(From the German.)
Herr Professor Bobine von Rhumkorff amuses little children by holding up his hand, with the thumb and finger thus posed:—
The thumb is made to spring up and down to a lively air and to the words “Dance, de Boatman, dance!” Then the thumb stops while the fingers are set leaping, to the words:
“Boatman’s piccaninnies dance, ’cause fader dance all alone by heself!”
Then leave the forefinger capering and sing:
“Eldest son of de Boatman, dance!”
Then all the fingers but the first leap about to the words:
“De whole family dance, ’cause him eldest son he dance all alone!”
So on with the other fingers, the little one being the baby, and the middle one Mrs. Boatman.
Some put on a black glove and make four chalk spots on the fingertip to represent eyes, nose, and mouth.