The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Living in Northern Michigan, a means of heating our home was by
using a wood burning stove. My parents live up there now by
themselves and we often try to help them prepare their wood pile
for the long cold winter. The wood has to be cut and stacked,
however, some logs have to chopped or split. On one fall weekend,
several of us from the family were up there to help with the wood.
My oldest sister was there splitting the wood most of the weekend.
A month later the big news in our family was that my sister was now
pregnant after many years of trying to get pregnant. From then on
my Father has always kidded that it was the splitting of the wood
that had gotten her pregnant. Now during our wood working weekends
only those that my parents want to get pregnant are allowed to
split wood, no girlfriends or finances are allowed. This has been
a standing joke with our family, the miraculous results of
splitting wood, pregnancy.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE

Keyword(s): POST HOC