Fig. [470].—Preparing for man chopping wood.
Fig. [471].—Man chopping wood.
To make a
Man Chopping Wood,
place the inside of the little finger of the right hand on the inside of the little finger of the left hand, and the inside of the third finger of the right hand over the inside of the third finger of the left hand; then bring the second and third fingers of the right hand up and over the inside of the palm of the left hand, as in [Fig. 470]. Rest the tip of the second finger of the right hand on the tip of the thumb of the left hand. The second finger is the stick of wood. Strike the wood with the first finger of the left hand (C, [Fig. 471]); raising that, bring down the second finger of the left hand (B, [Fig. 471]). Keep them moving, first one, then the other, and you will have "the man chopping wood" ([Fig. 471]). It is a pity to waste the chips which always fall when wood is being cut, so let two children, the thumb and first finger of the right hand, pick them up. Do this by tapping the palm of the left hand with the thumb and first finger of the right hand, while the man cuts the wood.
The four fingers working at the same time make it quite lively, but you will find that if the man chops fast, the children will pick the chips very quickly, and if the man works slowly the children will not hurry about gathering the chips. It will be very difficult for you to have the man chop slowly when the children are eager and quick at their task. The feat will be almost as hard as patting your chest with the left hand while you rub the right hand back and forth over the top of your little head. You will laugh to see the left hand rub, when you told it to pat; the poor little left hand tries to mind, but just as soon as its twin brother, the right hand, begins rubbing, the left hand has to stop patting and rub too.
