The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

One night my little brother Mike, had the hick-ups.
Mike was only 8 years old at the time, so I liked
to pick on him. Knowing that he would do just
about anything, I told him that I could cure his
hick-ups as long as he did exactly what I said.
Mike agreed. First I told Mike to stand up. Then
I said to raise his left hand, then to raise his
right foot, then to place his right hand pinky
finger on his left nostril, then to close his
right eye, and then finally to jump up and down.
I was just making things up for him to do. It was
funny watching him. But to my whole family's
surprise, Mike's hick-ups were gone.
Since that day I have cured about 15 people with
hick-ups. It works almost always except when
the person is drunk. Then the success rate drops
below 50%.

Submitter comment: I think the reason the cure works is because
the person has to concentrate so hard to keep
from falling down, that the hick-ups go away.

Where learned: MICHIGAN

Keyword(s): Accidental Cure

James Callow Keyword(s): HICCUPS

Date learned: 00-00-1984

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