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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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THROW RICE AT WEDDINGS TO INSURE FERTILITY.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Marriage Rice

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FOLK BELIEF

YOU CAN TELL HOW DARK A BABY WILL BE BY THE COLOR OF HIS EARS.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: Spirit / Mind / Body
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Ears, noise in ear
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Color

Date learned: 04-14-1972

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A BABY IN THE MIRROR

DON'T LET A BABY LOOK IN THE MIRROR, IT WILL CAUSE HIM TO HAVE
A HARD TIME CUTTING TEETH.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; COLUMBIA

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

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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FOLK BELIEF

DO NOT LET A BABY LOOK AT HIMSELF IN A MIRROR, IF HE DOES HE WILL
DIE.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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FOLK BELIEF

IF A PREGNANT WOMAN SEES OR HAS A FRGHTENING EXPERIENCE, HER CHILD
WILL BE MARKED BY THE EXPERIENCE ACCO RDINGLY.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT'S MOTHER SAW A PLANE CRASH IN DALLAS, TEXAS. SHE WAS
PREGNANT AT THE TIME. INFORMANT HAS A BIRTHMARK ON HIS ARM AND IT
IS SAID THAT THIS IS THE PIECES OF THE WRECKED PLANE.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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BELIEF

IF A BABY IS CUTE WHEN BORN, IT WILL BE UGLY WHEN IT GROWS UP. AND
VICE VERSA.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): COMPENSATION

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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PREGNANCY PREDICTION

THE TENDENCY TO DROP THINGS USUALLY MEANS PREGNANCY.

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; OWENSBORO

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 03-00-1972

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FAMILY PREDICTION

COUNT THE WRINKLES IN THE KNEE OF A COUPLE'S FIRST BABY AND YOU CAN
KNOW HOW MANY CHILDREN THEY WILL HAVE.

Where learned: GEORGIA ; CLEVELAND

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs

Date learned: 07-24-1968

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NOT GIVEN

IF A BABY IS CUTE, IT WILL BE UGLY LATER. IF A BABY IS UGLY,
IT WILL BE CUTE.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTRAST

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 08-02-1968

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PREDICTION: SEX OF UNBORN CHILD

WHEN PREGNANT WOMAN CARRIES CHILD HIGH, THE CHILD WILL BE A GIRL.
IF CHILD IS CARRIED LOW, THEN IT WILL BE A BOY.
IF CHILD IN WOMB KICKS ON RIGHT SIDE, IT WILL BE A BOY. ON LEFT
SIDE, IT WILL BE A GIRL.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION, DIRECTION ; RIGHT, LEFT

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 03-00-1969

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PREDICTION: NUMBER OF CHILDREN FOR BRIDE

YOU CAN PREDICT HOW MANY CHILDREN A BRIDE WILL HAVE BY THE NUMBER
OF RIBBONS SHE CUTS INTO ON HER WEDDING GIFTS.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: Prediction / Divination
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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AGAIN?

THE STORY SURROUNDING THE NAME OF CHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN, IS USUALLY
CONNECTED WITH AN INDIAN FAMILY RESIDING IN THE AREA. THE FATHER
IS GENERALLY AN IMPORTANT CHIEF BUT SOMETIMES IS REPORTED AS A
COMMON HUNTER. HIS WIFE HAD SEVERAL CHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM WERE
BOYS. ALTHOUGH HE WAS VERY PLEASED, HE WISHED THEIR NEXT CHILD
TO BE A GIRL. HOWEVER, THE NEWBORN WAS AGAIN A BOY. WHEN TOLD OF
THE BIRTH, THE FATHER REPORTEDLY REPLIED, "SHE A BOY AGAIN?"
THIS ANSWER WAS CONSEQUENTLY ELIDED INTO THE NAME, "CHEBOYGAN."

Submitter comment: THE STORY HAS BEEN TOLD TO ME FROM MANY NATIVES OF THIS NORTHERN
MICHIGAN TOWN, AS WELL AS TOURISTS WHO HAVE VISITED THE SURROUND-
ING AREA, SO FOR THIS REASON, NO LONE INFORMANT HAS BEEN SINGLED
OUT.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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AGAIN?

THE STORY SURROUNDING THE NAME OF CHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN, IS USUALLY
CONNECTED WITH AN INDIAN FAMILY RESIDING IN THE AREA. THE FATHER
IS GENERALLY AN IMPORTANT CHIEF BUT SOMETIMES IS REPORTED AS A
COMMON HUNTER. HIS WIFE HAD SEVERAL CHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM WERE
BOYS. ALTHOUGH HE WAS VERY PLEASED, HE WISHED THEIR NEXT CHILD
TO BE A GIRL. HOWEVER, THE NEWBORN WAS AGAIN A BOY. WHEN TOLD OF
THE BIRTH, THE FATHER REPORTEDLY REPLIED, "SHE A BOY AGAIN?"
THIS ANSWER WAS CONSEQUENTLY ELIDED INTO THE NAME, "CHEBOYGAN."

Submitter comment: THE STORY HAS BEEN TOLD TO ME FROM MANY NATIVES OF THIS NORTHERN
MICHIGAN TOWN, AS WELL AS TOURISTS WHO HAVE VISITED THE SURROUND-
ING AREA, SO FOR THIS REASON, NO LONE INFORMANT HAS BEEN SINGLED
OUT.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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IN THE OLDEN TIMES IT WAS SAID THAT IF A GIRL
KISSED A BOY SHE WOULD HAVE A BABY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PREGNANT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Birth
SPEECH -- Magical

Date learned: 10-12-1971

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Belief: Children

Wednesday's Child:

Wednesday's Child is full of woe.

Submitter comment:

(A person born on Wednesday is believed to be ill-fated through-out life.)

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BIRTH ; Born ; CHILDREN ; DAYS OF THE WEEK ; DESTINY ; Destiny, Fate ; Wednesday ; WOE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour
BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance

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Custom/Belief

Craving of Pregnant Woman:

If a pregnant woman has a craving for something and does not get it, the baby will have a birthmark resembling the food that was craved.

Submitter comment:

Informant is a friend's mother, and she remembers this from all her life.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): BABY ; Birthmark ; Craving ; Craving ; Disfigure ; FOOD ; Lore ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Italian Superstition:

Our family doesn't believe this, but my grandmother and some relatives do: when a pregnant woman craves for some specific food, and doesn't satisfy this crave, she will get a beauty mark in the shape of that food somewhere on her body. My cousin has a beauty mark similar to a pork chop and her mother claims to have craved for pork.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original Bn [P680] crossed out and replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS ; Myself

Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; CHILD ; Craving ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; Italian ; Old Wives Tale ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Belief:

If a pregnant woman gets frightened and touches some part of her body, her child will be born with a birthmark on the same part of its body. The birthmark will be the same shape as the thing which frightened the mother.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Original BN [P438] crossed out and replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; CHILD ; FRIGHT ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY ; Scare ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Belief:

A pregnant woman should avoid being scared or shocked because this will disfigure or mark the baby.

Examples:

1. During a fire, a terrified pregnant woman grabbed her face with her hands and the baby was born with a red streak on its face.

2. A pregnant woman was scared by a mouse, and her baby was born with a marking on its shoulder similar to a mouse.

Submitter comment:

The informant heard of these two instances while she as a young girl in Poland.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Biology ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CHILD ; FEAR ; FIRE ; Mouse ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY ; RODENT ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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Superstition

Pregnancy Belief:

When the informant was a student nurse in obstetrics at Mt. Carmel Hospital in 1968, she had a Slavic patient who had a patch of hair on her back at the base of her spine. the woman haad been told by her mother that she had been frightened by a bear while she was carrying her daughter. She was extrememly frightened when she suddenly saw the bearbut as she made the spontaneous gesture of clutching herself, she thought it would be dangerous to her child if she raised her hands to her face in fear in the front, so she reached behind and grabbed her back. She belived this had caused the patch on her daughter's back.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Reference

Where learned: Public Health Nurse

Keyword(s): BABY ; Bear ; BELIEF ; CHILD ; CURSE ; FEAR ; infant ; jinx ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): Reference

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

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