THEOPHOLUS THISTLER, THE SUCCESSFUL THISTLE SIFTER,
SUCCESSFULLY SIFTED THREE THOUSAND THISTLES THROUGH THE
THICK OF HIS THUMB. IF THEOPHOLUS THISTLER, THE SUCCESSFUL
THISTLE SIFTER, SUCCESSFULLY SIFTED THREE THOUSAND THISTLES
THROUGH THE THICK OF HIS THUMB, WHERE ARE THE THREE
THOUSAND THISTLES THAT THEOPHOLUS THISTLER, THE SUCCESSFUL
THISTLE SIFTER, SUCCESSFULLY SIFTED THROUGH THE THICK OF HIS
THUMB.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TROTWOOD

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; GAME ; Language ; Sifter ; Thistle ; TONGUE TWISTER

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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Tongue Twister

TOMMY THRESHER THREW THREE FREE THROWS (SAY IT THREE
TIMES RAPIDLY).

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TROTWOOD

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; GAME ; Language ; SPEECH ; TONGUE TWISTER

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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Tongue Twister

OLD OILY AUTOS (REPEAT FIVE TIMES RAPIDLY).

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TROTWOOD

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Language ; TONGUE TWISTER

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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Riddle

WHAT IS BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER?
VARIATIONS:

-A NEWSPAPER
-A SUNBURNED ZEBRA
-A COMMUNIST NUN
-AN EMBARRASSED NUN
-A SKUNK WITH DIAPER RASH

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TROTWOOD

Keyword(s): Black ; COLOR ; GAME ; Language ; Red ; RIDDLE ; White

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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I'M GOING TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE AND I AM GOING TO TAKE A
----- (EACH PERSON ADDS AN ITEM, REPEATING ALL PRECEEDING
ITEMS UNTIL SOMEONE FORGETS, THEN THE STORY BEGINS AGAIN).

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TROTWOOD

Keyword(s): GAME ; Grandmother ; House ; Language ; MEMORY

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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Language: Rhyme

Little Sally Walker, sittin in a saucer,
Rise, Sally, Rise.
Now winking eyes, Now you shake it to the East,
Shake it to the West, Shake it to the very one that Sally loves the best.
Around and around and around she goes,
Where she stops, nobody knows.

Submitter comment:

Hand Clapping Game

Data entry tech comment:

Entered by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Keyword(s): Clapping ; GAME ; Language ; RHYME ; Sally ; Social

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics

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Riddle

Flour of England, Fruit of Spain-
Met together in a shower of rain.
Put in a bag and tied round with a string-
If you'll tell me this riddle
I'll give you a ring.

Answer: Plum Pudding

Data entry tech comment:

Entry by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; Normandy

Keyword(s): England ; Language ; Plum Pudding ; RHYME ; RIDDLE ; Spain

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- True Riddle

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Riddle

Black we are, but much admired
Men seek for us until they are tired.
We tire the horse, but comfort man
Tell me this riddle, if you can!

Answer: Coal

Data entry tech comment:

No informant or collector data given.

Entry by TRD

Keyword(s): COAL ; GAME ; Language ; RHYME ; RIDDLE

Subject headings:

RIDDLE -- True Riddle

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TARA TOOK TONY TOWARD TWO TINY TWISTED TWINKIES.
"I HAVE TWO COUSINS NAMED TARA AND TONY. WHEN THEY WERE
YOUNGER, TARA ALWAYS GAVE TONY TWINKIES THAT WERE SMASHED.
MY GRANDFATHER MADE UP THIS TONGUE TWISTER ABOUT THEM.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Keyword(s): Language ; RIDDLE ; SPEECH ; TONGUE TWISTER

Subject headings:

SPEECH -- S5570

Date learned: 08-00-1985

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MISCELLANEOUS CUSTOMS

A SEAMAN LEAVING THE FORECASTLE TO GO AFT, EITHER FOR HIS TRICK AT
THE WHEEL OR OTHER WORK, GOES AFT ALONG THE LEESIDE OF THE VESSEL,
UNLESS HIS IMMEDIATE DUTY LIES TO THE WINDWARD.
A SEAMAN SUMMONED TO THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN REMOVED HIS CAP AND
DROPPED IT TO THE DECK JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR.
A MARINER ENTERING A NEW SHIP, OR EVEN AN OLD SHIP, FOR THE FIRST
TIME MAKES CERTAIN THAT HIS RIGHT FOOT IS THE FIRST TO TOUCH THE
DECK.
IT WAS A BREECH OF ETIQUETTE FOR A SEAMAN TO LOCK HIS SEA CHEST
WHILE ON BOARD HIS SHIP. OFFENDERS OFTEN FOUND, WHEN THEY
RETURNED TO THE FORECASTLE FROM THEIR WATCH ON DECK, THAT THE
COVER HAD BEEN NAILED DOWN.
IN THE BRITISH AND UNITED STATES NAVIES, A SCARF OF BLACK SILK IS
WORN, ORIGINALLY AS A MARK OF WARNING (MOURNING?) FOR THE DEATH
OF LORD NELSON.
IN THE ROYAL NAVY, OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN ROUND EITHER THE CAPE
OF GOOD HOPE OR CAPE HORN MAY PUT ONE FOOT ON THE WARDROOM TABLE;
BOTH CAPES CARRY THE RIGHT TO PUT BOTH FEET ON THE TABLE.
BY NAVAL CUSTOM THE SENIOR OFFICER PRESENT IS ALWAYS THE LAST
INTO A BOAT AND THE FIRST OUT OF IT.

Submitter comment:

CAPTAIN LUMAS SAYS THAT HE HAS LEARNED THESE CUSTOMS THROUGH THE
YEARS THAT HE HAS BEEN SAILING, BOTH IN THE U.S. NAVY AND UP AT
MACKINAW ISLAND.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MACKINAW ISLAND

Keyword(s): British ; Captain ; Etiquette ; Language ; Lingo ; Naval ; Navy ; POSITION ; Seaman ; Ship ; Uniform ; United States

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

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Maturity
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Overall body coverUpper body and arms
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Color
BELIEF -- Number Last events: the last person to the table...
SPEECH -- Gesture

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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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