The Patagonian Goatherd

When I was younger, I went on a holiday to Patagonia, in South America. Well, I'd spent nearly three weeks there, and just as I was about to leave, a guy that I'd met on a bus came up to me and asked when I was flying out.

"This evening" I said.

"What a pity", he replied, "just one more night and you could have joined the secret society of Patagonian goatherds."

Well, I just had to stay another night, didn't I.

One of the great things about being a member of the secret society of Patagonian goatherds is that, once a year, you can induct someone else into the society. And it just so happens that tonight is that night.

[At this point, pick someone from the audience]

So... would you like to be inducted into the secret society of Patagonian goatherds?

Okay, follow what I do, exactly.

[Get the person in front of you. Raise your right arm in the air. Get them to mirror you. Now the left arm. Thumbs to ears, fingers spread as horns. Bend the knees while going 'Ooooooohhhhhhhhh'. And leap in the air in a star jump, shouting 'Squeeeeeeeee'. Make sure they follow you, and dance / prance / skip round the camp fire, singing...]

At [campsite name] we had beans for tea, 
Beans for tea, beans for tea,
At [campsite name] we had beans for tea, 
Beans, beans, beans.

And now, you are a member of the secret society of Patagonian goatherds. Which means that you can bring someone else into the society.

[Let them pick someone - you may like to say it has to be from a different group, or a different six, or someone they don't know. Do it as a chain, so you induct them, then they induce the second person before dancing round the fire again. Build it up to a chain of four or five people before you get the audience to give them some applause and let them go back to their seats again.]