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SUPERSTIYIOUS BELIEF

I HAVE A BIRTHMARK ON MY CHEEK.
WHICH MY MOTHER ATTRIBUTED TO HAVING EATEN STRAWBERRIES
BEFORE SHE KNEW SHE WAS PREGNANT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; 24531 PENROSE DR

Keyword(s): BIRTHMARKS ; CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; FOOD ; PREGNANCY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 11-29-1969

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Custom/Belief

Craving of Pregnant Woman:

If a pregnant woman has a craving for something and does not get it, the baby will have a birthmark resembling the food that was craved.

Submitter comment:

Informant is a friend's mother, and she remembers this from all her life.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; Kantz, Mrs Robert

Keyword(s): BABY ; Birthmark ; Craving ; Craving ; Disfigure ; FOOD ; Lore ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Belief:

A pregnant woman should avoid being scared or shocked because this will disfigure or mark the baby.

Examples:

1. During a fire, a terrified pregnant woman grabbed her face with her hands and the baby was born with a red streak on its face.

2. A pregnant woman was scared by a mouse, and her baby was born with a marking on its shoulder similar to a mouse.

Submitter comment:

The informant heard of these two instances while she as a young girl in Poland.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 5678 TARNOW ST ; Wojtowicz, Mary

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Biology ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CHILD ; FEAR ; FIRE ; Mouse ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY ; RODENT ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

If a pregnant woman is frightened by fire, the baby will have a red or purple birthmark.

Submitter comment:

Belief: Means of Cursing

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P740] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: HOME ; Kaminski, Anna

Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CHILD ; COLOR ; CURSE ; FEAR ; FIRE ; jinx ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; Purple ; Red ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Pregnancy Superstition:

If a pregnant woman is frightened her baby will be born marked in some way.

Submitter comment:

This is a superstition common in the Oswald family

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; Oswald, Sylvia

Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; Birthmark ; CHILD ; CURSE ; FEAR ; jinx ; Mark ; Offspring ; PREGNANCY ; Scare ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

My grandmother has a mark, which she calls a "fire mark" on her upper arm. It is oddly similar ro a birthmark, bu this is the story of its origin according to my grandmother:

When her mother was pregnant with her, there was a fire in the Russion town where they lived. Her mother went out to look at it, and the night was quite cold. She grasped her upper arm because of this cold, and so my grandmother was born with a mark in the same place her mother had held her arm.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P840] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; Cold ; CURSE ; FEAR ; FIRE ; jinx ; Offspring ; Russia ; Scare ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Superstition:

Pregnant women should not look at strawberries because then their children will develop red blotches on themselves (which look like strawberries).

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P740] crossed out. replaced with current classification

Where learned: HOME ; Lucas, Eleanor

Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CURSE ; jinx ; Mark ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY ; STRAWBERRY ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition: Pregnancy

When you're pregnant is you see a fire there will be a mark on your child.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P870] crossed out. Replaced with P542

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Hall, Gloria ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS

Keyword(s): Birthmark ; CHILD ; CURSE ; FIRE ; Mark ; Offspring ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

"Mouse"

My brother has a birthmark on his thigh. But my grandmother refuses to believe that it did not come about inthis way: She says that when my mother was pregnant a mouse must have frightened her and she must have grabbed her leg at the thigh, in the place where my brother has the "mouse." Her proof is that my uncle has the same kind of mark in the same place on his leg, and she is sure that she was scared by a mouse when pregnant with him.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P840] crossed out and replaced with current classification.

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CHILD ; CURSE ; FEAR ; Mouse ; Offspring ; Scare ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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THE RESPONDENT'S NEIGHBOR ATE DIRT "BY THE GALLON"
WHILE PREGNANT. WHEN HER CHILD WAS BORN, SHE CARRIED DIRT
COLORED SPLOTCHES ON HER BACK AND ABDOMEN.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 09-01-11

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI ; Terrell, Mattie ; 701 Central Ave

Keyword(s): Ate ; BELIEF ; Birthmark ; CHILDBEARING ; Consumed ; Dirt ; OMEN ; PREGNANCY ; Splotches

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic
Food Drink -- Food N200.542
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 06-06-1973

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WHILE PREGNANT, THE RESPONDENT ATTENDED A MAN WHO HAD
BEEN STABBED. WHEN HER CHILD WAS BORN, THE CHILD HAD
BLOOD COLORED SPOTS ON HER CHEST.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 09-01-11

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI ; Hill, Louise ; 700 Central Ave

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Birthmark ; BLOOD ; OMEN ; PREGNANCY ; Splotches ; Stabbed ; Tend

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 01-23-1973

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THE RESPONDENT'S AUNT HAS A FISH SHAPED MOLE ON THE
RIGHT SIDE OF HER FACE, SUPPOSEDLY THERE BECAUSE HER
MOTHER, WHILE PREGNANT WITH HER, LOST A FISH OFF HER
HOOK, AND SLAPPED HER OWN CHEEK IN DISGUST.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 09-01-11

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI ; Terrell, Mattie ; 701 Central Ave

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Birthmark ; Caught ; Cheek ; FACE ; FISH ; HOOK ; LOST ; OMEN ; PREGNANCY ; Slapped

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 06-06-1973

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IF A PREGNANT WOMAN CRAVES ANYTHING WHICH IS DENIED HER,
HER CHILD WILL BEAR A MARK RESEMBLING THAT OBJECT.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Hurd, Rhynette ; 2131 Elmwood

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Birthmark ; Crave ; FOOD ; PREGNANCY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 10-23-1973

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BIRTHMARKS ARE DUE TO MOTHER WITNESSING UNPLEASANT OR
FRIGHTNING SIGHTS.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Lipford, Allena

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Birthmark ; Frighten ; Witness

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 10-13-1973

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A MOLE ON THE SIDE OF THE NOSE OF A WOMAN INDICATES A
HARD OR DIFFICULT LIFE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Sullivan, Audrey

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Birthmark ; LIFE ; Mole ; NOSE ; SUPERSTITION

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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showing 15 items

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