The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PASTIME

YOU NEED 7 PEOPLE. ONE LIES DOWN. TWO ARE ON EACH SIDE
OF THE PERSON LYING DOWN, ONE AT THE HEAD AND ONE AT
THE FEET. YOU USE TWO FINGERS ON EACH HAND AND PUT THEM
UNDER THE BODY OF THE PERSON LYING DOWN. THE PERSON AT
THE HEAD SAYS THERE HAS BEEN AN ACCIDENT. EVERYONE
REPEATS (EXCEPT PERSON LYING DOWN). THEN THEY SAY
SIMULTANEOUSLY, "SHE IS ILL, CALL A DOCTOR, SHE IS
DYING, SHE IS DEAD. SHE'S AS LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF
AS A BOARD." AFTER THIS IS DONE, THE HEAD PERSON SAYS,
"AT THE COUNT OF THREE WE WILL RAISE HER." EVERYONE MUST
CONCENTRATE, THERE MUST BE NO LAUGHING OR ELSE YOU
WON'T BE ABLE TO LIFT THE OTHER PERSON.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-00-1971