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POLISH SUPERSTITION

WHEN YOU'RE PREGNANT, AVOID ALL UGLY PEOPLE AND LOOK AT AS MANY
PRETTY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOUR CHILD WILL BE PRETTY.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER MOTHER AROUND 1920.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; YONKERS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 12-26-1963

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TEACHER SUPERSTITION

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS MAKE THE WORST PARENTS.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM FELLOW TEACHERS AND SOME OF HER OWN STUDENTS IN
YONKERS, NEW YORK.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; YONKERS

James Callow Keyword(s): IRONY

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

Date learned: 12-29-1963

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HUNGARIAN SUPERSTITION

NEVER STEP OVER A PERSON WHEN HE IS LYING IN BED OR IT WILL BRING
HIM GREAT DANGER.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER HUNGARIAN FATHER.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; YONKERS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Home
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: 12-22-1963

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MORON

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

DID YOU HEAR OF THE MORON WHO SLEPT ON THE CHANDELIER
BECAUSE HE WAS A LIGHT SLEEPER?

Submitter comment:

(HEARD) AT BOSTON COLLEGE

Where learned: NEW YORK, ASSUMED ; HAMBURG

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman

Date learned: 11-24-1967

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RED SKIES AT NIGHT,
SAILOR'S DELIGHT.
RED SKIES IN MORNING,
SAILORS TAKE WARNING!

Submitter comment: AS A CHILD FROM HER MOTHER.

Where learned: NEW YORK, ASSUMED ; HAMBURG

Subject headings: BELIEF -- PC88 PC88.800

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POLISH SUPERSTITION

IF YOU DROP A PIECE OF BREAD ON THE FLOOR, YOU MUST PICK IT UP
IMMEDIATELY AND KISS IT, OR ELSE YOU HAVE SINNED.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER POLISH MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS VERY YOUNG.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; YONKERS

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

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SUPERSTITION

AT 12 MIDNIGHT, NEW YEAR'S EVE, YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY
OPEN YOUR FRONT DOOR TO LET THE OLD YEAR OUT AND
WELCOME THE NEW YEAR IN.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER MOTHER.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; YONKERS

Keyword(s): SYMBOLIC ACTION

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F123
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Fixed DateFor specific dates, use the following system: F640.0101
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Fixed DateFor specific dates, use the following system: F640.1231

Date learned: 12-31-1963

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CUSTOM--ITALIAN

ON EASTER SUNDAY, BAKE A LOAF OF BREAD USING A WHOLE EGG, SHELL
AND ALL, IN THE DOUGH.

Submitter comment:

LEARNED AS A YOUNG WOMAN LIVING IN ITALY.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; YONKERS

Keyword(s): FOOD CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday

Date learned: 12-29-1963

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,
THE DOCTORS WERE SURPRISED.
BUT THEY WERE EVEN MORE SURPRISED,
WHEN MAC DONALD HAD A FARM.

James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview

Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK ; WILLIAMSVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): BIRTH CONNOTATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Wisecracks, gags, silly stories, insults

Date learned: 06-00-1965

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THE PUTTING TOGETHER OF THE HANDS AND SLIGHTLY BOWING
FROM THE WAIST--MEANING, "PRAY PLEASE SHUT UP. I'D
LIKE TO SPEAK."

Where learned: BUFFALO ; HIGH SCHOOL ; NEW YORK

Subject headings: 602 Body Parts
SPEECH -- Instructions Directions Silence

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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Custom

Wedding Custom:

When a woman in her family is engaged to be married, the aunts on her fahter's side give a shower gift to her which is a pure white negligee. This is a sign that the perspective groom has been accepted as a member of the family.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; Sullivan, Virginia ; ROCHESTER

Keyword(s): Engagement ; FAMILY ; GIFT ; Shower ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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INY, MEANY, MINY, MOE,
CATCH A NIGGER BY HIS TOE,
IF HE HOLLERS LET HIM GO,
MY MOTHER TOLD ME TO PICK THIS ONE.
OUT GOES Y-O-U.

Submitter comment:

THIS IS USED TO MAKE A SELECTION BETWEEN TWO OR MORE
PEOPLE AND WAS DONE BY THE INFORMANT IN 1956-62.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER

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

Date learned: 00001956-1962

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CZECHOSLOVAKIAN CHRISTMAS EVE CUSTOM

SMALL BUNS ARE BAKED FOR THE HOLY SUPPER. BEFORE THE
SUPPER BEGINS, THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY AND SOME MEMBERS OF
THE FAMILY, GO TO THE BARN. THEY GIVE A SMALL BUN TO EACH
OF THE ANIMALS. THEY BELIEVE THE ANIMALS ARE SPECIAL SINCE
THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES PRESENT WITH THE HOLY FAMILY ON
THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS NIGHT. THE FAMILY RETURNS TO THE
HOUSE AND THEIR HOLY SUPPER BEGINS. THEY ALSO PARTAKE OF
THE SMALL BUNS. THE BREAD COMMEMORATES THE CHRIST CHILD
WHO IS THE BREAD OF LIFE.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; SLOATSBURG

Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; FOOD

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve
Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals

Date learned: 00001980S

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GRADUATION CUSTOMS

IT IS CUSTOMARY AT AMHERST HIGH SCHOOL IN BUFFALO,
NEW YORK, THAT THE SENIORS SKIP A DAY OF CLASSES
NEAR THE END OF THE SEMESTER. ALSO, THEY PULL PRANKS
SUCH AS POURING ACID ON THE GRASS OF THE SCHOOLYARD
TO READ OBSCENE WORDS, OR PUT SOMETHING ON THE
FLAGPOLE AND GREASE IT SO NO ONE COULD GET IT DOWN.

Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK, ASSUMED

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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Belief: Children

Determining Sex of Unborn Child:

A pin on a thread, if held motionless over the wrist of an expectant mother, can determine sex of child by the motion which it takes up after it is perfectly still. If pin or needle takes up a circular motion than first child weill be a girl. If needle takes up back and forth motion then a boy. If pin stops and then moves again, this can be used to predict the future sex and number of children.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P860] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; Sullivan, Virginia ; ROCHESTER

Keyword(s): ANAPEL ; BELIEF ; Biology ; BIRTH ; CHILDREN ; CUSTOM ; Forecasting ; gender ; Ordain ; Pendulum ; Predictions ; SEX

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth

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A MIXTURE OF OIL OF WINTERGREEN (2 DROPS) AND HARD
APPLE CIDER (GLASSFUL) MAY BE TAKEN INTERNALLY TO
ACT AS A CURE FOR ARTHRITIS OR RHEUMATISM.

Where learned: ROCHESTER ; NEW YORK, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 03-00-1969

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MY PARENTS

ONCE IN MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE WAS THIS ONE KID WHO
ASKED HIS FATHER IF HE COULD MARRY THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
HIS FATHER SAID NO AND TOLD HIM THAT THAT GIRL WAS
REALLY HIS DAUGHTER AND TO MARRY HIS SISTER WOULD
NEVER DO. HIS MOTHER TOOK HIM ASIDE LATER AND TOLD
HIM NOT TO WORRY AND THAT HE COULD MARRY THAT GIRL
BECAUSE HE WASN'T REALLY HIS SON.

Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK, ASSUMED

James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOR

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Married couple

Date learned: 10-00-1968

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THE FATHER BAKER STORY

IT IS A COMMONLY ACCEPTED FACT THAT WHEN THEY WERE CONSTRUCTING
FATHER BAKER'S HOME FOR BOYS (BUFFALO, NEW YORK), THERE WAS GOING
TO BE A SHORTAGE OF OPERATING FUNDS. WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO TAP
THE GAS PIPE, FATHER BAKER SAID NO, POINTED TO A DIFFERENT SPOT,
AND SAID, "DIG THERE." THEY FOUND A NATURAL GAS WELL.

Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK, ASSUMED

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious hero

Date learned: 11-00-1968

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IF YOU STEP ON A BLACK ANT, IT'S GOING TO RAIN.

Submitter comment: AS A CHILD THE INFORMANT REALLY BELIEVED THIS AND TRIED
HER HARDEST NOT TO STEP ON BLACK ANTS.

Where learned: NEW YORK

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Insect
BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 00001950S LATE

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