The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE FAMILY OF THE DECEASED INDIVIDUAL SHOULD NEVER
GIVE AWAY THE PERSONAL BELONGINGS UNTIL HE HAD BEEN
DEAD SIX WEEKS. IF THEY DO, THEY MIGHT OFFEND THE
DEAD.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THAT MANY PEOPLE IN HER NATIVE TOWN
IN ROMANIA BELIEVED THIS. IN FACT, SHE RELATED, MANY
WOULD WAIT AS LONG AS FIVE YEARS BEFORE GIVING AWAY
THE PERSONAL BELONGINGS OF SOMEONE WHO DIED IN
THEIR FAMILY. MM ALWAYS SLIP A COIN IN THE CASKET OF A LOVED ONE. IT WILL HELP YOU TO STOP GRIEVING.
INFORMANT SAID THAT THIS IS A FAVORITE CUSTOM OF
TYPSIES. RECALLED HEARING IT FROM A GYPSY AS A
CHILD IN ROMANIA.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 11-26-1971