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RIDDLE

IF A ROOSTER LAID AN EGG ON THE TOP OF A ROOF, WHICH WAY
WOULD THE EGG ROLL?
-- NEITHER, ROOSTERS DON'T LAY EGGS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): ANIMAL LEFT RIGHT EAST WEST

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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PRODUCT OR ACTIVITY OF MAN

DON'T CROSS YOUR EYES OR THEY WILL STAY THAT WAY

Submitter comment: SHE WOULD TELL MY BROTHERS AND I THIS TO DISCOURAGE US FROM DOING IT.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; BROOKLYN ; GRANDMOTHERS HOME

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 07-00-1965

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RIDDLE QUESTION

IF A BIRD FLYS HALFWAY INTO THE FOREST, HOW FAR IS IT
TO THE OTHER END?
-- HALFWAY

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): DISTANCE MEASUREMENT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

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RIDDLE

WHY CAN'T IT RAIN FOR TWO DAYS IN A ROW?
-- THERE IS ALWAYS A NIGHT IN BETWEEN.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): WEATHER TIME

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-15-1968

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RIDDLE

THERE WAS A MAN-DEAD-LYING IN THE DESERT WITH A
POUCH ON HIS BACK. HE WAS LYING FACE DOWN AND THERE
WERE NO FOOTPRINTS OR SIGNS OF ANYTHING AROUND HIM.
HOW DID HE DIE?
-- HE WAS A PARATROOPER AND HIS PARACHUTE DIDN'T
OPEN IN TIME CAUSING HIM TO FALL TO HIS DEATH.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): PARATROOPER PARACHUTE DEATH DEAD

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 12-23-1971

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RIDDLE

WHAT BUILDING HAS THE MOST STORIES?
-- THE LIBRARY.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): STORY STOREY

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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RIDDLE

WHY IS ETERNITY LIKE A CIRCLE?
-- IT HAS NEITHER A BEGINNING NOR AN END.

Submitter comment: I HEARD THIS IN FERNDALE, MICHIGAN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): ETERNITY CIRCLE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-24-1967

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PROVERBIAL SAYING

IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.

Submitter comment: NONE

Data entry tech comment: NONE

Where learned: HOME ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 01-20-1971

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PROVERB

HE THAT CAN HAVE PATIENCE CAN HAVE WHAT HE WILL.

Where learned: HOME ; TOLD AT

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 11-02-1969

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MARY THE GOLDFISH

MAY LAY DEAD ON THE FLOOR COMPLETELY NUDE. JOHN WAS
ASLEEP ON THE COUCH. THERE WAS A POOL OF WATER BESIDE
MARY AND ON OVERTURNED BOWL. HOW DID MARY DIE?
TELLER OR INFORMANT ANSWERE QUESTIONS THAT CAN BE ANSWERED
"YES" AND "NO" UNTIL THE STORY UNFOLDS.
-- MARY IS A GOLDFISH AND JOHN IS A CAT.

Submitter comment: FIRST HEARD BY INFORMANT AROUND 1952. IT HAS BEEN PASSED
ON AND HEARD FREQUENTLY SINCE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 00-00-1952

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RIDDLE

WHAT'S A VOLCANO?
A MONTAIN WITH HICCUPS.

Where learned: TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): GEOLOGY

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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RIDDLE

WHAT HAS A MOUTH AND A FORK, BUT NEVER EATS?
-- A RIVER.

Where learned: TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): GEOLOGY

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-26-1967

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Custom

The family of the deceased attends mass for six consecutive weeks. Each week the family brings fruit, candy, or fruit for the entire parish. At the end of the six week period an entire mass is said in memory of the deceased . The family brings wine, three large raisin breads, fruit, and boiled wheat for the parish. This is done to celebrate the first stage of the deceased's ascention into Heaven. The ritual is repeated at six months to celebrate the second stage. After a person has been dead for a period of one year, the ritual is repeated for the last time. This stage signifies that the deceased has ascended into Heaven.

Submitter comment:

Despite revisions in the Orthodox mass, this custom has been preserved. It is considered an important and beautiful ritual. This custom is so old that no one knows how it exactly originated.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Self ; 20295 Westbrook

Keyword(s): BURIAL ; CUSTOM ; DEATH ; FOOD ; Funeral ; RELIGION ; SYMBOLISM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial

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After a funeral the best friend of the deceased is given a bowl of boiled wheat, a glass, and silverware. This little ceremony transfers the worldly goods of the deceased to the living.

Submitter comment:

Informant noted that this custom is not as popular as it used to be but it is still practiced.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD.

Where learned: HOME ; 10438 BONITA ; Zurawski, Anna

Keyword(s): DEATH ; Deceased ; FRIENDSHIP ; GLASS ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; RITUAL ; Silverware ; SYMBOL ; Symbolic ; SYMBOLISM ; UTENSILS ; Wheat

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial

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Superstition

Superstition:

Anything tried on Friday the 13th will fail.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880.6] crossed out and replaced with P574.5

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; HOME ; Krol, Mary

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CURSE ; DATE ; Day ; Friday ; jinx ; SUPERSTITION ; TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA ; Weekday

James Callow Keyword(s): TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA

Subject headings: 686 Specific number by specific number being described
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour

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Irish Belief

"It is a known fact," Mr. Faron said, "that every Irishman has his own personal leprechaun that sits on his shoulder and pulls his earlobe every time another Irishman tells him a lie."

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original Boggs Number [B423 (elf) P423] crossed out and P423 is written next to it.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; LITTLEFIELD

Keyword(s): Detection ; EARS ; IRELAND ; Irish ; Leprechaun ; Lie ; Lie Detection

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome

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Mnemonic Device

When one is having problems spelling the word arithmetic, just remember the sentence: "A Rat In The House May Eat The Ice Cream."

Submitter comment:

Informant's teacher told this to him when he was in third grade in 1956 at St. Francis D'Assisi School in Detroit, MI.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

BN V300 used due to previous entries/classifications using the same mnemonic device.

James Callow comment:

Mnemonic Device; Spelling

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Garland, Joseph ; 5931 LOLA

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; MATHEMATICS ; MEMORY ; MNEMONIC ; SCHOOL ; SPELLING

James Callow Keyword(s): Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
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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Belief: Luck

Bowling: never change your line-up unless you have a losing streak.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880] crossed out and replaced with current classification.

The word Luck is written across the top of the card.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; Rota, Lydia ; 27415 LITTLE MACK ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES

Keyword(s): Bowling ; CUSTOM ; Entertainment ; LUCK ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): LUCK

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion

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Fate

He who disturbs the sleeper by the wayside will be forever damned.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

BN [P880] was written 3 times across the top of the card. All but one of them was crossed out.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE ; Hickey, William ; 80 Tourraine Rd

Keyword(s): Disturb ; FATE ; Maxim ; OMEN ; SLEEP ; Traveler ; Wayside

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance

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