When the whole line has been "locked" in this way, the players unwind in reverse order, still repeating the verse.
When players are familiar with the winding and unwinding process, the game may be played in circle formation instead of line formation; that is, it will start with all of the players facing inward as they clasp hands to form a circle, and the locking or winding will bring them facing in single file around the circle.
This is a favorite game with little girls in China, and is here given with the kind permission of Dr. Isaac T. Headland and Messrs. Fleming H. Revell & Co., from the book entitled "The Chinese Boy and Girl."
One player is chosen to be cat, and hides behind or under the teacher's desk. After the cat is hidden, the teacher beckons to five or six other players, who creep softly up to the desk, and when all are assembled, scratch on it with their fingers, to represent the nibbling of mice. As soon as the cat hears this, she scrambles out from under the desk and gives chase to the mice, who may save themselves only by getting back to their holes (seats). If a mouse be caught, the cat changes places with him for the next round of the game. If no mouse be caught, the same cat may continue, or the teacher may choose another at her discretion.
A different set of mice should be chosen each time, so as to give all of the players an opportunity to join in the game.
This is a favorite schoolroom game for little children. They should be taught to add sport to the play by giving the cat quite a chase before returning to their seats, instead of seeking safety in the shortest and most direct way.
One player is chosen for cat and one for rat. The others all form a circle with clasped hands. The cat stands outside of the circle and the rat inside. The game opens with a conversation between the cat and rat.
This last defiance is a signal for a chase. The cat tries to get into the circle, and the rat tries to evade him. Both may run in and out of the circle, but the players will assist the rat by raising their hands to let him run under, and they will try to foil the efforts of the cat by preventing his breaking through the circle, either inward or outward.
When the rat is caught, he joins the circle and the cat becomes rat, a new cat being chosen from the circle players.