Der erste Ball

One player is the ball mom or party giver. Prepared are a number of giant-size flowers made of cut colored tissue paper, and also all kinds of headgear: pointed caps, hats, helmets, etc. The former for the participants who are to dance as ladies, the latter for those girls who are to dance as gentlemen. There are also a number of cards on which the names of the players are written. The mother of the ball is given a large cap of tissue paper, stands at the table on which the game is spread out, all the others stand in a large circle around her, each a few paces from the other; every second player gets a ball. The mother of the ball counts: 1, everyone throws the ball to the neighbor to the right at the same time, quickly turns to the left and catches the ball from the neighbor to the left, if the space is too narrow, one is enough the ball to the third or fourth. If you caught, the ball mother sets your marker on space 1; it means the first step to the ballroom; all players who drop their ball remain outside. The ball mother counts: 2, and the ball game is repeated, having previously determined the type of catch; once, twice, etc. clapping hands, jumping, spinning, hitting the ball with the wrong hand, etc. Each time she has to pass the marks of the lucky catchers, whoever drops the ball stays on the same space. If you drop three times in a row, you have to go back and start over, if you drop twice, you step back 2 spaces.

Whoever is first to number 50 wins the game. He or she dances as a gentlemen, receive a hat and opens the ball with the ball mother. The second party entering the ballroom dances as a lady, they have a large flower stuck in their hair. This continues alternately till the ball mother determines that there are enough couples in the ballroom and the ball game is to end.

After the game those who are left behind are wallflowers and have the obligation to sing or play the music for the others to the dance to. The ball begins with a big polonaise, the music moves ahead, the dancers in pairs behind. As the conversation progresses, the dancers now and then have to throw balls to the musicians at the command of the ball mother; if the catch is successful, they swap roles with the dancers on one or two tours. Finally, a large cotillon with the distribution of paper flowers and medals previously made of tissue paper.