The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE NAME OF A CHILDHOOD GAME IS "ROCK, SCISSORS,
PAPER." IT IS PLAYED BY TWO PEOPLE. EACH HELD ONE
HAND BEHIND HIS BACK AND ON THE COUNT OF "THREE"
BROUGHT IT FORWARD IN ONE OF THREE POSITIONS: TIGHTLY
CLENCHED TO INDICATE A ROCK, FLAT TO INDICATE A PIECE
OF PAPER, OR WITH THE FIRST TWO FINGERS IN A "V"
SHAPE TO INDICATE A PAIR OF SCISSORS. A SHORT
FORMULA, "PAPER COVERS ROCK, ROCK CRUSHES SCISSORS,
SCISSORS CUTS PAPER" DETERMINED WHO WON. TWO SIMILAR
POSITIONS WERE CONSIDERED AS A DRAW. WE USED TO DO IT
JUST FOR FUN OR ONCE IN A WHILE TO DETERMINE WHO GOT
SOME SPECIAL PRIVILEGE.

Submitter comment: I DON'T REMEMBER MY FIRST CONTACT WITH THIS GAME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1963 ; CHILDHOOD