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A PREGNANT WOMAN DOES NOT VISIT A FUNERAL HOME
BECAUSE IF SHE DOES, HER CHILD WILL BE PALE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 10-25-1970

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BELIEF ABOUT BAPTISM

YOU DO NOT EVER HAVE A PREGNANT WOMAN AS THE GODMOTHER
OF YOUR CHILD, BECAUSE IF YOU DO, THAT CHILD WILL
NEVER BE HEALTHY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Baptism Naming rite
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 10-25-1970

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BELIEF ABOUT BAPTISM

IF YOU REFUSE TO BE A GODPARENT, YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK
UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN A GODPARENT SEVEN TIMES. YOU MUST
HOWEVER, ASK (UNDERLINED) TO BE THE GODPARENT OF THOSE
SEVEN CHILDREN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
BELIEF -- Baptism Naming rite
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.4
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.5

Date learned: 10-25-1970

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MY GRANDMOTHER WAS 94 AND SHE SHRUNK. SHE WAS VERY
RELIGIOUS--SHE HAD ELEVEN CHILDREN. SHE WAS FRENCH AND SPOKE
BROKEN ENGLISH. SHE RUBBED HER WEDDING RING ON MY WART
ON MY HAND AND SAID "I'LL PRAY FOR YOU." AND THE WART
WENT AWAY.

Submitter comment: GRANDMOTHER'S NAME--MIMI CHAMPAGNE.
ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN DETROIT (MICHIGAN) WHEN JIM WAS
YOUNG.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Curer

Date learned: 05-10-1965

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TO REMOVE A WART--RUB A DRY NAVY BEAN ON THE WART AND THEN THROW
THE BEAN OVER YOUR SHOULDER.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT'S MOTHER TOLD HER THIS BELIEF.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Remedy

Date learned: 08-00-1964

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TO GET RID OF WARTS, YOU RUB THEM WITH A CHICKEN BONE AND BURY
THE BONE IN THE BACKYARD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Remedy

Date learned: 05-00-1965

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TO CURE WARTS RUB THEM WITH POTATO PEELINGS FROM POTATOES
THAT HAVE EYES. THEN BURY THE PEELS IN THE YARD UNDER
A TREE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Remedy

Date learned: 05-00-1965

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TO REMOVE WARTS, CUT A POTATO IN HALF, RUB IT ON THE WARTS,
AND THEN BURY IT. IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS THE WART WILL GO
AWAY. EVERY DAY USE HALF A POTATO AND EACH TIME YOU USE
A POTATO BURY IT.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER MOTHER, JENNY TORRANCE,
IN DETROIT (MICHIGAN) IN THE 1890S.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFER PLUGGING

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00001890S

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MY MOTHER WILL TELL YOU TO GO AND GET 3 (OR MAYBE 7) STONES.
EACH ONE SHE RUBS OVER YOUR WARTS. AND IN SO MANY DAYS THEY
WILL GO AWAY. AND THEY ACTUALLY GO AWAY.
WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8 I HAD A SEED WART AND MOTHER COULDN'T
CHARM IT OFF. HER POWER WOULDN'T WORK IN THE IMMEDIATE
FAMILY. SO I WENT TO A LADY WHO TOOK A BLACK THREAD AND
MADE A LOOP WITH IT AND PUT IT AROUND THE WART AND DREW
IT TIGHT. SHE TOLD ME TO LEAVE IT ALONE AND IT WOULD GO
AWAY. AND IT WAS GONE IN A WEEK OR TWO.

Submitter comment: HAPPENED IN SEYMOUR, INDIANA, WHERE HE LIVED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; INDIANA ; SOUTHFIELD ; SEYMOUR

James Callow Keyword(s): MEASURING

Subject headings: 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple
686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
Favorites
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 05-19-1965

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TO CURE A WART, RUB THE WART ON THE HAND OF A DEAD PERSON
WHO IS LAID OUT IN A FUNERAL PARLOR.

Submitter comment: THIS IS SAID TO HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED ON THE INFORMANT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 10-25-1970

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YOU DO NOT TAKE OFF A FRIENDSHIP RING, BECAUSE IF YOU DO,
YOU WILL BREAK-UP WITH THE BOY (OR GIRL) FRIEND THAT
GAVE THE RING TO YOU.

Submitter comment: SHE TOLD ME THAT HER MOTHER HAD THE SAME BELIEF.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Marriage P545.015

Date learned: 10-23-1970

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THERE IS AN EVIL EYE STONE TO WARD OFF EVIL CURSES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Curse

Date learned: 01-19-1968

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IT IS A TURKISH CUSTOM TO "READ" COFFEE GROUNDS.
ONE MUST FIRST DRINK A SPECIAL BLEND OF COFFEE,
THEN TURN THE CUP OVER ON A SAUCER AND LET THE
GROUNDS FALL OUT. WHEN THEY ARE DRY, A TRAINED
PERSON READS THIS. KELI SAID HER MOTHER HAD THIS
DONE AND IT REALLY WORKS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Use of Object Plant

Date learned: 02-26-1971

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TAKE THE WISHBONE FROM A TURKEY OR A CHICKEN. LET
IT DRY OUT. THEN HAVE ONE PERSON HOLD ONE SIDE;
ANOTHER PERSON HOLD THE OTHER. EACH MAKE A WISH
AND THEN PULL. THE WISH WILL COME TRUE FOR THE
PERSON WHO GETS THE BIGGEST PART.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS WHEN HE WAS VERY YOUNG
ABOUT 1910 IN DETROIT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Use of Object Animals

Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00-00-1910

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TWIST THE STEM OF AN APPLE WHILE SAYING THE ALPHABET.
WHICHEVER LETTER YOU ARE ON WHEN THE STEM COMES OUT
IS THE FIRST LETTER OF THE LAST NAME OF THE MAN YOU
WILL MARRY. YOU CAN ALSO PEEL THE APPLE IN ONE
CONTINUOUS PEEL THEN THROW THE PEEL OVER YOUR
SHOULDER. IT WILL LAND IN THE FIRST LETTER OF HIS
NAME.

Submitter comment: I LEARNED THESE THINGS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL
ABOUT 1950, BUT I CANNOT REMEMBER WHO I LEARNED THEM
FROM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: 862 Use of object for determining future spouse

Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00-00-1950

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WHEN A CHILD IS ONE YEAR OLD, IT IS A POLISH-AMERICAN
CUSTOM TO PLACE A SILVER DOLLAR, A WHISKEY GLASS
AND A PILE OF BLACK DIRT ON THE FLOOR.. THE BABY IS
THEN ALLOWED TO CRAWL TOWARD ONE. THE "CHOICE" HE THEN
MAKES TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE HE WILL LEAD. THE
MONEY MEANS THAT HE WILL BE WEALTHY, THE WHISKEY
GLASS MEANS THAT HE WILL BE A DRUNK, AND THE DIRT
MEANS THAT HE WILL HAVE AN EARLY DEATH.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: Favorites
BELIEF -- Use of object for determining future of young

Date learned: 10-25-1970

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THE MYSTERIOUS BLACK DOG

ONE DAY, OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY, A STRANGE LITTLE
BLACK SHEPHERD DOG WALKED INTO DAISY'S FAMILY'S HOME.
HE MINDED THE TABLE, PROTECTED ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS,
AND JUMPED ON STRANGERS WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE HOUSE.
THREE WEEKS LATER HE DISAPPEARED. DAISY SAID, "HE
CAME WITH THE WIND AND LEFT WITH THE WIND."
NOW DAISY WAS NAMED AFTER HER AUNT WHO LIVED FOUR
HOUSES FROM THEM AT THE TIME. HER AUNT'S HUSBAND,
WHO WAS DAISY'S UNCLE, DIED. SHE HONESTLY SAID
THAT THIS SMALL STRANGE BLACK DOG WAS THE GHOST OF
HER UNCLE WHO HAD DIED NOT TOO MANY DAYS BEFORE
THE LITTLE DOG WALKED INTO THEIR HOUSE.

Submitter comment: ORIGIN: CHILDHOOD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter

Date learned: 07-23-1964

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GURGLING GHOST

DURING THE PROHIBITION DAY A MAN WAS FOUND IN THE
OUTSIDE JOHN WITH HIS THROAT SLIT. ALL THE OWNERS OF
THE HOME, EXCEPT FOR THE PRESENT OCCUPANTS, CLAIM
THEY HEARD A STRANGE GURGLING SOUND, LIKE A MAN
WHO HAD HIS THROAT CUT TRYING TO TALK.

Submitter comment: HEARD FROM HER MOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Keyword(s): GHOSTLIKE SOUNDS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 00001964 SUMMER

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THROAT CUT

IN A PREDOMINENTLY ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD THERE IS A
HOUSE WHERE NOONE WILL LIVE. WHEN THE MAFIA WAS VERY
ACTIVE IN THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE WAS A
MURDER. A MAN WENT OUT TO HIS OUTSIDE TOILET AND
WAS FOUND THERE WITH HIS THROAT CUT.
EVER SINCE THEN, PEOPLE WHO MOVED INTO THE HOUSE
WOULD HEAR A GURGLING SOUND OUT IN THE OUTHOUSE,
JUST AS IF A THROAT HAD BEEN CUT.
NO ONE EVER DID FIND THE MURDERER.

Submitter comment: THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE INFORMANT'S NEIGHBORHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Keyword(s): GHOSTLIKE SOUNDS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 08-00-1964

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TAUNT

PETE AND HIT ME WERE WALKING ACROSS A BRIDGE.
PETE FELL IN AND WHO WAS LEFT?
HIT ME!

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER BROTHER, BARRY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale

Date learned: 09-25-1967

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