This song was originally a wedding dance performed by female wedding guests. Later it became a children's game.

"Wood eels" were the popular name for grass snakes that were eaten the same way as river eels.

Notes

The original version of the song (above) is "Enfilons les anguilles de bois" (let's string the wood eels). "Wood eels" were the popular name for grass snakes. The meaning of "anguilles de bois" got lost so children often sing it as:

Enfilons les aiguilles de bois
Dans le jupon de la mère Dubois,
Enfilons les aiguilles.

English Translation:

Let's stick the wooden needles
Into old ma Dubois's petticoat,
Let's stick in the needles.

Game Instructions

The children form a line holding hands, the first in line forms an arch with his hand against a wall or a tree. The line walks under the arch while singing the song. When the whole line has gone under the arch, it goes under the arch formed by the arms of the first two players and so on till the last one. The line must then "undo" the whole thing by walking under each arch in opposite direction.

Alternate Version of the Game:

The first player doesn't put their hand against a wall or a tree, so the line walks under the arch formed by the arms of the 1st and 2nd players. At the end, the last player joins hands with the first to form a circle. Then all the players turn their backs to the center. They all turn around to face inwards without letting their neighbor's hands go. They then make a see-saw movement usually to the song "Scions, scions du bois" or a variant or another song of the same type.

Watch
In the video below, you can see the game played as described in the 1st game instructions.

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In the video below, the game is played in more simple ways depending on the age of the child...

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