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REMEDY

I REMEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER CURING A YOUNG CHILD OF A FEAR. IT'S A
RITUAL. WHEN A CHILD IS AFRAID OF SOMETHING, YOU GET SOME WHITE ROCK.
IT'S A SOFT ROCK, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF IT. THE ROCK IS PUT INTO A
SKILLET AND HEATED. AS IT HEATS, IT SOFTENS, AND IT WILL FORM INTO A
FIGURE OF WHAT THE CHILD IS AFRAID OF. THE FEAR IS REMOVED FROM THE
CHILD THIS WAY.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CONJURATION DIVINATION ; HOMEOPATHIC ; MEXICAN-AMERICAN CURE

Subject headings: Observation
Favorites
BELIEF -- Physically handicapped Deformed
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 03-00-1979

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Superstition

A pregnant woman should mix her urine with Drano. The
resultant color determines the sex of the child.
Unfortunately, the informant (a nurse) forgets which color is
which.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Childbirth, divination

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth
BELIEF -- Color
BELIEF -- Use of Object

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Butter

Someone picks a yellow dandelion flower and places it under
someone's chin. If their chin showed yellow, they liked butter; if
it did not, they did not like butter. After this was established,
the head of the dandelion was popped off into the person's face.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE ; Neighborhood children

James Callow Keyword(s): DIVINATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Color

Date learned: 00001950S

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To find water that is hidden below ground, hold two willow
branches (or two coat hangers which have been straightened
and then bent into an "L" shape) loosely in your hands. As
you pass over water, the sticks/wires will cross over one
another. When you move past the water, the sticks/wires will
uncross.

Submitter comment: Elaine swears that her father has been able to discover
water by this method many times. She herself, being skeptical,
tried it and the procedure worked. Elaine has so much faith
in her father's ability, that she plans to have him locate a
new spot to drill a second well on her northern Michigan
property, since the well she has now is sluggish.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Keyword(s): DIVINATION ; dowsing ; PREDICTION ; WATER WITCHING

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Water
BELIEF -- Use of Object

Date learned: 00001972CA

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Ethnic: Irish/Scottish Superstition

Good Luck:

No man would ever leave Irelannd or Scotland without a bit of heather and a small bag of soil. Without these life in the new wold would be bitter.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN's [P880, F533, p880] crossed out and replaced with F533.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; Abner, Robinson ; 1681 22ND ST ; WYANDOTTE

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; DIVINATION ; Earth ; ETHNIC ; Heather ; Herbal ; Irish ; LUCK ; NATURE ; New World ; SCOTTISH ; Soil ; SUPERSTITION ; TRAVEL

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

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Superstition

How Many Children?

Thread a needle and hold it at the top, next to your left wrist. If you keep watching for awhile, the needle and thread will move all by itself. If it moves in circles, for example, three times, that means you will have three daughters someday. If it sways back and forth, that means you will have the respective number of sons. If the needle and thread don't move at all, you will be childless.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P542, P860] crossed out. Replaced with current Classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Liskovec, Lucille

Keyword(s): BIRTH ; Childbirth, divination ; CHILDREN ; FUTURE ; GAME ; gender ; NUMBER ; Offspring ; Ordaining ; SUPERSTITION ; TRICK

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Custom/Belief

Tie a diamond ring to a piece of string with the diamond hanging at the lowest point. Hold the string at eye level. Hold it steady and place someone's hand palm down under the diamond. If the ring sways from left to right that is the sign that the expectant mother will have a baby boy. If it sways to and fro, the baby will be a girl.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [F500] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: Shetler, Sue

Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; BIRTH ; DIVINATION ; gender ; Old Wives Tale ; Ordaining ; SEX ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition: Pregnancy

Birth Omen:

When you are pregnant, if you thread a needle and hold it over your left arm with your right hand, you can learn what the sex of the child is. If it swings across the arm, it is a boy. If it swings up and down the arm, it is a girl.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM ; Newhard, Thomas

Keyword(s): BIRTH ; CHILD ; DIVINATION ; gender ; Ordaining ; PREGNANCY ; SEX

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Ethnic: German

Superstition:

In German villages it is believed that if a boy has a dog and the dog runs away, then the boy must follow the dog in search of his fortune. If the dog returns without his master, then the boy is dead. If the dog does not return, the boy has found his fortune.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

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

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Zinser, Jerome

Keyword(s): Boy ; DIVINATION ; DOG ; ETHNIC ; FATE ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Ordaining ; SUPERSTITION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal

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showing 9 items

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