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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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IF YOU PUT SHOES ON A DINNER TABLE, YOU WILL
HAVE BAD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck Furniture (bed, table, chair, etc.)
BELIEF -- Bad luck Clothing (dress, hat, shoes, suit, etc.)

Date learned: 01-00-1968

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FRENCH CANADIAN

THE FIRST TIME ANYONE SEES A BABY, THEY SHOULD KISS
IT ON THE FOREHEAD TO BRING GOOD LUCK AND GOOD
HEALTH TO THE CHILD FOR THE REST OF ITS LIFE.

Submitter comment: A FRENCH-CANADIAN LADY DID THIS TO MY BROTHER AND THEN
TOLD MY MOTHER WHY SHE HAD DONE THIS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Forehead
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Good luck Crucial moment of life

Date learned: 10-10-1968

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A HONEY BEE FLYING AROUND A PERSON IS A SIGN OF
GOOD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

James Callow Keyword(s): INSECT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Insect
BELIEF -- Good luck Animals

Date learned: 02-26-1970

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IT IS GOOD LUCK FOR A BIRD TO FLY INTO YOUR HOUSE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Good luck Animals

Date learned: 02-03-1970

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IF A WEDDING AND FUNERAL PASS EACH OTHER, THIS
WILL MEAN GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Good luck Activities

Date learned: 09-00-1969

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JUMP ROPE CHANT

A, B, C, ETC. DOES HE LOVE YOU? WITH EACH JUMP THE GROUP
WOULD CHANT A LETTER OF THE ALPHABET UNTIL THE JUMPER STOPPED ON ONE
OF THE LETTERS. THEN THE JUMPER WOULD HAVE TO NAME A BOY WHOSE NAME
BEGAN WITH THAT LETTER. THE JUMPER WOULD THEN BEGIN TO JUMP AGAIN
AS THE GROUP CHANTS, DOES HE LOVE YOU? ETC.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): ENDURANCE ; Jump

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

Date learned: 02-22-1970

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IF YOU PUT YOUR DRESS ON WRONGSIDE-OUT
YOU'LL GET A NEW ONE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Subject headings: Observation

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GOOD LUCK

ITALIANS BELIEVE THAT RED PEPPER IS A GOOD LUCK CHARM
JUST LIKE SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IN RABBIT'S FEET.
THEY HANG THEM IN THEIR HOMES AND IN CARS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Subject headings: Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 11-04-1969

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BELIEF

IT IS BELIEVED THAT DEEPSET OR CLOSELY SET EYES ARE AN INDICATION
OF A PERSON'S DISHONEST NATURE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye

Date learned: 10-27-1969

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BOURSCHE SOUP

THIS IS A UKRAINIAN BEET SOUP.
YOU MIX BEETS AND WATER TOGETHER. ADD CELERY, PARSLEY, CATSUP,
AND ONIONS. SOME PEOPLE ADD SOUR CREAM WHEN SERVING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORMS

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Mixed preparation in liquid

Date learned: 03-03-1971

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SPAGHETTI TEST

IF YOU THROW SPAGHETTI ON A WALL AND IT STICKS, IT MEANS IT'S DONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ACTUALLY TRUE, BUT THE INFORMANT TOLD ME
IT WORKS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORMS

Keyword(s): HUMOR

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Manner of preparation Process

Date learned: 10-06-1971

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RECIPE - AN UKRANIAN DISH CALLED PEROGIES

YOU TAKE ANY ORDINARY PIE CRUST PASTRY AND CUT IT INTO SMALL
SQUARES. YOU FILL THESE SQUARES WITH EITHER; MASHED POTATOES,
CHEESE OR SAUREKRAUT. YOU THEN PRESS ANOTHER SQUARE OF PASTRY OVER
THIS FILLING. THESE ARE BAKED AT 350 DEGREES FOR ABOUT FORTY-FIVE
MINUTES. THEY ARE THEN SERVED WITH SOUR CREAM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORMS

Keyword(s): SAUERKRAUT

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Manner of preparation

Date learned: 03-02-1971

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WHENEVER SIGHTING A (PURE) WHITE HORSE IN OUR MANY
TRAVELS AS CHILDREN, GOOD LUCK WOULD VISIT US IF
WE:: LICKED OUR THUMB OF THE RIGHT HAND, THEN WIPED
THE PALM OF OUR LEFT HAND WITH IT, FINALLY SMACKING
THE STILL-OPEN LEFT HAND PALM WITH THE RIGHT-HAND
CLINCHED FIST.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Color
BELIEF -- Good luck Animals
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 12-00-1971

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FOOT ITCHES

IF YOUR FOOT ITCHES YOU WILL TAKE A TRIP.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HAD KNOWN THIS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Spirit / Mind / Body
BELIEF -- Body part Senses

Date learned: 10-28-1967

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A SIGN OF BAD LUCK

IT IS BAD LUCK IN THE JAPANESE CULTURE TO CLEAN THE HOUSE ON THE
FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR. THE HOUSE IS CLEANED THOROUGHLY THE DAY BEFORE
THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): HOUSECLEANING

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: 11-11-1969

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NOBILITY

IN ITALY, PEOPLE ARE VERY CLASS CONSCIOUS. MY GREAT GRANDFATHER
WAS OF THE NOBILITY THERE. HE MARRIED AND CAME TO AMERICA ALONG
WITH COUSINS THROUGH MARRIAGE (NOT OF NOBILITY). THERE, THE COUSINS
STRUCK IT RICH IN NEW YORK IN CONSTRUCTION AND THE GREAT GRAND_
FATHER JUST HAD A SMALL STORE. FINALLY, 20 YRS. LATER, NOT TRAVELING
TOGETHER, BOTH GRANDFATHER AND RELATIVES RETURNED TO THE TOWN AT
THE SAME TIME; THE WHOLE TOWN TURNED OUT TO GREET THE GREAT_GRAND_
FATHER. BUT FOR THE COUSINS (WHO WERE HANDING OUT MONEY), THEY
PRACTICALLY WERE IGNORED DESPITE THEIR WEALTH. THE COUSINS NEVER
FORGOT THIS AND RESENTED THE GRANDFATHER UNTIL THE DAY HE DIED.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE

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

Date learned: 02-20-1970

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IT IS GOOD LUCK TO SHAKE THE HAND OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Chimney ; Communication ; CUSTOM ; GREETING ; Hands ; LUCK ; Shake Hands ; SUPERSTITION ; Sweep

Subject headings: Favorites
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.22

Date learned: 03-14-1970

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HAIR

IF YOU CUT YOUR HAIR EVERY FULL MOON,
THAT IS A SIGN IT WILL GROW LONGER.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED IN CHILDHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; BRIGGS BUILDING

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

Date learned: 03-05-1971

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Entry filtered.

FIX IT QUICK

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

JOSE AND PEDRO WERE WORKING ON THEIR MODEL T FORD.
JOSE WAS UNDER THE REAR AXLE AND ASKED FOR THE "SPEED"
WRENCH. PEDRO PICKED UP A SLEDGE HAMMER AND SMASHED IN
THE HOOD. JOSE JUMPED UP YELLING AND SCREAMING, "PEDRO
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" "WELL," SAID PEDRO, "YOU ASKED ME
FOR A "SPEED WRENCH" AND IN MY COUNTRY A "MEXICAN SPEED
WRENCH" IS A SLEDGEHAMMER." I ONLY DID WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO.

Submitter comment:

MR. CATES SPENT THREE YEARS IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS
WHERE HE ACQUIRED SOME MEXICAN JOKES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; CATES BAR

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman

Date learned: 07-29-1964

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Proverb

Still waters run deep

Submitter comment:

From - Uncertain

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

Keyword(s): Deep ; Depth ; Insight ; Intelligence ; Knowledge ; METAPHOR ; Quiet ; Run ; SILENCE ; Still ; WATER

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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