章节正文
he brings back the block and tries again, continuing
to strike until he fails to drive it out of the square. This
game develops ingenuity in placing the block and skill,
in striking, and is one of the most popular of all boys'
games.
When they had finished striking the stick one of the
smaller children went over to where Chi was standing and
whispered in his ear. The expression of his face remained
as unchangeable as that of a stone image, as he called out:
"Select fruit."
The boys danced about in high glee, selected two captains
who chose sides, and they all squatted down in two rows
twenty feet apart. Each boy was given the name of some
kind of fruit, such as apples, pears, peaches, quinces or
plums, all of which are common about Peking. The captain
on one side then blindfolded one of his boys, while
one from the other group arose and stealthily walked over
and touched him, returning to his place among his own
group and taking as nearly as possible the position he had
when the other was blindfolded. In case his companions
are uncertain as to whether his position is exactly the same,
they all change their position, in order to prevent the one
blindfolded from guessing who it was who left his place.
The covering was then removed from his eyes, he went
over to the other side, examined carefully if perchance he
might discover, from change of position, discomfort in
squatting, or a trace of guilt in the face or eyes of any of
them, a clue to the guilty party. He "made faces" to try
to cause the guilty one to laugh. He gesticulated, grimaced,
did everything he could think of, but they looked blank and
unconcerned, or all laughed together, allowing no telltale look
to appear on their faces. His pantomimes sometimes
brought out the guilty one, but in case they did not, his last
resort was to risk a guess, and so he made his selection. If he
was right he took the boy to his side; if wrong, he stayed
on their side. One of their side was then blindfolded,
and the whole was repeated until one group or the other lost all
its men. The game is popular among girls as well as boys.
"Do you have any other guessing games?" we asked Chi.
"Yes, there is point at the moon or the stars," he answered, "and
blind man is also a guessing game."
By this time the boys had become enthusiastic, and had entirely
forgotten that they were playing for us or indeed for any
purpose. It was a new experience, this having their games taken
in a notebook, and each was anxious not only that he play well,
but that no mistake be made by any one. The more Chi realized the
importance of playing the games properly the more solemn he
became, if indeed it were possible to be more solemn than was his
normal condition. He now changed to a game of an entirely
different character from those already played. Those developed
strength, skill or curiosity; this developed quick reaction in
the players.
"What shall we play?" inquired one of the boys.
"Queue," answered Chi.
Immediately every boy jerked his queue over his shoulder
and began to edge away from his companions. But as he
walked away from one he drew near another, and a sudden
calling of his name would so surprise him that in turning
his head to see who spoke his short queue would be jerked
back over his shoulder and he received a dozen slaps from
his companions, all of whom were waiting for just such an
opportunity. This is the object of the game--to catch a
boy with his queue down his back. Some of the boys, more
spry than others, would move away to a distance, and then as
though all unconsciously, allow their queue to hang down
the back in its natural position, depending upon their fleetness
or their agility in getting out of the way or bringing the
queue around in front. This game is peculiarly interesting
and caused much hilarity. At times even the solemn face
of Chi relaxed into a smile.
"Honor," called out Chi, and as in the circus when the
ringmaster cracks his whip, everything changed. The boys
each hooked the first finger of his right hand with that of
his companion and then pulled until their fingers broke
apart, when they each uttered the word "Honor." This
must not be spoken before they broke apart, but as soon as
possible after, and he who was first heard was entitled to
an obeisance on the part of the other. Those who failed
the first trial sat down, and those who succeeded paired off
and pulled once more, and so on until only one was left,
who, as in the spelling-bees of our boyhood days, became
the hero of the hour.
Chi, however, was not making heroes, or was it that he
did not want to hurt the feelings of those who were less
agile; at any rate he called out "Hockey," and the boys at
once snatched up their short sticks and began playing at a
game that is not unlike our American "shinny," a game
which is so familiar to every American boy as to make
description unnecessary--the principal difference between
this and the American game being that the boys all try to
prevent one boy from putting a ball into what they call the
big hole, which, like the others, tended to develop quickness
of action in the boys.
I was familiar with the fact that there are certain games
which tend to develop the parental or protectiveinstinct in
children, while certain others develop the combative and
destructive, as for instance playing with dolls develops the
mother-instinct in girls; tea-parties, the love of society; and
paper dolls teach them how to arrange the furniture in their
houses; while on the other hand, wrestling, boxing, sparring,
battles, and all such amusements if constantly engaged in by
boys, tend to make them, if properly guided and instructed, brave
and patriotic; but if not properly led, cause them to be
quarrelsome, domineering, cruel, coarse and rough, and I wondered
if the Chinese boys had any such games.
"Chi," I asked, "do you have any such games as host and guest, or
games in which the large boys protect the small ones?"
"Host and guest," said Chi.
The boys at once arranged themselves promiscuously over
the playground, and with a few peanuts, or sour dates
which they picked up under the date trees, with all the
ceremony of their race, they invited the others to dine with
them. After playing thus for a moment, Chi called out:
"Roast dog meat."
The children gathered in a group, put the palms of their
hands together, squatted in a bunch or ring, and placed their
hands together in the centre to represent the pot. The boy
on the left of the illustration represents Mrs. Wang, the
guest of the occasion, while Chi himself stands on the right
with his hand on the head of one of the boys. Chi walked
around the ring while he sang:
Roast, roast, roast dog meat,
The second pot smells bad,
The little pot is sweet,
Come, Mrs. Wang, please,
And eat dog meat.
He then invited Mrs. Wang to come and partake of a dinner
of dog meat with him, and the following conversation
ensued.
I cannot walk.
I'll hire a cart for you.
I'm afraid of the bumping.
I'll hire a sedan chair for you.
I'm afraid of the jolting.
I'll hire a donkey for you.
I'm afraid of falling off.
I'll carry you.
I have no clothes.
I'll borrow some for you.
I have no hair ornaments.
I'll make some for you.
I have no shoes.
I'll buy some for you.
This conversation may be carried on to any length,
according to the fertility of the minds of the children, the
excuses of Mrs. Wang at times being very ludicrous. All
these, however, being met, the host carries her off on his
back to partake of the dainties of a dog meat feast.
"What were you playing a few days ago when all the boys lay in a
straight line?"
"Skin the snake."
The boys danced for glee. This was one of their favorite games.
They all stood in line one behind the other. They bent
forward, and each put one hand between his legs and thus
grasped the disengaged hand of the boy behind him.
Then they began backing. The one in the rear lay down
and they backed over astride of him, each lying down as he
backed over the one next behind him with the other's head
between his legs and his head between the legs of his
neighbor, keeping fast hold of hands. They were thus
lying in a straight line.
The last one that lay down then got up, and as he walked
astride the line raised each one after him until all were up,
when they let go hands, stood straight, and the game was
finished.
"Have you any other games which develop the protectiveinstinct
in boys?" we inquired of Chi.
"The hawk catching the young chicks," said the matter-of-fact
boy, answering my question and directing the boys at the same
time.
The children selected one of their number to represent the
hawk and another the hen, the latter being one of the largest
and best natured of the group, and one to whom the small
boys naturally looked for protection.
They formed a line with the mother hen in front, each
clutching fast hold of the others' clothing, with a large active
boy at the end of the line.
The hawk then came to catch the chicks, but the mother
hen spread her wings and moved from side to side keeping
between the hawk and the brood, while at the same time
the line swayed from side to side always in the opposite
direction from that in which the hawk was going. Every
chick caught by the hawk was taken out of the line until
they were all gone.
One of the boys whispered something to Chi.
"Strike the poles," exclaimed the latter.
As soon as they began playing we recognized it as a game we had
already seen.
The boys stood about four feet apart, each having a stick four or
five feet long which he grasped near the middle. As they repeated
the following rhyme in concert they struck alternately the upper
and lower ends of the sticks together, occasionally half
inverting them and thus striking the upper ends together in an
underhand way. They struck once for each accented syllable of the
following rhyme, making it a very rhythmical game.
Strike the stick,
One you see.
I'll strike you and you strike me.
Strike the stick,
Twice around,
Strike it hard for a good, big sound.
to strike until he fails to drive it out of the square. This
game develops ingenuity in placing the block and skill,
in striking, and is one of the most popular of all boys'
games.
When they had finished striking the stick one of the
smaller children went over to where Chi was standing and
whispered in his ear. The expression of his face remained
as unchangeable as that of a stone image, as he called out:
"Select fruit."
The boys danced about in high glee, selected two captains
who chose sides, and they all squatted down in two rows
twenty feet apart. Each boy was given the name of some
kind of fruit, such as apples, pears, peaches, quinces or
plums, all of which are common about Peking. The captain
on one side then blindfolded one of his boys, while
one from the other group arose and stealthily walked over
and touched him, returning to his place among his own
group and taking as nearly as possible the position he had
when the other was blindfolded. In case his companions
are uncertain as to whether his position is exactly the same,
they all change their position, in order to prevent the one
blindfolded from guessing who it was who left his place.
The covering was then removed from his eyes, he went
over to the other side, examined carefully if perchance he
might discover, from change of position, discomfort in
squatting, or a trace of guilt in the face or eyes of any of
them, a clue to the guilty party. He "made faces" to try
to cause the guilty one to laugh. He gesticulated, grimaced,
did everything he could think of, but they looked blank and
unconcerned, or all laughed together, allowing no telltale look
to appear on their faces. His pantomimes sometimes
brought out the guilty one, but in case they did not, his last
resort was to risk a guess, and so he made his selection. If he
was right he took the boy to his side; if wrong, he stayed
on their side. One of their side was then blindfolded,
and the whole was repeated until one group or the other lost all
its men. The game is popular among girls as well as boys.
"Do you have any other guessing games?" we asked Chi.
"Yes, there is point at the moon or the stars," he answered, "and
blind man is also a guessing game."
By this time the boys had become enthusiastic, and had entirely
forgotten that they were playing for us or indeed for any
purpose. It was a new experience, this having their games taken
in a notebook, and each was anxious not only that he play well,
but that no mistake be made by any one. The more Chi realized the
importance of playing the games properly the more solemn he
became, if indeed it were possible to be more solemn than was his
normal condition. He now changed to a game of an entirely
different character from those already played. Those developed
strength, skill or curiosity; this developed quick reaction in
the players.
"What shall we play?" inquired one of the boys.
"Queue," answered Chi.
Immediately every boy jerked his queue over his shoulder
and began to edge away from his companions. But as he
walked away from one he drew near another, and a sudden
calling of his name would so surprise him that in turning
his head to see who spoke his short queue would be jerked
back over his shoulder and he received a dozen slaps from
his companions, all of whom were waiting for just such an
opportunity. This is the object of the game--to catch a
boy with his queue down his back. Some of the boys, more
spry than others, would move away to a distance, and then as
though all unconsciously, allow their queue to hang down
the back in its natural position, depending upon their fleetness
or their agility in getting out of the way or bringing the
queue around in front. This game is peculiarly interesting
and caused much hilarity. At times even the solemn face
of Chi relaxed into a smile.
"Honor," called out Chi, and as in the circus when the
ringmaster cracks his whip, everything changed. The boys
each hooked the first finger of his right hand with that of
his companion and then pulled until their fingers broke
apart, when they each uttered the word "Honor." This
must not be spoken before they broke apart, but as soon as
possible after, and he who was first heard was entitled to
an obeisance on the part of the other. Those who failed
the first trial sat down, and those who succeeded paired off
and pulled once more, and so on until only one was left,
who, as in the spelling-bees of our boyhood days, became
the hero of the hour.
Chi, however, was not making heroes, or was it that he
did not want to hurt the feelings of those who were less
agile; at any rate he called out "Hockey," and the boys at
once snatched up their short sticks and began playing at a
game that is not unlike our American "shinny," a game
which is so familiar to every American boy as to make
description unnecessary--the principal difference between
this and the American game being that the boys all try to
prevent one boy from putting a ball into what they call the
big hole, which, like the others, tended to develop quickness
of action in the boys.
I was familiar with the fact that there are certain games
which tend to develop the parental or protectiveinstinct in
children, while certain others develop the combative and
destructive, as for instance playing with dolls develops the
mother-instinct in girls; tea-parties, the love of society; and
paper dolls teach them how to arrange the furniture in their
houses; while on the other hand, wrestling, boxing, sparring,
battles, and all such amusements if constantly engaged in by
boys, tend to make them, if properly guided and instructed, brave
and patriotic; but if not properly led, cause them to be
quarrelsome, domineering, cruel, coarse and rough, and I wondered
if the Chinese boys had any such games.
"Chi," I asked, "do you have any such games as host and guest, or
games in which the large boys protect the small ones?"
"Host and guest," said Chi.
The boys at once arranged themselves promiscuously over
the playground, and with a few peanuts, or sour dates
which they picked up under the date trees, with all the
ceremony of their race, they invited the others to dine with
them. After playing thus for a moment, Chi called out:
"Roast dog meat."
The children gathered in a group, put the palms of their
hands together, squatted in a bunch or ring, and placed their
hands together in the centre to represent the pot. The boy
on the left of the illustration represents Mrs. Wang, the
guest of the occasion, while Chi himself stands on the right
with his hand on the head of one of the boys. Chi walked
around the ring while he sang:
Roast, roast, roast dog meat,
The second pot smells bad,
The little pot is sweet,
Come, Mrs. Wang, please,
And eat dog meat.
He then invited Mrs. Wang to come and partake of a dinner
of dog meat with him, and the following conversation
ensued.
I cannot walk.
I'll hire a cart for you.
I'm afraid of the bumping.
I'll hire a sedan chair for you.
I'm afraid of the jolting.
I'll hire a donkey for you.
I'm afraid of falling off.
I'll carry you.
I have no clothes.
I'll borrow some for you.
I have no hair ornaments.
I'll make some for you.
I have no shoes.
I'll buy some for you.
This conversation may be carried on to any length,
according to the fertility of the minds of the children, the
excuses of Mrs. Wang at times being very ludicrous. All
these, however, being met, the host carries her off on his
back to partake of the dainties of a dog meat feast.
"What were you playing a few days ago when all the boys lay in a
straight line?"
"Skin the snake."
The boys danced for glee. This was one of their favorite games.
They all stood in line one behind the other. They bent
forward, and each put one hand between his legs and thus
grasped the disengaged hand of the boy behind him.
Then they began backing. The one in the rear lay down
and they backed over astride of him, each lying down as he
backed over the one next behind him with the other's head
between his legs and his head between the legs of his
neighbor, keeping fast hold of hands. They were thus
lying in a straight line.
The last one that lay down then got up, and as he walked
astride the line raised each one after him until all were up,
when they let go hands, stood straight, and the game was
finished.
"Have you any other games which develop the protectiveinstinct
in boys?" we inquired of Chi.
"The hawk catching the young chicks," said the matter-of-fact
boy, answering my question and directing the boys at the same
time.
The children selected one of their number to represent the
hawk and another the hen, the latter being one of the largest
and best natured of the group, and one to whom the small
boys naturally looked for protection.
They formed a line with the mother hen in front, each
clutching fast hold of the others' clothing, with a large active
boy at the end of the line.
The hawk then came to catch the chicks, but the mother
hen spread her wings and moved from side to side keeping
between the hawk and the brood, while at the same time
the line swayed from side to side always in the opposite
direction from that in which the hawk was going. Every
chick caught by the hawk was taken out of the line until
they were all gone.
One of the boys whispered something to Chi.
"Strike the poles," exclaimed the latter.
As soon as they began playing we recognized it as a game we had
already seen.
The boys stood about four feet apart, each having a stick four or
five feet long which he grasped near the middle. As they repeated
the following rhyme in concert they struck alternately the upper
and lower ends of the sticks together, occasionally half
inverting them and thus striking the upper ends together in an
underhand way. They struck once for each accented syllable of the
following rhyme, making it a very rhythmical game.
Strike the stick,
One you see.
I'll strike you and you strike me.
Strike the stick,
Twice around,
Strike it hard for a good, big sound.
- striking [´straikiŋ]
a.显著的，明显的 (初中英语单词) - standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- uncertain [ʌn´sə:tn] a.不定的；不可靠的 (初中英语单词)
- guilty [´gilti] a.有罪的；心虚的 (初中英语单词)
- anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)
- properly [´prɔpəli] ad.适当地；严格地 (初中英语单词)
- solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)
- character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
- curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)
- reaction [ri´ækʃən] n.反应(力) (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- hooked [hukt] a.钩状的；上瘾的 (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- unlike [,ʌn´laik] a.不同的 prep.不象... (初中英语单词)
- principal [´prinsəpəl] a.主要的 n.负责人 (初中英语单词)
- instinct [´instiŋkt] n.本能；直觉；天资 (初中英语单词)
- instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)
- boxing [´bɔksiŋ] n.拳击运动 (初中英语单词)
- constantly [´kɔnstəntli] ad.经常地；不断地 (初中英语单词)
- coarse [kɔ:s] a.粗(糙)的；粗鲁的 (初中英语单词)
- illustration [,ilə´streiʃən] n.插图，图解，例证 (初中英语单词)
- occasionally [ə´keiʒənəli] ad.偶然地；非经常地 (初中英语单词)
- ingenuity [,indʒi´nju:iti] n.创造性；机灵 (高中英语单词)
- selection [si´lekʃən] n.选择；选拔；精选物 (高中英语单词)
- repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)
- enthusiastic [inθju:zi´æstik] a.热情的，热心的 (高中英语单词)
- circus [´sə:kəs] n.马戏(团)；圆形广场 (高中英语单词)
- boyhood [´bɔihud] n.少年时代(期) (高中英语单词)
- patriotic [,pætri´ɔtik] a.爱国的 (高中英语单词)
- playground [´pleigraund] n.操场；运动场 (高中英语单词)
- donkey [´dɔŋki] n.驴子；蠢人；顽固的人 (高中英语单词)
- syllable [´siləbəl] n.音节；只言片语 (高中英语单词)
- perchance [pə´tʃɑ:ns] ad.偶然；可能 (英语四级单词)
- notebook [´nəutbuk] n.笔记本 (英语四级单词)
- unconsciously [ʌn´kɔʃəsli] ad.无意识地；不觉察地 (英语四级单词)
- peculiarly [pi´kju:liəli] ad.特有地；古怪地 (英语四级单词)
- protective [prə´tektiv] a.防护的；保护贸易的 (英语四级单词)
- partake [pɑ:´teik] v.参与；分享；同吃 (英语四级单词)
- alternately [ɔ:l´tə:nitli] ad.交替地，轮流地 (英语四级单词)
- stealthily [´stelθili] ad.偷偷地，隐秘地 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- discomfort [dis´kʌmfət] n.不适；不安；困难 (英语六级单词)
- fertility [fə:´tiliti] n.肥沃；多产；繁殖力 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
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