Friday 8 April 2011

Children's games: In Holland staat een huis


If the card, dated 1942, hadn't stated the game the little girls are playing as "In Holland staat een huis", I would have called it "The farmer's in his den", which is, I believe called "The farmer's in the dell" in the USA and possibly elsewhere.

From what I can find out, the Dutch game seems to be basically the same idea as the one I know, though the words and tune are very different.  They end up kicking down the house before rebuilding it.  There must be all sorts of versions throughout the world.  I know there is a French one which has the farmer in his field.  It would be fascinating to find them all.

This is a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.

16 comments:

  1. My first thought was Ring a Ring o' Roses! Great card...Happy PFF!

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  2. Deb & I were thinking the same thing

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  3. I was thing of Ring Around a Rosie.

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  4. Seeing the little girl in the middle is reminiscent of The Farmer's in the Dell. Yes, that's what we call it in the USA. :)

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  5. We call it farmer in the dell here (MB, Canada) - but I had totally forgotten that it was a game too! And I agree - my first thought had been Ring around the rosie. :)

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  6. I also thought of Ring around the Rosie before farmer in the Dell; both bring back memories.

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  7. I thought they are playing rign-A-Round-The-Rosie but thanks for the info.:)

    Happy Postcard Friendship Friday

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  8. What I'm finding interesting is that I call the other game, "A ring, a ring, o' roses". That too has changed. But that's a single ring, the one in the card has children inside the outer ring.

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  9. I thought of Ring around the Roses, too ... whatever they are doing, it looks like fun and enjoyed seeing how they are dressed ... no tennis shoes and shorts here! :D :D :D happy PFF!

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  10. Regardless of what they are playing, I suspect they were having fun.

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  11. Thanks for the lesson in games!

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  12. Oh-oh-oh, we have a similar game in the Philippines but the name of the game escapes me now... I used to play this game a lot and we have boys joining us as well :)
    Thanks for sharing this postcard - it evoked a wonderful childhood memory!


    Postcards Crossing

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  13. I can remember playing both Ring around the Rosie and Farmer in the Dell as a little kid. Do children still play those games? Hardly ever do you see kids playing outside.

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  14. I agree with funoldhag - are all kids playing computer games now? Anyway, a grat card.

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  15. lovely card...we have the same game in philippines, its a flower dance and we're calling it "sasara ang bulaklak", stand in circle holding hands and step forward raising arms then step back lowering arms slowly then a queen will go inside, in the middle then she will dance, cover her eyes and turned around and point to the next queen! little girls love this! its fun, used to play that game too. my daughter now loves to play ring-around-the-rosie, we are playing it with her! anyway, happy weekend! -Postcrossing Mom

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  16. Isn't it wonderful that children, and their games, are much the same the world over.

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