Children’s Games
I will now give some specimens of the games I have seen played by children:—
“Throwing the Flower across” (champak bunga sa-b’lah) is a game which I have
seen thus played by boys.
A handkerchief was twisted up (like a rope) from corner to corner, folded in half,
and then tied together at the ends.
Two couples stood facing one another at a few yards’ distance, and at a given
signal one of the boys in each couple took his companion up on to his shoulders.
The two who were mounted threw the handkerchief across to each other, and
back again by turns. When the one failed to catch it, both riders dismounted and
offered backs to their late “mounts,” who thus became riders, and threw the
handkerchief in their turn. Each time, however, that a catch was made both
parties crossed over. When three catches were made in unbroken succession
(kĕlerik) the riders had the privilege of being carried across three times before
recommencing play.
I should add that a coin was tossed up at the outset of the game to decide who
were to start as the riders, and who were to be the ridden.
Main Sesel (or Kachau kueh) bears a strong family resemblance to our own
“Hen and chickens.” When I witnessed it, a big boy played the “Paterfamilias”
with a string of children at his back, each of whom was holding on to the one in
front of him. Presently a “Cakeseller” presented himself, and the following
conversation ensued:—