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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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GROMNICA

IF YOU LIGHT A BLESSED CANDLE WITHIN YOUR HOME DURING A
RAINSTORM IN WHICH THERE IS MUCH THUNDER AND LIGHNING,
YOUR HOME WILL BE SAFE FROM THE DANGER OF BEING STRUCK
BY THE LIGHTNING.

Submitter comment: THIS IS AN OLD POLISH BELIEF WHICH THE INFORMANT, MY
MOTHER, DISTINCTLY REMEMBERS AS BEING PRACTICED IN HER
HOME WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder

Date learned: 01-08-1964

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IF SMOKE FROM THE CHIMNEYS LAYS ON THE GROUND, IT WILL
RAIN. THAT'S CAUSE THE AIR IS HEAVY. BUT IF IT GOES
UP, IT WILL BE A PRETTY DAY.

Submitter comment: LEANRED AS A CHILD IN GLOUCESTER, OHIO

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; DETROIT ; GLOUCESTER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 05-11-1965

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WHEN MUSKRATS BUILD THEIR HOUSES HIGHER THAN USUAL, IT IS
A SIGN OF A COLD WINTER.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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BAD WEATHER

WHEN THE SKY WAS "RED IN THE MORNING" DAD WOULD SAY
"SAILORS TAKE WARNING," BECAUSE BAD WEATHER WOULD
BE ON THE WAY. (PROBABLY COMES FROM HANOVER
IN GERMANY).

Submitter comment: NORTHERN LIGHTS ALSO WAS A SIGN OF BAD WEATHER.

Where learned: GERMANY ; ILLINOIS ; PEORIA ; HANOVER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 11-01-1971

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IF IT RAINS ON JULY 26TH, IT WILL RAIN FOR THE FOLLOWING
TWO WEEKS.
IF IT IS DRY, EXPECT TWO WEEKS OF DRYNESS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SARANAC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 11-18-1971

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WHEN ANTS TRAVEL IN A STRAIGHT LINE, EXPECT RAIN; WHEN
THEY SCATTER, EXPECT FAIR WEATHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 10-22-1971

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A TOUGH APPLE SKIN MEANS A HARD WINTER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SARANAC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 11-18-1971

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THE HIGHER THE CLOUDS, THE BETTER THE WEATHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SARANAC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 11-00-1971

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WE ALWAYS USED TO KILL SNAKES DOWN HOME AND HANG THEM
ON THE FENCE. WELL, THEY ALWAYS TOLD US IF YOU HANG
A SNAKE ON THE FENCE, IT WILL RAIN. I DON'T KNOW
WHY, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD US.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; SOUTHFIELD ; HOLLISTER

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

Date learned: 05-19-1965

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DURING A THUNDERSTORM, TO AVOID BEING HIT BY LIGHTNING,
IT IS ADVISABLE TO BURN ONE OF THE BLESSED PALMS
WHICH WERE DISTRIBUTED ON PALM SUNDAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS

James Callow Keyword(s): FIRE SMOKE FUMIGATION

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder

Date learned: 10-25-1969

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DURING BAD STORMS, HOLY CANDLES WERE LIT TO PREVENT
DISASTER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 11-23-1970

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WHEN COWS FLOCK UNDER A TREE OR LAY DOWN IN THE FIELD,
IT IS A SIGN OF AN APPROACHING STORM.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; LE ROY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 03-00-1971

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IF THE BLACK ENDS ON THE COLORING OF A CATERPILLAR ARE
WIDE OR MAKE UP A GREATER PROPORTION THAN THE BROWN,
THEN THE WINTER WILL BE A SEVERE ONE.

Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; LE ROY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 03-00-1971

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EVERY TIME MY KNEES HURT ME SO BADLY THAT I CANNOT
STAND, I KNOW IT IS GOING TO RAIN. AND WHEN I
CANNOT KNEEL THERE IS GOING TO BE A TERRIBLE STORM.

Where learned: HOME ; DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew
BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Pains

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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BLESSED PALM FROM PALM SUNDAY SHOULD BE PUT IN ALL
FOUR CORNERS OF A HOUSE TO PROTECT IT AGAINST
STORMS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- P663 P663.12

Date learned: 02-04-1968

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CHAIN LETTER (TRANSLATED FROM ITALIAN).
PRAYER FOUND IN THE HOLY SEPULCHER OF O.L.J.C.
COPY OF A LETTER OF PRAYER FOUND IN THE HOLY SEPULCHER
OF O.L.J.C. IN JERUSALEM KEPT IN A SILVER CASE BY HIS
HOLINESS AND BY THE CHRISTIAN EMPERORS AND EMPRESSES.
SAINT ELIZABETH QUEEN OF HUNGARY, SAINT MATILDA, AND
SAINT BRIGIDE WISHING TO KNOW SOME THINGS REGARDING
THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST, MADE CERTAIN AND SPECIFIC
PRAYERS THROUGH WHICH JESUS CHRIST APPEARED AND TOLD
THEM:
KNOW (YOU) THAT THE ARMED SOLDIERS WERE 23, THE JUDICIAL
EXECUTIONERS 83, THE PUNCHES WHICH I RECEIVED IN THE
HEAD WERE 150, IN THE BREAST 108. THE KICKS ON THE SHOULDERS
80, AND I WAS DRAGGED WITH ROPES AND BY THE HAIR 23 TIMES.
THE SPITS IN THE FACE WERE 180, BEATINGS ON THE HEART
6,666, BEATINGS ON THE HEAD 110. THEY VERY FORCIBLY
RAMMED INTO ME (ONCE), MY HEAD WAS LIFTED BY THE HAIR
ON THE 21ST HOUR (9 P.M.), I SIGHED 120 SIGHS. I WAS
DRAGGED AND PULLED BY THE BEARD 23 TIMES, WOUNDS IN THE
HEAD 20, THORNS OF (BLANK BLANK) 72. THORN WOUNDS 110.
FATAL THORNS IN THE FOREHEAD 3, AFTERWARDS FLAGELLATED
AND CLOTHED AS KING IN MOCKERY. WOUNDS ON THE BODY
(WERE) 1000. THE (NUMBER OF) SOLDIERS THAT LED ME TO
CALVARY WERE 908, THOSE THAT GUARDED ME WERE 3, DROPS
OF BLOOD THAT I SHED WERE 5,475. TO WHOMEVER RECITES
SEVEN OUR FATHERS, AVES, AND GLORIAS EACH DAY FOR 15
YEARS, TO NUMBER (OR COUNT) THE NUMBER OF DROPS OF
BLOOD WHICH I LOST, I WILL ALLOW 5 GRACES: (1) A
PLENARY INDULGENCE AND REMISSION OF ALL SINS ; (2)
HE (OR SHE) WILL BE FREED FROM THE PAINS OF PURGATORY;
(3) IF HE (OR SHE) WILL DIE BEFORE FINISHING THE 15 YEAR
DEVOTION (4) IT WILL BE AS IF HE HAD FINISHED IT AND
SHED HIS BLOOD FOR THE FAITH. (5) I WILL COME DOWN FROM
HEAVEN TO RECEIVE HIS SOUL AND THOSE OF HIS RELATIVES
UP TO THE FOURTH DEGREE.
THE ONE THAT WILL CARRY THIS PRAYER WON'T DIE BY
DROWNING, NOR OF A BAD DEATH (I.E., HE WILL DIE A GOOD
DEATH), NOR WILL HE HAVE SUDDEN DEATH. HE WILL BE
FREED FROM CONTAGION, FROM THE PLAGUE, FROM LIGHTNING,
AND WILL NOT DIE WITHOUT CONFESSION;; HE WILL BE FREED
FROM HIS ENEMIES AND FROM JUDICIARY POWER (THE ARM OF
THE LAW) AND FROM EVERYONE WHO WISHES HIM EVIL, AND
FROM FALSE WITNESSES. WOMEN THAT COULDN'T CONCEIVE
WILL CONCEIVE AND WILL BE OUT OF DANGER.
IN THE HOUSE WHERE THIS PRAYER IS KEPT, THERE WON'T
BE ANY BETRAYALS NOR ANY BAD THINGS, AND 40 DAYS
BEFORE HIS DEATH, THE ONE THAT WILL DIE, WILL SEE
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. AS SAINT GREGORY POPE SAID:
"A CERTAIN CAPTAIN TRAVELING BY LAND SAW NEAR
BARCELONA A HEAD CUT OFF WHICH SPOKE TO HIM THUS:
SINCE YOU ARE GOING TO BARCELONA, TRAVELER, BRING ME A
CONFESSOR SO I MAY RECEIVE CONFESSION, SINCE IT'S BEEN
THREE DAYS ALREADY SINCE I HAVE BEEN CUT OFF BY
THIEVES AND I CANNOT DIE UNLESS IF I HAVE NOT RECEIVED
CONFESSION. A CONFESSOR BEING LED TO THE PLACE BY THE
AFORESAID CAPTAIN, THE HEAD RECEIVED CONFESSION AND
THEN DIED. ON THE BODY FROM WHICH THE HEAD WAS CUT OFF
WAS FOUND THE FOLLOWING PRAYER; WHICH ON THAT OCCASION
WAS APPROVED BY VARIOUS TRIBUNALS OF THE HOLY JURISDIC-
TION OF SPAIN. THE AFOREMENTIONED SEVEN OUR FATHERS,
AVES, AND GLORIAS CAN BE RECITED AND APPLIED FOR WHICH
EVER SOUL ONE MAY WISH. ANOTHER SIMILAR COPY OF THE
LETTER HAS BEEN MIRACULOUSLY FOUND IN A PLACE (OR
LOCATION) CALLED PORTIS, FOUR LEAGUES FROM MARSEILLES
(OR MARSIGLIA), WRITTEN IN GOLDEN LETTERS AND BROUGHT
BY A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD CHILD OF PORTIS.
AN ADDITIONAL DECLARATION OF JANUARY 23, 1750 SAYS:
ALL THOSE THAT WILL WORK ON SUNDAY WILL BE CURSED BY
ME, SINCE ON SUNDAY YOU MUST GO TO CHURCH TO PRAY SO
THAT I MAY FORGIVE YOU YOUR SINS, AND IT IS FOR THIS
REASON THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU SIX DAYS TO WORK AND ONE
FOR RESTING AND GIVING WORKS OF DEVOTION AND WITH WHAT
YOU HAVE (OWN) DO GOOD TO THE POOR AND YOUR ACTIONS
WILL BE FULL OF BLESSINGS AND GRACES (AND/OR FAVORS);
ON THE CONTRARY IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THIS, YOU AND
YOUR CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE MAJOR PUNISHMENTS, AND I WILL
SEND PLAGUES, FAMINE, WARS, ATROCIOUS GRIEF (HORRIBLE PAIN)
AND HEART SPASMS: AS A SIGN OF MY INDIGNATION, YOU WILL
SEE SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS, THUNDERS, EARTHQUAKES. THOSE
THAT WILL JUDGE THIS LETTER NOT TO BE WRITTEN BY WORK OF
THE DIVINE AND AS COMING FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD AND
THOSE THAT WILL MALICIOUSLY KEEP IT HIDDEN WITHOUT
WRITING IT TO OTHER PERSONS, WILL BE CURSED BY GOD AND
CONFUSED ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT AND HE WHO WILL COPY IT
(OR MAKE IT PUBLIC) EVEN IF HE HAD MANY SINS, IF HE IS
TRULY SORRY OF HAVING OFFENDED ME, AND AGAIN HAVING
WRONGED HIS NEIGHBORS ASKING ME PARDON, I WILL "ERASE"
(FORGIVE) HIS SINS: THE ONES THAT WILL READ IT AND
WILL FINISH THE DEVOTION, OR WILL HAVE IT READ, WILL
BE FREE FROM ALL TEMPTATION.
WITH ECCLESIASTICAL APPROVAL.

Submitter comment: THE ORIGINAL, IN ITALIAN, IS IN THE POSSESSION OF
THE INFORMANT'S MOTHER.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT

Subject headings: 686 Fifths
686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Week Day Hour
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Working
BELIEF -- Religious hero
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Prayer
BELIEF -- Number P686.1.15
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 02-00-1968

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THIS PERSON CLAIMS THAT HIS MOTHER TAUGHT HIM ALWAYS
TO BELIEVE THE RHYME:
RED SKIES IN THE MORNING,
SAILORS TAKE WARNING,
RED SKIES AT NIGHT,
SAILORS DELIGHT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 02-25-1967

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IT IS SAID THAT IF YOU MAKE FOUR SMALL CROSSES OUT
OF BLESSED PALMS AND BURY THEM AT THE FOUR EXTREME
CORNERS OF YOUR PROPERTY THAT YOUR HOME AND
PROPERTY WILL BE PROTECTED FROM ALL STORMS AND
FORMS OF DESTRUCTION BY THE ELEMENTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: 663 Palm Sunday
686 Fourths / Quarters
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications

Date learned: 11-02-1969

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IF A SMALL PIECE OF BLESSED PALM IS TIED AROUND
EVERY OUTSIDE DOORKNOB OF THE HOME, IT WILL BE
PROTECTED FROM STORMS OR ANY DAMAGE FROM THE
ELEMENTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: 663 Palm Sunday
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 10-26-1969

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SMOKE SIGNS

WHEN THE SMOKE GOES UP, THE WEATHER WILL BE FAIR. WHEN THE SMOKE GOES TO THE GROUND, THE WEATHER WILL BE CLOUDY.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; HAMPSHIRE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

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