332 STRING FIGURES [CH. XV 



rather a dull affair, involving no skill, leading in succession to 

 four designs known here as the cradle, a snuffer-tray, cat's-eye, 

 and fish-in-a-dish, and in Korea as a hearse, a chess-board, a 

 cow's-eye, and a rice-pestle. There are three or four standard 

 moves, and by using them in various orders other figures can be 

 deduced. I content myself with a bare allusion to this form. 



String Tricks. Far more interesting than the Cat's Cradle 

 of our nurseries are String Tricks which are a perennial source 

 of pleasure to primitive men, lads, and those wise enough to 

 retain interest in such things. 



Here are a dozen examples, with references, for any reader 

 who may like to try them : (1) The Lizard Twist, see below or 

 C. F. Jayne, String Figures, New York, 1906, p. 337. (2) The 

 Chippewa Release, Jayne, p. 346. (3) Cheating the Halter, see 

 below or Jayne, p. 339. (4) The Threading a Closed Loop, see 

 below or Jayne, p. 354. (5) The Fly on the Nose, see below or 

 Jayne, p. 348. (6) The Joining the Ends of a Cut String, see 

 almost any book on easy conjuring or parlour tricks, for instance, 

 Hoffmann's Modern Magic, p. 317. (7) The Interlaced Hand- 

 cuffs, see below or Hoffmann's Puzzles, p. 349. (8) The Button- 

 Hole Trick (otherwise worked with a key or ring threaded on a 

 closed loop),, see below or Tom Tit's Scientific Amusements, 

 London, 1919, p. 404. (9) The Knife in the Tree, see Tom Tit, 

 p. 399. (10) The Reversed Twist, see Tom Tit, p. 400. (11) The 

 Waistcoat Trick, see below. And (12) The Elusive Loop, see my 

 String Figures, p. 50. Some of these are also described in 

 K. Haddon's Cat's Cradles, London, 1911. 



I add brief notes on the moves involved in some of these 

 tricks. The presentation of the tricks may be left to the in- 

 genuity of the operator : it is hardly necessary to add that for 

 effectiveness the working should be quick and not be immediately 

 repeated. 



The Lizard Twist is worked thus: (1) Hold the string by 

 the left hand, held rather high, the string hanging down on the 

 right and left sides in a loop. (2) Put the right hand away from 

 you through the loop. Bend the right hand down, and then turn 

 it round the right pendant string clockwise ; this will be done 



