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SUPERSTITION

SHEAVES OF GRAIN TIED WITH RIBBON ARE LEFT IN CORNERS OF THE ROOM AT
CHRISTMAS TIME FOR A GOOD HARVEST IN THE NEXT SEASON, IN POLAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Predictions
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Straw

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CHRISTMAS BELIEF

YOUNG GIRLS SHOULD WASH THEIR FACES WITH SILVER DOLLARS ON CHRISTMAS
EVE SO THEY WILL HAVE BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXIONS.

Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; WASHING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions

Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY THE COLLECTOR

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CHRISTMAS BELIEF

EVERY CHRISTMAS MORNING A PAN OF WATER IS PLACED UNDER THE SINK. A
CHRISTMAS TREE BRANCH, A PENNY, A NICKEL, A DIME, A QUARTER AND A
FIFTY CENT PIECE IS PLACED IN THE WATER. THIS WATER IS THEN USED TO
WASH IN. WHEN YOU WASH IN THE WATER YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND
MONEY FOR HEALTH.

Submitter comment: DOROTHY BANAS RELATED THE CUSTOM BUT WHEN QUESTIONED ON THE REASON
FOR THE CUSTOM SHE WAS UNABLE TO REPLY. EMIL MAZUR IMMEDIATELY
INSERTED HIS BELIEF.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TROY ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions

Date learned: 10-24-1970

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CHRISTMAS PRACTICE

IF YOU WASH YOURSELF WITH A FIFTY CENT PIECE ON CHRISTMAS MORNING,
YOU'LL NEVER WANT FOR MONEY.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT DID THIS AS A CHILD, NOT ANYMORE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions

Date learned: 02-22-1970

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TRADITION

AT MIDNIGHT(CHRISTMAS) GET A PAIL OF WATER FROM THE WELL. IN THE
MORNING WE FOUND MONEY AND OURS TO KEEP. WASHED OUR HANDS AND FACE
WITH THAT WATER AND WE WOULD BE HEALTHY ALL YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; WASHING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions

Date learned: 11-22-1968

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CUSTOM ; BELIEF

ON THE NIGHT BEFORE EASTER, YOU TAKE MONEY (CHANGE) AND PUT IT INTO A
DISH OF WATER. NEXT MORNING, EVERYBODY WASHES THEIR HANDS IN IT.
DOING THIS BRINGS WEALTH TO THE HOUSEHOLD.

Submitter comment: TRADITION WAS FOLLOWED IN HIS FAMILY. IT COMES FROM THE SLAVIC CHURCH
TRADITION AND WAS INTRODUCED BY HIS MOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC AND CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: 663 Holy Saturday
Favorites
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home
BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color
BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 01-00-1979

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CUSTOM ; BELIEF

WE USED TO TAKE AN EASTER EGG TO THE EASTER SERVICE, AND THE PRIEST
WOULD BLESS IT. LATER, AT HOME, EVERYONE EATS A PART OF THE EGG.
DOING THIS BRINGS HEALTH TO EVERYONE.

Submitter comment: COMES FROM SLAVIC CHURCH TRADITION (VIA MOTHER) AND IS FOLLOWED IN
HIS HOME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC AND CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: Favorites
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday
Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals
BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222.
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 01-00-1979

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SUPERSTITION

IF BIRDS GET SOME OF YOUR HAIR YOU'LL GO CRAZY.

Submitter comment: THE REASONING BEHIND THIS BELIEF WAS THE FACT THAT ONE'S HAIR
IS A PART OF ONE'S HEAD, THEREFORE, POSSESSION BY BIRDS WOULD
GIVE ONE THE MENTALITY OF BIRDS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OAK PARK ; FRIENDS HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS

Subject headings: Favorites
BELIEF -- Physically handicapped Deformed
BELIEF -- Bird
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

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SUPERSTITION

IF YOU PUT A MAN'S HAT ON YOUR BED YOU WILL BECOME PREGNANT.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Head
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Use of Object

Date learned: 00-00-1965

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OUR FAMILY DOCTOR HAS A LARGE BIRTH MARK ON THE SIDE OF HIS FACE.
IT WAS SAID THAT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS PREGNANT WITH HIM THERE
WAS A FIRE AND HIS MOTHER RAISED HER HAND TO HER FACE. THIS
CAUSED THE BIRTH MARK ON HIS FACE IN THE SAME PLACE WHERE THE
MOTHER HAD TOUCHED HER FACE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Keyword(s): MARKS BROUGHT ABOUT BY FEAR.

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 01-00-1968

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SIAMESE TWINS

SIAMESE TWINS WHO WERE JOINED AT THE ARM WERE SEPARATED AND LIVED
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WHEN LATER IN LIFE ONE DIED
IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT THE OTHER DIED SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON
HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

Submitter comment: TOLD TO ME AS A TRUE STORY WHICH BEV HAD READ ABOUT SOME YEARS (AGO).

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

James Callow Keyword(s): SIMULTANEOUS DEATH OF TWINS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed

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SUPERSTITION

IF YOU PUT A PERSONAL ITEM TAKEN FROM SOMEONE YOU LOVE
AND PUT IT UNDER YOUR PILLOW AT NIGHT, THEN DREAM ABOUT
THAT PERSON HE/SHE WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU.

Submitter comment: I TRIED THIS WHEN I WAS THIRTEEN AND IT DIDN'T WORK.
I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD FROM A FRIEND'S MOTHER WHO
WAS FROM NEW ORLEANS AND SHE BELIEVED IN WITHCRAFT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color
BELIEF -- Dreams
BELIEF -- Use of Object

Date learned: 04-00-1983

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AFRO-AMERICAN BELIEFS

TO TALK WITH THE DEAD WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT, WRITE THE NAME
OF THE PERSON YOU WISH TO CONVERSE WITH, COVER A GLASS
OF WATER WITH THE NAME WRITTEN ON A SHEET OF PAPER, AND
STAND BEFORE A MIRROR WITH LIGHTED CANDLE. THE FIGURE OF
THE PERSON WILL APPEAR IN THE MIRROR. MM
IF A PERSON SWEEPS ACROSS YOUR FEET WITH THE BROOM YOU
MUST SPIT UPON IT OR YOU WILL GO TO JAIL. MM
PICKING A MARRIAGE PARTNER:
A WOMAN WHOSE SECOND TOE IS LONGER THAN THE FIRST IS A
POOR CHOICE FOR A WIFE IN THAT SHE WILL MAKE HER
HUSBAND MISERABLE BY DOMINATION OR HER ATTEMPTS AT DOING
SO. MM
ANOTHER IS THAT A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED
TO PREPARE FOOD BECAUSE SHE IS UNCLEAN. MM
IF A MAN'S WIFE
CLIMBS ACROSS HIM TO GET OUT OF BED HE WILL BEAR THE
LABOR PAINS.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; TRANSFER

Subject headings: Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Bad luck Broom Sweeping
BELIEF -- Conversions Gestures
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 07-00-1967

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IF YOU HAVE A DOG AND YOU WANT HIM NEVER TO GET LOST, YOU TAKE
SOME HAIR FROM HIS TAIL AND YOU BURY THEM UNDER THE FIRST STEP
OF THE STAIRS OF YOUR HOUSE.

Where learned: GUADELOUPE

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; HOMEUPATHIC MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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If you sleep with a picture under your pillow, you will
dream about the person in the picture.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Measure of time Sleeping
BELIEF -- Dreams

Date learned: 00-00-1966

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AMONG BLACKS IT IS COMMONLY SAID THAT IF A PREGNANT MOTHER WANTS
HER UNBORN BABY TO HAVE "GOOD HAIR" MEANING STRAIGHT HAIR, SHE
SHOULD COMB OR RUB SOMEONE'S HAIR THAT IS STRAIGHT.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 06-23-1972

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IN ORDER TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING IN A BOOK, SLEEP WITH IT
UNDER YOUR HEAD.

Where learned: ALABAMA, ASSUMED ; MONTGOMERY

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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NEVER PLANT A WILLOW TREE. YOU'LL WEEP AS LONG AS IT DOES.

Where learned: PARIS ; TENNESSEE

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Measure of time
BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance

Date learned: 06-20-1970

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A BABY'S HAIR TEXTURE CAN BE MADE DIFFERENT FROM ITS
MOTHER'S OR FATHER'S HAIR BY THE PREGNANT MOTHER
RUBBING HER HAND OVER THE HEAD OF A PERSON HAVING
THE DESIRED COLOR AND TEXTURE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI

Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; CHILD ; COLOR ; Father ; HAIR ; MOTHER ; PREDICTION ; PREGNANCY ; Texture

James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 09-00-1973

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