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RIDDLE

Q: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASTRONAUTS AND BUDDHIST MONKS?
A: ASTRONAUTS BURN FASTER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE PARK ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): SICK HUMOR

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 09-20-1972

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BEDTIME PRAYER

IN GOTT'S NAMEN, SCHLAFEN GINGEN,
VIERTEHN ENGEL MIT MIR GINGEN
ZWEI ZU KOPF, ZWEI ZU FUSSE,
ZWEI ZU MEINER RECHTE SEITE,
ZWEI ZU MEINER LINKE SEITE,
ZWEI ZU MICH DECKEN,
ZWEI ZU MICH WECKEN,
ZWEI ZU MICH WEISEN,
IN DIE HIMMLICH PARADIESEN.
GOING TO SLEEP IN GOD'S NAME,
WITH FOURTEEN ANGELS GOING WITH ME,
TWO AT MY HEAD, TWO AT MY FEET,
TWO AT MY RIGHT SIDE,
TWO AT MY LEFT SIDE,
TWO TO COVER ME,
TWO TO WAKE ME,
TWO TO SHOW ME INTO
THE HEAVENLY PARADISE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT TELLS THAT THIS PRAYER HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN IN HER FAMILY
FROM MOTHER TO CHILD FOR MANY GENERATIONS.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION GERMAN

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

Date learned: 09-10-1972

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IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY IN THE PAST CENTURY THERE WAS A WOMAN WITH FIVE
CHILDREN WHO ONE DAY REFUSED A GYPSY MALE SOME FOOD OR MONEY. HE
MUTTERED SOMETHING AND WENT AWAY. THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN THE WOMAN
OPENED THE WINDOW IN HER KITCHEN - THE WINDOWS OPENED INWARDS - SHE
FOUND A DAGGER STICKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SILL. BEFORE THE YEAR
WAS UP SHE HAD LOST ALL OF HER FIVE CHILDREN TO DEATH, EACH SEPA-
RATELY. SHE TURNED TO DRINK AND LOST HER WILL TO LIVE. HER HUSBAND
REFUSED SYMPATHY AND BEAT HER UP INSTEAD. SHE FELL, BROKE HER HIP
AND DIED SHORTLY AFTER.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT SAYS THAT AS HER MOTHER TOLD HER THE STORY, IT WAS HER
MOTHER'S SISTER THAT THIS HAPPENED TO - THE INFORMANT'S GREAT AUNT.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

James Callow comment:

THE COLLECTOR'S GREAT AUNT?
CK[ CURSE

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

James Callow Keyword(s): CURSE

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- B439
BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color

Date learned: 09-10-1972

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IF A CHILD CONTINUALLY MISBEHAVES, THREATEN TO SELL HIM TO THE
GYPSIES WHO LIKE TO BUY CHILDREN AND MISTREAT THEM.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- B439
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 09-10-1972

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NEW YEAR'S BELIEF

IF THE FIRST PERSON TO VISIT YOU ON NEW YEAR'S DAY IS FAIR-HAIRED THERE WILL BE MUCH TROUBLE FOR YOU THAT YEAR.

IF THE FIRST PERSON TO VISIT IS DARK-HAIRED THEN THERE WILL BE GOOD LUCK FOR THE YEAR.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

James Callow Keyword(s): FIRST FOOTING

Subject headings: 686 686.1
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Measure of time Year
BELIEF -- Color
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.42
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.42

Date learned: 09-10-1972

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NEW YEAR'S BELIEF

IT IS CONSIDERED GOOD LUCK TO ACCIDENTLY BREAK A GOBLET ON NEW
YEAR'S EVE, BUT CONVERSELY BAD LUCK TO DO SO ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.

Submitter comment:

Informant says this has been observed for generations in her family, though she does not give much credence to it today.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTRAST

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F123
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.4
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.42

Date learned: 09-10-1972

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IF A PERSON DREAMS ABOUT A WEDDING, IT MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE A
DEATH OF SOMEONE CLOSE.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTRAST

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Dreams Dreams about weddings, funerals, and other crucial moments of life

Date learned: 09-10-1972

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{THE FATAL HAIRDO}

THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO WENT TO THE BEAUTY PARLOR TO GET A "BEE HIVE"
HAIRDO. THE HAIR IS RATTED AND PLACED ON A WAXED PAPER CONE AND
BUILT INTO A HIVE SHAPE. THERE WERE COCKROACH EGGS ON THE PAPER
AND THE WOMAN DIDN'T BOTHER TO WASH HER HAIR FOR A FEW WEEKS,
THE EGGS HATCHED. THE WOMAN AT FIRST THOUGHT THE ITCHING WAS DUE
TO HER NOT HAVING WASHED HER HAIR FOR SUCH A LONG TIME. IN FACT,
THE COCKROACHES ATE THROUGH TO HER BRAIN AND SHE DIED. PEOPLE
DISCOVERED THE COCKROACHES AFTER SHE HAD DIED.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HEARD THIS STORY WHILE LIVING IN A SMALL TOWN IN
WESTERN OHIO, BELLEVUE, AROUND 1959.

Where learned: OHIO ; DETROIT ; BELLEVUE

James Callow Keyword(s): DEVASTATING COCKROACHES, NOT SPIDERS

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Body part Senses

Date learned: 09-20-1972

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"EVERY DAY WE WOULD WALK DOWNTOWN TO TIEDKIES(IN TOLEDO, OHIO)
AND MEET
DAD WHERE WE'D BUY THE GROCERIES, LOOK AT THE ORGAN IN THE STORE, GO
THROUGH THE COFFEE DEPARTMENT AND SMELL ALL THE DIFFERENT SMELLS, AND
WATCH THE MAN PLAY THAT OLD ORGAN. PEOPLE WOULD NEVER THINK OF
WALKING THAT FAR NOW."

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SINCE BURNED DOWN. ; TIEDKIES WAS A DEPARTMENT & GROCERY STORE. IT HAS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion

Date learned: 11-05-1972

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" I ALWAYS BURN MY OLD PALMS IN MY FIREPLACE AS WHEN I WAS SMALL"

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT BELIEVED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS CUSTOM WAS REVERENCE
FOR SACRED OR BLESSED OBJECTS, BUT THE INFORMANT WAS NOT SURE OF THE
REASON FOR USING THE FIREPLACE.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTRAST

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F633 F633.11

Date learned: 11-05-1972

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HE DRIVES LIKE SUTTER.
MR. GORSKI SAID HE USED THIS PHRASE AMONG FRIENDS WHEN BEHIND A
DRIVER WHO DROVE TOO SLOW FOR THEM. HE SAID THE NAME SUTTER CAME FROM
AN OLD MAN THEY KNEW AS KIDS, WHO ALWAYS "DROVE UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT
AND EVERY ONE MADE FUN OF HIM."

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): PERSONAL PROVERBIAL PHRASE

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula
PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: 11-01-1972

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"IN RESPONSE TO THE OVERUSED GREETING AMONG FRIENDS OF "WHAT'S THE
WORD" WE OFTEN REPLY WITH "LEGS" " SPREAD THE WORD."

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): RETORT

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 11-15-1972

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"PUTTING SWEATERS ON BACKWARDS WILL BRING BAD LUCK."

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.1

Date learned: 11-09-1972

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"THE THIRD MARRAIGE WILL BE THE LUCKY ONE."

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): MARRIAGE

Subject headings: 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple
BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.41

Date learned: 11-10-1972

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WART CURE

TO CURE A WART, RUB A RAW POTATO OVER IT AFTER YOU'VE CUT THE
POTATO OPEN. THEN THROW THE POTATO IN A FIELD. THE WART WILL
DISAPPEAR.

Where learned: OVER THE TELEPHONE

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant

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HOW YOU GET PILES

PILES ARE GOTTEN BY SITTING ON COLD CEMENT.

Submitter comment: TOLD TO INFORMANT BY PARENTS WHO SAW HIM SITTING ON THE GROUND.

James Callow Keyword(s): HEMORRHOIDS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

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MENSTRUAL CUSTOM

AS A YOUNG GIRL I WAS TOLD THAT WHILE HAVING MY PERIOD
I SHOULDN'T WASH MY HAIR OR TAKE A SHOWER.

Submitter comment:

THIS CAME FROM A GIRLFRIEND OF MINE WHOSE NAME
I DON'T REMEMBER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): MENSTRUAL TABU

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

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THE LEGEND OF STRASBURG STREET

ONE DAY ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, A GIRL RIDING A
BICYCLE WAS KILLED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER WHILE ON
STRASBURG STREET, ON DETROIT'S EAST SIDE. THE MAN WAS
CAUGHT AND TILL THIS DAY YOU CAN HEAR A THUMPING NOISE
ON THAT STREET--PEOPLE SAY IT IS THE DEAD GIRL.

Submitter comment: VICKY LIVES IN THE AREA AND IS A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE STORY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): KNOCK-KNOCK STREET

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal

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LUKE THE SPOOK

LATE ONE NIGHT ON A COUNTRY ROAD NEAR ANCHORVILLE, A CHILD
WAS KILLED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER. NOW, AT NIGHT, YOU
CAN SEE A SWAYING LANTERN LIGHT ON THAT ROAD. THE GHOST IS
CALLED LUKE THE SPOOK.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT, AS A YOUNG TEENAGER, WENT WITH SOME FRIENDS
TO SEE THE GHOST BUT GOT SCARED AND WENT HOME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ANCHORVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): MYSTERIOUS LIGHT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter

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ST. JOHN'S GOLF COURSE

MANY YEARS AGO, A SPECULATOR INVESTED $20,000 IN
LANDSCAPING A GOLF COURSE AND BUILDING A COUNTRY CLUBHOUSE
ON A PIECE OF LAND IN PEARL BEACH, MICH. (NEAR ALGONAC).
ONE DAY THE WHOLE PROJECT SUNK AWAY INTO THE SWAMP WHICH THE
LAND HAD BECOME.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD TO ME WHEN DRIVING BY THE ALLEGED SITE. WHEN I
ASKED TO WHAT THE CHIMNEY I SAW BELONGED, I GOT THIS STORY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ANCHORVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): ARCHITECTURAL RUIN

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

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