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This Victorian game, “The Sea, and Her Children” is a 19th-century game from 1891 where players sit in a circle, with one player designated as the Sea, who leaves the room briefly. The remaining players choose fish names as their assumed identities, like trout or red snapper. When the Sea returns, they call out the chosen fish names, and the corresponding players join them. The Sea then runs around, exclaiming “The Sea is troubled,” and everyone must find a seat. The person left standing becomes the new Sea, and the Victorian game continues.

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Victorian Game – The Sea, and Her Children

The players, with the exception of one sent from the room, must be seated in a circle.

The person having left will represent the Sea.

All others must now decide on an assumed name, which is also the name of a fish, for example, trout, red snapper, pickerel.

This done, the Sea returns and walks slowly around the outside of the ring, calling her children, one after another, by the different names they have selected, until all have risen and followed her.

Then the Sea must run with a varied motion, sometimes rapid, sometimes slow, exclaiming “The Sea is troubled, the Sea is troubled!”

Suddenly she seats herself, and her example is followed by her children.

The unfortunate individual who is unable to secure a chair becomes the Sea, and the game is continued as before.