The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

If someone sweeps your feet with a broom you must do seven
complete turns and spit on the broom three times or you will soon go
to jail.

James Callow comment: For earlier African-American predictions that sweeping one's feet
can send that person to jail see Puckett, "Folk Beliefs of the
Southern Negro," p. 397; the informants were from Alabama and
Georgia. Puckett, Ohio, nos. 20562-20572 also equate brooms and
sweeping with arrest and jail. Note that almost all the informants
are listed as Negro. No. 20573 contains three examples of converting
the consequences by spitting on the broom, but none of these
informants, two of whom are Negro, prescribes a certain number of
times for this action.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1978