9
Watch out for the Mice!
Some branches show a mouse. “Trump-ephants” are scared of mice.
Therefore each of these branches scores a minus point.
As soon as you are aware that you have a branch with a mouse you can
drop it, or try to place it in the enclosure of another player. This player
can, of course, try to prevent you from doing so with their trunk.
Important rules of the trump-ephants:
• Branches falling outside the enclosures or off the table stay there until
the end of the game.
• You can collect various branches at the same time.
• During the whole game you use only your hands to hold the tooters!
A collected branch has to be put down in the enclosure with the
elephant trunk. You cannot use your hands to pick up branches!
Hint: Experienced players may agree to keep their hands behind their
back during the whole game.
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as there are no more branches hanging on the
treetop or the tree comes to a standstill.
Each player counts the branches in or touching their enclosure. Branches
outside the enclosure do not count.
• Each branch without a mouse scores a point.
• Each branch with a mouse scores a minus point.
Children who can´t subtract yet, put aside a branch without a mouse
for each branch with a mouse and then count the remaining branches.
The player with the most points wins the game.
If there are players who can’t count so high yet, the players pile up the
branches and the player with the highest pile wins the game.
The other players congratulate the winner with a loud fanfare of
trumpeting sounds.
branch with mouse =
minus point
place in enclosure of
other player
all branches collected
or treetop
stops spinning =
end of game
branch without
mouse = 1 point,
branch with mouse =
1 minus point
highest score =
victory
ENGLISH
8
Aim of the Game
Who will be the most skilful and collect the most branches with their
elephant trunks?
Watch out for the mice!
Preparation of the Game
First put together the treetop. Do this by sticking
the six cardboard pegs into the slots of
the cardboard circle.
Place the trunk in the center of the table
and carefully put the assembled treetop on it.
Stick the 24 branches into the corresponding
slots of the treetop.
Some branches show a mouse on one side.
Make sure the side with the mouse is on the inside.
Each player gets an enclosure and puts it in front of them.
Finally each player takes the trunk of an elephant (tooter).
The remaining material is kept in the box.
How to Play
Everybody plays at once and takes the trunk of the elephant (tooter) in
their mouth.
The oldest player holds the trunk of the tree and carefully pulls on the
cord: the treetop slowly starts to spin.
As soon as the starting player takes their hand off the trunk they give the
starting signal and shout “Ready, steady, go!”
The noisy and wild collecting of the branches starts at once! All at the
same time the players try to gather as many branches as possible with
their trunks (tooters) and place them in their enclosures.
collect most
branches
assemble treetop
stick treetop on
trunk of tree and
insert branches
into slots
place enclosure,
take tooter
put tooter into
mouth,
pull at cord
give starting signal
collect branches with
tooter and place into
enclosure
