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LITTLE FISHIE IN THE BROOK,
COME AND BITE MY LITTLE HOOK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

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

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THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED BRIGHT,
WHOSE SPEED WAS MUCH FASTER THAN LIGHT.
SHE SET OUT ONE DAY,
IN A RELATIVE WAY,
AND RETURNED ON THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Keyword(s): HUMOR, FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; INDIRECTION LIMERICK ; METER: ANAPESTIC TETRAMETER ; QUATRAIN CONTRADICTIONS ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABBA ; RIDICULE NONSENSE

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

Date learned: 11-12-1968

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A CANNER, EXCEEDINGLY CANNY,
ONE MORNING REMARKED TO HIS GRANNY:
A CANNER CAN CAN, ANYTHING THAT HE CAN CAN;
BUT A CANNER CAN'T CAN A CAN CAN HE?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Keyword(s): METER: TROCHAIC ; PUN, WORD PLAY HUMOR ; RHYME: AABA ; RHYME: FEMININE, IMPERFECT

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

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THE SISTER-IN-LAW, IN HER SLEEP, IMAGINED THAT HER
MOTHER WAS CALLING TO HER. SHE AWAKENED FRIGHTENED
BUT SHRUGGED IT OFF AS A BAD DREAM. THE NEXT MORNING
WHEN SHE WENT TO SEE HER MOTHER, WHO LIVED TWO
HOUSES AWAY, SHE WAS DEAD. THE DOCTOR SAID SHE DIED
ABOUT 4:30 THAT MORNING, THE SAME TIME THAT THE
SISTER-IN-LAW AWAKENED FROM HER DREAM.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS COLLECTED ON JAN. 31, 1967; MRS. SWEROCK
RELATED THIS INCIDENT AS HEARD FROM HER SISTER-IN-LAW.

Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Dreams Foretelling a death

Date learned: 01-31-1967

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IT IS BELIEVED THAT IF A PERSON HAS A LOOSE,
UNATTACHED STRING ON HIS PERSON, HE IS TO RECEIVE
A LETTER.

Submitter comment: FROM MY SISTER WHO HEARD IT FROM HER HIGH SCHOOL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: Observation

Date learned: 04-10-1967

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THIS WAS COLLECTED WHILE AT VIRGINIA BEACH IN THE SUMMER
OF 1966. UPON LOOKING AT SEVERAL PEOPLE'S FEET,
MRS. SWEROCK MADE THE FOLLOWING REMARK; WHICH SHE HAD
HEARD WHEN A LITTLE GIRL:
IF A WIFE'S TOE NEXT TO THE BIG TOE IS TALLER THAN THE
BIG TOE, SHE WILL DIE BEFORE HER HUSBAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE ; VIRGINIA BEACH ; VIRGINIA, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: NOT GIVEN ; 00-00-1966

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YOU KNOW HOW IT IS IN THE OLDEN DAYS; IT WAS CUSTOMARY
TO SIT WITH A DEAD PERSON. WELL, THERE WERE THESE
SIX GUYS KEEPING WATCH. THIS HAPPENED IN POLAND
MANY YEARS AGO. AS THEY WERE SITTING THERE, THEY
KEPT DRINKING. ONE OF THE GROUP HAD TO GO TO THE
OUT-HOUSE. WHILE HE WAS GONE THE OTHER GUYS DECIDED TO
PLAY A JOKE ON HIM. SO THEY SAID, "LET'S TAKE THE
CORPSE OUT OF THE COFFIN AND ONE OF US WILL LAY IN
THE COFFIN." THEY ALL AGREED. SO THEY TOOK OUT THE
CORPSE AND PUT IT BEHIND THE DOOR. ONE OF THE GUYS
CLIMBED IN THE COFFIN AND PRETENDED LIKE HE WAS DEAD.
WHEN THE GUY WHO WENT TO THE OUT-HOUSE CAME BACK IN,
THE GUY IN THE COFFIN STARTED GETTING UP VERY SLOWLY.
THE POOR GUY GOT SO SCARED HE DROPPED DEAD.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS COLLECTED 4/9/67 FROM MR. SWEROCK, WHO WAS
RECALLING STORIES TOLD HIM BY HIS FATHER, A NATIVE
OF POLAND.

Where learned: POLAND ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 04-09-1967

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RIDDLE VERSE

Q: LITTLE NANNY ETTICOAT,/ IN A WHITE PETTICOAT/ AND A RED NOSE;/
THE LONGER SHE STANDS,/ THE SHORTER SHE GROWS.
A: A CANDLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; CLOTHES (Q) ; PART OF THE BODY (Q) ; PERSON (Q)

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

Date learned: 11-12-1968

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A NEW WORD FOR A MARIJUANA JOINT-- A HOOTER.

Submitter comment: I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD PRESERVE THIS LITTLE BIT OF THE DRUG CULTURE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Underworld

Date learned: 00-00-1980

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MY FRIEND JOE BELIEVES THAT IF HE CAN COUNT 9 STARS ON 9 SUCCESSIVE
NIGHTS, ON THE 9TH NIGHT THE GIRL HE DREAMS OF WILL BECOME HIS WIFE.

Submitter comment: JOE LEARNED THIS BELIEF FROM HIS SISTER WHEN HE WAS A CHILD. ONE
WOULD THINK THIS BELIEF ORIGINATED IN A CLOUDY CLIMATE, BECAUSE IT
WOULD BE EASY TO DO IN A NICE WEATHER AREA.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: 686 Ninths / Nine
Favorites
BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Dreams

Date learned: 00-00-1964 ; 00-00-1976

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FOR AN INGROWN HAIR PLACE A PIECE OF BREAD WRAPPED IN A BAND-AID
ON THE AFFECTED AREA FOR A DAY, THE HAIR WILL COME RIGHT OUT.

Submitter comment:

MY MOTHER GAVE ME THIS REMEDY WHILE I WAS AFFLICTED WITH IT.
IT WORKED.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Keyword(s): AILMENT ; BREAD ; CURE ; Homeopathy ; Ingrown Hair ; REMEDY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 00-00-1980

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ALSO FOR AN INGROWN HAIR-- PUT SCALDING WATER INTO A POP BOTTLE,
THEN POUR IT OUT QUICKLY PUTTING YOUR THUMB OVER THE TPP SO AIR WILL
NOT ESCAPE. THEM PLACE THE BOTTLE DIRECTLY ONTO THE AFFECTED AREA.

Submitter comment: MY MOTHER'S BOYFRIEND GAVE ME THIS ONE.--- IT DIDNT WORK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 00-00-1980

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IT IS BELIEVED THAT IF A PERSON IS SEWING ANYTHING
(A BUTTON, A HEM) ON HIS VERY PERSON, SHOULD BITE
ON A GOLD RING IN ORDER TO HAVE GOOD LUCK.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS COLLECTED FROM MRS. SWEROCK WHO MADE
THE REMARK WHILE I WAS SEWING A TORN HEM ON MY
DRESS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Good luck Jewelry (gems, rings, etc.)
BELIEF -- Good luck Activities

Date learned: 03-11-1967

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Ethnic: Irish/Scottish Superstition

Good Luck:

No man would ever leave Irelannd or Scotland without a bit of heather and a small bag of soil. Without these life in the new wold would be bitter.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN's [P880, F533, p880] crossed out and replaced with F533.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; Abner, Robinson ; 1681 22ND ST ; WYANDOTTE

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; DIVINATION ; Earth ; ETHNIC ; Heather ; Herbal ; Irish ; LUCK ; NATURE ; New World ; SCOTTISH ; Soil ; SUPERSTITION ; TRAVEL

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

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MOONING

ONE OF THE FAVORITE PRANKS IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS TO DRIVE AROUND
LOOKING FOR OLDER COUPLES THEN BEEPING THE HORN AND FILLING THE
CAR WINDOWS WITH AS MANY CHEEKS AS POSSIBLE.

Submitter comment: MOONING IS A FUN, HARMLESS PRANK THAT WE DID VERY SKILLFULLY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

James Callow Keyword(s): SLANG: CHEEK FOR BUTTOCKS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion

Date learned: 00001970S

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IF YOUR NOSE ITCHES, YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH A FOOL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses

Date learned: 10-17-1970

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THE GYPSY AND THE FRECKLES

WHEN MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDMOTHER WAS A SMALL CHILD, SHE HAD FRECKLES
COVERING HER FACE, NECK, AND ARMS. THEY WERE VERY LARGE AND UGLY.
HER MOTHER TOOK HER TO THE DOCTORS TO HAVE THEM REMOVED, BUT THE
GIRL BEGGED HER MOTHER AS A LAST RESORT TO GO AND SEE THE GYPSY.
THE GYPSY WORKED ALL DAY ON A SPECIAL SOLUTION THAT SMELLED
TERRIBLE. THE SOLUTION WAS APPLIED TO THE FRECKLES WITH A TOWEL.
WHEN THE TOWEL WAS REMOVED, THE FRECKLES WERE GONE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; 694 CLINTON ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Witch Shaman

Date learned: 03-24-1970

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BIRTH PREDICTION

THIS ENTRY WAS MADE JAN. 17, 1967 FROM MRS. SWEROCK WHO,
UPON VISITING HER EXPECTANT NIECE, PREDICTED THE SEX
OF THE UNBORN CHILD. SHE LEARNED THIS METHOD OF
DETERMINING THE SEX FROM HER MOTHER, A NATIVE
OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
IF THE WOMAN IS POINTED IN THE FRONT, SHE WILL HAVE
A BOY; IF SHE IS BROAD AND WIDE FROM BEHIND, THEN
SHE'LL HAVE A GIRL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: Observation
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth

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Jump Rope Song

DOWN IN THE VALLEY WHERE THE GREEN GRASS GROWS,
THERE SAT  __(GIRL'S NAME)__ AS SWEET AS A ROSE.
ALONG CAME __(BOY'S NAME)__ AND KISSED HER ON THE NOSE,
HOW MANY KISSES DID SHE RECEIVE?
ONE, TWO, THREE . . .

AND SO ON UNTIL THE JUMPER MISSES.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE ; 115 EMMONS

Keyword(s): ENDURANCE JUMP

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

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POLISH HOKE

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

HOW MANY POLACKS DOES IT TAKE TO SCREW IN A LIGHTBULB?
THREE. TWO TO TURN THE LADDER AND ONE TO HOLD THE BULB.

Submitter comment:

THIS WAS COLLECTED 02231967 WHEN MY COUSIN RON VISITED
ME. WE ARE BOTH PART POLISH AND ENJOY EXCHANGING
POLISH JOKES WITH EACH OTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WYANDOTTE

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman
BELIEF -- Poli

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