Paper fortune teller
A fortune teller or a cootie catcher (sometimes called a scrunchie and a chatterbox in Australia), is an origami device used in fortune-telling games by children. A player asks a question, and the holder of the device answers using a regular algorithm like the examples below. Usually the questions, answers, colors and/or numbers (depending upon the playing method) are added to the device by or to suit the user.
There are several different methods by which the device can be used, most of which use the following pattern of steps:
The player first asks a question to the person holding the fortune teller. This question will be answered by the device. The holder then asks for a number and/or color. Once the number and/or color has been chosen, the holder uses his/her fingers to switch between the two groups of colors/numbers that occupy the inside area of the device. The holder switches these positions a specific number of times, which can be given by the amount of letters in the color selected, the number originally chosen, or the sum of both. Once the holder has finished switching the positions of the fortune teller, the player chooses one of the flaps that has been revealed. These flaps often have colors and/or numbers on them, and the chosen flap often is the same as the color/number originally chosen. The holder then lifts the flap and reads the fortune that is underneath. Any one of these steps may be repeated to suit the user. |
These devices can be "rigged" by the placement of only even numbers on one "position" and only odd numbers on the other, resulting in forced placement to an even position. In this rigged version, bad fortunes are placed under all the even flaps and good fortunes under all the odd ones, so that when an unwitting player complains that they always get bad fortunes, the fortune teller can expose all the fortunes and claim that the high repeat rate is the fault of the player and not the device.
Pop culture references
- Was featured in the South Park episode "Marjorine". The plot of the episode had the boys become convinced, upon witnessing the girls of the town using the item to answer Yes/No questions, that the fortune teller was a high-tech device that could actually tell the future and went to great pains to get it for themselves.
- Was also featured in the PBS show, Arthur, episode "Misfortune Teller". It was taken seriously by all of the characters.[1]
- Was also in the Disney show, Recess, episode 73 "Gus' Fortune." Gus finds a paper fortune teller and it causes some drama on the playground and in the bedroom.
- Briefly appeared in episode 1–15, "Brothers," of the ABC drama Ugly Betty. Marc asks it, "How many boyfriends do I get?"
- At the opening of the film Waking Life, the main protagonist is depicted as a child having his fortune told by a young girl using a cootie catcher. The scene foreshadows events later in the film.
- In an episode of Hey Arnold! a cootie catcher used by Rhonda predicts that Arnold and Helga will be married one day, to the respective dismay and delight of the two characters in question. This leads them to them both dreaming about being married only to have Rhonda to inform them that the cootie catcher was flawed.
- In the first Fable 2 teaser, a fortune teller is seen holding a cootie catcher while telling her audience to choose their destiny.[2]
- In The Simpsons episode "Tennis the Menace", Homer uses a cootie catcher to test if he has cooties. He then exclaims "wow this self-testing kit has saved me a fortune!"
- In the Gilmore Girls episode "I Solemnly Swear" Lorelai and Sookie use a cootie catcher to distract themselves from a boring educational meeting about how to manage an inn.
- During the House MD season 3 episode Words and Deeds, House is seen playing with one while in rehab. The fortune he pulls is shown frequently on USA Network's promos of the show: You are a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
- A promo for the game Fable II shows the character discovering one and, with each flip of the paper, becomes a new character, showing the nature of the game for the player to choose their destiny by their choices.
References
- ^ "Cootie Catcher". Arthur. PBS Kids. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
- ^ Fable 2 teaser (wmv). Microsoft. 2006. Event occurs at 00:12. Retrieved 2007-09-28.
External links
- Cahootie
- History of Cootie Catchers aka Fortune Tellers, Google Answers
- Cootie Catcher, Girl Power! Campaign, US Department of Health and Human Services
- Cootie Catcher, PBS Kids
- How to Make a Cootie Catcher, MomsMinivan.com
- How To Make A Cootie Catcher/fortune Teller, Instructional video