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I HAVE TO BE IN WHEN THE STREET LIGHTS GO ON.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THIS AS A JOKING MOCK OF PARENTAL RULES
ON WHEN TO BE IN AT NIGHT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): COMEBACK

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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AS BAD AS YOU ARE, WE'D HATE TO LOSE YOU.

Submitter comment: ALWAYS SAID WHEN SOMEONE HAD FORGOTTEN TO LOCK THEIR DOOR IN
THE CAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS

Keyword(s): COMEBACK

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 00-00-1971

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KEEP YOUR SHIRT ON.

Submitter comment: SAID WHEN A PERSON IS TRYING TO HURRY YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS

Keyword(s): COMEBACK

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 00-00-1971

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WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANTS IN YOUR PANTS?

Submitter comment: SAID TO SOMEONE WHO IS OVER ANXIOUS TO DO SOMETHING OR GO
SOMEWHERE AND IS BEGINNING TO ANNOY YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS

Keyword(s): COMEBACK

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 00-00-1971

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DOES WATER FALL OVER A DAM?

Submitter comment: MEANS THE AFFIRMATIVE TO A QUESTION.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): COMEBACK

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 11-00-1971

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHAT IS THIS FLY DOING IN MY SOUP?
ANSWER: THE BACKSTROKE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PLEASANT RIDGE

Keyword(s): BACKSTROKE (A) ; FLY (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1968

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHAT'S THIS FLY DOING IN MY SOUP?
ANSWER: DOING THE BACKSTROKE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BACKSTROKE (A) ; FLY (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

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Retort

Age before beauty.

Beauty was a horse.

Submitter comment:

Heard during college days

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: OHIO

Keyword(s): BEAUTY ; Black ; COMEBACK ; HORSE ; INSULT ; RETORT ; SARCASM ; Wisecrack

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Retort

What do you wnat? Eggs in your beer?

Submitter comment:

I heard this repeatedly when playing baseball in childhood days.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Something besides this must come first?

Usually in Singular?

Keyword(s): BEER ; COMEBACK ; Eggs ; INSULT ; RETORT ; SARCASM ; Wisecrack

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Retort

Smart Aleck Saying:

Deaf in one ear, and can't hear in the other.

Data entry tech comment:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_folklorists

Keyword(s): COMEBACK ; DEAF ; Ear ; Hearing ; INSULT ; RETORT ; SARCASM ; Wisecrack

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Retort

A) "You dance very well."

B) "I wish I could say the same about you."

A) "Oh, you could, if you were as big a fibber as I am!"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Retort? Double A! A gives the punch line, not B.

The original Title [Smart Aleck Saying] has been crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): COMEBACK ; DANCE ; Fibber ; INSULT ; Liar ; RETORT ; SARCASM ; Wisecrack

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Frogs and Pain

Years ago, people had rainbarrels. They would use the water for many purposes. With this old aunt of mine, she kept frogs in this rainbarrel. (If anyone asks, there were floats of cork in the rainbarrel that the frogs could hop on; they can't stay in the water all the time of they'd drown.) She had a good reason for it, too!

Because she was tiny and worked very hard, she had a weak back. When she would get a severe backache, she would send her son out to the rainbarrel to get a frog. Then her son would put the frog in her girdle. Now, she was tiny and wore a girdle for back support. Wherever the pain was, the frog would go and it would sit right where the pain was. When the frog died, the pain was gone. (It took about 15 minutes for the frog to die.) The frog would take the pain away!

Submitter comment:

[Question by Collector:] How did the frog know where the pain was?

[Answer by Informant:] The frog always goes to where the pain is localized. This never failed to work with her and all her children do the same. Men do the same with a tightly wrapped sheet around their backs in stead of a girdle.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Wahl, Mrs Frank

Keyword(s): ANIMAL CURE ; BACKACHE ; CURE ; FROG ; Girdle ; MEDICAL ; Medicinal ; PAIN ; Pain Remedy

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

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Belief: Children's Song

Step on a Crack-break mother's back

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880] is crossed out. C860.740 replaces it.

The words Bad Luck are written across the top of the submission card, and subsequently crossed out.

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief

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Belief: Children's Song

DON'T STEP ON A CRACK OR YOU'LL BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.

Submitter comment:

IS AN OLD CHILDHOOD SAYING THAT THIS INFORMANT REMINDED ME OF.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness
SPEECH -- Game Pastime Sport S555.500

Date learned: 03-30-1968

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Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A LINE,
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.
STEP ON A CRACK,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
STEP ON A HOLE,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S SUGAR BOWL.

Submitter comment:

CHILDREN SING THIS SONG WHILE WALKING TO SCHOOL.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: UNKNOWN

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Domestic ; GAME ; Hole ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; Sugar ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 01-21-1968

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Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK THE DEVIL'S BACK.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): AA ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; DEVIL ; GAME ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief
BELIEF -- Devil Demon

Date learned: 11-19-1969

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Belief: Children's Song

(1) DON'T STEP ON A CRACK OR YOU'LL BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
(2) IF YOU STEP ON A LINE YOUR MOTHER DRINKS WINE.

Submitter comment:

MY BLACK NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOORS TOLD ME THESE TALES WHEN I WAS A KID.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE

Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE ; Wine

James Callow Keyword(s): NEGRO

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief

Date learned: 00001960S

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Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK. STEP ON A LINE
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT USED TO SING THIS WHEN SHE PLAYED HOPSCOTCH ON
THE SIDEWALK.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): GAME SONG

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief

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Belief: Children's Song

WHEN WALKING DOWN THE STREET SOME CHILDREN WILL CAREFULLY WATCH
WHERE THEY STEP AND SAY, "IF YOU STEP ON A CRACK YOUR MOTHER'S
GOT A BROKEN BACK, AND IF YOU STEP ON A LINE YOUR FATHER DRINKS
WINE.

Submitter comment:

I USED TO PLAY THIS GAME.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE ; Wine

James Callow Keyword(s): COUNTING

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.520
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival C840.533
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief

Date learned: 00001958-00001966

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Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A CRACK (AS IN A SIDEWALK) (SIC) BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; ASSUMED

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

James Callow Keyword(s): ELLIPSIS

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.533
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief
BELIEF -- Curse

Date learned: 06-00-1972

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