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Custom

Fellowship Supper is a custom that Methodists have of a covered dish supper.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Harwell, H Q

Keyword(s): Community ; Covered ; CUSTOM ; Dish ; Fellowship ; FOOD ; Gathering ; Methodist ; Potluck ; RELIGION ; RITUAL ; Supper

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church

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SHOW ME YOUR COMPANIONS AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE.

Keyword(s): FRIENDSHIP

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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...TOO MANY CHIEFS, NOT ENOUGH INDIANS.

Keyword(s): LEADERSHIP

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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BACKGROUND: A FIRM IN GERMANY ORDERED COFFEE FROM A FIRM IN
THE UNITED STATES. WHILE THE COFFEE WAS ENROUTE, A COUPLE OF BAGS
BROKE OPEN AND RATS NESTED IN THE COFFEE. THE GERMAN FIRM SENT
THE FOLLOWING LETTER CONCERNING THE CONDITION OF THE COFFEE --

135 WILHELMSTRASSE
HAMBERG, GERMANY

SCHENTELMENS:

DER LAST 2 PECKETECHES VE GOT FROM YOU OFF KOFFEE WAS MIT
RATTSCHIDT GEMIXT. DER KOFFEE MAY BE GUTE ENUF, BUT DER
RATTSDURDS SCHBOILS DER TRADE. VE DID NOT SEE DER RATTSCHIDT IN
DER SEMBLES VICH YOU SENT US FOR EXAMINASHUN.

IT TAKES SO MUTCH TIME TO PEK DER RATTSDURDS FROM DER KOFFEE.
VE ORDER DER KLEEN KOFFEE AND YOU SCHIPT SCHIDT MIXT MIT DER
KOFFEE. IT VUS A MISCHTAKE, YA? VE LIKE YOU TO SCHIPP US
DER KOFFEE IN VUN ZAK UND DER RATTSCHIDT IN DER ODER ZAK, DEN
VE MIXT IT TO SUIT DER KOSTOMER.

WRITE PLEASE IF VE SCHOULDT SCHIPP DER SCHIDT BEK UND KEEP DER
KOFFEE ODER IF VE SCHOULDT KEEP DER SCHIDT UND SCHIPP DER
KOFFEE BEK, OR SCHIPP DER HOLD SCHIDDEN VORK BEK.

VE VENT TO DO RITE IN DIS MADDER, BUT VE DON'T LIKE DISS
RATTSCHIDT BIZZINESS.

MIT MUTCH RESPECTS,

KARL GRUMMENSCHIDT

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): GERMAN DIALECT ; HUMOR -- LINGUISTIC ; PACKAGES RAT SHIT RAT TURDS SACK CUSTOMER SHIP LETTER

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Phonology Phonetics

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Omen

A cat on board a ship will keep death and disaster away.

Data entry tech comment:

Motif added by T.R. Davidson

Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; Grove, Hugh ; TORONTO

Keyword(s): CAT ; DEATH ; Disaster ; Nautical ; OMEN ; PREVENTION ; Ship

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

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After a funeral the best friend of the deceased is given a bowl of boiled wheat, a glass, and silverware. This little ceremony transfers the worldly goods of the deceased to the living.

Submitter comment:

Informant noted that this custom is not as popular as it used to be but it is still practiced.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD.

Where learned: HOME ; 10438 BONITA ; Zurawski, Anna

Keyword(s): DEATH ; Deceased ; FRIENDSHIP ; GLASS ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; RITUAL ; Silverware ; SYMBOL ; Symbolic ; SYMBOLISM ; UTENSILS ; Wheat

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial

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A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs entered by TRD

Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself

Keyword(s): Catholic ; CATHOLICISM ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious

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A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs entered by TRD

Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself

Keyword(s): Catholic ; Catholocism ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY

Subject headings:

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House-Demons

By a clean river, there grew oak trees from centuries before. Not far from there lived a Samogitian of many years. Together with im lived his beautiful and larg efamily. Their barns were full of cattle, the corn overflowed into the storehouse. No farmer, happier or richer than him, was around.

The other farmers, jealous of his success, started talking about him, that a house demon brought him all his riches. Many said that they saw the demons flying around the house.

The people's council, hearing such talk from the neighbors, sent an inspector over to the farmer's house; they ordered him to forbid the farmer, to tell him to finally learn to live with the other people.

the inspector, showing up at the farmer's house, told him directly that yhe should be ashamed to keep a demon in his house and that he should do only what is good for his neighbors.

the Samogitian only laughed at him. Still laughung he told the inspector that not a single of his demons has yet done wrong to any of his neighbors. Then the inspector told him to show him his demons. With that,. the farmer led the inspector by hand to his barn where all his farming tools stood.

-These- said the farmer, -are my demons that do good for me and my neighbors.-

Submitter comment:

Translated from Lithuanian by Ramune Stonys

An asterisk denotes a message for the word Samogalia, and explains that: Lithuania is divided into different regions. Samogalia is one region, located in Northern Lithuania.

On tha back of the card is an address for the translator:

R. Stonys

17276 Milton

Southfield, MI 48075

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Grammatical correction: Leave to Live.

Where learned: Stonys, Martin

Keyword(s): AGRICULTURE ; Demon ; Demons ; DISCIPLINE ; FARMER ; FARMING ; HARD WORK ; House ; Moral ; Neighbors ; Parable ; Relationships ; SELF DISCIPLINE

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Devil Demon

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Some Women wait so long for their dreamboat to come along that their piers collapse.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [B660] crossed out. Nothing replaces it.

Submission card located in pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: HOME ; Trompeter, Daniel

Keyword(s): ANTIFEMINISM ; Feminism ; Jest, Anecdote, Pun, Joke, Irony ; JOKE ; PUN ; Relationships ; SEXISM ; SEXIST

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Translations, plays on words, symbol writing
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Custom

Relations Between Friends:

When presenting a knife or cutting implement to a friend for a gift, you should include a penny, to guarantee that your friendship won't be severed.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): COIN MONEY ; CUSTOMS ; FRIENDSHIP ; GIFT ; GIFT PENNY FRIENDSHIP ; MONEY ; Penny ; SOCIAL RELATIONS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

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Custom

RELATIONS BETWEEN FRIENDS:

WHEN ONE GIVES ANOTHER A SHARP OBJECT, THE GIVER MUST GIVE A PENNY ALONG WITH THE OBJECT. THIS MUST BE TO KEEP THE FRIENDSHIP ALIVE.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT

Keyword(s): COIN ; COIN MONEY ; CUSTOM ; FRIENDSHIP ; GIFT ; GIFT FRIENDSHIP PENNY ; Penny ; SOCIAL RELATIONS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 11-02-1970

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Belief: Luck

If a ship has thirteen letters in its name the ship is doomed.

Submitter comment:

Read this in a book of sea lore.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Minor grammatical correction to submission card: changing had to has

Original BN [P880] crossed out and replaced with P686

Where learned: DORM ROOM ; BOOK ; Jones, Michael

Keyword(s): Boat ; Lore ; NAME ; Nautical ; NUMBERS ; NUMEROLOGY ; Ocean ; Sailor ; SEA ; Ship ; Vessel

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Number

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Destiny

Killing an albatross while on a ship means that the ship is going to meet disaster.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P870] crossed out and replaced with current classification.

Where learned: LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; Widenman, Tony

Keyword(s): Albatross ; ANIMAL SYMBOL ; DESTINY ; Disaster ; Lore ; LUCK ; Nautical ; OMEN ; Sailor ; SEA ; Ship

Subject headings: Observation

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Belief:

Never borrow salt ot you will lose a friend.

Submitter comment:

Informant learned this from her mother.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P882.14, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Deneweth, Virginia ; Conversation

Keyword(s): Salt, Mineral, Belief, Friendship, Custom, Ownership

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F553
Food Drink -- Flavoring
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

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Belief

YOU SHOULD NEVER BORROW SALT WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT,
BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER SPEAK TO THAT PERSON AGAIN.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER PARENTS WHEN SHE LIVED
ON A FARM AS A GIRL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Salt, Mineral, Belief, Friendship, Custom, Ownership

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F553
Food Drink -- Flavoring
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 03-31-1967

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Trick

Game:

A guy will tell a girl that he is a handwriting expert and will ask her for a sample of her handwriting. He will say that all he needs is something short, like her name. This is a sneaky way for him to get her name.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [C500] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TRENTON ; Toepp, William ; Ray Ridge Chevrolet

Keyword(s): ; COURTSHIP ; DATING ; GAME ; Graphology ; Handwriting ; Pick-up Line ; TRICK

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage Dating Courtship

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Ethnic: Yugoslavian

Engagement:

In Yugoslavia, parents still arrange any marriages. Thus, whenever a horn is heard blowing, everyone knows that an engagement has been decided. Often, the young people involved may be the last ones to know.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [F533] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; 935 FIDELITY DR ; Marcischak, Mrs Helen ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): Arranged Marriages ; COURTSHIP ; DATING ; Engagement ; ETHNIC ; Horn ; MARRIAGE ; Weddings ; Yugoslavia

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Egyptian

Belief about Gods:

Cats were considered to be Gods in ancient Egypt.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [B200, P230.440] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Simpson, William ; 6319 LODEWYCK

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; CAT ; Egypt ; Egyptian ; ETHNIC ; GODS ; Worship

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal

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Proverb

Familiarity:

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Submitter comment:

Heard this in High School

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Keyword(s): Contempt ; Familiar ; Knowledge ; Relationship ; Stranger ; Unknown

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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