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EDGE-WISE

WHEN GIVING A GIFT WITH SHARP EDGES, A PENNY SHOULD BE GIVEN
FOR EACH EDGE SO THAT THE FRIENDSHIP WILL NOT BE CUT.

Submitter comment:

FROM HER MOTHER

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; De Vleig, Mary

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Cut ; FRIENDSHIP ; GIFT ; MONEY ; Relationship ; Sever ; Sharp ; SYMBOL

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

Date learned: 12-04-1965

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ONE GIRL ASKS A BOY,"MAKE ME A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH."
SO HE MADE IT. HE WAS ABOUT TO CUT IT WHEN THE GIRL SAID," DO
NOT CUT IT BECAUSE THAT WAY ALL THE FLAVOR GOES OUT."

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

James Callow comment:

Some BN crossed out [ P400; P500]

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; Sparks, Pam

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Flavor ; FOOD ; Peanut Butter ; Sandwich

James Callow Keyword(s): FOOD ; KNIFE

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Manner of preparation
Food Drink -- Plant food Nut
BELIEF -- Home

Date learned: 09-26-1965

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COACH SHADA

AT ST. JAMES HIGH SCHOOL IN FERNDALE A
PORTRAIT OF THE LATE COACH JOHN SHADA, WHO PUT THE SCHOOL IN THE
TOP OF ITS DIVISION FOR MANY YEARS, IS ACROSS FROM THE TROPHY
CASE. THE PASTOR TELLS PEOPLE IT IS THERE "SO JOHN CAN
WATCH HIS TROPHIES."

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; Schusterbaurr

Keyword(s): Coach ; DEATH ; Legend ; Trophy

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Secular hero

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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HEARTBURN IN PREGNANCY

IF A PREGNANT WOMAN GETS HEARTBURN, HER CHILD WILL BE BORN
WITH A LOT OF HAIR.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT IS A FRIEND'S MOTHER, AND SHE HEARD THIS WHEN SHE
WAS A GIRL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; informant's home

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 00001971 (SPRING)

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HOLY COMMUNION

WHEN I WAS AROUND EIGHT YEARS OLD, I BELIEVED IF I CHEWED THE HOST,
MY TEETH WOULD ROT.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Religious hero
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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BOTTOMS UP.

HORSE SHOES SHOULD BE HUNG OPEN END UP SO THAT
ALL THE GOOD LUCK WONT FLOW OUT OF THEM.

Submitter comment: HEARD FROM HER FATHER BOB DEVLEIG

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color

Date learned: 12-04-1965

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NUMBER OF CHILDREN GIRL WILL HAVE

WHEN A GIRL RECEIVES GIFTS AT HER WEDDING SHOWER, THE NUMBER OF
BOWS THAT SHE BREAKS WILL BE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SHE WILL HAVE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT IS A FRIEND'S MOTHER, AND SHE REMEMBERS THIS FROM ALL
HER LIFE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: Observation

Date learned: 04-00-1971

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SUPERSTITION

IF A BIRD FLIES THROUGH YOUR WINDOW, SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY WILL DIE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THAT THEIR NEIGHBOR'S PARAKEET FLEW THROUGH THEIR
PATIO DOOR ONE SUMMER AND THAT THE NEXT DAY THEIR DOG WAS HIT BY
A CAR AND DIED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: Observation

Date learned: 12-01-1971

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SUPERSTITION

IF YOUR DRESS TAIL IS TURNED UP, IT MEANS THAT YOU WILL GET A NEW
DRESS SOON.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THAT EVERYTIME THIS HAD HAPPENED TO HER SHE GOT A
NEW DRESS OR SOME CLOTHING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: Observation

Date learned: 11-18-1971

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AN OLD POLISH CUSTOM

ON JANUARY 6, THE PARISH PRIESTS USED TO COME TO THE HOUSES OF THE
FAITHFUL AND BLESS THEM AND WRITE THE INITIALS OF THE THREE WISE
MEN IN CHALK ON ALL THE DOORS TO DRIVE ALL EVIL OUT OF THE HOUSE.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER LEARNED THIS CUSTOM WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD, LIVING
WITH HER FAMILY IN WARSAW.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 6 Twelfth Day Epiphany

Date learned: 04-08-1965

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AN OLD POLISH CUSTOM

TO CHASE BUGS AND EVIL SPIRITS FROM YOUR HOME, MARK THE EDGES OF THE
DOORS AND WINDOWS WITH CHALK WHICH HAS BEEN BLESSED ON JANUARY 6.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION FROM HER HUSBAND, MANY
YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 6 Twelfth Day Epiphany

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AGNUS DEI

AFTER THE EASTER LAMB CAKE IS MADE AND DECORATED, IT IS TAKEN TO THE
CHURCH ON EASTER MORNING TO BE BLESSED BY THE PRIEST FOLLOWING THE
MASS. THIS LAMB CAKE, BEARING A TINY SILK BANNER WITH A CROSS ON
IT, REPRESENTS CHRIST, THE VICTORIOUS LAMB OF GOD.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT IS MY GRANDMOTHER. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR POLISH CUSTOM, WHICH IS EVEN OBSERVED IN MANY POLISH PARISHES IN THIS COUNTRY. MY GRANDMOTHER HAS KNOWN THIS CUSTOM ALL HER LIFE.

Data entry tech comment:

AGNUS DEI MEANS "THE LAMB OF GOD" WHEN TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; Grandmother

Keyword(s): FOOD CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday

Date learned: 04-08-1965

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AN OLD POLISH EASTER CUSTOM

ONE EASTER EGG IS CUT SO THAT EACH FAMILY MEMBER WILL HAVE ONE PIECE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYBODY'S EATING PART OF THE ONE EGG IS THE
LESSON OF ONENESS AND FAMILY UNITY. THIS CUSTOM IS USUALLY OBSERVED
JUST BEFORE THE BREAKFAST MEAL ON EASTER SUNDAY.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER LEARNED THIS CUSTOM AS A LITTLE GIRL SINCE HER FAMILY
HAD ALWAYS OBSERVED IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): FAMILY UNITY ; FOOD CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday
Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals

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PROVERBIAL APOTHEGM

NOTHING VENTURE, (SIC) NOTHING GAINED

Submitter comment: I HEARD THIS IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN
SOURCE NOT REMEMBERED

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): ELLIPSIS

James Callow Keyword(s): AMBITION ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 10-18-1967

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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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Content filter on this entry.

MONTANA LADIES

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

NOT ALL SHEEP ARE MONTANA LADIES

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT IS A FRIEND'S FATHER AND HE RECALLED THIS FROM
SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
PROBABLY A SLUR ON MONTANA LADIES

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; ANTHROPOMORPHISM

James Callow Keyword(s): IRONY ; SEXISM

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Blason Populaire

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PROVERBIAL METAPHOR

NEVER CROSS A BRIDGE BEFORE YOU GET TO IT

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS IN FERNDALE MICHIGAN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; MAKING DECISIONS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero
PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 09-23-1967

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WEATHER PROVERB

ABENDROT SCHON WETTERBOT.
TRANSLATION: THE EVENING SUN (IF CLEAR AND RED) INDICATES GOOD
WEATHER TOMORROW.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS IN REGENSBERG, GERMANY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

James Callow Keyword(s): OBSERVATION ; RHYME ; SYMBOL ; TRANSLATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb
BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon

Date learned: 11-29-1967

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PREGNANCY BELIEF

INFORMANT HAS REPEATEDLY HEARD THAT BATHING IN PREGNANCY CAUSES THE
BABY TO DROWN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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CONTRACEPTION BELIEF

ONE OF THE INFORMANT'S PATIENTS, A POOR SOUTHERN BLACK WOMAN,
LIVING NOW IN THE INNER CITY OF DETROIT, TOLD HER OF A
CONTRACEPTIVE METHOD COMPOSED OF GROUND GINGER WHICH YOU MUST GRIND
YOURSELF, AND VASELINE RUBBED GENEROUSLY WITHIN THE WOMAN.

Submitter comment:

SHE WAS FROM ALABAMA AND ALREADY HAD SIX CHILDREN.
INFORMANT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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