Fox
Translation details
Model:mistral-large-2512.Translated text
Section titled “Translated text”A popular game in Poland (in some places called “Pebbles”¹), suitable for primary schools and lower secondary school classes.
a) The most common variant of this game is described by Gołębiowski: “Everyone stands in a circle, but each keeps their hands behind their backs; one walks with the pebble until they skillfully pass it to someone. That person hits a neighbor and chases them, having the right to hit until, after running around the circle, they return to the place they started from, then passes the pebble to whomever they choose, and so the game continues.”
b) In the Sieradz region, they play as above, but the players stand not in a circle but in a line.
c) In the Sierpc and Kutno districts (Mazovia), the “fox” does not pass the pebble but tosses it behind one of the players. If that player notices, they grab the pebble and “drive the fox to its den,” that is, chase and hit the fox with the pebble until the fox, after running around, takes the place of the chaser, who then circles as the fox. If the player misses the toss, the fox drives them out with the pebble, hands it over to them, and they switch places¹. Everywhere, the fox has the right to hit a player who looks back (in variant c: who looks back in vain when the pebble was not tossed to them). While the fox is circling, the children shout: A fox walks by the road, Has no hands, nor feet, Praise God, three weeks, We haven’t seen the fox or Whoever the pebble touches, Will never expect it.
¹) In the Kraków region, this variant is sometimes played under the name “Little Sieve,” and in the Kutno region under the name “Shepherd.”
Source scan: Kujawsko-Pomorska Digital Library, marked “Public Domain.” See PDF — page 112.
Metadata
Section titled “Metadata”- Type: game
- Traits: Not stated in the source
- Source: Eugeniusz Piasecki, Zabawy i gry ruchowe dzieci i młodzieży (1922)
- Printed pages: 107–108 / PDF 112–113
- Digital edition: Digital edition · Source record
- Open the edition at the relevant page: p. 107
- Read the source text: zgr-066