The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

KICK THE CAN

THIS GAME WAS PLAYED BY BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS AND
USUALLY AT NIGHT. A LARGE TIN CAN WAS PLACED ON THE
GROUND NEAR SOME LIGHTED AREA, SUCH AS A PORCH. ONE
PERSON WAS CHOSEN TO BE "IT." HE HAD TO CLOSE HIS
EYES AND COUNT TO A HUNDRED WHILE EVERYONE ELSE
RAN TO SEEK A HIDING PLACE. HIS COUNTING FINISHED,
THE "IT" PERSON WOULD TRY TO FIND EVERYBODY'S HIDING
PLACE. IF HE DISCOVERED YOU HE WOULD HAVE TO RUN TO
THE CAN AND WITH HIS FOOT ON IT, CALL OUT YOUR NAME
AND WHERE YOU WERE HIDING. THUS CAUGHT, THE PERSON
WOULD HAVE TO COME AND STAND IN AN AREA NEAR THE CAN
AND WAS A CAPTIVE. AT ANY TIME, A PERSON COULD RELEASE
ALL THE CAPTIVES BY RUNNING TO THE CAN, GIVING IT A
SWIFT KICK, AND YELLING "ALLE, ALLE, OXINFREE." OF
COURSE, IF THE "IT" PERSON SAW YOU AND BEAT YOU TO THE
CAN AND SAID YOUR NAME, THEN YOU TOO BECAME A CAPTIVE.
SHOULD EVERYONE BE RELEASED, THEN THE "IT" PERSON
WOULD HAVE TO RETRIEVE THE CAN, REPLACE IT, COUNT TO
TEN, AND THEN BEGIN RESEARCHING. THE GAME ENDED
WHEN EVERYONE WAS CAUGHT. THEN A NEW "IT" WOULD BE
CHOSEN. DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY, SOMETIMES TWO "ITS"
WERE CHOSEN.

Submitter comment: WE PLAYED THIS GAME FREQUENTLY AND EVEN THE OLDER
TEENAGERS ENJOYED IT.

Where learned: INDIANA ; FORT WAYNE

Date learned: 00001949 CA.