ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the children's games. The pleasures experienced in either of these two phases—that is, either when staying in security or when leaving it in order to return to it—are very primitive, selfevident, and apparently in no need of explanation—although it must be stated that not every adult can enjoy them equally. Correctly or incorrectly, one gets the impression that ocnophilia might be the older and more primitive of the two attitudes. Ocnophilia impresses people as the more spontaneous, almost reflex-like attitude, whereas one cannot state with certainty where philobatism really belongs. In addition the appearance of ocnophilic tendencies in seemingly purely philobatic situations suggests a kind of regressive trend and, conversely, a more primitive nature on the part of ocnophilia. The interrelation explains the other aspect of the objects the philobat clings to, which we called ocnophilic objects. The specific difference between shows in general and philobatic shows and feats is the presence of real external danger.
