766 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS [nru. ann. 24 
there was not obtained; cat. no. 22715, twin stars, occurs in Zuni as 
lightning (figure 1069), and cat. no. 22724, packing (carryitig) wood, 
also in Zuni (figure 1068). 
The following information about the game was communicated to 
the writer by Rev. Berard Haile in a personal letter: 
Cat’s cradle owes its origin to the Spider people. They, the spiders, who 
in the Navaho’s belief were human beings, taught them the game for their 
Fig. 1047. 
Fig. 1046. Cat’s cradle, hoghan (hogan); Navaho Indians, St Michael, Arizona; cat. no. 22723, 
Free Museum of Science and Art, University of Pennsylvania. 
Fig. 1047. Cat's cradle, chizh joyeti, packing (carrying) wood; Navaho Indians, St Michael, 
Arizona; cat. no. 22724, Free Museum of Science and Art, University of Pennsylvania. 
amusement. The holy spiders taught the Navaho to play and how to make the 
various figures of stars, snakes, bears, coyotes, ete., but on one condition—they 
were to be played only in winter, because at that season spiders, snakes, ete., 
sleep and do not see them. To play the cat’s cradle at any other time of the 
year would be folly, for certain death by lightning, falling from a horse, or 
some other mishap were sure to reach the offender. Otherwise no religious 
meaning is said to attach to the game. Even the above information was only 
extracted with much patience and scheming. I may add that one Navaho 
claimed that the cat’s cradle is a sort of schooling by which the children are 
taught the position of the stars, ete. Though this might be a satisfactory 
