Like most string figures, the cord used to make this amusing action figure does not stretch. Nevertheless, the final design behaves like a sling shot! Subtle tension and a precisely timed release cause a loop to jump from the right side of the figure and land on the left thumb.
In this action figure, two tightly wound loops suddenly unwind as the figure is extended. With practice, the flying loops can be made to resemble acrobats doing somersaults or gymnasts doing flips.
In this rendition the loops are wound around the frame lines three times, but given a longer string an even greater number of windings can be accomplished which will further enhance the dramatic unraveling.
In this endless cycle, performed for children, a central figure that represents a canoe is transformed into one of three continuation figures, each of which represents a cultural hero. The performer then works backwards to recreate the canoe figure and the game is repeated.
