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BELIEF-DAILY LIFE

IF YOUR LEFT PALM ITCHES, YOU WILL RECEIVE A LETTER.

Submitter comment:

LEARNED FROM HER SCHOOL FRIENDS.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: INDIANA ; South Bend

Keyword(s): Hand ; ITCH ; Palm ; PREDICTION ; SIGN ; SYMBOL ; Visitor

James Callow Keyword(s): DIRECTION ; POSITION

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet

Date learned: 11-23-1967

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PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS (NATIONALITY GROUP)

A COLONY OF AMISH PEOPLE NOW LIVE IN COLON, MICHIGAN. THEY MOVED
HERE FROM PENNSYLVANIA TO ESCAPE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TEACHERS NOT
HAVING CERTIFICATES. NOW THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IN COLON.
ONE CAN TELL AN AMISH HOUSE IN COLON, MICH. BECAUSE THE WINDOWS
NEVER HAVE CURTAINS. THEY ONLY HAVE SHADES. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY
OR LUXURIES IN THEIR HOUSES. THE PEOPLE OFTEN TAKE THEIR
HORSE AND BUGGY TO THE LOCAL SUPERMARKET, LEAVING THE HORSE TIED
TO A HITCHING POST OFF TO THE SIDE. THEY WILL NEVER BUY FOOD WITH
PRESERVATIVES AND PREFER TO EAT A RATHER THICK TASTING BREAD.
THE INFORMANT SAID THAT SHE TASTED THE BREAD AND COULD NOT STAND
MORE THAN A FEW BITES BECAUSE IT WAS SO RICH.

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT FIRST LEARNED OF THE AMISH WHILE GOING TO A FAMILY
COTTAGE IN COLON, MICH. IN 1978. HER DESCRIPTION SOUNDS TYPICAL OF
THE CLASSIC PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH ATTIRE AND ATTITUDE. SIMPLICITY
AND KEEPING TO OLD TRADITIONS ARE INHERENT TO HER DESCRIPTION.
UPON VISITING COLON WITH THE INFORMANT, THE COLLECTOR NOTICED THE
SAME CUSTOMS. ONE HEARS ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE CURRENT PROBLEMS
WITH TEACHING, STRESSING THAT NEW DIFFICULTIES ARE ALWAYS ARISING
WITH THE AMISH.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK

Keyword(s): Amish ; BREAD ; Buggy ; Curtains ; GERMAN ; HORSE ; Preservatives ; Shades ; Simplicity ; Technology

Subject headings: Favorites
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Daily Life
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School
Food Drink -- Plant food Cereal
BELIEF -- P439

Date learned: 10-00-1980 ; 00-00-1978

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WHY IS A BARBER POLE RED AND WHITE STRIPED? RED STANDS
FOR BLOOD AND WHITE STANDS FOR BANDAGES BECAUSE THE BARBER
ALWAYS DID THE BLEEDING FOR ALL KINDS OF AILMENTS.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; ROCKWOOD

Keyword(s): Ailments ; Bandages ; Barber ; Barber Pole ; Bleeding ; COLOR ; CURE ; DISEASE ; HAIR ; ILLNESS ; Pole ; PREVENTION ; Red ; SICKNESS ; Signal ; Symbolize ; White

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Sign Color
BELIEF -- Color

Date learned: 07-28-1968

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Content filter on this entry.

LANGUAGE OF ISRAEL: NO REAL NATIONAL LANGUAGE

MANY YEARS LATER, A PUPIL OF ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDA'S DECIDED TO GO
AND PINPOINT WHAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE USED FOR THEIR NATIONAL
LANGUAGE. SINCE THEY WERE ALL CAREFUL IN ORDINARY SPEAKING, THIS
PUPIL DECIDED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT HOW THE PEOPLE REALLY
SPOKE WOULD BE TO CATCH THEM WITH THEIR TONGUES OFF GUARD. SO ONE
DAY HE WENT TO A JEWISH SCHOOL IN JERUSALEM AND WAITED UNTIL ONE
OF THE SMALLEST BOYS CAME OUT INTO THE PLAYGROUND. THE PUPIL
WALKED UP TO HIM FROM BEHIND AND ROUGHLY KNOCKED THE LITTLE BOY'S
HAT OFF. THE PUPIL EXPECTED THE BOY TO CRY OUT "MOTHER," EITHER
SAYING "IMMA," WHICH IS HEBREW, OR "MAMALE," WHICH IS YIDDISH,
BUT INSTEAD THE LITTLE BOY PICKED UP HIS HAT, FACED BEN-YEHUDA'S
PUPIL SQUARELY AND HISSED "HAMAR" (ASSHOLE), WHICH IS THE SAME
IN BOTH LANGUAGES. SO BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, THEN, WE STILL
DO NOT KNOW IF ISRAEL'S NATIONAL LANGUAGE IS HEBREW OR YIDDISH.

Data entry tech comment:

Beginning of tale is missing.

 

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Culture ; ETYMOLOGY ; Hebrew ; Israel ; Jewish ; Language ; Origin ; Yiddish

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
SPEECH -- Folk etymology
PROVERB -- V620

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LANGUAGE OF ISRAEL: ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDA AND THE FORMATION OF

THE INFORMANT TOLD ME THE STORY OF ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDA, THE MAN WHO
COMPILED THE MODERN HEBREW LANGUAGE. BEN-YEHUDA FOUND THAT THE
JEWISH PEOPLE KNEW THE MEANINGS OF ONLY 7,700 HEBREW WORDS WHEN HE
COMPILED HIS FAMOUS DICTIONARY IN THE 1800'S. BEN-YEHUDA HAD TO
MAKE UP WORDS TO FIT NEW CONCEPTS THAT DID NOT EXIST WHERE ANCIENT
HEBREW WAS USED ("CARRIAGE," ETC.) SO HE COMBINED GERMAN, HEBREW
AND ARABIC TO FORM WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS YIDDISH.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 19510 BURLINGTON

Keyword(s): ETYMOLOGY ; Hebrew ; Jewish ; Language ; Origin

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
SPEECH -- Folk etymology

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BATS

BATS ATTACK PEOPLE, AND PREY ON THE HUMAN BLOOD. TO COUNTERACT
THIS ATTACK ONE SHOULD WEAR A CROSS AROUND ONE'S NECK. THIS
WILL ALSO KEEP AWAY VAMPIRES.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Attack ; Bats ; Cross ; Legend ; Repel ; SUPERNATURAL ; SUPERSTITION ; SYMBOL ; Vampire

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire
BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 02-10-1972

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SUPERSTITION

IF YOUR LUCK GOES BAD, WALK AROUND THE HOUSE AND LOOK FOR A HEX SIGN

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT SAYS THIS IS OF GERMAN ORIGIN, AND THINKS THE HEX
SIGN IS A CIRCLE WITH A CROSS INSIDE OF IT.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): ; Hex ; LUCK ; SIGN ; SUPERSTITION ; SYMBOL

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Circle and other round forms
BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance
BELIEF -- Conversions

Date learned: 02-00-1979

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FINGER LAKES BELIEF

THE IROQUOIS BELIEVED THAT THE FINGER LAKES OF UPPER NEW YORK STATE WERE
FORMED BY THE HAND OF GOD, DESCENDING IN BLESSING UPON THE LAND.

Submitter comment:

MR. WYATT LEARNED OF THE LEGEND WHILE LIVING IN GENEVA, NEW YORK,
HIS HOME. GENEVA IS ONE OF THE FINGER LAKES.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): AMERICAN INDIAN ; CREATION ; Entomology ; Finger Lakes ; God ; Indigenous ; Iroquois ; NAME ; NEW YORK

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Meat Bred animal
BELIEF -- Still water Small body.

Date learned: 10-22-1965

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HOW GOD MADE "FLUTTER-BYS"

WELL, THE LORD HAD JUST FINISHED MAKING THE WORLD AND HE SAT BACK
IN HIS BIG OL' ROCKER TO LOOK IT OVER. "NOT A BAD JOB, IF I SAY SO
MYSELF." HE LIT UP A BIG, FINE CIGAR AND WAS FEELING PRETTY GOOD
ABOUT IT UNTIL HE NOTICED THAT THE WORLD LOOKED KIND OF BARE. THE
FACT OF THE MATTER WAS THERE WASN'T A THING TO THE WORLD EXCEPT LAND,
TREES AND A LOTS OF WATER. THERE WAS EVEN MORE WATER THAN LAND.
"WONDER HOW I DID THAT," THE LORD SAID. "SEEMS TO ME I'D PLANNED FOR
THERE TO BE MORE LANDTHAN WATER." WELL, HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND
TURNED HIS MIND TO MAKE THE WORLD LOOK A BIT PRETTIER. "GIMME MY
PRUNING SHEARS," HE CALLED OUT AND ONE OF THE CUTE, LITTLE ANGELS RAN
AND GOT THEM. THEN THE GREAT LORD ALMIGHTY LEANED OUT OF HIS ROCKING
CHAIR, TRIMMED THE TREES, AND THREW THE TRIMMINGS ALL OVER THE EMPTY
GROUND. THAT'S WHAT MADE THE GRASS, BUSHES, AND ALL THE FLOWERS.
"NOW THAT DON'T LOOK TOO BAD," HE SAID AND LEANED BACK. "YESSIRY
I'VE DONE MADE A AWFUL PRETTY WORLD." AND SO SAYING, HE WENT TO BED
TO REST UP FROM ALL THAT WORK. THE NEXT MORNING THE LORD HADN'T EVEN
HAD ONE EYE OPEN YET, WHEN HE HEARD THE FLOWERS WHISPERING AMONG
THEMSELVES, "IT'S LONELY DOWN HERE"; THE OTHER FLOWER SAID, "WE
WERE PUT HERE TO KEEP THE GROUND COMPANY AND MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK
PRETTY, BUT IT SURE IS MIGHTY LONELY." THE LORD SHOOK HIS HEAD IN
DISGUST. "HAVE MERCY, FATHER. YOU GET THROUGH MAKING ONE THANG AND
AND THE NEXT THANG YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA MAKE SOMETHING TO GO WITH THE
FIRST. GIMME THEM LITTLE SHEARS, ONE OF YOU ANGELS, PLEASE." AN
ANGEL BROUGHT HIM THE TEENICHY PAIR OF SHEARS AND HE BENT OVER TO THE
EARTH AND STARTED SNIPPING LITTLE PIECES OFF OF EVERYTHING - THE SKY,
THE GROUND, THE TREES, THE ANIMALS, THE BUSHES, THE FLOWERS;
EVERYTHING HE PUT HIS SHEARS ON, GOT SNIPPED. "THE VERY IDEA OF
GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WORLD AND IT AIN'T EVEN A DAY OLD.
THAT'S GRATITUDE." THE LORD HAD A FEELING HE WAS GOING TO BE GETTING
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WORLD FROM THEN ON. HE WAS SO MAD THAT HE DID
NOT CARE WHAT HE SNIPPED - SNIP, SNIP, ALL MORNING LONG. WELL, WHEN
THE FOLKS LOOKED UP AND SAW THE TINY CLIPPINGS FLUTTERING AROUND.
THEY CALLED THEM FLUTTER-BYS. THE BLUE FLUTTER-BYS HAD BEEN SNIPPED
FROM THE SKY; THE YELLOW FLUTTER-BYS HAD BEEN CLIPPINGS FROM THE SUN;
AND THERE WERE THE LORD'S WHITE FLUTTER-BYS THAT WERE CLIPPINGS FROM
THE STARS. EVERY COLOR FLUTTER-BY YOU COULD THINK OF WAS FLUTTERING
AROUND.

Submitter comment:

THIS IS ANOTHER LONG NARRATIVE WITH A STRONG BLACK IMAGE, AS REFERRED
TO IN MY COLLECTION'S SEQUENCE NUMBER 731772-1; I GET THE
IMPRESSION THAT THIS IS A BLACK GOD.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Butterfly ; CREATION ; ETYMOLOGY ; God ; NAME ; Origin ; PERSONIFICATION ; Tale

James Callow Keyword(s): PERSONIFICATION

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Creation and Order of Animal Life
SPEECH -- Proper Name

Date learned: 00-00-1954

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WHISTLING

GIRLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WHISTLE BECAUSE THE BLESSED MOTHER
WOULD TURN HER HEAD AND CRY.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS BY HER MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.
SHE PRACTICED THIS WHEN YOUNG, BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE
TRUTH OF IT NOW. (1920s).

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; informant's home

Keyword(s): Blessed Mother ; BLESSED VIRGIN ; Cry ; Female ; Feminine ; Girls ; Holy Mother ; Ladylike ; Whistle

James Callow Keyword(s): VANITY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Religious hero
BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion
SPEECH -- Extra Corporal Means of Communication

Date learned: 10-02-1971

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SCHOOL BELIEF

IT IS BELIEVED THAT GETTING TOTALLY DRUNK THE NIGHT BEFORE A
PSYCHOLOGY TEST WILL BRING A PASSING GRADE ON THE TEST.

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT AND HIS ROOMMATE FOLLOWED THIS FOR THREE
TESTS AND RECEIVED THREE PASSING GRADES OF B OR BETTER,
HOWEVER THE INFORMANT LATER DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL DUE TO POOR GRADES.

Data entry tech comment:

Told at the University of Scranton 1969-1970.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON ; SCRANTON

James Callow Keyword(s): ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Subject headings: BELIEF -- School

Date learned: 00001969-00001970

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ASTROLOGICAL BELIEF

EVERY TIME A SCORPIO IS BORN, A MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY HAS DIED THE
YEAR BEFORE, AND EVERY TIME ONE DIES, THERE WILL BE A BIRTH IN THAT
FAMILY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): ASTROLOGICAL SIGN FOR PERSONS BORN 10-24--11-22.

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Crucial Moment of Life Life Cycle
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 10-00-1969

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FERTILITY

SOME SYRIAN WOMEN BELIEVE THAT A MARK TATOOED IN THE GROIN
AREA WILL MAKE THEM MORE FERTILE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Mount Carmel Hospital

Keyword(s): TATTOO

James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOL

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Lower body, legs
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- P866

Date learned: 08-00-1969

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CROATION PREGNANCY BELIEF

A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULDN'T EAT APPLES BECAUSE IT WILL CAUSE HARM
TO THE CHILD.

Submitter comment:

HER MOTHER-IN-LAW TOLD HER THIS AS IT WAS AN OLD CROATION BELIEF.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share same surname.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; collector's home

James Callow Keyword(s): APPLE AS ORIGINAL SIN SYMBOL ; HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222.
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 10-07-1970

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UNIVERSITY BELIEF

THERE IS A TRADITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN THAT IF
YOU STEP ON THE "M" EMBLAZED IN THE CROSSROADS OF THE SCHOOL,
YOU WILL FLUNK YOUR NEXT EXAM.

Submitter comment:

WHEN A STUDENT AT U OF M, THE INFORMANT TRIED TO DISPROVE THE
TRADITION BY STEPPING ON THE "M" AFTER STUDYING FOR A TEST AND
FEELING FAIRLY CONFIDENT. SHE FAILED HER EXAM.

Data entry tech comment:

THERE IS ANOTHER LIKE THIS IN THE ARCHIVE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; HOLDEN HALL ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): EDUCATION ; SYMBOL ; WALKING PROHIBITION

Subject headings: Favorites
BELIEF -- School

Date learned: 12-01-1967

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WHEN THE DEVIL BEATS HIS WIFE IN HUNGARY

IN HUNGARY, WHEN IT IS BOTH SUNNY AND RAINING, THE PEOPLE
SAY THAT THE DEVIL IS BEATING HIS WIFE. THE SUN REPRESENTS HIS
LAUGHING AND THE RAIN BEING HER TEARS.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT HEARD FROM GRANDMOTHER.

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED

James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOLISM

Subject headings: Air / Weather / Fire
BELIEF -- Devil Demon
BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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Sending red roses to someone implies a serious relationship -- yellow roses are for friendship.

 

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOL

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

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When I was in junior high, there was a "belief" that was followed religiously and carelessness elicited much ridicule: one did not wear green on Thursday because that meant he/she was queer. Red clothing on Friday signified that a girl was pregnant.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Houston, Texas.


 

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON

Keyword(s): COLOR

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Typical Elements of a Festive Pattern
BELIEF -- P5

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TOMATO BELIEF

IF YOU EAT TOO MANY TOMATOES, YOUR SKIN WILL TURN RED.

Submitter comment:

Cause of illness.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: OHIO ; NORTH OLMSTED

James Callow Keyword(s): COLOR ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 00-00-1968

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Get Rid of Those Black Mushrooms


BOIL MUSHROOMS WITH A COIN AND IF THE COIN TURNS BLACK, THE MUSHROOMS ARE POISONOUS.

Submitter comment:

WE WERE STUDYING ABOUT MUSHROOMS IN MY EDUCATION CLASS, AND DR. THORDEN MADE THIS STATEMENT IN A JOKING WAY, SO I WROTE IT DOWN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; education class

James Callow Keyword(s): TOADSTOOLS ; UNSAFE PRACTICE

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 10-22-1969

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