List of string figures

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
• "Ace of Diamonds" (Hawaii: "E-ke-ma-nu"): position 1, similar to Cat's cradle's "Mattress"

• * "Big Star" (Navajo)

• "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

• "Breasts" (Hawaii: "Wai-u-la-wa"): ???

• "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

• * "Hoochie Koochie Man" (Europe)

• "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

• * "Hut" (Pueblo: "Nathu")

• "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"/"Female Sexual Organs" (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"/"Fetish Man's Breastplate"/"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