Читать книгу Montegue Blister’s Strange Games: and other odd things to do with your time - Alan Down - Страница 17

Man’s opposable thumbs were a giant evolutionary leap that enabled him to use a great many tools and separated him out from the lower animals. For example, in the twentieth century it was impossible to be a successful hitchhiker without one, and in more recent times mobile phone texting is infinitely harder if you don’t use your thumb. But it is in the arena of wrestling where the thumb really comes into its own.

Thumb Wrestling, or Thumb Wars, is the easiest and least violent of all the hand games listed in this book. To play, you simply clasp your opponent’s fingers and raise your thumb. Most games start with the now legendary chant: ‘1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war.’ The game can now begin or, if you want to increase the tension further, you can chant: ‘5, 6, 7, 8, try to keep your thumb straight.’

Each player then tries to force their opponent’s thumb down, and keep it down for a count of three. This is often a lot harder than it first appears, and a well-balanced match can last a long time and be quite tiring, especially if you have not trained your thumb up beforehand.

As you become more involved in the world of Thumb Wrestling, as well as training up your thumb muscles you may want to start dressing up your thumb—maybe as a well-known, real-life wrestler? A few strands of yellow wool glued to the back of your thumb nail and you have a Hulk Hogan. Or use some felt-tip pens to draw a Union Jack leotard on your knuckle and you’ll have a pretty convincing Big Daddy.