Snow Tag

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By Dan Beard

Often in traveling through the Northern States when the deep snow covered the ground I have noticed strange circular, or rather wheel-shaped, patterns made of paths in the snow. It was never my fortune to see anyone walking in these paths, and as the form of the pattern made it impossible for the paths to lead anywhere, their use was a problem that I could not solve. Use they evidently had, for some were many feet in diameter and must have required work and hard work to make, as anyone who has attempted to shovel the snow off his own front walk must know. Inquiry at last revealed the fact that these strange circular figures were made by the boys for Snow Tag.

How to Play the Game.

Count out for "It" as in I Spy or ordinary tag.  While "It" takes his place at the hub of the wheel the other players scatter around the circumference or rim, and the word "ready" is given. "It" then darts out one of the it "spoke" paths and endeavors to tag some one of the other boys, and the fun begins. Two cannot pass each other on the narrow paths, and the fleeing boys often step on each others' heels, trip and tumble head first into the deep snow, forming an easy prey for "It;" but again the lads will dance around in a most provoking manner, and as "It" darts up one spoke toward the rim, the players dart down the other toward the hub and show great skill in eluding " It."

The game can be played in perfection only in very deep snow, where the rule against going out of the bounds is enforced by the impossibility of running, or even walking with any speed through the snow heaped up on all sides. When "It" tags a playmate by holding him long enough to repeat

"Snow Wag, 
Snow Rag, 
Snow Tag!"

the boy thus tagged is "It," and takes his place at the "hub," and the game is started again when the boys announce themselves as ready at the rim.

See Also:

SNOWBALL WARFARE

How to Build Snow Forts;
Kit Carson Snow Fort & Battle  
How to Make Ammunition Sleds; 
How to Make the Shield; 
Snowball Fight Rules;
Other Snowball Games; 
A Snow Battle from Dan Beard's Youth; 
        How to Bind a Prisoner without a Cord; 
        Company Rest. 
See Also:
Other Winter Snow Games;
Other Winter Activities
Other Tag Games

Outdoor Handy Book