Gallinita ciega
"Gallinita ciega" is a Spanish game of "Blind Man's Bluff". Goya immortalized this game in his painting from 1788 called "La gallina ciega".
Gallinita ciega
Blind Little Hen
Juego cantado
Singing Game
(Spanish)
(English)
Gallinita ciega,
¿qué se te ha perdido?*
Una aguja y un dedal.
Da tres vueltas y lo encontrarás.
Blind little hen,
What did you lose?*
A needle and a thimble.
Turn around three times and you'll find them.
Notes
*Sometimes this line is "¿Qué se te ha perdido en el pajar?" (What did you lose in the haystack?)
Game Instructions
This game is a version of "Blind Man's Bluff" (similar to Marco Polo). It should be played in a large area with no obstacles. The players blindfold one child who was previously chosen. That kid is the "blind little hen". They turn him around a few times so he doesn't know where he is. Then the children scatter around and sing the song. The "blind little hen" tries to catch the players, guided by their voices. In some versions of the game, he must figure out who the player he just caught is by touching them.
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Image: "La gallina ciega" by Goya (1788).
¡Muchas gracias!
