MARCHING MARIONETTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 732, 3 August 1929, Page 29

MARCHING MARIONETTES

Any number of players may play in : this game. It may be played in any large space either indoors or outdoors. All of the players except the one who is the first King stand on ! a line at one side of the area where the game is to be played. On the opposite side of the field is another | lino which is parallel to the first or | 1 starting line. This second line is the j goal line. j The King has a heavy wand or j j sceptre (a pole), and he may stand in j any part of the space between the starting and goal line. When the I King faces the Marionettes (and by j these we mean all the other players;, j these children must be as motherless i as wooden dolls . . . they must not ! even smile. But when the King faces ! the goal line and thumps three times j with his sceptre, the Marionettes come j to life and as stealthily as can be, so that the King will not see them, thev move a few steps toward the goal line. If the King sees them moving, he sends them back to the starting line. When the King faces the goal line to thump three times again, the Marionettes may move again. After some of the Marionettes have advanced as far as the middle of the field, the King must close liis eyes while he thumps. | The first Marionette to reach the S goal line changes places with the King, and the child who is King the greatest number of times is called the winner. A FAIRYLAND I am going to tell you about where I used to live. The spring brought a fairyland to the orchard near the house. Fink and white fruit fairies appeared everywhere, and the green leaves looked like little fairy lanterns. Then there was the summer-house, made of trel-lis-work, with starry flowers crevpmg over it. The river, with its gracefully drooping willows and snowflakes, was also a picture of great beauty, —Jean Banes, aged 11. RIDDLES What flies in the air, walks on land* swims in water, and has six legs?— Three ducks. Why is a boot very wise?—Because it keeps a still tongue. „ When does a caterpillar improve its behaviour?—When it turns over a new leaf. What is the best definition of noth-: ing?—A brimless hat without a crown. FORGIVENESS Jackie's orders were that he should come straight home from school immediately it was over. He had obeyed them for a long time, but, unfortunately, a day came when he forgot, lie arrived home late and very dirty. “Book here,’* said his father, angrily, “didn’t you promise me that you would come straight home?” “Yes, father,” was the meek reply. “And didn’t I promise to punish you if you came home late?” “Yes, father,” answered Jackie, more meekly still. “But as I forgot my promise I won’t hold you to yours.”