For the schoolroom see also an adaptation called _Hands up--Hands down_.
_Children's party; house party; playground._
The players are seated in a circle or any convenient group. One of the number decides upon a "thought"; that is, he thinks of some person, object, or abstraction, without telling the others what it is. He then asks of each in turn, "What is my thought like?" Each answers anything he chooses. The first player then declares what his thought was, and asks of each, "Why is--(naming the object he thought of) like--(whatever such player answered)?" Each must find some likeness, however absurd, or pay a forfeit. For instance, the answers around the circle might be, "Your thought is like an umbrella," "like Napoleon," "Pinafore," "sadness," "my necktie," "a rose," etc. The questioner then says, "I thought of a lead pencil. Why is a pencil like an umbrella?" "Because it is oftenest black." The pencil may be like Napoleon because it can make a mark; like a rose because it is sometimes cut, etc. If any one happens to answer to the first question, "a pencil" (or whatever was thought of), he also must pay a forfeit.
Each player is given a paper on which the following is written or dictated, the words in parentheses being omitted and a blank space left. The game consists in each player filling in these blank spaces with the name of some tree. The host or hostess at the end reads this list of words in order, the player winning who has the largest number correct. The same tree may be mentioned more than once.
He took her little hand in his own big (palm). "I love (yew), dear," he said simply. She did not (sago) away, for it had been a case of love at first sight. She murmured something in (aloe) voice. They had met one day upon a sandy (beech), and from that (date) onward, they cared not a (fig) for the outside world. Her name was (May Ple). She was a charming girl. Rosy as a (peach); (chestnut) colored hair; (tulips) like a (cherry); skin a pale (olive). In fact, she was as beautiful (as pen) or brush ever portrayed. The day he met her she wore a jacket of handsome (fir). He was of Irish descent, his name being (Willow) 'Flaherty. He was a (spruce) looking young fellow. Together they made a congenial (pear). But when did the course of true love ever run smooth? There was a third person to be considered. This was (paw paw). Both felt that, counting (paw paw) in, they might not be able to (orange) it. What if he should refuse to (cedar)! Suppose he should (sago) to her lover? And if he should be angry, to what point won't a (mango)? Well, in that case she must submit, with a (cypress) her lover in her arms for the last time, and (pine) away. But happily her parent did not constitute (ebony) skeleton at their feast. He was guilty of no tyranny to reduce their hopes to (ashes). They found him in his garden busily (plantain). He was chewing (gum). "Well," he said thoughtfully, in answer to the question: "Since (yew) love her I must (cedar) to (yew). You make a fine young (pear). Don't cut any (capers) after you're married, young man! Don't (pine) and complain if he is sometimes cross, young woman! I hope to see (upas) many happy days together!"