The "Poor Pussy" game!

Funny Victorian games

A whole range of 19th century games, in fact, consisted of trying not to laugh.

For example, "Poor Pussy" involved one proper Victorian guest having to crawl on all fours amongst the seated company, meowing piteously, and crouching in front of someone who had to respond, "Poor Pussy!" with an absolutely straight face.

If either Pussy or the speaker so much as smiled, the latter became the new pussy.

If both maintained their composure, Poor Pussy was Poor Pussy indeed, condemned to crawl toward another human in hopes of being relieved of his task...