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List of string figures facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The following is a list of string figures, various figures which can be made using a loop of string, and which occur in games such as cat's cradle. Most of the titles are translations and/or descriptions.

Format

Explanation of the format of these listings:

  • "name 1" (location of name), [specific citation] "name 2" (location 2): opening position[, extension, notes] [general citation]
    • subsequent figures

List

Opeinga
"Opening A", seen from below
Osage Two Diamonds Jayne Fig 56
"Two Diamonds"
Heraklas Plinthios Brokhos Jaw Sling
Heraklas' "Plinthios Brokhos" made in a doubled cord. Resembles "A Hole in the Tree" with different crossings.
Cats-cradle
"Cradle", the first (and opening) position of Cat's cradle
Թելախաղ 4
"Soldier's Bed" from Cat's cradle
Թելախաղ 6
"Candles" from Cat's cradle
Թելախաղ 11
"Diamonds" from Cat's cradle
Թելախաղ 13
"Cat's Eye" from Cat's cradle
Թելախաղ 15
"Fish in a Dish" from Cat's cradle
Թելախաղ 18
"Grandfather Clock" from Cat's cradle
Inuit Fadenspiel
Inuit string figures reindeer, wolf, and pig
  • "Ace of Diamonds" (Hawaii: "E-ke-ma-nu"): position 1, similar to Cat's cradle's "Mattress"
  • "Ace of Hearts" (Hawaii: "E-ke-pe-ki"): ???
  • "Ace of Spades" (Hawaii: "E-ke-ha-ka"): ???
  • "Andromeda Galaxy" (invented): opening A
  • "Antares" (Nauru): opening A
  • "Apache Door" (Apache), "Pancho" (Navajo), "Sling" (Zuni), "Tent Door"/"String Bag"/"Horde"/"Poncho"/"Streamers"/"Fish Net" (N. America): opening A, (Navajo): position 1
  • "Apache Teepee" (Apache): nonstandard
  • "Arms" (Nunivak Inuit: "moguk"): ???
    • "Legs" ("eruk")
  • "Arrow" (Navajo: "Ka"): opening A
  • "Baby Being Born" (Wadaman): position 1
  • "Bagobo Diamonds" (Bagobo, also Linao Moros): opening A
  • "Bagobo Two Diamonds" (Bagobo): opening A
  • "Bear's Den" (Kwakiutl):
    • "Bear" (Kwakiutl), "Dog" (N. Alaska, W. Greenland), "Fox" (Mackenzie, W. Copper, Netsilik, Iglulik)
      • "Porcupine" (Kwakiutl), "Man Kneeling" (Caribou), "Hunter Approaching a Seal on Ice" (Netsilik)
      • "Goose" (Kwakiutl)
  • "Bird" (Papua): position 1
  • "Bird House" (Hawaii: "A-na-ma-nu"): ???
  • "Bird's Nest" (Navajo): position 1
  • "Bow" (Navajo: "Atl-ti"): Navajo opening
  • "Breastbone and Ribs" (Inuit: "Grut"): ribcage opening
  • "Brush House" (Zuni: "Pi-cho-wai, ham-pun-nai"), "Hut" (Pueblo: "Nathu"), (Klamath): nonstandard
    • "Six-Pointed Star": continuation
  • "Butterfly" (Navajo: "Ga-lo-ki/'Ga-hi-ki"): Navajo opening
  • "Butterfly" (Nauru: "Ijewaioi"): ???
  • "Candle Thief" (England, Ireland, Germany): nonstandard
  • "Canoe with Two Masts" (Torres Straits: "Nar"): opening A, requires two people or use of a toe
  • "Canoe with Two Sails" (Gilbert Islands, chant: Te Wa Ma le-Na): opening A
  • "Caribou" (Cumberland Sound Inuit: "Tuktuqdjung"), "Caribou" (St. Michael Island Inuit: "tuk-tuk"): opening A
  • "Caroline Islands Catch" (Ngatik): opening A, similar to "King Fish"
  • "Caroline Islands Diamonds" (Ngatik): nonstandard, Caroline extension
  • "Carrying Bundles of Wood" (Navajo): opening A
  • "Casting the Fish-Spear" (Torres Straits): opening A, similar to "Fish-Spear"
  • "Catching a Cockroach" (Samoa): nonstandard
  • Cat's cradle (Europe), game of string (Russia), kang sok (Southern China: "well rope"), Jack in the Pulpit (regional U.S.): Cradle
    • 1: "Cradle": around wrists
    • 2: "Soldier's Bed", "Mattress"
    • 3: "Candles", "Calm Sea"
    • 4: "Manger", "Upturned Cradle"
    • End: "Saw"
    • 5 & 12: "Diamonds", Carpet, (Russia) "Mattress Turned Over"
    • 6: "Cat's Eye"
    • 7: "Fish in a Dish", "Pig on Pegs"
    • 10: "Hand Drum"/"Scraggly"
    • End: "Two Royal Crowns"/"Grandfather Clock"
    • End: "Lucky Tea Kettle"
  • "Chicken Bum" (Guianas, Peru, Sierra Leone), "Wink" (Hawaii): nonstandard
  • "Chochaío" (Palau: "Bird"): opening B
  • "Circles and Triangles" (Ngatik: Bur-bur-ani jau): opening A
  • "Clothes Line" (Cape Prince of Wales Inuit: "iniarat"): ???
  • "Cobweb" (Whanganui): position 1
  • "Coconut Net" (Gilbert Islands: "Teibu Te Tatai"): around wrists
  • "Coral" (Uap: "Melang"): opening A, Caroline extension
    • "Variation of Coral" (invented)
  • "Cup and Saucer" (Europe), "Sake Cup"/"House" (Japan), "Canoe with Outrigger" (New Caledonia), "Skinning the Bison"/"Dressing a Skin" (Salish): opening A
    • "Owl's Eyes" (Europe): opening A
  • "Cutting the Hand" (Inuit): opening A
  • "Dancer" (Caroline and Loyalty Islands): position 1
  • "Diadem", "Jacob's Ladder" (Europe), "Osage Diamonds" (Osage), "Fence"/"Ladder" (Irish), "Calabesh Net" (Africa), "Le pont de Quebec" (Quebec, "Quebec Bridge"): opening A
    • "Cat's Whiskers" (Europe): continuation
    • "Eiffel Tower" (Europe): continuation
    • "Witch's Hat" (Europe): continuation
    • "King's Crown" (Germany): variation
  • "Dog On a Leash" (Nunivak Island Inuit: "kaymuchta"): ???
  • "Dog with Large Ears" (Copper Inuit): nonstandard
  • "Dravidian Trick" (Dravidian):
  • "Drunken Tree" (Eastern Toba): opening A
  • "Eel" (Papua), "Catching Crabs" (Gilbert Islands): nonstandard
  • "Egarawinago" (Nauru: "Lady of Quality"): ???
  • "Egona and Egameang Sitting On a Stone" (Nauru): ???
  • "Erupting Volcano" (Mapuche): opening A
  • "Fighting Head-hunters" (Torres Straits: Ares, or Murray and Duaur men fighting): opening A
  • "Find the Owl" (Navajo): opening A
  • "Flint and Steel" (Yap: "Nifi")/"Origin of Fire" (Torres Straits), "Chellaba" (Africa: "turn over"), "Tinder-box" (Caroline Islands): position 1
  • "Finger Catch" (Chippewa): nonstandard
  • "Fire Drill" (Kwakiutl): opening B
  • "Fish" (???): Murray opening
    • "Pig" (Lifu Island, Loyalty Islands)
    • "Frog" (Patomana, British Guiana)
    • "Silau" (Papuan, Goodenough Island: "Evil Spirit"): Murray opening
  • "Fish-Spear" (Torres Straits: "Baur"), "Pitching a Tent" (Salish, B.C.), "Sea-Egg (Echinus) Spear" (Clayoquaht), "Duck Spear" (Alaska), "Coconut Palm Tree" (Africa), "Parachute" (Europe), "Witches Broom" (Europe): position 1, similar to "Hogan" but with three lines, and similar to "Casting the Fish-Spear"
  • "Floor Mat" (Nauru): ???
  • "Flower" (Navajo): position 1
  • "Fly"/"Mosquito"/"Smashing a Coconut"/"Flying Fox" (Solomon Islands): nonstandard
  • "Fly On the Nose" (Torres Straits: "Buli"): nonstandard, trick
  • "Flying Bird" (South Sea Islands): position 1
  • "Four Boys Hand-in-Hand" (Australia): Murray opening
  • "Fox and Whale" (King Island Inuit: "achvuk-tezeuk"): position 1
  • "Ghost Dance" (New Guinea): two person
  • "Gated Well"/"Well" (South Sea Islands), "Velovelo" (Fiji: "Dugout Canoe"), "Ti Meta" (Murray Island: "Ti Bird's Nest"), "Basket"/"Wooden Food Bowl" (???): opening A
    • "Fence Around the Well": continuation (Lifu: Sihnag)
    • "Crab" (Kiwai Island: "Kokowa"): continuation
      • "Variation of the Crab" (invented)
  • "Giraffe Eating Grass" (Japan): opening A, variation of "Two Brown Bears"
  • "Ha-le-ku-mu-ma-ka-a" (Hawaii): ???
  • "Hammock" (Muslim): position 1
  • "Hammock [Weaving]" (N. or S. America): two person
  • "'Hanging'" (Philippines & Yap): nonstandard, trick
  • "Hare" (Inuit: "Ukaliaqdjung"): ???
  • "Hawk" (Wardaman): opening A, two people
  • "Headhunters" (Murray island): opening A
  • "Hill and Two Ponds" (Inuit: "Qaqaqdjung Sesinging"): ???
  • "Hogan" (Navajo): nonstandard, "Parachute" with four lines
  • "House" (Australia): around wrists, two people
  • "House" (Yap: "Naun", Maori, North Queensland): opening A, two people
  • "Hull of a Ship" (Nauru: "Deimano"):
  • "Hunter Stalking a Seal" (Inuit): position 1
  • "Ibunemun" (Nauru: "Man"): ???
  • "Iburenio" (Nauru: a growth in the tomana tree): opening A
  • "Japanese Butterfly" (Japan): nonstandard
  • "Kani Mumun" (Gilbert Islands: 'dispersing clouds' or 'flight of the conquered'): position 1
  • "King Fish" (Murray Island: "Geigi", Mabuiag: "Dangal"[Dugong/Sea-cow]), "Kamo" (Torres Straits: "The Thief"): opening A, similar to "Caroline Islands Catch"
  • "King's Throne"/"The Bed" (Gilbert Islands: Bao-n te nea): opening A
  • "Kiwi" (Maori): opening A
  • "Ko-he" (Hawaii): ???
  • "Laia Flower"/"Lotus Flower (New Hebrides): opening A
  • "Lairo" (Fiji: "Land Crab"): position 1 variant
  • "Lake Fish" (Anvik Inuit: "nanvumcheseah"): ???
  • "Leashing/Lines of Lochiel's Dogs" (Scotland, Ireland, England), "Raven's Feet"/"Crow's Feet" (Tanana Inuit), "Ptarmigan Feet"/"Crows' Feet" (N. America), "Cock's Feet" (France), "Chicken Toes"/"Wooden Spoon" (Africa: "Umuzwa"), "Emus'/Cockerels' Feet" (???), "Two Tents" (???), "Spade" (New Zealand), "Ducks' Feet" (Scotland): opening A, nearly identical to "Two Hogans"
    • "Pepper Plant"
      • "Spider's Web": two people
    • "Caterpillar"
  • "Lightning" (Navajo: "Atsinil-klish", Tewa: "Vo-pi-ri-dai"): Navajo opening
  • "Little Boat"/"Two Boats" (King Island Inuit: "kayak"/"malruk-kayak"): ???
  • "Little Boy Carrying Wood" (Klamath): Navajo opening
  • "Little Fishes" (Murray Island: "Tup"): Navajo opening
  • "Little Fish That Hides in the Mud" (Klamath): nonstandard
  • "Little Girl with Pigtails" (Japan): opening A
  • "Lizard" (Navajo: Nashoi-dichizhi): Navajo opening
  • "Lozenge" (invented): opening A
  • "Ma-ka-pe-na" (Hawaii): ???
  • "Man" (Navajo: "Diné"): opening A, resembles "Coral"
  • "Man Climbing a Tree" (Australia): opening A
  • "Man in a Hammock" (???): around wrists
  • "Man on/and a Bed" (Torres Straits: "Le Sik"): opening A
  • "Many Stars"/"Starry Sky" (Navajo: "Son-tlani"): opening A
    • "Firmament": two people
  • "Net" (Hawaii: "U-pe-na"): ???
  • "New Mittens" (Tanana: "ajakailaiguk"): ???
  • "O-ko-le-a-mo" (Hawaii): ???
  • "One Chief" (Yap: "Pilun"): position 1, Caroline extension
    • "Owl" 1 ("Nas-ja"): variation
    • "Owl" 2: variation
    • "Owl" 3: variation
    • "Seven Stars" ("Dil-ye-he"[Pleiades]): variation
    • "Two-Horned Star"[Son-bi-tere]/"Cow's Head": variation
    • "Two Coyotes" ("Ma-i-at-sani-il-watli"): variation
    • "Big Star": variation
    • "North Star" ("Tsun-tsi"): variation
    • "Carrying Wood" ("Chiz-jǒ-yĕt-lĭ"): variation
    • "Owl's Net": variation
  • "M" (Omaha): opening A
  • "Maui's Lasso" (Hawaii): opening A
  • "Melon Rind" (Papuan, Bamu River): position 1
  • "Moe Hora Hia" (Tuamotus: "Ghost's Path"): opening A
  • "Monkey Bum"/"Flying Parrot" ([British] Guiana), "Wink" (Hawaii): nonstandard
  • "Moth" (Zulu), "Spectacles" (Europe): opening A
  • "Mouse" (Murray Island: "Kebe Mokeis"), "Express Train" (Germany), (Inuit, N. & S. America, Japan, Philippines, Australia): nonstandard, "Probably the most widely distributed of all the string figures."
  • "Mouth" (Topek Inuit: "Rote"), "Trap" (Cape Prince of Wales Inuit: "keezook"): Navajo opening
  • "Mrs. Crab" (South Pacific), "Elastic Band" (Japan), "Twitcher" (Hawaii): position 1
  • "Mr. Spider" (Gilbert Islands): opening A
  • Murray opening/Index opening (technical): opening position
  • "Naio Tree" (Kauai and Niihau: False Sandalwood): position 1
  • Navajo opening (Navajo), Opening B (technical): opening position
  • "Neneuri" (Gilbert Islands: maybe someone's name): opening A
  • "Night"/"Darkness" (Hawaii: "Po", also Pacific, Japan, Africa, South America): opening A
    • "Twinkling Star"
  • No Name (Ngatik): opening A
  • "One Hogan" (Navajo): nonstandard
  • Opening A/Japanese opening (technical: Inuit, N. & S. America, Papua): position 1
  • "Open the Gate" (Hawaii), "Island Separated from Land" (Fiji), "Kokoko" (New Guinea: bird call): opening A
  • "Osage Two Diamonds" (Osage): opening A
  • "Owl" (Navajo: "Nasha"): position 1, similar to "Starry Night"
  • "Palm Tree" (Torres Straits: "U"): opening A
  • "Paths to the Well" (Gilbert Islands): opening A, "clearly similar to," "Iburenio"
  • "Plinthios Brokhos" (Ancient Greece), "Sun Clouded Over" (Australia), "Giant Clam" (Fiji): opening A
  • "Polar Bear" (North Alaskan Inuit): position 1, variant of "Swan"
  • Pole Star (???): opening A
  • "Porcupine" (Klamath), "Wolf"/"Wolverine" (Cape Prince of Wales: "koftsick"/"kulonik"), "Fox" (???): opening A
  • Position 1/First position (technical): opening position
  • Position 2 (technical): opening position
  • "Post" (Hawaii: "Pou"): ???
  • "Priestess" (Nauru: "Etaroking"): ???
  • "Pu" (Hawaii): ???
  • "Pump" (Hawaii: "Pau-ma-wai"): ???
  • "Pygmy Diamonds" (Batwa): Navajo opening
  • "Rabbit" (Klamath): opening A
  • "Rabbit" (Anvik Inuit: "makadok"), "Bird On Eggs" (St. Michael Island): ???
  • "Rain" (Nauru: "O-eron"): opening A
  • "Rattlesnake and a Boy" (Klamath): opening A
    • "Two Skunks": variation
    • "Two Foxes": variation
    • "Two Squirrels": variation
  • "Rectangle" (???): position 1
  • "Ribcage" (Alaska Inuit): ribcage opening
  • Ribcage opening (technical): opening position
  • "Salt Cave" (Hawaii): opening A, variation of "Fishnet"
  • "Sandsnipe" (Kiribati): nonstandard
  • "Saw" (Hawaii: "Pa-hi-o-lo"), "Saw" (Scotland): "Cradle"
  • "Sawing Together" (around the world), "Saw Mill" (Ireland): position 1/nonstandard, two people, trick
  • "Scarab" (invented): all moves but one taken from "Well", "Crab", and "Fence"
  • "Seagull"/"Man Carrying a Kayak" (Nunivak Island Inuit: "tc-c-kyack"): opening A
  • "Sealskin Carrying-bag" (St. Michael Island Inuit: "aginuk"): ???
    • "Kidneys" ("taktuk"): continuation
  • "Sea-snake" (Murray Island: "Pagi"):
  • "Seasnake" (Nauru: "Iiyanibongo"): ???
  • "Second Worm" (Navajo): Navajo opening
  • "See-saw" (Hawaii: "Ma-hi-ki"): ???
  • "Seven Diamonds" (Brillo Nuevo): nonstandard
  • "Sewing Machine" (Basel): "Cradle"
  • "Ship" (King Island Inuit: "umiakbuk"): ???
  • "Siberian House"/"Two Brown Bears and Their Caves" (Big Diomede Island Inuit): opening A
    • "Two Inuit Running Away" ("mugalonik enuck okparuktuk")
  • "Smith's Secret 1" (Europe): nonstandard
  • "Smith's Secret 2" (Alaskan Inuit): nonstandard
  • "Spectacles" (invented): opening A
  • "Square" (invented): begins as does "Apache Door"
  • "Stairs" (Cape Prince of Wales Inuit: "tutumukaligat"): ???
  • "Star of David" (???): nonstandard, two people
  • "Stickleback" (Guianas): nonstandard, two people
  • "Storm Clouds" (Navajo): Navajo opening
  • "Sun" (Nauru Island): opening A
  • "Sun" (Klamath): opening A
  • "Sunset" (Murray island: "Lem Baraigida"), (Mabuiag: "Dògai", or "Star"): opening A, related to "Fighting Head-Hunters"
  • "Swan" (Mackenzie Delta Inuit): position 1, variant of "Polar Bear"
  • "Ta Ai" (Gilbert Islands: "Sun"): opening A
  • "Tallow Dips" (Great Britain): nonstandard
  • "Tao Ta 16" (Japan): opening A
  • "Ten Men" (Ngatik), "Turtle" (Australia), "White Betel Leaf"/"Leaves of the Bread-fruit Tree" (Pacific): opening A
    • "Ten Men variation" variation
    • "Second Variation of Ten Men" (invented)
    • "Caroline Islands Triangles": variation
    • "Carrying Money" (Uap: "Runi-ka-fei"): continuation
    • "House of the Blos-Bird" (Ngatik: "Palngan-im-mun-blos"): variation
  • "Threading a Closed Loop" (Omaha, Pawnee, Kwakiutl, Japan, Caroline Islands): nonstandard, trick
  • "Three Stars" (Uap: "Dilipi-tuf"): opening A, Caroline extension
  • "Thumb Catch[er]" (Osage, England), "Bow-String" (Tanana): opening A, trick
  • "Tinamitto" (Nauru: "Dandy"): ???
  • "Toad and a Man" (Kwakiutl): opening A
  • "Torres Straits Lizard" (Murray Island: "Monan"), "Intestines of a Turtle" (Mabuiag: "Maita"): nonstandard, trick
  • "Tortoise" (???): ribcage opening, two person
  • "Tree Hole/Hole in the Tree"/"Sun"/"Moon" (Chama & Oceania): opening A
  • "Tree with Roots and Branches" (Guiana): position 1
  • "Trigger Fish" (Torres Straits: "Nageg"): "Well"
  • "Turtle" (Japan): opening A
  • "Turtle" (Yap): nonstandard, Caroline extension, resembles "Bagobo Diamonds"
    • "Ten Times": continuation, any even number of times possible
  • "Twin Stars" (Navajo: "Sono-tsihu")(Zuni): Navajo opening, closely resembles "Osage Two Diamonds"
  • "Two Boys Fighting for an Arrow" (Klamath): opening A variation
  • "Two Chiefs" (Yap: "Logaru-pilun"): opening A, Caroline extension
  • "Two Coyotes" (Navajo): opening A
    • "Cow's Head"/"Star with Two Horns" (Navajo)
  • "Two Dolphins" (invented): opening A
  • "Two Dragonflies" (Gilbert Islands: "U-oman ni keketi"): opening A
  • "Two Elks" (Klamath): opening A
  • "Two Hogans" (Navajo): opening A
  • "Two Islands Joined by a Log" (Warrau): opening A
  • "Two Islands Linked by a Bridge" (Warau, Guiana): opening A
  • "Two Little Boys Running Away" (Klamath): Navajo opening
  • "Two Mountains and a Stream" (St. Michael Island Inuit: "tituchtak"): ???
  • "Two Ptarmigans" (Cape Prince of Wales Inuit: "mugalonik-okhozgiuk"): ???
  • "Two Stars" (Navajo): opening A
  • "Two Wells" (Gilbert Islands: "Tan iti ran"): around wrists
  • "Two Women" (Nauru: "Echeog and Edawaroi"): ???
  • "Ussugdjung" (Cumberland Sound Inuit: "circle" or "sun"): position 1
  • "W" (Omaha): opening A
  • "Wanderer" (invented): nonstandard
  • "What Will You Do?" (Kwakiutl), "Old Woman" (Bella Coola): opening B
  • "Wheelbarrow" (invented): Navajo opening
  • "[White] Man in a Bed" (N. America): opening A
  • "[White Man's] Camp Bed"/"Sumbo" (central Africa: "Fishing Net"): nonstandard
  • "Winking Eye" (Kauai): non-standard
  • "Wolf" (Inuit: "Amaroqdjung"): ???
  • "Woman" (Nauru: "Egattamma"): ???
  • "Woman Who Walks a Lot" (N. New Guinea): opening A
  • "Women of Rank" (Nauru: "Etima and Etowa"; Nauru women of rank): ???
  • "Worm" (Navajo): Navajo opening
  • "Would You Like a Sweet/Yam?" (northern Australia), "Will You Have a Yam?"/"Food" (Torres Straits: "Lewer"): position 1
  • "Yam Thief"/"Snake in the Trees" (South America), "Mouse" (Inuit): nonstandard

See also

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List of string figures Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.