 The
Pu-in Game
This was a favorite game among the natives of the Northeastern
States; its "strange whimsies" were first mentioned by William
Wood in his book, "New England Prospect," published in London,
1634. It is probable that some form of this game still persists
among the scattered descendants of those nearly extinct tribes,
but it is not likely that at the present day the victor would
proclaim his prowess, as was formerly done, by wearing in the
holes of his ears the counters that marked the number of his
successful guesses.
Properties.—A number of wheat or other straws cut
about a foot long; a mat or blanket; a pointed staff for the
Leader.
Directions.—Ten straws must be laid aside as counters
for each player. The rest of the straws are separated into tens
and each ten tied with a wisp, making a bundle; one bundle must
have eleven straws. There should be as many bundles as players.
The bundles must all be tied alike. The game consists in guessing
which bundle has the eleven straws. The number of guesses allowed
in a game must be fixed upon before starting to play.
All the bundles are thrown in a heap upon the center of the
mat. The Leader, who is generally chosen by lot, leads the players
to the mat containing the bundles. Each player holds in his left
hand his ten counters and follows the Leader with his staff as
he moves around the mat from left to right, while all sing the
following song, taking steps to the rhythm of the music:
Native American Game Song
When the Leader strikes his staff on the ground every player
must stop just where he happens to be, stoop and pick up a bundle
with his right hand and begin to wave it above his head and sway
his body to the time of the song. When the Leader points with
his staff to a player, that person must make a guess. As he scans
the waving bundles he points with his left hand that holds his
counters to the bundle which he thinks contains the eleven straws.
If the guess proves to be correct, the guesser puts one of his
counters in his hair or behind his ear. At once all bundles must
be thrown in a heap on the mat. The Leader then moves forward
by the left, followed by the players, every one singing and keeping
time with the song. When the Leader strikes the ground with his
staff, all halt. Each player immediately seizes a bundle, holds
it aloft and begins to wave it. The Leader designates with his
staff a person who must guess. If the guess is wrong, the guesser
drops one of his counters on the mat and the Leader points to
another player who must guess. If he loses, he drops one of his
counters on the mat; the guessing goes on as described, until
some one is successful and puts a counter in his hair, when the
bundles are all thrown on the mat and the play begins again as
before. Should the person designated by the Leader to guess think
that he holds the bundle with eleven straws, he must point it
at the Leader. If this surmise is correct, the person guessing
puts a counter in his hair and all bundles are again thrown on
the mat.
In this way the game proceeds until some player has won the
requisite number of counters and has them all standing in his
hair. Throughout the game the singing must be kept up, accompanied
by rhythmic movements of the feet and the body, the players acting
as though searching among the tall grass for a desired clump.
When a point is won, the Leader should shout out the counter
won, without interrupting the song or the play. Among the Indians
the game, once started, is kept going without halt or break in
the song or the movements. The calling out of the winnings in
no way disturbs the singing or the playing.
The victor should wear his successful counters in his hair the
rest of the day, if possible.
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