Cat & mouse

The oldest description of this game comes from “Games and Plays” by Łukasz Gołębiowski: “Everybody takes hands and stands in a circle, except two persons, one of whom is a cat and the other a mouse. The cat wants to catch the mouse by all means, and the persons holding hands must defend it to the last. The mouse is usually a virgin, the man a cat, and the latter has the right, in case of danger, to take refuge in a cavity, or circle; the cat is forbidden to enter it; but the lively mouse runs out on the other side, deceives the cat, shows itself to him, and runs away again. When the mouse is nimble, it does not tire the cat little, but is usually caught”. (1831, s. 70). This is an old game, according to Gołębiowski, and there is much truth in it. It was known earlier as a parlour game, but its roots probably lie in the old dances performed by adults during the ritual of supper. They were connected with a ritual “chasing” after the bride, who delayed the moment of the wedding. It is also closely related to another wedding game called quail. The game is accompanied by a song sung by the participants (in a circle). It has several stanzas, the words and melody of which are very similar throughout the country. The participants in the circle stand still or move slowly against the sun or with the sun. Two children of the opposite sex, chosen beforehand, play the role of a cat and a mouse. The mouse runs away from the cat outside the circle, but at any time can take refuge from the cat in the circle where the cat no longer has access. The mouse can get into the circle at any point, as the children raise their hands for her and lower them in front of the cat. In some variations, there was always a gap in the circle through which the cat could get in, but the role of the children in the circle was to close it from the cat. While playing, the children in the circle sing a song:

To the hole, mouse, to the hole,

so that the wild cat won’t catch you.

Because if the cat cat catches you, it will skin you,

It will skin you.

Into the field, mouse, into the field,

Don’t eat the peas in the barn,

Up the wall, kitty, up the wall

You’ll get the mouse

Not a pretty kitty, not a pretty kitty,

He didn’t catch a mouse, not one

so you’d be a pretty kitty,

you’d catch a mouse through the fence.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)