Offensive content Filter is ON
Your search for Origin returned 52 results.
POLISH PROVERB
AN ACHING FINGER AND A HEADACHE ARE TYPICAL EXCUSES FOR
MISSING SCHOOL.
PALUSZEK I GLOWKA TO SZKOLNA WYMOWKA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ETHNIC ORIGIN (POLISH)
James Callow Keyword(s): ABSENTEEISM ; OBSERVATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 10-01-1967
PROVERBIAL APOTHEGM
ACT IN SUCH A MANNER IN WHICH YOU WOULDN'T MIND TO BE SEEN BY OTHERS.
Submitter comment: TRANSLATED FROM LITHUANIAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ETHNIC ORIGIN (LITHUANIAN)
James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE ; TRANSLATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 02-17-1971
AFTER THE RAIN
AFTER THE DAYS OF UNPLEASANT WEATHER AND RAIN THE LORD BRINGS FORTH
DAYS OF SUNSHINE AND CHEER AGAIN. (ETTER REGN OCHOVADER, LATER
GUDATERIGEN SOLEN SKINA.)
SWEDISH
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT REMEMBERS THIS OLD SWEDISH PROVERB FROM OVER SIXTY
YEARS AGO. IT REFLECTS A BASIC RELIGIOUS FAITH IN GOD.
Where learned: MINNESOTA ; STURGEON LAKE
Keyword(s): ETHNIC ORIGIN: SWEDISH ; RELIGIOUS ; WEATHER SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): OBSERVATION ; TRANSLATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 03-28-1970
PROVERB
DON'T BE CHOOSY KATHY,
SO YOU WON'T OVER CHOOSE;
SO YOU WON'T GET A SPARROW
INSTEAD OF A CANARY. (TRANSLATION)
NIE PRZEBIERAJ KASIU,
ZEBYS NIE PRZEBRALA;
ZEBYS ZA KANARKA
WROBLA NIE DOSTALA. (POLISH)
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT USED TO REMIND HER DAUGHTERS OF THIS PROVERB WHEN
THEY WERE DATING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BIRD
James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; PERSONAL PROVERB ; RHYME (IN THE ORIGINAL)
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse in Other Group of Folklore C800.200 Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Date learned: 02-07-1971
PROVERB
JAKA LATKA TAKA MATKA. (POLISH)
LIKE THE MENDING, SO THE MOTHER. (TRANSLATION)
THAT IS,
BY THEIR WORKS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM.
Data entry tech comment: TRANSLATION BY MRS. K.J. UNIECHOWSKI
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): OBSERVATION ; RHYME (IN ORIGINAL)
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison |
Date learned: 10-01-1967
PREGNANCY BELIEF
A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD NOT EAT APPLES, IT WILL CAUSE HARM TO
THE CHILD.
Submitter comment:
HER MOTHER TOLD HER, OLD CROAATION BELIEF
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
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
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
FOOD-VEGETABLE
IN THE OLD WEST A MAN ORDERED FRIED POTATOES CUT VERY THIN. WHEN
THE COOK BROUGHT OUT THE POTATOES, THE MAN COMPLAINED THAT THEY
WERE NOT THIN ENOUGH. THE COOK GOT SO MAD THAT HE RETURNED TO THE
KITCHEN AND CUT UP THE POTATOES RAZOR THIN AND FRIED THEM UP.
THE MAN THOUGHT THEY WERE DELICIOUS. THUS THE POTATO CHIP.
Where learned: NEW JERSEY ; NEWARK
Keyword(s): ORIGIN OF A FOOD ; ORIGIN OF A SNACK: THE POTATO CHIP
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal Food Drink -- Manner of preparation Process Food Drink -- Plant food Cereal |
BACHELOR
IN THE DAYS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, THE ANCIENT ROMANS WERE CONTINUALLY
BICKERING WITH THE GAULS, CARTHAGINIANS, AND OTHER YOUNG LADS; SO
THEY WERE ALL DRAFTED INTO THE ROMAN LEGIONS. THIS LEFT ONLY THE
CHILDREN TO SERVE AS COWHERDS. THEY WERE CALLED BACCALARIUS,
FROM BACCA (COW). HOWEVER, WHEN THEY BECAME MARRIED, THIS NAME WAS
DROPPED. IT WAS SHORTENED TO BACHELOR, FOR UNMARRIED BOYS.
Where learned: 1460 MEAD
Keyword(s): ORIGIN OF WORD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
COMPANION
IN ANCIENT ROME, IT WAS AN UNWRITTEN LAW THAT IF ANY TRAVELER DESIRE
FOOD AND SHELTER, THE HOUSEHOLDER MUST WELCOME HIM WITH CORDIALITY.
THESE CHANCE ENCOUNTERS MIGHT BRING MEN TOGETHER ONLY ONCE IN THEIR
LIVES, BUT THE FACT OF BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER MADE THEM FRIENDS
FOREVER. LITERALLY OUR WORD "COMPANION" COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD
"COM" (TOGETHER) PLUS "PANIS" (BREAD).
Where learned: 1460 MEAD
Keyword(s): ORIGIN OF WORD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Dog Joke
There was a dog convention going on. The dogs were told to
check in and hang their rear-ends up on the wall for display. The
convention hall caught on fire! Dogs were yelling, "Fire! fire!,
everybody just grab a rear-end and escape!" That's why dogs go
around smelling each other's butts today, they're trying to locate
their own.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Co workers ; Michigan Consolidated Gas Company
James Callow Keyword(s): Origin of animal behavior
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote |
Date learned: 00001980S
Etymology
Origin of Name:
Hungry Mother State Park gets its name from the little boy who is said to have been found wandering through the park (which was at the time only pasture) crying and saying "Hungry, Mother." Later the child's mother was found dead.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: Hull, Linda
Keyword(s): CHILD ; Dead ; ETYMOLOGY ; HUNGRY ; Legend ; MOTHER ; NAME ; Origin ; Pasture
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Etymology
Origin of name:
Cornersville, TN gets its name from the fact that it is located in the corner of four counties.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Cornersville, Counties ; ETYMOLOGY ; Language ; NAME ; Origin ; REGIONAL ; Tennessee ; WORD
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
MY BODY LIES OVER THE OCEAN,
MY BODY LIES OVER THE SEA,
MY DADDY LIES OVER MY MOMMIE,
THAT'S HOW I CAME TO BE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): ORIGIN OF BABIES
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Good humor Jest BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Human Life BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 11-11-1973
STAY WITH A GROUP FOR ABOUT FORTY DAYS, AND YOU
EITHER BECOME PART OF THEM OR YOU LEAVE THEM.
Where learned: MARYGROVE COLLEGE
Keyword(s): {ORIGINAL ARABIC PROVIDED ON CARD}
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
UKRANIAN PROVERB
{YOU CAN} TALK TO A MOUNTAIN
BUT A MOUNTAIN STAYS A MOUNTAIN.
Where learned: SAINT LEONARD SCHOOL
Keyword(s): {ORIGINAL UKRANIAN PROVIDED ON CARD... I CANNOT TYPE IT.}
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 09-00-1965
THERE IS MORE WORLD TO SEE THAN THROUGH A WINDOW.
Submitter comment:
THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE. {THIS IS
THE TRANSLATION FROM URKRANIAN.} INFORMANT RECEIVED
INFORMATION FROM RELATIVES IN UKRAINE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): {ORIGINAL UKRANIAN PROVIDED ON CARD}
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 10-14-1967
Custom: Holiday
"NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHO ENJOYED THE FIRST APRIL FOOL'S
DAY GUFFAWS. SOME SAY THE DAY OF BUFFOONERY BEGAN IN
FRANCE IN 1564, WHEN NEW YEAR'S DAY WAS CARRIED BACK
TO JANUARY 1 INSTEAD OF BEING CELEBRATED ON MARCH 25.
THOSE PEOPLE WHO OBJECTED TO THE TIME JUGGLE WERE
GIVEN MOCK NEW YEAR'S GIFTS ON APRIL 1, WHICH USED TO
BE THE FINAL DAY OF MERRYMAKING. THE PRACTICAL JOKE
CUSTOM POPPED UP IN BRITAIN BY THE 18TH CENTURY, AND
THE BRITISH EXPORTED THE ZANY PRACTICE TO NORTH
AMERICA."
Data entry tech comment:
Updated and Motifs added / 02-28-2011 / TRD
Keyword(s): APRIL FOOL'S DAY ; Britain ; CUSTOM ; France ; holiday ; JOKE ; New Years ; Origin ; PRACTICAL JOKE ; Prank
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- April 1 April Fools CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- April 1 April Fools CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- March 21 equinox to June 20 |
Belief
IN GERMANY YOU CANNOT KILL A TREE.
TODAY THIS IS A LAW, BUT IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT
THE GODS INHABITED THE TREES.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B400] crossed out. Replaced with curretn classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE ; 1001 CADIEUX ; Fuger, Victoria
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; GERMAN ; Germany ; God ; Inhabit ; Law ; Live ; Origin ; SPIRIT ; Tree
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-11-1970
Religion
Catholic Baptism:
At the baptism of a child the priest sprinkles salt over the tongue of the child to represent the bitterness of life he will face.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): BABY ; BAPTISM ; BAPTISM ; Bitterness ; Catholic ; CEREMONY ; CHURCH ; Original Sin ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Rite ; RITUAL ; Salt ; SIN
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Baptism Naming rite |