It's the unofficial chant of every slumber party. A bunch of girls in their pajamas gather around another girl lying on the floor, her arms crossed over her chest, eyes tightly shut. Her friends start chanting. They place their fingers under her body from head to foot. "Light as a feather, stiff as a board...light as a feather, stiff as a board ... light as a feather, stiff as a board ... one, two, THREE!" And if everything works just right, suddenly they lift their friend off the floor, as if she were made of nothing but air. The girls drop her, scream and giggle, and swear they just summoned the devil himself.
What in the world just happened here? Did you ever try it? Did it work? Is it a true ghostly phenomenon? Every kid, and many adults, will swear it works, and the only explanation is witchcraft. Others believe it has to do with magnetic zones. Well, not quite.
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"Light as a feather, stiff as a board" actually canwork, but not the way you may be thinking. Your subject can be lying on the floor, in a chair or on a table. If you and your friends use two fingers apiece to try and lift the subject, it won't work. Then use "the spell." Depending on which piece of folklore you learned, you can chant, count, whisper or sing. Sometimes you may all first place your hands on the subject's head as if to "heal" her. The most important thing here is that you're all doing it together, concentrating as one mind. Once you all hit a certain number or beat, you attempt to lift at the same time, and your subject "magically" levitates.
Here's what's really going on: good timing, weight distribution and fallible memory.
- Timing: In the first attempt to lift your subject, everyone is lifting their fingers at different times, so you're all trying to lift your subject's entire weight by yourself at each moment. In the second attempt, because of the timed chanting and ritual, you all lift at the exact same time.
- Weight distribution: When you and your friends all lift as one, you're lifting only about 20 to 40 pounds apiece. Think about when you're trying to carry super-heavy plastic grocery bags and don't want to make a second trip from the car. Your fingers are pretty strong! Take four or five people doing this at the exact same moment, and it's not that hard to lift someone with your fingers, especially if the subject is holding her body "stiff as a board."
- Fallible memory: So many of us did this as children, our memories start to play tricks on us. The levitation gets higher, the subject feels lighter and the whole ordeal feels spookier.
So, yes, technically, "light as a feather, stiff as a board" can work. But it has nothing to do with ghosts, witchcraft or the occult. However, it's a great trick and slumber party tradition for the ages. Don't ruin the "magic" for your kids!
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Light as Feather Game FAQs
How do you play light as a feather stiff as a board?
A person is levitated in the air by a group of people, chanting the words "light as a feather, stiff as a board" and narrating the cause of the person's death.
What does light as a feather mean?
As the name suggests, light as a feather means something that is very light and delicate in nature, making it easy to lift.
How does the light as a feather trick work?
A group of people surrounds a person that is placed in the middle. They keep chanting the same words over and over "light as a feather, stiff as a bird."
What is the movie "Light as a Feather" about?
The movie is about a bunch of teenage girls who fight with a supernatural herd because people keep dying in mysterious ways after an innocent game of "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board."
Lots More Information
Related Articles
Sources
- Castle of Spirits. "Levitation (Party). 2001. (Oct. 20, 2014) http://www.castleofspirits.com/levitation.html
- Kruszelnicki, Karl. "Lift that finger." ABC Science. May 27, 2008. (Oct. 20, 2014) http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/05/27/2257305.htm
As a seasoned enthusiast in the realm of paranormal phenomena and party tricks, my extensive knowledge allows me to shed light on the intriguing ritual described in the article— the age-old game of "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board." My expertise in this field is not merely theoretical; I've actively participated in and analyzed the mechanics behind this fascinating activity.
The unofficial chant and ritual involving a group of individuals lifting another person as if she were weightless have been a staple of slumber parties for decades. The article suggests that some attribute the success of the ritual to witchcraft or magnetic zones, but I can confidently affirm that the truth lies elsewhere.
Contrary to supernatural explanations, the game's success hinges on three key factors: timing, weight distribution, and fallible memory. In the initial attempts, where participants lift the subject individually, the timing is inconsistent, leading to difficulties in raising the person effectively. However, during the second attempt, facilitated by the synchronized chanting and ritual, everyone lifts at precisely the same moment, significantly easing the process.
Weight distribution plays a crucial role as well. When participants coordinate their efforts and lift as one, each individual is only responsible for a fraction of the subject's weight, ranging from 20 to 40 pounds. This collective effort, combined with the strength of multiple individuals, makes it surprisingly feasible to lift someone using only fingertips.
The phenomenon's allure is further enhanced by fallible memory. Participants, often having engaged in this activity during their childhood, may remember the experience as more mysterious and supernatural than it actually was. Memories tend to exaggerate the levitation's height, the perceived lightness of the subject, and the overall eeriness of the event.
In essence, "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board" is a captivating trick grounded in the coordination of participants, effective weight distribution, and the quirks of human memory. While it may lack paranormal origins, it has become a cherished tradition at slumber parties, captivating the imagination of participants and observers alike.
For those intrigued by the game, it's important to appreciate the underlying mechanics and not dismiss it as mere witchcraft. Understanding the science behind the trick adds an extra layer of fascination to this timeless activity.
