Text
“So back when I was probably like eight to probably 12, my dad and I used to do, I know this is like a pretty common one, like pulling the bones apart on a wishbone on like, a chicken. So we used to, like, the first day we like, pick up food from Costco, we’d get a rotisserie chicken. We’d bring it home and we’d dress it whatever. We’d have the wishbone and the belief was we’d each hold an end of the wishbone. I don’t know how familiar you are, but it’s got like two ends. And we’d pull it apart and whoever got like the chunk at the end gets their wish granted. So you’d think of a wish, you pull it apart, and then you get your wish, or you don’t get it. There are no like, bad effects for like, not getting your wish. It’s not like the opposite would happen or like something bad would happen. But you really wanted to get that chunk at the end. My dad used to like hold it a certain way that he’d get it every single time. He’d hack it. I don’t know what he’d do, bro. But, yeah, I like, got my wish, like, twice. So, yeah.”

Context
RR participated in this tradition with his dad every time his family ate a whole chicken, and it was always he and his dad that did it. They would both think of a wish and pull on each side of a wishbone and the person coming away with the bigger piece would have their wish granted. RR notes that he has no idea how, but somehow his dad would almost always have the bigger side. He doesn’t mention if any of his wishes were granted.

Analysis
This is an example of a widely known piece of folklore that was passed down within a family. It’s a small ritual that happened between RR and his dad every time they ate a whole chicken, and shows how folklore can tie people together and build relationships through certain rituals and traditions. It’s pretty powerful, and speaks to the value of folklore, that even though RR would always lose, he still continued to participate because of the family meaning behind the ritual rather than the actual result of getting a wish granted. The wishbone tradition is an example of a magic superstition, as participants believe that getting the larger piece of the wishbone will result in a granted wish.