Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 17, 1906.djvu/379

 Collectanea.

363

loop and the index into the left pendent loop, and by pressing these two fingers together hold the strings firm (Fig. 16). Turn the left hand palm upwards.

Fig. 16.

There are now two strings on the palmar surface of the left index, one of which crosses the palmar surface of the mid finger as well. The latter loops round the index proximal to the former. By slightly flexing the left hand the point of the mid finger may be made to enter the distal index loop from the distal side. Withdraw the index altogether. This leaves two loops on the mid finger.

Transfer both loops from the mid finger to B's finger, so that the latter enters the loops from the proximal side without the parallel strings being crossed. Hold B's finger with your left hand ; withdraw right index and the string will pull out (Fig. 1 7).

Fig. 17.

The above was learned from Gypsies and communicated, by Miss H. M. Simmonds, 79 Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, S.E. The description is by Miss A. Hingston.

It appears to me that the gypsy finger string-trick may be connected with the simpler trick which precedes it by the following considerations :

If the loop be in position for the simple finger string-trick —