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PROVERBIAL APOTHEGM

NEVER RETURN SALT BECAUSE YOUR FRIENDSHIP WILL BE DISSOLVED

Submitter comment: LEARNED IN GLOUCESTER, OHIO AND STILL BIDES BY IT TODAY

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): MISFORTUNE ; OBSERVATION ; PESSIMISM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 05-11-1965

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PROVERB IN VERSE

NOTHING IS HARDER TO TAKE THAN A TIME OF OVERABUNDANCE (IN THE
SENSE THAT WEALTH CAN RUIN THE CHARACTER OF A HUMAN BEING)

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS IN MUNICH, GERMANY
THIS IS SIMILAR TO AN ENGLISH SAYING THAT I HAVE HEARD
OFTEN IN FERNDALE MICHIGAN. MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

Data entry tech comment: ORIGINAL 5 X 8 CARD CONTAINS GERMAN TEXT

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

James Callow Keyword(s): GOOD FORTUNE ; IRONY

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

Date learned: 12-04-1967

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PROVERBS OF A MATH TEACHER

NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS

James Callow comment: CREDIT SHOULD GO TO OSCAR WILDE--F. M. PAULSEN

Where learned: UNKNOWN

James Callow Keyword(s): GOOD FORTUNE ; IRONY ; OBSERVATION ; SUCCESS BREEDS ITSELF

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 12-04-1968

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IT IS BAD LUCK IF SOME ONE GIVES YOU BABY ARTICLES AS SOON AS YOU
KNOW YOU ARE PREGNANT.

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR ; TOLD AT HER HOME

Keyword(s): IMPLIED WARNING ; MISFORTUNE

James Callow Keyword(s): GIFT-GIVING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: 02-15-1970

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PROVERBIAL METAPHOR

IT NEVER RAINS BUT WHAT IT POURS.
WHEN TROUBLE COMES - IT COMES IN BUNCHES.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 2154 DICKERSON ; 48215

Keyword(s): WEATHER MISFORTUNE

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 11-06-1971

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GESTURE

WHEN SOMEONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT HIS BAD LUCK OR MISFORTUNE,
OFTEN ONE WILL RUN HIS INDEX FINGER AND THUMB TOGETHER LIGHTLY
AND REMARK, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? IT'S THE WORLD'S SMALLEST
VIOLIN PLAYING HEARTS & FLOWERS FOR YOU."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): MISFORTUNE

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 03-00-1971

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When Mrs. Bergen poured me a cup of hot tea, she said "Look at all the money that I gave you." The "money" refers to all the air bubbles which accumulate in your cup and gather at the center, which look like silver change is one stretches his imagination.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [N446 f578.4] crossed out. Nothing Replaces them.

Submission card located in a pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; Bergen, Mrs.Ida ; Shiawassee Apartments ; Farmington Place

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN MONEY ; Fortune Telling ; MONEY ; SUPERSTITION ; TEA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Use of Object
BELIEF -- Use of Object Food
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Ethnic: German

Prosperity Belief:

It is an old German belief that if you eat herring and shake coins in a tin box, you will not go hungry and will always have money.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P740, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Zimmeth, Barbara ; 19225 STOTTER

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Herring ; LUCK ; MONEY ; PROSPERITY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Fish
BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance

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Ethnic:Ugandan

Cocks and Misfortune:

If a family keeps poultry, and is a cock among them crows between sun-set and mid-night [sic], that particular bird must be strangled immediately to overt misfortune!

 

Submitter comment:

The superstition is proper to the Batooro tribe of about 100,000 poeple of Uganda.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P530, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Tinkasimire, Br Joseph

Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; FARMING ; MISFORTUNE ; Omens ; Poultry ; SUPERSTITION ; Tribe ; Uganda

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Bird

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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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Ethnic: Polish

House Initiation / Polish Custom:

Put  a cat in a house before you move into it and there will always be good luck.

Submitter comment:

A neighbor came over to borrow our cat for one of their relatives who had just bought a new house. These relatives of ournaighbors had just recently come over from Poland. I don't know the people's names and the neighbor doesn't live around here any more.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [F532] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.

Message on the bottom of card:

[Please copy this item on the yellow card below so it will ALSO be filed under F686]

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself

Keyword(s): CAT ; ETHNIC ; fortune ; Good ; House ; Housewarming ; LUCK ; OMEN ; POLAND ; POLISH ; SUPERSTITION

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing
BELIEF -- Mammal

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Play on Words


There is a secret method of coming back from Vegas with a small fortune: Go with a large fortune.

Submitter comment:

He heard it from a friend.

Data entry tech comment:

Motif added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Submission card located in pile marked These don't sound traditional - Do Not File Yet.

Where learned: D'Anna, Ben

Keyword(s): fortune ; GAMBLING ; HUMOR ; Large ; MONEY ; PUN ; SIZE ; Small ; Vegas

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote

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Toast

Na zdrowia (Polish Toast)

Translated = "To your health"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The word [Toast] is written across the top of the card. Also written on the bottom, right hand corner of the card: [Your name and address go here on ALL cards.]

Where learned: HOME ; Wesolowski, Mrs Estelle

Keyword(s): ETHNIC ; GOOD FORTUNE ; HEALTH ; POLISH ; Social ; TOAST

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech
SPEECH -- Formula

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Toast

may your children have rich parents.

Submitter comment:

She heard this from a Polish disk jockey who was from Chicago.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Szczerbinski, Chris

Keyword(s): CHILDREN ; DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; fortune ; PARENTS ; POLISH ; Riches ; Social ; TOAST ; WEALTH

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech
SPEECH -- Formula

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Proverb

Happy is the bride the sun shines on.

Submitter comment:

My mother said this was a commonly repeated proverb in the country, when she was young.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Thompson, Betty J ; 18691 Ferguson

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Bride ; fortune ; Happy ; Maxim ; OMEN ; PROVERB ; Sun ; VERSE ; WEDDING

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Room Location

The master bedroom should be located in the northeastern corner of the house to maintain harmony and fortune in the family.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: VIRGINIA ; Taylor, Steven G ; Roanoke

Keyword(s): Bedroom ; Feng Shui ; fortune ; Harmony ; House ; LOCATION ; Master

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Plan, design, color, building material, and technic

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IF EITHER HAND ITCHES, YOU WILL SOON RECEIVE SOME MONEY.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 09-01-11

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Hickson, Evonne ; 746 Lenore St

Keyword(s): fortune ; GOOD LUCK ; Hand ; ITCH ; LUCK ; MONEY ; OMEN

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet

Date learned: 07-19-1973

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IF YOUR LEFT HAND ITCHES, YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME
MONEY.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; CORNERSVILLE ; Harwell, Shirley

Keyword(s): fortune ; Hand ; ITCH ; LEFT ; MONEY ; OMEN ; SIGN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet

Date learned: 00001972-00001973 (ASSUMED)

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NEW YEAR' BELIEF FOR GOOD LUCK: PLACE A DIME IN A BIG BOWL
OF BLACK-EYED PEAS AND AS EACH PERSON IS SERVED WHOEVER HAS THE DIME IN HIS OR HER BOWL
HAS BETTER LUCK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Terry, Lee

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Black-Eyed Peas ; Dime ; FOOD ; fortune ; holiday ; LUCK ; MONEY ; New Years

James Callow Keyword(s): COIN

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals
Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth
BELIEF -- Good luck Money
BELIEF -- Good luck Time (year, season, week, hour, etc.) Occasion Event

Date learned: 07-08-1973

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SLEEP WALKING SUPERSTITION

IF YOU WALK OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP, YOU ARE FORETELLING
SOMETHING OF THE FUTURE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: SAINT HYACINTH SCHOOL ; Tabaczynski, Annette

Keyword(s): Fortune Telling ; FUTURE ; Portent ; Sleep-talking ; Sleepwalking ; Somnambulism ; Talking in your sleep

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 02-29-1972

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showing 24 items

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