Indoor and Outdoor Recreations for Girls

CHAPTER XXI

MAY DAY AMUSEMENTS

MINGLING with the festivities of May day in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were certain games intended to represent the adventures of Robin Hood, that bold forest chieftain who with his band of merry men, all clad in Lincoln green, held many a contest with bow and arrows; and though most of them were masters of the sport, none could quite equal the leader, Robin Hood.

From certain customs of these bygone days we can evolve a delightful entertainment and call it the Twentieth Century May day. The most important personage on this occasion is the May Queen, who must win her crown by skill in archery. The next in importance is the King who wins his title in the same way. Of course,

Bows

and arrows will be needed for the sport, and these we will make at home. They will be quite small and easy to manufacture, but the bows, though tiny, will work to a charm and send the home-made arrows flying with swiftness and precision to their goal. Look up a piece of flat rattan, from which to form the bow, such as is often used to stiffen stays and dress waists; cut it eleven and one-half inches in length and burn a hole in each end by boring through the rattan with a hair-pin heated red hot at one end (Fig. 407). Holes made in this way will not split or break the rattan. Pass a strong linen thread through the hole in one end of the bow and tie it firmly (Fig. 408); then bring the thread across to the other end, pass it through the hole, leaving a stretch of eight and one-quarter inches from end to end of the bow, and tie the end securely (Fig. 410).

Fig. 407.—The bow of rattan.

Fig. 408.—Fastening on the bow-string.

Fig. 410.—Bow strung ready for arrow.

Fig. 409.—Arrow of paint brush handle.

Make the Arrows

of slender sticks ten inches in length and sharpened to a point at the heavier end (Fig. 409). Whittle the arrows as round as possible. If you happen to have old, slender, long-handled paint brushes, they will make fine arrows with the brush taken off and the large end pointed.

Fig. 411.—Paper cover for target.

Fig. 412.—Cowslip for target.

The Target

may also be home-made; for this use a small hoop—a barrel hoop will do—and cover it with paper. Take any kind of paper strong enough to hold, but not too stiff, and cut it three or four inches larger in circumference than the hoop. Lay the hoop down flat on the paper and draw a line around its edge; then slash the paper around the edge, cutting deep enough to almost reach the circle marked by the hoop (Fig. 411). Cut silhouettes of spring flowers from various bright-colored tissue-paper. Lay a piece of tissue-paper over each flower pattern here given, and trace the outline directly on the tissue-paper. Make a cowslip (Fig. 412) of yellow paper for the centre of the target, and above it place (Fig. 413) a violet of violet tissue-paper, and under the centre fasten a Jack-in-the-pulpit of green tissue-paper (Fig. 414); at the right attach a pink azalia (Fig. 415) and at the left a scarlet tulip (Fig. 416). Over the remaining blank portion scatter bright silhouettes of other flowers. Each wild blossom has its own value: the yellow centre cowslip counts 10; violet, 9; Jack-in-the-pulpit, 8; pink azalia, 7; scarlet tulip, 6, etc. When the paper flowers are ready, lay the large target paper on a perfectly flat, hard surface; then, using paste only around the edges of the flowers, fasten each one in position on the target paper, beginning with the central cowslip. When finished turn the paper over on the wrong side and lay the hoop on it over the circular line previously drawn. The hoop must first have a strong staple driven in its top (Fig. 417). Turn up the slashed edge of the paper and paste it down over the hoop. Fig. 418 shows a portion of the flaps glued over it. Be sure when covering the hoop to keep the paper perfectly smooth and free from all wrinkles or fulness, as shown in the target (Fig. 419).

Fig. 413.—Violet for target.	Fig. 414.—Jack-in-the-pulpit for target.
Fig. 415.—Azalia for target.	Fig. 416.—Tulip for target.

Select a good position on a tree or fence. Drive in a nail at the proper height and hang the target by the staple in its rim; then with a stick or stone mark a line on the ground about three yards from and directly in front of the target. Let each player in turn stand with toes touching the mark and shoot one arrow at the target. Someone must keep tally, and as each arrow strikes or misses make a record of the shot. When all have had one trial the second round may be played; then the third, which finishes the game of archery and decides the relative places of all the company.

May Queen and King and loyal subjects.

Fig. 418.—Portion of flaps glued over hoop.

Fig. 419.—Target with silhouettes of flowers.

The girl and boy with highest records are

Queen and King,

the next highest maids-of-honor and gentlemen-of-the-Court; the others fall in line according to their records on the target, and the entire party strikes out for the nearest stretch of land where wild flowers are to be found. Out from the shade they go into the sunshine, where the new[243]
[244] springing grass is tender and green, and a little beyond under the trees where a mysterious perfume, the breath of awakening Nature, pervades the air, where grow the modest blue-eyed violets, the fragrant trailing arbutus, spicy and sweet, the funny Jack-in-the-pulpit, without which no collection of wild flowers would be complete, and where also may be found the rare and beautiful bloodroot, whose stay is so short one can scarce catch a glimpse of its pure, white blossoms ere they vanish.

The Queen Rules,

and the King shares her honors. All the subjects must yield implicit obedience; but, on the other hand, the Queen should issue only unselfish and kind commands, such as are sure to render her people happy, for the thought of their comfort and pleasure should ever be uppermost.

Fig. 420.—Take the flowers up roots and all.

Fig. 421.—Water-proof paper flower-pot May-basket.

The delicate little blossoms of early spring need very careful handling, and it would be well for the King and his gentlemen to be provided with old kitchen knives or trowels, that they may be able to dig around and under the little plants in order to take the flowers up root and all, with the earth clinging to them (Fig. 420); each one can then be carefully placed upright in a flat-bottomed basket or box and carried home in safety. Better still would be a number of tiny water-proof paper flower-pots, which may be purchased per dozen for a trifling sum. In each pot place one plant with plenty of damp earth surrounding it, and upon reaching home tie a gay narrow ribbon through holes pierced on each side; the little receptacle will then make a charming May-basket, and the wild flowers will keep fresh and blooming for a long time (Fig. 421).

While the King and his men are at work digging up the plants the Queen and her ladies can gather the buds and blossoms, picking them with as long stems as possible and remembering to have a few green leaves of each plant with its blossoms. To keep the flowers from wilting, as they would if held in the hand, let each girl be provided with a clean, perfectly dry baking-powder can which has a lid that fits tightly; the blossoms must be without moisture and very carefully placed within the can as soon as they are plucked. When the tin box is filled the cover can be fitted on securely to exclude all the air. The green leaves may be carried in the hand, and when they droop they can be revived by being placed in fresh water. The bit of wildwood brought home in the form of dainty cut flowers could be put in water until dark, when the little

May-baskets

are ready for their reception. These baskets should always be small and must never be crowded with flowers; it is better to have only one variety of blossom with its foliage for each basket.

Fig. 422.—Beginning wire May-basket.

Fig. 423.—Basket ready for handle.

Manufacture the May-baskets of paper boxes, colored straws, wire, and cardboard. Those of wire can be made to resemble coral and are pretty when shaped like that shown at Fig. 425. Make a ring of wire about the size of the top of a very large teacup by twisting the two ends of the wire together, then pull it into an oblong shape curved downward at the two ends. Form another smaller ring, connect the two by a length of wire fastened on one end (Fig. 422); twist the wire on the bottom loop and bring it across the bottom and up on the other side end (Fig. 423). Proceed the same way with the broad sides, extending the wire up and across the top to form the handle (Fig. 424); if more braces are needed, add them, and tie bits of string in knots of various sizes at intervals all over the basket frame to form projections for the branches of coral.

Fig. 424.—Wire basket to be turned into coral.

Transform the wire into coral by melting some white wax and mixing with it powdered vermilion. While the wax is in a liquid state hang the basket on the end of a poker or stick and, holding it over the hot wax, carefully cover the frame with the red mixture by pouring the wax over the basket with a long-handled spoon. The wax cools rapidly and forms a coating closely resembling coral; the little lumps and projections that form give the basket the appearance of real coral, which is branching and uneven.

Fig. 425.—Coral May-basket.

As soon as the wax has hardened (Fig. 425) insert in the basket a pasteboard bottom cut to fit; and when filling this basket with flowers place the foliage around the sides first. The fresh green contrasting with the red coral gives a pretty effect, and the leaves filling the spaces between the wires prevent the flowers from falling through.

Fig. 426.—Old oaken bucket May-basket.

Fig. 427.—Colored paper May-basket.

Fig. 428.—The pole is planted in a tub.

The "Old Oaken, Moss-covered Bucket"

is very appropriate for woodland blossoms. Make the bucket of a strip of cardboard ten by four inches; sew the two ends together and cut a circular piece for the bottom; fit it in and fasten with long stitches. Cut the handle of cardboard one-quarter of an inch wide and sew it in place. Cover the bucket with strips of olive-green tissue-paper an inch and a half wide which have previously been crimped by being folded backward and forward. Cut the strips in very fine fringe, unfold and gum them on the bucket in closely overlapping rows, as the cardboard must be entirely concealed to have the appearance of being covered with natural moss (Fig. 426).

A May-basket

which can be made in a moment is simply a bright-colored paper six inches long and three inches wide, with one of its long sides brought together at the two corners from the middle and fastened securely. A narrow ribbon forms the handle (Fig. 427).

Fig. 429.—Fill in with stones.

Just at dusk the flowers may be arranged in the baskets with as little handling as possible. Then, when twilight comes, the May day party can steal cautiously to the door of the house fortunate enough to be favored by a May-token, hang one of the little baskets of flowers on the door-knob, ring the bell and scamper away before they are seen, for no one of the party must be present when the door opens.

Bell and Ball May-pole Game for Country or City

If you live in the country erect your May pole on the lawn or in an open field; if in the city put it up in the back-yard, or if it rains or is cold hold your May day games in the house. In any case the pole should be planted in a tub as in Fig. 428, and decorated as shown in the illustration. The pole must be round and smooth and stout enough to support the weight of the hoops at the top. For an out-of-doors pole from ten to twelve feet is a good height, but an indoor pole must be adapted to the height of the ceiling of the room it will occupy.

Before placing the pole in the tub nail securely to its base a piece of board eighteen inches square, as shown in Fig. 428. Erect the pole in the middle of the tub, put in cross-pieces (Fig. 428), nailing them at the ends and fill in all around with stones or bricks, as in Fig. 429.

The first player throws the ball.

How to Dress the May-pole

Cover the tub with green crimped tissue-paper and bank up with flowers—paper flowers if no others can be obtained. Beginning at the top, wrap the pole with ribbon or strips of pink and white cambric in alternate stripes. This can best be done before the pole is erected. Buy two toy hoops, the smallest measuring about three feet, the largest four feet in diameter. Wrap these hoops with greens of some kind—evergreens if you can find no others—adding sprays of tree blossoms and all the flowers you can manage to get.

Fig. 430.—On the end of each ribbon fasten a small bell.

Besides the two large hoops you will need fourteen small ones about nine inches in diameter. These you can make of wire for yourself. Wrap eight of the small hoops with pink, and six with white cambric, then decorate with flowers and green leaves. Keep the decoration quite narrow, in order to leave as large an opening as possible in the centre. Get two and two-thirds yards of narrow pink ribbon and two yards of narrow white ribbon; divide the pink into eight and the white into six pieces. On the end of each ribbon fasten a small toy bell; tie the ribbon on the small hoops, the white ones on the white hoops, the pink on the pink hoops, as shown in Fig. 430. Space the largest hoop off into eight equal parts and tie the small pink hoops to it at these points by their ribbons. Divide the other hoops into six equal parts and attach the small white hoops in the same manner. With wire or ribbon suspend the hoops from the top of the pole as in the illustration. Decorate the top of the pole with small flags and flowers.

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The Balls

Make four paper balls in this way: Take a piece of newspaper and, placing a small weight of some kind in the middle, crush it and roll it into a ball four inches in diameter; place the ball in the centre of a square of tissue-paper and bring the four corners of the paper together over the top; overlap the corners and fold and smooth down the fulness at the sides. Wrap the ball with fine cord, making six melon-like divisions, as in Fig. 431. Make two of the balls of pink tissue-paper and two of white. Have ready on a tray a number of small favors consisting of two or three flowers tied together, some with pink, some with white ribbon.

Fig. 431.—Wrap the ball with fine cord.

The decorations of the pole may be added to or curtailed as circumstances permit, and if flowers are scarce paper flowers may be mingled with the natural ones, and the difference will hardly be noticed. When

The Game

is held in the house the room is cleared of as much furniture as possible. The prettily decorated May-pole stands in the middle of the floor, and the children join hands and dance around it to the accompaniment of the piano or an appropriate song sung by all. Beginning with slow time, the music grows faster; faster and faster the wheel of children spins around the pole until some hand slips from the one clasping it and the wheel parts. When this happens the circle opens at the break and the children, still keeping their places, back up against the wall.

To the first four children at the right end of the line the four paper balls are given, one to each. The first child, or Number One, takes three steps forward and, aiming at the bell in one of the hoops, throws the ball with the purpose of sending it through the hoop and at the same time striking the bell hard enough to make it ring. If successful, Number One is given a favor, to be pinned to the front of the coat or dress, as the case may be, the color of the ribbon attached to the favor being in accordance with the color of the hoop through which the ball passed. As it is more difficult to send the ball through the hoops in the second row, the white-ribboned favors confer the most honor.

As soon as Number One has played he or she gives the ball to Number Five and returns to his or her place; then Number Two takes a turn, giving his ball afterward to Number Six, and so on down the line, thus always keeping the children about to play supplied with balls.

The game goes on until the players are tired or the favors give out, and the object of the players is to win as many favors as possible.

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