The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Ethnic:Polish Superstition

Curing a Spell:

To cure a spell, especially the evil eye, cast on a small child, you remove all the clothes, and dress the baby again with all the clothes inside out. This is a Polish belief.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): CHILD ; CLOTHING ; CURE ; CURSE ; ETHNIC ; EVIL EYE ; Fashion ; MAGIC ; POLAND ; POLISH ; REMEDY ; Removal

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Ethnic:Polish Superstition

Superstitions:

A Polish pregnant woman must not eat twin pears, apples, or other fruits for fear of bearing attached twins.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The card has been stamped as KEYPUNCHED, but the word has been crossed out.

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; Conjoined ; CURSE ; Eat ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; FRUIT ; Newborn ; POLAND ; POLISH ; PREGNANCY ; SUPERSTITION ; TABU ; TWINS

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Proverb

Polish Proverb:

Narva miotta dobrze zamiata

Translation: A new broom sweeps clean

Submitter comment:

I know this from my parents.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Keyword(s): BROOM ; ETHNIC ; JOB ; METAPHOR ; New ; POLISH ; Task ; YOUTH

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Toast

Na zdrowia (Polish Toast)

Translated = "To your health"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The word [Toast] is written across the top of the card. Also written on the bottom, right hand corner of the card: [Your name and address go here on ALL cards.]

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): ETHNIC ; GOOD FORTUNE ; HEALTH ; POLISH ; Social ; TOAST

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Toast

may your children have rich parents.

Submitter comment:

She heard this from a Polish disk jockey who was from Chicago.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CHILDREN ; DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; fortune ; PARENTS ; POLISH ; Riches ; Social ; TOAST ; WEALTH

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Toast

May you live till you die.

Submitter comment:

Heard it from a Polish disk jockey who was from Chicago.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DEATH ; Die ; DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; Live ; POLISH ; Social ; TOAST

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Toast

Don't sleep, but rather drink.

Submitter comment:

Heard it from a Polish disk jockey from Chicago.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DRINK ; ETHNIC ; POLISH ; SLEEP ; Social ; TOAST

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Toast

Polish Toast:

"Naszdrovye" is a traditional Polish toast comparable to "to your health!"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

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

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; HEALTH ; POLISH ; Social ; TOAST

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Toast

Polish Toast:

Phul Bogan

Translated: Drink with God!

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; God ; POLISH ; Social ; TOAST

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Toast

Good health to you, and then to me, and then to the cow in the ditch.

Submitter comment:

This toast rhymes when it is said in Polish

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Cow ; Ditch ; DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; HEALTH ; POLISH ; Social ; TOAST

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Toast

Polish:

Niech gwiazda sukces nigdy nie wychodzą na niego, nigdy nie wyjdzie za niego. A kto nie wypije jego zdrowie może pioran trzasnie. (repeat).

Translation:

May the star of success never go out for him, never go out for him.
 And whoever will not drink his health, May the lightning strike him down. (repeat).

Submitter comment:

This song I know from home as well as from the young people in Poland.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The title, A Polish Song has been crossed out.

Keyword(s): DRINKING ; ETHNIC ; HEALTH ; LIGHTNING ; POLISH ; Social ; SONG ; Star ; SUCCESS ; TOAST

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Proverb

Polish Saying:

"Jaz Kuba Bogu Tui Bog Kubie"

Translated: God does to Jacob as Jacob does to God.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; ETHNIC ; God ; Maxim ; POLISH ; PROVERB ; RELIGION ; VERSE

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Proverb

Polish Belief:

When you don't have it in your head you have to have it in your feet.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Orignal BN [V200] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; ETHNIC ; FEET ; HEAD ; Maxim ; POLISH ; PROVERB ; VERSE

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Proverb

Jaki ojciec, taki syn.

Like father, like son.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; ETHNIC ; FAMILY ; Father ; Maxim ; POLISH ; PROVERB ; Similar ; Son ; VERSE

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Proverb

Lepszy wrobel w garsci, niz go tab na dachu.

Better to have a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ;

James Callow Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; BIRD ; ETHNIC ; Grateful ; Hand ; Maxim ; Pigeon ; POLISH ; PROVERB ; Roof ; Sparrow ; VERSE

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Proverb

Polish: Jak ojciec, taki syn

Translated: Like father like son.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V700] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; ETHNIC ; FAMILY ; Father ; Maxim ; POLISH ; PROVERB ; Similar ; Son ; VERSE

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Ethnic: Polish

IN POLAND, AND IN MANY POLISH-AMERICAN HOMES, THE VIGIL OF
CHRISTMAS IS A VERY SOLEMN OCCASION. A VARIETY OF FOOD IS SERVED,
TWELVE DISHES IN ALL, TO REPRESENT THE TWELVE APOSTLES. NO DAIRY
PRODUCTS ARE ALLOWED. IT ALSO CONSISTS OF SPECIAL WAFERS CALLED
OPTATKI, WHICH THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD DISTRIBUTES TO EACH
MEMBER OF THE FAMILY.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated / 02-24-2011 / TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): ABSTINENCE ; CHRISTMAS ; CUSTOM ; DAIRY ; Dinner ; ETHNIC ; FAMILY ; Feast ; FOOD ; holiday ; POLAND ; POLISH ; SYMBOL ; Symbolic ; Vigil

Date learned: 10-27-1968

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Proverb

Polish Proverb:

Nie Wszystko Ztoto-co Sie Swieci

"All is not gold that glitters."

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; ETHNIC ; Glitter ; Gold ; Maxim ; POLISH ; PROVERB ; Superficial ; Surface ; VERSE

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Retort

In answer to Polish greeting of "jak tam wiszi," (how's it hanging?) one might say "STOI!"

It literally means standing, but may be translated as "up tight and out of sight" or "everything is ok."

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs Added By TRD

James Callow comment:

Reply to Greeting. Greeting itself is already on another card. Greeting?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Casual ; CONVERSATION ; POLISH ; RETORT ; SLANG

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