PLAY AND GAMES IN SOUTH AMERICA

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 18 (Supplement)

PLAY AND GAMES IN SOUTH AMERICA

Boys and girls of New Zealand perhaps would like to know what games their friends in South America play. The South Americans are an amuse-ment-loving people, and give their children many toys—rocking-horses, dolls, tiny sets of china—exactly like those sold in shops in the United States. South American children play “Hide and Seek,” too, but they call it “Juego de Escondite”; thev have picnics; they play “Pussv-wants-a-cor-ner”; tag and cross-tag; the girls have skipping ropes. There is a tree in the tropical countries that produces hard, round nuts lik® marbles, and the boys use them in preference to marbles made of clay. The indoor games are comparatively few, as the weather in most of the South American countries is so mild that the children can play in their patios, or courtyards, around which the houses are built. Tennis is as common as in this country, and baseball is beginning to be popular with the older boys. They also play handball to a great extent. The kite is a popular toy all over Central and South America, even more popular than in the United States, and is called “El Cometa” (the comet). The shape is usually a hexagon, the sticks are bamboo, and the covering tissue paper. When a boy wants to show his artistic taste he ornaments his kite with a fringe o! tissue paper around the bottom; and ff he be musical he extends the sticks above the paper at the top and stretches across them strips of hide, which, in a strong breeze, gives a beautiful sound like an seolian harp. A musical chord can be made by loosening or tightening the strings. The surface of the kite is often painted to represent the face of a man, so that the fringe around the sides has the appearance of a beard and is trimmed accordingly. The “Morral” or grab-bag is a common and popular game. Sometimes it is filled with gifts, comical or otherwise, concealed in packages, that are drawn by people present. Or, again, mottoes are placed in a bag to be taken out by the players and read for the amusement of the company. They have ah egg game called “Carcarone,” in which eggs are emptied of their contents through holes punched in the ends. They are then coloured in gay hues and filled with finely chopped gilt and coloured paper, or with flour, or very small bits of spiced candy. Young children go about the streets, or to the homes of their. friends, with these eggs concealed in their pockets, and at unexpected moments smash theip in the hands of each other. Boys and girls sit for hours painting and filling egg shells, as many of the shops purchase them for this game. The South Americans do not play “ten pins” with ten pins, but with three. The centre pin, or king, as they term it, counts 12 if it is knocked down, and the others G each. The game is called “Bola.” A bowl is made of beeswax, with a convex bottom, and balls of beeswax are thrown to knock it down. Quoits are common, as is the game “Duck and Drake.” which is played with stones’, as it is in this country. A popular game played both indoors and out is “The Prop and the Monej*.’ A ring is drawn upon the floor or upon the*ground, about a yard in diameter, and a section of a bamboo, 12 to 18 inches long, is set up in the centre, with a penny on the top. The players stand off a certain distance, and by throwing pennies endeavour to knock the coin from the top of the stick. If it falls within the ring the player loses and forfeits the penny. If it falls without the ring it is his. Practically all of their games require considerable skill.

ANOTHER SCHOOLBOY HOWLER. One day at our school a boy was told to parse “Jack.” lie stood up and said. “ 4 Jack,’ a pronoun, because it stands instead of a noun.” “ What noun does it stand instead of?” asked the teacher. “John!” answered the boy.

Doris Timms: Thank you for very pretty card, dear. I hope 1930 will be good to you. Happy thoughts.—A.H. Edith Perkins: A racquvt is surely a splendid present for a little gill. How you will love playing tennis! Happy times to Edith.—A.H. Edna Wilkie: Good of you to write on holiday. Have all the fun you can. Love to you.—A.H. Olive Richards: Little River will be very pretty just now. I am sure. Eleven o'clock was a very late bed-hour. Love. —A.H. Joyce Qosset: Welcome to a new niece. Much love to you, Joyce.—A.H. Colin Chambers: No, I didn’t get my terrier. But I will live in hopes. Love to both.—A.H. May Kelly: Only too happy to give you what happiness I can. May. We appreciate your interest. Love to you. —A.H. Helen Biggs: Thank you for your good wishes, dear. That was a sad affair on the swing. Love to you.—A.H. Owen Choate: Be sure to see me before you go. We shall ail miss you a great deal. Love.—A.H. Betty Brodie: That car puzzle was printed a few weeks ago in the page, dear. Writing is very neat. Watcli how you spell “niece.” Love.—A.H. Mary Anderson: Quite a nice little card, Mary, and thank you. Thank Iris for the hanky. 1 forgot it in her letter. Love.—A.H. Maurice Hogg: Yes, that wan quite a good riddle. Was it original? Lots of love.—A.H. June Humm: I think you did very well for Christmas. How many flies have you caught in mother’s present? Love.—A.H. Eva Edgeler: I suppose news is rather scarce at Coleridge; but it is pleasant to get your letters. Lots of love.— A.H. Xris Anderson: You had a regular shower of gifts, hadn't you? No hurry to come back for a while yet. Valued all that help a great deal. Love.—A.H. Myra Chesters: Will use recipe later. It sounds very nice. Are you happy away from school? Love.—A.H. Teggy Kaye: Did Santa Claus bring 'you the macintosh? That was a nice little letter. Love to Peggy.—A.H. Martin Lyons: What a big family of canaries! If you are selling songsters latir, I might buy one. I should like to hear him singing to me. Let me know, will you? Love.—A.H. Edna Stratford: What a very dainty little calendar; thank you ever so much. I hope Daddy is quite well by now. Love to you.—A.H. Ruth Meyer: You are welcome in. Ruth. Tell me if you do not receive a card. Arc you having a happy time? Sunny days.—A.H. Bola Sergison: You are very welcome, Lola. 1 am sure Billy must be a great pet for you. Try to tell me more next time. Love to you.—A.H. Hgaio Durant: When we start our competitions again, you must try to win a book prize. Work is certainly improving. Love to you.-—A.H. V. M. Abbott: Expect you will soon be back to routine again. Wish you all that is best for 1930.—A.H. Phyllis Nielson: Being topical Is half the battle. Was pleased to use your effort. Keep it up. Good wishes.— A.IT. Patricia Knowles: The lavender scented all my desk, it was so fresh. No, I have not seen silkworms for a long, long time. Tell us all about them. Are you going back to school? Love.—A.H. Nancye Bell: That was a good bundle of work, and I am pleased to see you trying to use the Esperanto. Happy holidays to you. Love.—A.H. Phyllis Hall: Yes, I always value your own work, Phyllis; and it was very kind of you to think of me. Love to you.—A.H. Joyce Johns: How well you did at school! I hope 1930 will see you doing even better. Happy thought*.—A.H. Patsy Donnelly: We missed your name Inst week, Patsy, but it ought to be in to-night. One soon tires of holidays, I know. Love to a new niece. I have plenty of stories just now.—A.H. Bernie Donnelly: Sign your name on your paintings, Bernie, and also full name on your letters, because I have such a vast family. Lots of good wishes.—A.H. Bruce Sinclair: Thank you for very pretty calendar, Bruce. It was most thoughtful of you. Love.—A.H. Eileen and Colin Kemp: Yes, I received the money quite safely, and am glad you got such lovely things. Lots of love to you both.—A.H.

RIDDLES TO SOLVE. Why is a summer flower garden never a very quiet place?—Because all the blossoms have numerous (s) talks there! Why is the letter M greatly to be. pitied?—Because it is never in luck and always in misery'. How long ago was it when there were but twenty-four letters in the alphabet?—Long before U and I were thought of.