Ukrainians have a custom of greeting honored guests with bread and salt. The host or hostess, carrying a plate with a loaf of bread and a mound of salt on top of it, meets the guest at the door with proper salutations, in expression of greetings & hospitality. Newlyweds are installed in their new home with a ritual of bread and salt.

Submitter comment:

Today this custom is used only by organizations when greeting individuals of great distinction.

Data entry tech comment:

Motif added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; MOTHER

Keyword(s): BREAD, Salt ; CUSTOM ; DOMESTIC RELATIONS ; ETHNIC ; MARRIAGE ; Salt, Bread ; Social Rank ; SOCIAL RELATIONS ; UKRAINIAN

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

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Custom

Chimney Sweep:

In Belgium, or Europe for that matter, each house usually had two or more chimneys. Since they needed cleaning periodically, chimney sweeps were common. Some of these were employed by the cities for the purpose. But, in each case, it was good practice to give the sweeper a good tip, for if you didn't he would play tricks on you. For instance, he might come back to clean your chimney at a future date, but not tell you. Then you would be unprepared and the soot would come into the house because you didn't close the soot door in time.

Submitter comment:

Recorded on Tape

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [M848] crossed out and replaced with F534

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): BUSINESS ; Chimney Sweep ; CUSTOM ; Gratuity ; OCCUPATIONS: CHIMNEY SWEEPING ; PRACTICAL JOKE ; TIPPING ; WORK

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business

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Prank

Fletcher Tube:

The Fletcher Tube us a non-existent piece of equipment. When freshmen are having problems in lab, you tell them that a Fletcher Tube will do the trick. They go to the stockroom to check one out and are laughed at.

Submitter comment:

Informant said that he pulled this gag while he was a graduate student.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CLASSROOM ; CHEMISTRY BUILDING

Keyword(s): ACADEMIC JOKES ; Chemistry ; COLLEGE ; COLLEGE PRANK ; COLLEGE PRANK ; Entertainment ; Freshman ; Hazing ; JOKE ; Laboratory ; PRACTICAL JOKE ; Prank

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion

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Prank

TeePee-ing Houses:

A group of people go to a house late at night and throw toilet paper up into the trees, decorate the shrubbery and generally create a real mess.

Submitter comment:

This was done to my house by a group of friends who had attended Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, MI. It was done in May of 1968. It seems that this was not an uncommon practice for them to do to their friends.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): Amusement ; CUSTOM ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; JOKE ; PRACTICAL JOKE ; Prank ; Shrubbery ; Toilet Paper

Subject headings:

CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion

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Belief: Children's Song

STEP ON A LINE,
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.
STEP ON A CRACK,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
STEP ON A HOLE,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S SUGAR BOWL.

Submitter comment:

CHILDREN SING THIS SONG WHILE WALKING TO SCHOOL.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD

Where learned: UNKNOWN

Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Domestic ; GAME ; Hole ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; Sugar ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 01-21-1968

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Belief: Luck

If a ship has thirteen letters in its name the ship is doomed.

Submitter comment:

Read this in a book of sea lore.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Minor grammatical correction to submission card: changing had to has

Original BN [P880] crossed out and replaced with P686

Where learned: DORM ROOM ; BOOK

Keyword(s): Boat ; Lore ; NAME ; Nautical ; NUMBERS ; NUMEROLOGY ; Ocean ; Sailor ; SEA ; Ship ; Vessel

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Number

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Belief: Weather

Red Sky in morning, sailors take warning, Red sky in evening, sailors' delight.

Submitter comment:

Believed-Usually holds true in our area.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P890 880 800] crossed out and replaced with C880.462

Keyword(s): COLOR ; NATURE ; Nautical ; Ocean ; PREDICTING WEATHER ; Sailor ; Sky ; WARNING ; WEATHER

James Callow Keyword(s): WEATHER

Subject headings:

-- .C860462
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

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Belief: Weather

RED SKY IN NIGHTM SAILOR'S DELIGHT;
RED SKY IN MORNING, SAILOR'S TAKE WARNING.

Submitter comment:

THIS VERSE MEANS-IT WILL BE BREEZY, AND CLEAR TOMMORROW IF THE SKY
IS RED AT SUNSET, AND THE DAY WILL BE OVERCAST AND UNPREDICTABLE
IF THE MORNING SKY IS RED.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MAYFIELD

Keyword(s): COLOR ; NATURE ; Nautical ; Ocean ; PREDICTING WEATHER ; Sailor ; Sky ; WARNING ; WEATHER

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control

Date learned: 00001970S

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