Chapter 10

Geographical Distribution of String Figures

Figures whereof the finished patterns are similar to the figures described in this book, but concerning the methods of forming which we have no information, are preceded by an asterisk.

Figures known only from the finished patterns are preceded by two asterisks.

The names adopted for the figures described in this book are given first, the name by which it is known in another country, or tribe, is given below as a synonym. A synonym preceded by an asterisk indicates that a finished pattern is so labelled, but we do not positively know how it is formed. The method of making the few figures preceded by a dagger are known, but have not yet been published.

• Africa
  • Batwa Pygmies, Kasai Valley, Congo.
    • Pygmy Diamonds.
    • The Mouse
  • Wajiji, British East Africa.
    • The Mouse
  • Ulungu, British East Africa.
    • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
      Syn.: Umuzwa, a wooden spoon.
  • Kabyles, Algeria (introduced from France).
    • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
      Syn.: "Cock's Feet"
• America
  • Apaches.
    • An Apache Door.
    • An Apache Tepee.
    • The Mouse
  • Cherokees:
    • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
      Syn.: "Crow's Feet"
  • Chippewas:
    • A Finger Catch.
    • The Mouse
  • Clayoquahts:
    • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
      Syn.: Sea-egg (Echinus) Spear.
  • Eskimos:
    • Alaska.
      • A Cariboo, tuktuk.
      • The Mouth, rote.
      • Breastbone and Ribs, grut.
      • Porcupine.
        Syn.: Wolf, kulonik. Wolverine, kofsick.
      • The Mouse
      • †A Ship, umiakbuk.
      • †Two Mountains and a Stream, tituchtak.
      • †Arms and Legs, moguk-eruk.
      • †Siberian House and Two Men, kochlinee.
      • †Little Boat, kayak.
      • †Sea-gull, tc-c-kyack.
      • †Lake Fish, nanvumcheseah.
      • †Stairs, tutumukaligat.
      • †Clothes-line, iniarat.
      • †Eskimo Rabbit, makadok.
        Syn.: Bird Sitting on Eggs.
      • †Whale and Fox, achvuk-tezeuk.
      • †Dog on Leash, kaymuchta.
      • †Nameless.
      • †Sealskin Carrying-bag, aginuk.
      • †Two Ptarmigans, mugolonik okhozgiuk.
      • †A Trap, keezook.
    • Baffin Land.
      • A Cariboo, tuktuqdjung.
      • The Circle, ussuqdjung.
      • *A Hare, ukaliaqdjung.
      • *A Wolf, amaroqdjung.
      • *A Hill with Two Ponds, qaqaqdjung sesinging.
  • Klamaths: (Some Modoc figures may be included among the following:)
    • Owl's Net.
    • Two Elks.
    • A Rabbit.
    • The Sun.
    • A Rattlesnake and a Boy.
    • Two Skunks.
    • Two Foxes.
    • Two Squirrels.
    • A Porcupine.
    • Two Little Boys Running Away.
    • A Little Fish that Hides in the Mud.
    • A Little Boy Carrying Wood.
    • A Brush-house.
    • Six-pointed Star.
    • Two Boys Fighting for an Arrow.
  • Kwakiutls:
    • Threading a Closed Loop.
  • Navahos:
    • An Apache Door.
      Syn.: Li-sis, poncho.
    • Many Stars, son tlani.
    • An Owl, nas-ja
    • A Second Owl.
    • A Third Owl.
    • Seven Stars, dil-ye-he.
    • Two-Horned Star, son-bi-tere.
      *Syn.: So-bide-hulonni.
    • Two Coyotes, ma-i-at-sani-il-watli.
      *Syn.: Mai-i-atl-sa-yill-aghueli.
    • Big Star.
    • North Star.
      *Syn.: Big Star, tsun-tsi.
    • Carrying Wood, chiz-jo-yet-li.
    • Two Hogans, naki-hogan or atl-sa-hogan.
    • Two Stars.
    • An Arrow, ka.
    • A Man, hastine denné.
    • A Bow, atl-ti.
    • Lightning, atsinil-klish.
    • A Butterfly, ga-lo-ki or ga-hi-ki.
    • A Worm.
    • Twin Stars, sono-tschu.
    • A Lizard.
      Syn.: Nashoi-dichizhi.
    • Storm Clouds.
    • One Hogan.
    • A Second Worm.
    • A Bird's Nest, a-to.
    • †Navaho Breastbone and Ribs.
  • Omahas:
    • W.
    • M.
    • The Mouse.
    • Threading a Closed Loop.
  • Onondagas:
    • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
      Syn.: "Crow's Feet"
  • Osages:
    • Osage Diamonds.
    • Osage Two Diamonds.
    • The Mouse.
    • A Thumb Catch.
  • Pawnees:
    • Threading a Closed Loop.
  • Salish, Thomson River, British Columbia:
    • Dressing a Skin.
    • A Fish-spear.
      Syn.: "Pitching a Tent."
  • Tananas, Alaska:
    • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
      Syn.: "Crow's Feet"
    • †Bow String.
    • †Raven's Feet.
    • †New Mittens.
  • Tewas, Isleta, N. M.
    • A Brush House, nathu.
    • Six-pointed Star.
      *Syn.: Pah-rhu-la, a star.
    • *An Apache Door.
    • *Many Stars.
    • *Lightning.
      Syn.: Vo-pi-ri-dai, lightning.
  • Zuñis:
    • *An Apache Door.
      Syn.: A-tslo-no-no-nai.
    • *A Brush House, pi-cho-wai, ham-pun-nai.
    • *A Fish-spear.
    • *Carrying Wood.
    • *Twin Stars.
      Syn.: Pi-cho-wai; wai-lo-lo, lightning.
    • *Top Cross-beam of a Ladder; tslem-pis-to-nai; pi-cho-wai-nai.
• Australia. North Queensland.
  • *A House.
    Syn.: Canoe on the Water; also a Fish Net.
  • *Ten Men..
    Syn.: A Turtle.
  • *Flint and Steel.
    Syn.: A Deaf Adder.
  • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
    Syn.: Four-pronged Spear.
  • *One Chief.
    Syn.: Giant Crane.
  • *Two Boys Carrying Spears.
  • *Two Women Fighting with Sticks.
  • *Four Boys Walking in a Row.
  • *Two Men Walking Down a Valley.
  • *Man Climbing a Tree.
  • *Kangaroo.
  • *Pouch; Kangaroo.
  • *Pouch; Wallaby.
  • *A Spear; A Kangaroo Speared.
  • *Bandicoot.
  • *Bat.
  • *Flying Fox.
  • *Two Rats Sitting Side by Side.
  • *Emu.
  • *Emu's Nest, with Egg.
  • *Cassowary.
  • *Eagle-hawk.
  • *Two Cockatoos Roosting.
  • *Two White Cranes.
  • *Duck in Flight.
  • *Bird's Nest.
  • *Water Snake.
  • *Snake.
  • *Crocodile.
  • *Crocodile's Nest, with Egg.
  • *Frog.
  • *Turtle.
  • *Tortoise.
  • *Turtle (II).
  • *Two Fish.
  • *Fish, Mullet.
  • *Mullet.
  • *Eels Carried on a Hooked Stick.
  • *Crab.
  • *Four Shrimps.
  • *Honey.
  • *Wasp's Nest.
  • *Hornet's Nest.
  • *Hollow Log.
  • *Tree.
  • *Palm-tree.
  • *Hole in Limb of a Tree.
  • *Zamia Tree.
  • *Zamia Nuts.
  • *Two Coconuts.
  • *Coconut.
  • *Yams (I).
  • *Yams (II).
  • *Sun, clouded over.
  • *Sun, with full rays.
  • *Sun, with full rays (II).
  • *Sun, setting.
  • *Moon.
  • *Star.
  • *Star (II).
  • *Clouds.
  • *Lightning.
  • *Rain.
  • *River.
  • *River (II).
    Syn.: A Fish-hawk.
  • *Two Rocks.
  • *Hill.
  • *Boomerang.
  • *Canoe.
  • *Bark Canoe.
  • *Dilly-bag.
  • *Hawk's Foot.
  • *Wasp's Nest.
• Borneo.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
• British New Guinea. Kiwai Island at the Mouth of the Fly River:
  • A Crab, kokowa.
• Caroline Islands.
  • Natik:
    • Caroline Islands Catch.
    • Circles and Triangles, bur-bur-ani-jau.
    • Ten Men.
    • Variation of Ten Men.
    • Caroline Islands Triangles.
    • House of the Blos Bird, palangan-im-mun-blos.
    • No Name.
    • Caroline Islands Diamonds.
  • Uap:
    • Carrying Money, runi-ka-fei.
    • Three Stars, dilipi-tuf.
    • Coral, melang.
    • Two Chiefs, logaru-pilun.
    • A House, naun.
    • One Chief, pilun.
    • A Turtle.
    • Ten Times.
    • Flint and Steel, nifi.
    • Torres Straits Lizard.
    • A Finger Catch.
    • Hanging.
    • Threading a Closed Loop.
• China.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
• England.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
  • Tallow Dips.
  • Threading a Closed Loop.
  • Osage Thumb Catch.
• Europe.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
• Hawaiian Islands.
  • *Osage Diamonds.
    Syn.: Ma-ka-lii and pu-kau-la.
  • *Osage Two Diamonds.
    Syn.: Pa-pi-o-ma-ka-nu-i-nu-i.
  • *Hoo-ko-mo.
  • *Ace of Diamonds, eke-ma-nu.
  • *See-saw, ma-hi-ki.
  • *A Post, pou.
  • *A Pump, pau-ma-wai.
  • *Darkness, po.
  • *Ace of Spades, e-ke-pe-ki.
  • *Ace of Hearts, e-ke-ha-ka.
  • *Ma-ka-u-pe-na.
  • *Ko-he.
  • *The Breasts, wa-u-la-wa.
  • *O-ko-le-a-mo.
  • *Pu.
  • *Ha-le-ku-mu-ma-ka-a.
  • *A-ha-ma-ka.
  • *A Bird House, a-na-ma-nu.
• India.
  • A Dravidian Trick.
• Ireland.
  • Osage Diamonds.
    Syn.: The Ladder; the Fence.
  • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
    Syn.: Duck's Feet.
  • Tallow Dips.
  • The Mouse.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
• Japan.
  • The Mouse.
  • Threading a Closed Loop.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
• Korea.
  • The Real Cat's Cradle.
• Loyalty Islands. Lifu:
  • A Well, tim.
  • Fence Around a Well, sihnag.
• Marshall Islands. Nauru:
  • *Hull of a Ship, deimano.
  • *Egona and Egameang Sitting on a Stone.
  • *A Butterfly, ijewaioi.
  • *A Woman, Egattamma.
  • *Nauru Woman of Rank, Etima and Etowa.
  • *The Woman, Echoeg and Edawaroi.
  • *A Sea-snake, iiyanibongo.
  • *A Nauru Dandy, tinamitto.
  • *A Lady of Quality, Earawingo.
  • *A Man, ibunemun.
  • *A Mat (I).
  • *A Mat (II).
  • *A Mat (III).
  • *A Mat (IV).
• New Zealand.
  • *A House.
• Philippines.
  • Bagobos:
    • Bagobo Diamonds.
    • Bagobo, Two Diamonds.
    • The Real Cat's Cradle.
  • Linao Moros:
    • Bagobo Diamonds.
    • Ten Times.
    • Hanging.
    • The Mouse.
    • The Real Cat's Cradle.
  • Negritos:
    • Hanging.
    • The Mouse.
• Scotland.
  • The Leashing of Lochiel's Dogs.
  • Ten Times.
• Torres Straits.
  • Fighting Head-hunters, ares.
  • Sunset, lem baraigida, Murray Island.
    Syn.: A Star, dogai, Mabuaig.
  • A Fish-spear, baur.
  • A Sea-snake, pagi.
  • Kingfish, geigi, Murray Island.
    Syn.: Thu Dugong, dangal, Mabuaig
  • A Well.
    Syn.: Nest of the Ti-bird, ti-meta; a Canoe, gul, Mabuiag.
  • A Trigger Fish, nageg.
  • Casting the Fish-spear.
  • A Man and a Bed, le-sik.
  • A Palm Tree, u.
  • A Canoe with Two Masts, nar.
  • Little Fishes, tup.
  • A Torres Straits Lizard, monan, Murray Island.
    Syn.: Intestines of a Turtle, maita, Mabuiag.
  • The Mouse, kebe-mokeis.
  • Fly on the Nose, buli.
  • Will You Have a Yam, lewer, food.

A Few Invented Figures

1. The Scarab
2. The Lozenge
3. The Square
4. Variation of Coral
5. Two Dolphins
6. Variation of the Crab
7. Second Variation of Ten Men