TO BRING GOOD LUCK TO AN ITALIAN (SICILIAN MOSTLY)
CARDPLAYER, YOU TAKE YOUR THUMB, STICK IT STRAIGHT
UP ON HIS HEAD, THEN LET IT FALL, WITH A LITTLE
FORCE AND SAY "NASPOLA!!" THIS BRINGS GOOD LUCK
SUPPOSEDLY.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; BLESSING ; Card ; CUSTOM ; GAME ; GESTURE ; Italian ; LUCK ; Naspolta ; SUPERSTITION ; Thumb

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.22

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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TO WARD OFF THE "COOTIES" SO COMMON TO ALL GRADE
SCHOOL CHILDREN, A GESTURE OF 2 FISTS TOGETHER WITH THE
THUMBS EXTENDED IS MADE.

Data entry tech comment:

DIAGRAM IS ON 5 X 8 CARD.

Updated By TRD for BN. Card Info Update is Forthcoming.

Where learned: DORM ROOM

Keyword(s): BEHAVIOR ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Classroom ; COOTIES ; CUSTOM ; Fists ; GAME ; GESTURE ; Grade School ; SLANG ; Thumb

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- School
BELIEF -- P670 P670.88
BELIEF -- Conversions P883.22

Date learned: 10-10-1969

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WHEN GOING UNDER A BRIDGE OR TUNNEL PUT UP YOUR ARMS AS IF
YOU WERE HOLDING UP THE ROOF OF THE CAR SO THE BRIDGE WON'T
FALL ON YOU.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arms ; BELIEF ; Bridge ; Collapse ; CUSTOM ; GESTURE ; LUCK ; PREVENTION ; Protection ; SUPERSTITION

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.22
BELIEF -- Conversions P883.22

Date learned: 03-00-1971

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CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW

CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW
WENT UP STAIRS TO KISS A FELLOW
SHE MADE A MISTAKE
AND KISSED A SNAKE
HOW MANY DOCTORS DID IT TAKE? COUNT FROM 1 TO 15.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: DETROIT

Keyword(s): COLOR ; COUNTING ; GAME ; Jump Rope ; JUMP ROPE RHYME ; RHYME ; SONG

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1979

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Dream of fish

If you dream of fish a woman in your family is pregnant.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DREAMS ; FISH ; Portent ; PREDICTION ; PREGNANCY ; SIGN ; SYMBOL

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Fish
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Dreams Dreams about animals

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BELIEF-DAILY LIFE

IF YOUR LEFT PALM ITCHES, YOU WILL RECEIVE A LETTER.

Submitter comment:

LEARNED FROM HER SCHOOL FRIENDS.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: INDIANA ; South Bend

Keyword(s): Hand ; ITCH ; Palm ; PREDICTION ; SIGN ; SYMBOL ; Visitor

James Callow Keyword(s): DIRECTION ; POSITION

Subject headings:

Observation
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet

Date learned: 11-23-1967

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PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS (NATIONALITY GROUP)

A COLONY OF AMISH PEOPLE NOW LIVE IN COLON, MICHIGAN. THEY MOVED
HERE FROM PENNSYLVANIA TO ESCAPE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TEACHERS NOT
HAVING CERTIFICATES. NOW THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IN COLON.
ONE CAN TELL AN AMISH HOUSE IN COLON, MICH. BECAUSE THE WINDOWS
NEVER HAVE CURTAINS. THEY ONLY HAVE SHADES. THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY
OR LUXURIES IN THEIR HOUSES. THE PEOPLE OFTEN TAKE THEIR
HORSE AND BUGGY TO THE LOCAL SUPERMARKET, LEAVING THE HORSE TIED
TO A HITCHING POST OFF TO THE SIDE. THEY WILL NEVER BUY FOOD WITH
PRESERVATIVES AND PREFER TO EAT A RATHER THICK TASTING BREAD.
THE INFORMANT SAID THAT SHE TASTED THE BREAD AND COULD NOT STAND
MORE THAN A FEW BITES BECAUSE IT WAS SO RICH.

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT FIRST LEARNED OF THE AMISH WHILE GOING TO A FAMILY
COTTAGE IN COLON, MICH. IN 1978. HER DESCRIPTION SOUNDS TYPICAL OF
THE CLASSIC PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH ATTIRE AND ATTITUDE. SIMPLICITY
AND KEEPING TO OLD TRADITIONS ARE INHERENT TO HER DESCRIPTION.
UPON VISITING COLON WITH THE INFORMANT, THE COLLECTOR NOTICED THE
SAME CUSTOMS. ONE HEARS ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE CURRENT PROBLEMS
WITH TEACHING, STRESSING THAT NEW DIFFICULTIES ARE ALWAYS ARISING
WITH THE AMISH.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK

Keyword(s): Amish ; BREAD ; Buggy ; Curtains ; GERMAN ; HORSE ; Preservatives ; Shades ; Simplicity ; Technology

Subject headings:

Favorites
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Daily Life
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School
Food Drink -- Plant food Cereal
BELIEF -- P439

Date learned: 10-00-1980 ; 00-00-1978

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WHY IS A BARBER POLE RED AND WHITE STRIPED? RED STANDS
FOR BLOOD AND WHITE STANDS FOR BANDAGES BECAUSE THE BARBER
ALWAYS DID THE BLEEDING FOR ALL KINDS OF AILMENTS.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; ROCKWOOD

Keyword(s): Ailments ; Bandages ; Barber ; Barber Pole ; Bleeding ; COLOR ; CURE ; DISEASE ; HAIR ; ILLNESS ; Pole ; PREVENTION ; Red ; SICKNESS ; Signal ; Symbolize ; White

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Sign Color
BELIEF -- Color

Date learned: 07-28-1968

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Entry filtered.

LANGUAGE OF ISRAEL: NO REAL NATIONAL LANGUAGE

MANY YEARS LATER, A PUPIL OF ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDA'S DECIDED TO GO
AND PINPOINT WHAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE USED FOR THEIR NATIONAL
LANGUAGE. SINCE THEY WERE ALL CAREFUL IN ORDINARY SPEAKING, THIS
PUPIL DECIDED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT HOW THE PEOPLE REALLY
SPOKE WOULD BE TO CATCH THEM WITH THEIR TONGUES OFF GUARD. SO ONE
DAY HE WENT TO A JEWISH SCHOOL IN JERUSALEM AND WAITED UNTIL ONE
OF THE SMALLEST BOYS CAME OUT INTO THE PLAYGROUND. THE PUPIL
WALKED UP TO HIM FROM BEHIND AND ROUGHLY KNOCKED THE LITTLE BOY'S
HAT OFF. THE PUPIL EXPECTED THE BOY TO CRY OUT "MOTHER," EITHER
SAYING "IMMA," WHICH IS HEBREW, OR "MAMALE," WHICH IS YIDDISH,
BUT INSTEAD THE LITTLE BOY PICKED UP HIS HAT, FACED BEN-YEHUDA'S
PUPIL SQUARELY AND HISSED "HAMAR" (ASSHOLE), WHICH IS THE SAME
IN BOTH LANGUAGES. SO BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, THEN, WE STILL
DO NOT KNOW IF ISRAEL'S NATIONAL LANGUAGE IS HEBREW OR YIDDISH.

Data entry tech comment:

Beginning of tale is missing.

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Culture ; ETYMOLOGY ; Hebrew ; Israel ; Jewish ; Language ; Origin ; Yiddish

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
SPEECH -- Folk etymology
PROVERB -- V620

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LANGUAGE OF ISRAEL: ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDA AND THE FORMATION OF

THE INFORMANT TOLD ME THE STORY OF ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDA, THE MAN WHO
COMPILED THE MODERN HEBREW LANGUAGE. BEN-YEHUDA FOUND THAT THE
JEWISH PEOPLE KNEW THE MEANINGS OF ONLY 7,700 HEBREW WORDS WHEN HE
COMPILED HIS FAMOUS DICTIONARY IN THE 1800'S. BEN-YEHUDA HAD TO
MAKE UP WORDS TO FIT NEW CONCEPTS THAT DID NOT EXIST WHERE ANCIENT
HEBREW WAS USED ("CARRIAGE," ETC.) SO HE COMBINED GERMAN, HEBREW
AND ARABIC TO FORM WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS YIDDISH.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ETYMOLOGY ; Hebrew ; Jewish ; Language ; Origin

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
SPEECH -- Folk etymology

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BATS

BATS ATTACK PEOPLE, AND PREY ON THE HUMAN BLOOD. TO COUNTERACT
THIS ATTACK ONE SHOULD WEAR A CROSS AROUND ONE'S NECK. THIS
WILL ALSO KEEP AWAY VAMPIRES.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Attack ; Bats ; Cross ; Legend ; Repel ; SUPERNATURAL ; SUPERSTITION ; SYMBOL ; Vampire

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire
BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 02-10-1972

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SUPERSTITION

IF YOUR LUCK GOES BAD, WALK AROUND THE HOUSE AND LOOK FOR A HEX SIGN

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT SAYS THIS IS OF GERMAN ORIGIN, AND THINKS THE HEX
SIGN IS A CIRCLE WITH A CROSS INSIDE OF IT.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): ; Hex ; LUCK ; SIGN ; SUPERSTITION ; SYMBOL

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Circle and other round forms
BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance
BELIEF -- Conversions

Date learned: 02-00-1979

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FINGER LAKES BELIEF

THE IROQUOIS BELIEVED THAT THE FINGER LAKES OF UPPER NEW YORK STATE WERE
FORMED BY THE HAND OF GOD, DESCENDING IN BLESSING UPON THE LAND.

Submitter comment:

MR. WYATT LEARNED OF THE LEGEND WHILE LIVING IN GENEVA, NEW YORK,
HIS HOME. GENEVA IS ONE OF THE FINGER LAKES.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): AMERICAN INDIAN ; CREATION ; Entomology ; Finger Lakes ; God ; Indigenous ; Iroquois ; NAME ; NEW YORK

Subject headings:

Food Drink -- Meat Bred animal
BELIEF -- Still water Small body.

Date learned: 10-22-1965

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HOW GOD MADE "FLUTTER-BYS"

WELL, THE LORD HAD JUST FINISHED MAKING THE WORLD AND HE SAT BACK
IN HIS BIG OL' ROCKER TO LOOK IT OVER. "NOT A BAD JOB, IF I SAY SO
MYSELF." HE LIT UP A BIG, FINE CIGAR AND WAS FEELING PRETTY GOOD
ABOUT IT UNTIL HE NOTICED THAT THE WORLD LOOKED KIND OF BARE. THE
FACT OF THE MATTER WAS THERE WASN'T A THING TO THE WORLD EXCEPT LAND,
TREES AND A LOTS OF WATER. THERE WAS EVEN MORE WATER THAN LAND.
"WONDER HOW I DID THAT," THE LORD SAID. "SEEMS TO ME I'D PLANNED FOR
THERE TO BE MORE LANDTHAN WATER." WELL, HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND
TURNED HIS MIND TO MAKE THE WORLD LOOK A BIT PRETTIER. "GIMME MY
PRUNING SHEARS," HE CALLED OUT AND ONE OF THE CUTE, LITTLE ANGELS RAN
AND GOT THEM. THEN THE GREAT LORD ALMIGHTY LEANED OUT OF HIS ROCKING
CHAIR, TRIMMED THE TREES, AND THREW THE TRIMMINGS ALL OVER THE EMPTY
GROUND. THAT'S WHAT MADE THE GRASS, BUSHES, AND ALL THE FLOWERS.
"NOW THAT DON'T LOOK TOO BAD," HE SAID AND LEANED BACK. "YESSIRY
I'VE DONE MADE A AWFUL PRETTY WORLD." AND SO SAYING, HE WENT TO BED
TO REST UP FROM ALL THAT WORK. THE NEXT MORNING THE LORD HADN'T EVEN
HAD ONE EYE OPEN YET, WHEN HE HEARD THE FLOWERS WHISPERING AMONG
THEMSELVES, "IT'S LONELY DOWN HERE"; THE OTHER FLOWER SAID, "WE
WERE PUT HERE TO KEEP THE GROUND COMPANY AND MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK
PRETTY, BUT IT SURE IS MIGHTY LONELY." THE LORD SHOOK HIS HEAD IN
DISGUST. "HAVE MERCY, FATHER. YOU GET THROUGH MAKING ONE THANG AND
AND THE NEXT THANG YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA MAKE SOMETHING TO GO WITH THE
FIRST. GIMME THEM LITTLE SHEARS, ONE OF YOU ANGELS, PLEASE." AN
ANGEL BROUGHT HIM THE TEENICHY PAIR OF SHEARS AND HE BENT OVER TO THE
EARTH AND STARTED SNIPPING LITTLE PIECES OFF OF EVERYTHING - THE SKY,
THE GROUND, THE TREES, THE ANIMALS, THE BUSHES, THE FLOWERS;
EVERYTHING HE PUT HIS SHEARS ON, GOT SNIPPED. "THE VERY IDEA OF
GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WORLD AND IT AIN'T EVEN A DAY OLD.
THAT'S GRATITUDE." THE LORD HAD A FEELING HE WAS GOING TO BE GETTING
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WORLD FROM THEN ON. HE WAS SO MAD THAT HE DID
NOT CARE WHAT HE SNIPPED - SNIP, SNIP, ALL MORNING LONG. WELL, WHEN
THE FOLKS LOOKED UP AND SAW THE TINY CLIPPINGS FLUTTERING AROUND.
THEY CALLED THEM FLUTTER-BYS. THE BLUE FLUTTER-BYS HAD BEEN SNIPPED
FROM THE SKY; THE YELLOW FLUTTER-BYS HAD BEEN CLIPPINGS FROM THE SUN;
AND THERE WERE THE LORD'S WHITE FLUTTER-BYS THAT WERE CLIPPINGS FROM
THE STARS. EVERY COLOR FLUTTER-BY YOU COULD THINK OF WAS FLUTTERING
AROUND.

Submitter comment:

THIS IS ANOTHER LONG NARRATIVE WITH A STRONG BLACK IMAGE, AS REFERRED
TO IN MY COLLECTION'S SEQUENCE NUMBER 731772-1; I GET THE
IMPRESSION THAT THIS IS A BLACK GOD.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Butterfly ; CREATION ; ETYMOLOGY ; God ; NAME ; Origin ; PERSONIFICATION ; Tale

James Callow Keyword(s): PERSONIFICATION

Subject headings:

Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Creation and Order of Animal Life
SPEECH -- Proper Name

Date learned: 00-00-1954

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