Page:Indoor and Outdoor Gymnastic Games.djvu/50

42 Two sides, divided as equally as possible in regard to numbers and strength, stand at a convenient distance opposite each other, the players grasping hands firmly. Each side has a captain or king, as he is sometimes called, who stands at the left end of the line. At his command one of the players runs with all his might and tries to break through the enemy's line. If he succeeds all the players cut off from the captain's end of the line must cross over and join the other side. If he fails he must join the enemy's side. The other side then sends out one of their men, and so on, until but one man, the king, is left. He is allowed three trials to break through the enemy's line and redeem his fallen fortunes; but if in three times he does not succeed his side has lost the game. To make the game shorter the players cut off from their own line and the runners who fail to break through the enemy's line are out of the game until it is ended.

A bold, active boy should be selected as leader, and all the other players must arrange themselves in a line behind him. He commences the game by jumping, running, hopping or getting over any obstacle that may present itself, and then continues his course, scrambling over everything and varying his actions as much as possible; all his followers must, according to the rules of the game, do exactly as he does. If any one fails in performing the tasks he must take his place behind all the rest until some other player makes a blunder and in his turn goes last.

In "Bull in the Ring" one takes his place in the centre of the circle and endeavors to break out. Upon doing so, the rest chase him, the one catching him taking his place as bull.