Stool of repentance (game)

Stool of Repentance is a parlour game for children and adults. The players sit in a circle around a stool.

One of the group (the "victim") leaves the room, and the rest say or write all sorts of things about him or her. For instance, one will say he or she is handsome, another that he or she is clever, or stupid, or vain. The "victim" is called back to sit on the stool, and one of the players begins to tell or read him or her the different charges that were made against him or her. "Someone said you were vain; can you guess who?" If the victim guesses correctly, he or she returns to the circle, and the person who made the accusation takes the stool as the new "victim". If, however, the "victim" is unable to guess correctly, he or she must leave the room again and fresh charges are made against him or her. The game almost certainly takes its name from the old Scottish church custom of the same name.

External links

• An illustration of the parlour game
• BBC Radio article on the parlour game