tries to break the circle by
lunging against the joined hands, while the
boys in the ring try to throw him on his back
by swinging their arms when he jumps on
them. This is to represent the monkey
jumping against the ropes of the trap and
being thrown back therefrom
Should the monkey succeed in breaking
the circle and escaping, the person releasing
his hold must in turn become monkey, while
the escaped boy takes a place in the ring.
Should he fail to break the circle, he is al
lowed to rest, being supposed to be ex-
hausted. The song then continues, and tells
how he tries to jump over the rope that
holds him, only to find himself still fastened.
To illustrate this the boys each throw one
leg over the circle of hands, thus straddling
their arms, and while in this attitude Jump
up and down three times. This is then re-
peated with the other leg. If any boy falls
or breaks his hold, he is regarded as having
set the monkey free, and must take his place
in the trap. The game begins anew with
each monkey.
IN choosing out" in this and similar
games the method most commonly used
is that of choosing hands, one hand holding
pebble, the other empty. The one hold
ing the pebble after all have chosen is "it,
either Header" or goat" Each player before
choosing recites the following ng1narole.
Too too pr-r-rata,
Too too pr-r-rata,
Mario monda bededa,
Keh! Keh!
The first two lines are to represent the
sound of squeezing broken orange or lime,
the hands being squeezed while they are
recited. The third line reads, Il do not like
any hand but this one!" and at KEN! Keh!"
the player slaps the chosen hand.
Row NAV is played along the same general
- lines as the American game of follow
your leader" There is leader chosen, and
all other players must do and say Just what
he does. 1t is game well calculated to cul
tivate a child's memory and the powers of
observation Half dozen or so children
squat round large stone, which, when the
game opens, they all lift together by placing
their fngertips underneath it, slowly up and
slowly down. while they chant:
Ze-e-e-e now belang;
Ze-e-e-e now tokay.
Gift this rock up slowly;
Lay this rock down gently)
After this the leader makes certain ges-
lures, touches several players, and speaks
number of words. Each player must repeat
all of this exactly, and in the same order and
manner as done by the leader. Should any
player fail, he is placed upon his hands and
knees, and the leader gives him from four to
ten blows on the back, always slapping his
back first, and again before the last blow,
which is given with extra force. While doing
this he sings:
Zeely! Ping. ping, ping, ping,
Zeely Ping
"Zee1y" stands for the sound of the slaps,
and ping" for that of the blows, usually
five. The leader may make as many and
such signs over the victims back as he