Prophetical, Educational and Playing CardsVan Rensselaer, John King, Mrs.
Religion
Prophetical, Educational and Playing Cards
Van Rensselaer, John King, Mrs.
Fortune-telling by cards -- History; Playing cards -- History
"Milking the Cow" is the name of the second set. The stones are gathered
in the hand and the Jack is thrown into the air, and while it is "up," one
stone is quietly and gently placed upon the table from the palm, but must
not be thrown or dropped, and the Jack caught as it comes down. This is
repeated until all the stones are discarded one after the other, the art
being to do this without letting more than one escape at a time. If this
is not done, the turn passes to the next player on the left; but, if
successfully accomplished, the stones are swept into a heap and caught up
in the hand while the Jack is in the air. All the players must do this in
succession or lose their turn. Those who have not completed the first
Muggins take their turn here, and must do it five times without fault
before beginning to milk.
"Grab" is the name of the third set, and it is difficult. It is called
"Laying Eggs" in Korea. It is done by laying four stones about two inches
apart in a row, tossing the Jack and picking them up one by one. The first
stone is kept in the hollow of the palm of the right hand while the Jack
is tossed and the second stone is picked up. This is retained, and the
third stone is picked up in the same way, and so on until all are caught
in the right hand. Then all are placed in a heap and are gathered while
the Jack is tossed. The left hand is not used at all in these two sets.
"Peas in the Pot" is the first set of the second part of the game. The
left hand is partly closed and four stones are placed about an inch apart
in a row, the first one touching the thumb. Players, to show their skill,
will often make the spaces wider, but they must not throw the Jack any
higher than is usual, which is about a foot and a half. The play consists
in throwing the Jack, and, while it is in the air, one stone after
another is picked up and put in the pot (which is the left hand). Some
players push the stones into the pot. To do so, the thumb and forefinger
of the left hand are opened to allow the stones to pass in, but this is
considered unworkmanlike by good players. The stones, after being placed
in the pot and the left hand removed, are gathered with one swoop as the
Jack is tossed.
"Horses in the Stable" is played with the fingers of the left hand
outstretched to form stalls. The stones are placed about four inches away
on the table, and must be pushed into the stalls one by one while the Jack
is aloft. Then all are gathered up at once in the right hand while the
Jack is tossed. In Hindustan the native girls have their photographs taken
when playing this set of Jackstones.
"Horses out of the Stable" follows. The stones are pushed out with one
motion, one beside the other, and then caught up with one sweep as the
Jack is tossed. The art consists in getting the stones close together when
they leave the stalls, so that they can be grabbed with one sweep while
the Jack is up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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