figure from "B's" hands (Fig. 755). The "Fish in a Dish" consists of a large central lozenge, divided lengthwise by two straight strings; and right and left near and far triangles. There is a loop on each thumb and a loop on each index, but no string passing across the backs of both thumb and index. (8) CLOCK My father, Dr. Horace Howard Furness, tells me that as a child he ended the game of Cat's-cradle by forming the "Clock" from the "Fish in a Dish," in the following manner: First: "B" arranges the two strings which pass from side to side through the central lozenge so that, uncrossed, they can easily be separated into a near string and a far string. Second: "B" now turns his left hand with the palm facing upward, and picks up in the bend of the left little finger the near string which passes through the central lozenge, and draws it over the other strings toward "A"; then turning the FIG. 757. right hand with the palm facing upward he picks up in the bend of the right little finger the far string which passes through the central lozenge, and draws it over the other strings away from "A" (Fig. 756). Putting the right thumb from above into the right far triangle, the right index from above into the left far triangle, the left thumb from above into the right near triangle, and the left index from above into the left near triangle, "B" turns the thumb and index of each hand toward the centre of the figure and up into the central lozenge (Fig. 757), when, by drawing the hands apart, and separating the thumbs widely from the index fingers, he takes the figure from "A's" hands (Fig. 758). When the figure is held vertically it is supposed to represent a tall clock. The "Real Cat's-cradle" is capable of some variation: The Philippine Linao Moros at the St. Louis Exposition always passed from the (6) "Cat's Eye" back to the (4) "Manger" without any intervening steps, as follows: The "Cat's Eye" is on "A's" hands. "B" picks up in the bend of his right little finger the string FIG. 758. which passes between "A's" left thumb and index, and lifts that string off "A's" left index only; in like manner he picks up in the bend of his left little finger the string which passes between "A's" right thumb and index, and lifts that string off "A's" right thumb only; then, still holding each string in the bend of the little finger, "B" puts his right thumb and index (held close together) down into the figure, near "A's" left hand, and then up into the central lozenge, and thus picks up from below on these fingers the crossed strings of that side; in the same way "B" puts his left thumb and index down near "A's" right hand and then up into the central lozenge, and thus picks up from below on these fingers the crossed strings of that side. The figure is now taken off "A's" hands and extended as the "Manger." This may be the way that the Koreans, according to Dr. Weir, pass from the (6) "Cat's Eye" to the (3) "Candles." Apparently the Japanese and Koreans pass from the (3) "Candles" to the (6) "Cat's Eye" (see Culin, 2, p. 30), but I do not know how it can be done without an intervening figure. It is possible to jump from the (1) "Cradle" to the (3) "Candles" by picking up the crossed strings as if for the "Soldier's Bed," but putting the fingers down into the figure, and separating the hands; then the "Candles" are held of course with the fingers pointing downward. We can pass directly from the (2) "Soldier's Bed" to the (6) "Cat's Eye" by picking up the crossed strings from below, bringing them around the side strings and down into the centre of the figure, and then separating the hands. CHAPTER VIII TRICKS AND CATCHES-A TORRES STRAITS LIZARD-HANGING-THE MOUSE-A DRAVIDIAN TRICK-A FINGER CATCH-A FLY ON THE NOSE-A THUMB CATCH-WILL YOU HAVE A YAM?—THREADING A CLOSED LOOP-A SAW-MILL. T A TORRES STRAITS LIZARD HIS trick I got from Dr. Haddon, who has published a description of it (see Rivers and Haddon, p. 152). In Murray Island, Torres Straits, it is known as Monan = a Lizard; in Mabuiag as Maita = Intestines of a Turtle. It was shown to Dr. Furness in the Caroline Islands by the Uap boy, who showed him "Carrying Money." First: Hold the left hand high with the palm down and the fingers pointing away from you, and with the right hand place the loop of string over the back of the left hand, and let it hang down in front of you. Pass the right hand away from you through the hanging loop, with the fingers pointing downward (Fig. 759); then turn the right hand around the right hanging string, by pointing the fingers to the right, then toward you, and finally upward (Fig. 760). Now pass the right hand to the left, between the hanging strings and FIG. 759. FIG. 760. |