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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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Belief: Luck

Wedding Luck:

If it rains on a wedding day this is good luck; if it doesn't, the couple is sprinkled with champagne.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [I545] crossedo ut. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; LUCK ; MARRIAGE ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic:Belgium

Wedding:

In Belgium, at weddings, it was a belief and general practice that the more important or wealthy the bride, the later she would arrive at the church. There were instances where the bride would be as much as 1/2 hour late. The priests were well aware of this practice and would not grow impatient during the waiting period.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P545, F578] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): Belgium ; Bride ; CEREMONY ; ETHNIC ; Late ; MARRIAGE ; PRIEST ; Tardy ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Yugoslavian

Engagement:

In Yugoslavia, parents still arrange any marriages. Thus, whenever a horn is heard blowing, everyone knows that an engagement has been decided. Often, the young people involved may be the last ones to know.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [F533] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): Arranged Marriages ; COURTSHIP ; DATING ; Engagement ; ETHNIC ; Horn ; MARRIAGE ; Weddings ; Yugoslavia

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Hungarian

Hungarian Wedding:

The informant recalls that on her wedding day, when she returned to her new mother-in-law's home, she was greeted by the mother and asked to recite the "Our Father." When she came to the part "Give us this day our daily bread..." the mother handed her a loaf of bread saying  "no matter how poor you may become, always remember that you will still have a loaf of bread." This is a common Hungarian Custom.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [S570] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; FAMILY ; FOOD ; HUNGARIAN ; MARRIAGE ; POVERTY ; PRAYER ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Yugoslavian

Wedding:

In Yugoslavia, the bride must bring 40 different items with her to prove that she is versatile and can do all these things. If she fails to do this she can't get married.

Submitter comment:

Recounted from Mrs. Benestelli's mother, a neighbor, who just returned home from Yugoslavia.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [F572] crossed out and replaced with current classification.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; NEIGHBORS HOME ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): Chores ; CUSTOMS ; Domestic ; MARRIAGE ; TEST ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Ukraine

In the Ukranian village a girl would wear her hair in long braids. However, if she became pregnant while still unmarried, her hair would be cut short, symbolizing her loss of virginity.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P438, F545] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): Chastity ; ETHNIC ; HAIR ; MARRIAGE ; SYMBOL ; Ukraine ; UKRAINIAN ; VIRGINITY ; WEDDING ; Wedlock

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Ukraine

In the Ukranian village, a girl would wear her hair in long braids. On her wedding day, her mother would ceremoniously unbraid it; a week later, her husband cut it off [sic].

Data entry tech comment:

Based on another submission card that is by the same person, regarding something very similar, that the cutting of the hair symbolizes the loss of virginity, which may or may not be clear. See CFA #  43568 for cross reference.

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

BN F545 is written in black marker above original BN [P430, F545]

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): Consummation ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; HAIR ; HUSBAND ; MARRIAGE ; Ukraine ; UKRAINIAN ; VIRGINITY ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Human Being

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Ethnic: Ukraine

Wedding Custom:

Before setting out for the church wedding ceremony, the Ukranian couple approach the two sets of parents and ask them for the parent's blessing. They then kneel before the parents, on a specially embroidered cloth "rushyk." The parents make the sign of the cross over them with a holyicon, then with a loaf of bread- touch each on the forehead. They wish them luck, health and many happy and prosperous years.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; Myself

Keyword(s): BLESSING ; Cloth ; CUSTOMS ; ETHNIC ; FAMILY ; MARRIAGE ; Ukraine ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Ukraine

Wedding Custom:

Among the Ukrainians it was customary for an older couple called "starosty" represesnting the young man, to ask the parents of the girl for her hand in marriage. If she accepted the offer, she would tie around them a specially embroidered long cloth - "rushnyk."

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): Cloth ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; MARRIAGE ; PARENTS ; Proposal ; UKRAINIAN ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Polish

Wedding Custom:

Offering bread and wine to newlyweds just before they leave the reception is a traditional way of wishing good luck for them. [sic]

Submitter comment:

This little ceremony was observed at several Polish weddings that I attended.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): BLESSING ; CEREMONY ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; LUCK ; MARRIAGE ; POLAND ; POLISH ; WEDDING ; Wine

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Ukraine

Ukrainian Wedding:

Toward the start of the wedding recpetion the mother of the bride removes the veil from the bride and places on her head a "wife's hat."

Today, the "wife's hat" is an ordinary woman's hat but formerly it was supposed to be a hat similar to the hat worn by frontier women. The hat is very plain and relatively ugly when compared to a veil. It is supposed to signify the hard work the wife must go through to satisfy her husband.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): CUSTOM ; Fashion ; Hat ; HUSBAND ; MARRIAGE ; WEDDING ; Wife

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Custom

Wedding Custom:

Before the bride leaves the reception the band plays a slow song and the bride removes her veil and places it on the head of her maid-of-honor.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Bride ; CUSTOM ; Fashion ; Maid-of-Honor ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; Reception ; Veil ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Custom

Wedding Custom:

Before the bride leaves the reception the band plays a slow song and the bride removes her veil and places it on the head of her maid-of-honor.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Bride ; CUSTOM ; Fashion ; Maid-of-Honor ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; Reception ; Veil ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Custom

Wedding Custom:

Keep wedding cake (fruit cake) frozen for one year and on the 1st anniversary unfreeze the cake and eat it. this is for good luck and happiness.

Submitter comment:

(small grammatical corrections written on the card - dealing with sentence structure.)

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Anniversary ; CUSTOM ; FOOD ; LUCK ; MARRIAGE ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Ethnic: Russian

Wedding Custom:

When the bride is preparing for her wedding (getting dressed and ready to leave for church) a violin player and an accordian player play a special tune.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Written on bottom left of the card: [ Ethnic? Russian Orthodox, says collector.]

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Accordion ; Bride ; CUSTOM ; DRESS ; Fashion ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; violin ; WEDDING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

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Language

Tongue Twister:

Try saying "toy boat" very quickly five times.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): Boat ; Language ; TONGUE TWISTER ; Toy

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Language

Tongue Twister:

Onse smart fellow, he felt smart. Two smart fellows, they both felt smart. Three smart fellows, they all felt smart.

Data entry tech comment:

Say three times fast.

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Pointless? - Not much of a tongue twister?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FLATULENCE ; JOKE ; Language ; TONGUE TWISTER

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

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Language

Humorous Verse:

This is a retort a person should use when he says something that he shouldn't have said:

My tongue got in the way of my eye teeth and I couldn't think of what I was saying.

Data entry tech comment:

motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [C700.328] crossed out / replaced with current classification

Keyword(s): Humorous ; JOKE ; Language

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Language

He thinks he's bright just because his mother calls him sonny.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The title word PROSE is crossed out and replaced with the word RETORT

Original BN [Z210] crossed out / replaced with current classification

Written across top of card:

A retort to what? What IS the A? [Given as a retort]

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): HUMOR ; INSULT ; Language ; RETORT

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Language

Tongue Twister:

I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. upon the slitted sheet I sit.

 

Submitter comment:

From Childhood

Data entry tech comment:

Motif added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Already typed as prose

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): JOKE ; Language ; TONGUE TWISTER

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

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