Acting and Dramatic Games King Of France
( Acting and Dramatic, Choreographed, Command and Response, Dancing, Singing and Song, Team Wars and Battle )The King of France with forty thousand men
Marched up the hill and then marched down again.
The players stand in two rows or groups facing each other. Each group has a leader who stands in the center and represents a king leading his army.
The game or play is a simple one of imitation in which the players perform in unison some action first indicated by one of the leaders.
The leaders of the two groups take turns in singing the verse at the same time marching forward during the first line of the verse and back again to their places during the second line illustrating the action that is then to be taken by all. The verse is then sung by both groups while advancing toward each other and retreating performing the movements indicated by the leaders. The movements illustrated by the leaders may be anything suitable to an army of men the words describing the movement being substituted for the line “Marched up the hill.” Thus —
The King of France with forty thousand men
Waved his flag and then marched down again.The following variations are suggested each of which indicates the movements to go with it.
Gave a salute etc.
Beat his drum.
Blew his horn.
Drew his sword.
Aimed his gun.
Fired his gun.
Shouldered arms.
Pranced on his horse. E – It is scarcely necessary to say that a real flag and drum add much to the martial spirit of the game and if each soldier can have a stick or wand over his shoulder for a gun the esprit de corps will be proportionately enhanced.