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NUMBERS

FRIDAY THE 13TH IS A UNLUCKY DAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TOLD AT INFORMANTS HOME ; DEARBORN

Subject headings: 686 Specific number by specific number being described

Date learned: 11-13-1970

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SUPERSTITION EVIL EYE

MY MOTHER USED TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE CAME
AND CARRIED YOUR SLEEP AWAY,
ESPECIALLY IF THERE WAS
A NEW BABY .
IF A STRANGER STARES AT THE BABY THEY
TAKE THE SLEEP AWAY.
TO UNDO THIS YOU TAKE A HOT COAL
FROM THE FIRE AND DROP IT IN A TALL GLASS
OF WATER. IF IT DOES NOT SINK, THEN IT IS TRUE
THAT THE PERSON HAD WICKED EYES.
IF THE COAL GOES TO THE BOTTOM THE BABY WILL
GO TO SLEEP. SHE WOULD ALSO
TAKE A DRINK OF THE WATER AND SHE WOULD
MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS OVER THE WATER.

Submitter comment: THE MOTHER OF MARY ABRAMS WAS BORN IN HUNGARY AND
RAISED IN EUROPE. SHE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AND
LIVED ON A FARM IN SCANTON, PENN.
WITH HER HUSBAND AND FAMILY.

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANTS HOME

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Curse

Date learned: 11-10-1970

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BELIEF IN THE EVIL EYE

IF SOMEONE HAS VERY VIVIDLY DARK BROWN EYES,
THEY MUST ONLY STARE AT YOU TO PLACE A HEX.
THE BELIEF IS ONE OF POLISH AMERICANS,
AND THE POLISH WORD IS OCZAROWANIA.

Where learned: TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Curse

Date learned: 10-25-1970

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BELIEF

IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO AN OLD RELATIVE (DECEASED)
GO INTO A DARK CLOSET AND CLOSE THE DOOR.
WRITE DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER, IN THE DARK,
WHAT YOU WANT TO ASK,
AND YOU WILL BE ANSWERED BY THE DECEASED.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT'S MOTHER (WHO IS A) FULL-BLOODED CHIPPEWA INDIAN
SAID THIS WAS AN OLD BELIEF ON THE RESERVATION
SHE WAS BORN ON IN WISCONSON.

Where learned: TOLD AT A FRIENDS HOUSE

Subject headings: Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration

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NOT GIVEN

THERE WAS A MAN WHO WAS INSANE AND KILLED HIS WIFE AND AFTER HE
KILLED HER HE WAS FULL OF REMORSE. HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE WAS
THE MURDERER AND IT IS SAID THAT HE TAKES HIS LANTERN IN THE
EVENING, AND GOES TO LOOK FOR HER BODY. IF YOU DRIVE OVER THAT
BRIDGE ON THE FAR EAST SIDE AND STOP, YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THE
LIGHT COME AND GO UNDER THE BRIDGE AND AS IT GOES UNDER THE
BRIDGE, IT SHAKES IT. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MAN DOING IT.

Submitter comment: JEAN AND I HAVE BOTH GONE TO THIS PLACE BUT DO NOT RECALL THE NAME
OF THE STREET AND ALL OF THE MYSTERIOUS THINGS DO HAPPEN BUT
THE EXPLANATION IS THAT IT IS THE SWAMP GAS AND WHEN IT SETTLES
UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE IS WHAT CAUSES IT TO TREMBLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS ; TOLD AT HER HOME

Keyword(s): GHOST

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

Date learned: 11-06-1971

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ONE CAN TELL IF YOU HAVE TRULY KILLED A WITCH IF A CROW CROWS.
IF YOU DID NOT HEAR THE CROW IT WAS A SIGN THAT THE WITCH HAD TAKEN
OVER A NEW BORN BABY'S SOUL.

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANTS HOME ; 16190 APPOLINE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Witch Shaman
BELIEF -- Bird

Date learned: 03-20-1970

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CUSTOM

WHEN A BABY IS JUST BORN, CUT A SMALL PIECE OF THE UMBILICAL CORD
AND SAVE THIS, THIS WILL BRING THE BABY GOOD LUCK.

Submitter comment: THIS IS DONE A GREAT DEAL IN LEBANON.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; TV STUDIO ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): CHARMS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 09-24-1970

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CHRISTMAS CUSTOM

IT WAS THE CUSTOM FOR MINERS IN THE UPPER PENNINSULA TO HAVE A
CHRISTMAS TREE AND A CHRISTMAS PARTY IN THE MINE.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 19501 BILTMORE ; TOLD AT INFORMANT'S HOME

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Christmas tree

Date learned: 02-28-1970

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BELIEF

SEVEN PEOPLE EATING TOGETHER
BRING GOOD LUCK - IF THIRTEEN
EATING TOGETHER, ONE WILL
DIE BEFORE THE YEAR IS UP.

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

Keyword(s): PREDICTION

Subject headings: 686 Specific number by specific number being described
686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 10-23-1968

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SPRING CUSTOM __ PALM SUNDAY

THE UKRANIAN PEOPLE USED TO BLESS PUSSY WILLOWS INSTEAD OF PALMS
AFTER THE PUSSY WILLOWS WERE BLESSED AT CHURCH THEY WOULD BE TAKEN
HOME BY EACH FAMILY. IN THE HOME THEY WERE PLACED ABOVE A HOLY
PICTURE. AT THE END OF THE DAY ALL THE OLD PUSSY WILLOWS WERE
BURNED. THIS DAY WAS SOMETIMES CALLED WILLOW SUNDAY. WILLOWS
WERE USED BECAUSE PALMS WERE COSTLY.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT KNEW OF THIS PRACTICE THROUGH A FRIEND AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN. HIS NAME IS SMENA RAKOVSKEY.

Where learned: HOME ; DETROIT ; 1284 N RADEMACHER ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): RELIGIOUS CUSTOM ; WILLOW

Subject headings: 663 Palm Sunday
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Tuesday

Date learned: 10-25-1971

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PROVERB

HE THAT CANNOT OBEY, CANNOT COMMAND.

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANTS HOME

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 11-02-1969

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BUSY 2-LEGGED CAT

HE WAS AS BUSY AS A TWO-LEGGED CAT IN A THREE-LEGGED RACE.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT IS FROM THE SOUTH SOMEWHER.

Where learned: TOLD AT BOTH INFORMANTS AND INFOFMEES PLACE OF WORK -SEARS

Keyword(s): ANIMAL SIMILE

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: 03-14-1970

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BELIEF

A DIMPLE IN YOUR CHEEK --
YOU ARE GENTLE AND MEEK
A DIMPLE IN YOUR CHIN --
THE DEVIL IS WITHIN

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; 24735 INDUSTRIAL HWY ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): Cheek ; Demeanor ; DEVIL ; Dimple ; PREDICTION ; RHYME ; SONG

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF ; QUATRAIN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Devil Demon
BELIEF -- Use of Object P860.438

Date learned: 02-03-1970

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MORAL PROVERB

THE HANDLE HAS LOST ITS AX.

Submitter comment: (E.G., SOMEONE WHO IS SMART IN PHYSICS WHEN HE HAS
HIS BOOKS BUT IS DUMB WHEN HE DOESN'T HAVE
HIS PHYSICS BOOK HAS LOST HIS AX)
(TRANSLATED FROM LITHUANIAN)

Data entry tech comment: LITHUANIAN PHRASE DENOTING MORAL PROVERB

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; HONORS HOUSE ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): TOOLS METAPHOR

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 02-17-1971

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MY FATHER ALWAYS JOKES, THAT IF HE HADN'T MARRIED MY MOTHER,
HE'D HAVE THE FIRST NICKEL HE EVER EARNED.

Where learned: TOLD AT HIS HOME

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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GROWING CORN

YOU COULD HEAR THE CORN GROWING LAST NIGHT.

Submitter comment: SAID IN A JOKING MANNER AFTER A LONG AWAITED RAIN
HAD COME DURING THE SUMMER, GROWING SEASON.

Where learned: TOLD AT ; FARM

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 00-00-1967

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COUGH

TO CURE A COUGH: BOIL A POT OF WATER WITH PEELED ONIONS IN IT. AFTER
THE WATER RISES TO A BOIL, SPILL THE WATER INTO A CUP AND DRINK IT.
MY MOTHER PREPAR%D THIS ONCE FOR ME WHEN I HAD A COUGH AND IT SEEMED
TO HELP.

Where learned: DETROIT ; TOLD AT HOME ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 11-06-1971

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CURE FOR SPRING FEVER

BOIL SASSAFRAS TEA- DRINK WHILE WARM.

Submitter comment: SPRING FEVER IS SIMILAR TO A GENERAL UPSET, TENSE AND NERVOUS
CONDITION. THOUGH IT IS KNOWN TO OCCUR ANY TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS
PARTICULARLY KNOWN IN THE SPRING; PEOPLE SHOW IT THROUGH THE
LACK OF ENERGY AND GENERAL SENSE OF LAZINESS.

Data entry tech comment: THREE OTHER SIMILAR REFERENCES IN THIS SECTION OF THE ARCHIVE.

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANTS HOME

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Remedy

Date learned: 11-14-1971

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SPRING TONIC

IN THE SPRINGTIME, PEOPLE OF THE PAST USED TO TAKE ONIONS COOKED
IN SYRUP AS A SPRING TONIC TO CURE ALL ILLS AND GET THEM ON
THEIR FEET AGAIN AFTER A SLOW WINTER.

Where learned: TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 03-31-1971

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3 MEN AT HOTEL RIDDLE

Q: THREE MEN WENT TO A HOTEL AND RENTED A ROOM. THE MANAGER CHARGED
THEM 30.00 DOLLARS $10.00 APIECE. THE ROOM WASN'T THAT GOOD SO THE
MANAGER DECIDED TO RETURN $5.00, TO SPLIT AMONG THE THREE MEN. THE
BELLBOY WAS SENT WITH THE MONEY AND ON THE WAY HE DECIDED TO KEEP
$2.00 AND GIVE THEM $3.00, $1.00 APIECE. THEREFORE, THEY EACH PAID
$9.00. BUT 9X3=27 AND 27+2>29. WHERE'S THE OTHER DOLLAR?
A: THAT'S THE WRONG WAY TO FIGURE IT OUT. THE MANAGER HAS $25.00.
25+5=30

James Callow comment: THE PATRONS HAVE $1 EACH=$3; THE BELLBOY HAS $2. TOTAL $30

Where learned: INDIANA ; University of Notre Dame ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): MONETARY (Q) ; MONETARY ITEMS (A) ; PERSONS (Q) ; PERSONS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

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