The Game of the Dragon - Snake (rong ran)

A large group plays the children's game rong ran (dragon-snake). In One person sits on a small hill or some location above the other players; he or she acts as the doctor. The other children stand in a line, holding each other's belts to form the body of the dragon-snake.

 

The dragon-snake approaches the doctor. The following dialogue occurs between the doctor and the head of the line:
- Where are you going, dragon-snake?
- I’m searching for medicine for my son.
- How old is he, your son?
- He is one year old. - The doctor is not well.
- He is (two, three, four, five... repeated each time) years old. - The doctor is not well.

The dialogue continues until the dragon-snake says:
- He is ten years old.

Then the doctor answers:
- All right, the doctor is well.

With this, the doctor stands up and says:
- Give me your head
- Nothing but the bones

Responds the dragon-snake
- Give me the body.
- Nothing but the blood.
- Give me the tail.
- Pursue at will!

At this, the doctor flies into a rage and attempts lo catch the child who represents the tail of the dragon-snake. The head of the line stretches his or her arms to bar the doctor while the dragon-snake tries to make a circle. If the dragon-snake succeeds in rolling into a circle before the physician can touch the tail, it wins. On the contrary, if the doctor catches the tail of the dragon-snake, the entire group loses the game. All losers must stretch out their hands, palms downwards, to the winner, who slaps them one after another.

See Also

The game of squares (O an quan)
Villages – Guilds
Rija Festival Music
Ly Folk Song or Ly Nam Bo
Kites that make music (dieu sao)
Water Puppets
Tranh zither
Traditional Wedding Music of the Khmer
Rice cooking competitions (thi thoi com)
Classical Opera or Tuong