So I was watching Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches with my wife the other day, and we encountered the titular family performing an incantation and repeating it three times. My wife asked me what I thought about them repeating it three times.
Immediately, my mind went to the Rule of Threes. In Wicca? Heavens, no. In comedy, of course.
“In comedy,” I began, “you have the Rule of Threes. I don’t know the technical terms, but first, you initiate the pattern, you reinforce the pattern, and then, you disrupt the pattern. Hence, humor.”
“I think in spellcraft, you do the same thing. Almost. You initiate the pattern, you reinforce the pattern, and then, you lock it in. As Beetlejuice would then say, ‘Showtime!'”
“The Magic of Comedy is a spell almost wrought. You feel the spine-tingling anticipation of it almost cast, only to have it dashed at the last moment.”
My wife turned to me, nodded sagely, and then said, “That’s not it at all.”
Which is why I have turned to the blogosphere to get some love for my pet theory.
Below is an example of the Rule of Three in comedy, brought to my attention by Jimmy Burke.
Outside of comedy, there are other more banal uses of such tricks, such making engaging content, or persuasive communication.
Okay, that’s all great. But WHERE DOES THE MAGIC COME IN? This is for fantasy enthusiasts, after all.
This is not to be confused with Threefold Return, which is the belief that putting energy out into the universe (either good or bad) gets returned upon you thrice. But of course, Threefold Return is what I get every time I search Google for this, so I asked a trusted friend.
The use of repetitions, particularly the number three, is a common theme in folklore and magic spells. In many traditions, it’s believed that repeating a spell three times will make it more powerful and effective. This belief has its roots in ancient mythology and religious practices, where the number three was considered to be a sacred number.
In folklore, there are many examples of magic spells that require three repetitions. For example, in the fairy tale “Rumpelstiltskin,” the heroine must repeat the name of the magical imp three times in order to summon him. In the Scottish ballad “Thomas the Rhymer,” the protagonist is granted the gift of prophecy after drinking from a magical well three times. Similarly, in the legend of King Arthur, the sword Excalibur can only be drawn from the stone by someone who has tried three times.
The use of three repetitions in magic spells is also found in many modern Wiccan and Pagan practices. It’s believed that repeating a spell three times will help to focus the practitioner’s intent and energy, making the spell more effective. However, it’s important to note that not all spells require three repetitions, and different traditions may have different beliefs about the use of repetitions in magic.
-ChatGPT
And from personal experience, a Jewish ritual called Koporot performed prior to Yom Kippur requires one to wave a chicken around their head three times while repeating a prayer three times. I bet nobody anticipated this going all National Geographic, did they?
So, there you have it, Comedy is magic, and I won’t hear otherwise.
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