and now you are laughing at my inconsistent similes , and asking how one pushes forward a knotted threadand for the answer to that question , i must refer you to the example of your cousin merivales cat : the best method is plainly to herd the whole knotted tangle into a small pile , and then run up on it in a series of leaps , and chase it across the parquetry with your paws until it disappears under a bookcase , defying all attempts at extraction .