CH. XV] 



STRING FIGURES 



329 



pendant palmar string, and then between the left index and 

 middle fingers, and with its front tip hook up another piece of 



Figure vii. The Yam Thief. 



the pendant dorsal string; pull this loop back on to the left 

 palm, and with the right index-finger give the loop one twist 

 clockwise, and put it over the palmar string on the left mid- 

 finger. (4) In the same way, working between the middle and 

 ring fingers, hook up another loop of the pendant dorsal string, 

 and put it on the left ring-finger. (5) In the same way, working 

 between the ring and little fingers, pick up another loop of the 

 pendant dorsal string, and put it on the left little-finger. (6) Take 

 off the left thumb loop, and hold it between the left thumb and 

 index-finger : and, for the sake of effect, to show that the loops 

 are still on the fingers, pull the pendant dorsal string. (7) Lastly, 

 pull the pendant palmar string, and the figure will come off the 

 hand. 



You can make up the story much as you like. In one version, 

 told by the negroes on the Gold Coast, the thumb loop represents 

 the owner of a yam patch. He is supposed to be asleep. The 

 loops successively taken up from the dorsal string and put on 

 the fingers represent the yams dug up by a thief, and tied up 

 in bags ready for carrying off. The loop coming off the thumb 

 represents the owner waking and going to see what is the matter. 



