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NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

EVERYONE STANDS IN A CIRCLE. THE PERSON WHO IS IT
IS IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE BALL. EVERYONE CROSSES
THEIR ARMS. IT THROWS THE BALL TO SOMEONE AND
THEY MUST CATCH IT AND THROW IT BACK. IT MAY,
HOWEVER, FAKE THROWING THE BALL TO SOMEONE. IF THAT
PERSON OPENS THEIR ARMS OR FAILS TO CATCH THE BALL,
DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, HE IS OUT. THE LAST
ONE TO MISS GETS TO BE IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement Special Object or Implement

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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SPOONS

THIS GAME IS TO BE PLAYED WHEN PLAYERS ARE SLIGHTLY
DRUNK, OR IN RATHER GOOD SPIRITS. A MINIMUM OF
FIVE PLAYERS AND A MAXIMUM OF ABOUT 13 CAN PLAY.
PLAYERS SHOULD SIT ON THE FLOOR IN A CIRCLE; THEN
PLACE ONE LESS SPOON THAN THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS IN
THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE, E.G., SIX PLAYERS, FIVE
SPOONS. START WITH FOUR CARDS PER PLAYER, ONE OF
EACH SUIT. DEAL EACH PLAYER FOUR CARDS; THEN THE
DEALER STARTS THE GAME BY ASKING THE PLAYERS TO
PASS FROM ONE TO THREE CARDS TO THE PERSON TO HIS
LEFT. IN RAPID SUCCESSION, THE PERSON ON THE DEALER'S
LEFT, BY HIS OWN CHOICE, ASKS THE REST OF THE PLAYERS
TO PASS FROM ONE TO THREE CARDS TO THEIR LEFT. THE
OBJECT BEING TO ACCUMULATE IN A GIVEN HAND FOUR OF
A KIND (SUIT). WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE PERSON
HOLDING THAT HAND SHOUTS "SPOONS," AND EVERYONE
TRIES TO GRAB A SPOON FROM THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE.
THE ONE WHO IS LEFT WITHOUT A SPOON IS LABELED A
-P- WHICH DENOTES THE FIRST LETTER OF THE WORD PIG.
THE GAME TERMINATES WHEN ANY PLAYER HAS LOST THREE
TIMES, THAT IS, HAS THREE LETTERS WHICH SPELL PIG.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT, MR. HOGAN, LEARNED THIS GAME ONLY ONE
WEEK BEFORE HE PASSED IT ON TO ME. HE LEARNED THE
GAME WHILE AT A PARTY IN BIRMINGHAM, MICHIGAN CONSISTING
MOSTLY OF YOUNG MARRIED COUPLES. THE COUPLE FROM WHOM
HE GLEANED THE SPECIFICS OF THE GAME ARE MR. AND MRS.
JAMES BIRNEY, ALSO OF BIRMINGHAM. THIS GAME IS
APPARENTLY QUITE POPULAR AT THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH I WAS
UNABLE TO TRACE IT ANY FURTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement C560.60

Date learned: 12-31-1963

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BLONDIE AND DAGWOOD WENT TO TOWN./ BLONDIE BOUGHT AN EVENING GOWN./
COOKIE BOUGHT A PAIR OF SHOES./ DAGWOOD BOUGHT THE EVENING NEWS AND
THIS IS WHAT IT SAID TO DO./ "CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO TEN AND IF
YOU MISS, TAKE AN END.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE ; Jump

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

Date learned: 11-13-1970

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BLUE BELLS, COCKLE SHELLS,/ EEVY, IVY, OVERHEAD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Keyword(s): PLAIN-JUMP

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

Date learned: 02-25-1968

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FUDGE, FUDGE,/ CALL THE JUDGE/ CAUSE MAMA'S GOT A NEW BORN BABY./
AIN'T A GIRL./ AIN'T A BOY./ IT'S JUST AN ORDINARY BABY./ WRAP IT UP
IN TISSUE PAPER./ SEND IT DOWN THE ELEVATOR.
FIRST FLOOR/ STOP./ SECOND
FLOOR-MISS,/ THIRD FLOOR-TURN AROUND./ FOURTH FLOOR-GET OUT OF TOWN.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Keyword(s): ACTION-RHYME ; CHARACTER

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

Date learned: 11-13-1970

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IF YOU TOUCH A HUNCHBACK, YOU WILL HAVE GOOD LUCK.

Submitter comment: MRS. CONROY LEARNED THIS ITEM FROM HER MOTHER, MRS.
GERTRUDE ALLISON, AS A CHILD, IN DETROIT. (CA. 1920).

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Good luck Activities
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 00-00-1920

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IF A LADYBUG LANDS ON YOU, THEN LEAVES, YOU WILL
HAVE GOOD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Good luck Animals

Date learned: 04-01-1971

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ACCORDING TO CHINESE TRADITION, THE LUCKY FLOWERS
ARE CHRYSANTHEMUMS, GLADIOLUS, AND NARCISSUS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Good luck Plants

Date learned: 02-24-1968

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FINDING A FOUR LEAFED BRANCH CLOVER BRINGS LUCK.

Submitter comment: FROM PAST PEERS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: 686 Fourths / Quarters
BELIEF -- Good luck Plants

Date learned: 10-27-1967

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YOU HAVE YOUR NEW HOUSE BLESSED FOR GOOD LUCK THAT NO
WRONG COMES TO THE HOME OR THE PEOPLE IN IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church
BELIEF -- Prayer
BELIEF -- Good luck Numbers

Date learned: 03-17-1971

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IF YOU BREAK A MIRROR--SEVEN YEARS BAD LUCK.

Submitter comment: IT SHOULD TAKE SEVEN YEARS TO SAVE UP FOR A NEW
MIRROR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
BELIEF -- Bad luck Mirror

Date learned: CHILDHOOD ; 11-00-1968

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IT'S BAD LUCK TO PUT A PAIR OF NEW SHOES ON THE
TABLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

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

Date learned: 09-26-1965

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IF YOU OPEN AN UMBRELLA IN THE HOUSE, IT IS BAD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck Umbrella

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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TO BREAK SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN AS A LOVE-
TOKEN OR PLEDGE IS VERY UNFORTUNATE; THE LOVE
AFFAIR WILL END BADLY.

Submitter comment: FROM PAST FRIENDS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage Dating Courtship
BELIEF -- Bad luck Gifts
BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities

Date learned: 11-10-1967

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IT IS BAD LUCK TO SIT UNDER A DOOR JAMB.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities

Date learned: 09-27-1965

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WHISTLING BEFORE A BROADWAY PRODUCTION BRINGS BAD
LUCK TO BROADWAY ACTORS AND ACTRESSES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: DRAMA -- Secular
BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities

Date learned: 03-17-1971

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DO NOT TURN BACK WHEN YOU FIRST START OUT, OR YOU
WILL HAVE BAD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Bad luck Leaving Entering Returning home Travel

Date learned: 09-26-1965

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IT IS BAD LUCK TO COUNT THE CARS IN A FUNERAL.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER MOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs
BELIEF -- Bad luck Numbers

Date learned: 07-00-1964

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IF YOU SPILL SALT THROW IT OVER YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

James Callow Keyword(s): ACCIDENT ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Conversions Activities

Date learned: CHILDHOOD

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