verses which describe action the movements are
suited to the words; for instance, when the left hand is called for,
the players lean far forward and stretch the left hand into the ring
while singing the first line, turn around, and stretch the left hand
outward for the second line, shake the hand hard on the third line,
and on the last line jump or spin completely around.

This is a very ancient game, supposed to have originated in a
choral dance, probably in celebration of the rites of some
deity, in which animal postures were assumed or animal rites
were an object. Later, it was an old court dance, stately and
decorous as the minuet.

MUFFIN MAN

_6 to 30 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

The players stand in a circle, with one or more in the center. The
circle dances around and sings the first two lines of the following
verse. They then stand still while the player or players in the center
choose each a partner who enters the circle with him; they clasp hands
and dance around, singing the last two lines:--

Oh, have you seen the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?
Oh, have you seen the muffin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!
Oh, yes, I've seen the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man,
Oh, yes, I've seen the muffin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!

[Illustration music: (The) Muffin Man

Oh, have you seen the muffin man, the
muffin man, the muffin man? Oh, have you seen the
muffin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!

Oh, yes, I've seen the muffin man, the
muffin man, the muffin man, Oh, yes, I've seen the
muffin man that lives in Drury Lane, O!
]

Miss Newton has a very good adaptation of this game for the
schoolroom or parlor, in which four or five players stand in
corners. Each of these chooses a partner at the end of the
second line, and these groups of two dance in a circle.

MULBERRY BUSH

_6 to 60 players or more._

_Indoors; out of doors._

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush,
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
So early in the morning!

[Illustration music: MULBERRY BUSH

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush,
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
So early in the morning!
]

This is the way we wash our clothes,
We wash our clothes, we wash our