The girls were pretty well exhausted when this game was over and
we asked them to play something which required less exercise.

"Water the flowers," said the small leader.

Several of them squatted down in a circle, put their hands
together in the centre to represent the flowers. One of their
number gathered up the front of her garment in such a way as to
make a bag, and went around as if sprinkling water on their
heads, at the same time repeating:

"I water the flowers, I water the flowers,
I water them morning and evening hours,
I never wait till the flowers are dry,
I water them ere the sun is high."

She then left a servant in charge of them while she went
to dinner. While she was away one of them was stolen.

Returning she asked: "How is this that one of my flowers is
gone?"

"A man came from the south on horseback and stole one
before I knew it. I followed him but how could I catch a
man on horseback?"

After many rebukes for her carelessness, she again sang:

"A basin of water, a basin of tea,