elstaffe’s Reviews > What They Say in New England and Other American Folklore > Status Update
elstaffe
is on page 4 of 289
" and as to when things portend disaster.
I do not know that any of the signs gathered are natives of New England by right of invention. I suppose most can be traced to a foreign ancestry, just as they say all the old jokes can be traced back to Noah. Yet if Yankee cuteness did not share in the originating of them, it has given its peculiar local twist to a large number of them." (4) Yankee cuteness?
— May 04, 2026 08:00PM
I do not know that any of the signs gathered are natives of New England by right of invention. I suppose most can be traced to a foreign ancestry, just as they say all the old jokes can be traced back to Noah. Yet if Yankee cuteness did not share in the originating of them, it has given its peculiar local twist to a large number of them." (4) Yankee cuteness?
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elstaffe’s Previous Updates
elstaffe
is on page 101 of 289
"If you meet with a lion or a mad bull, or anything of that kind, all you have to do is to look them right in the eye, and they won't touch you. If they do, that proves you did not properly catch the eye of the creature that charged you." (101) no true Scotslion
— May 06, 2026 09:02PM
elstaffe
is on page 87 of 289
"The young woman who is fond of cats will be an old maid.
...
If a girl likes cats better than dogs, that is a sign she will never marry." (87) the cat lady archetype goes way back
— May 06, 2026 09:01PM
...
If a girl likes cats better than dogs, that is a sign she will never marry." (87) the cat lady archetype goes way back
elstaffe
is on page 72 of 289
"A boy out for a walk will sometimes count all the bows he gets from his friends, and make a cross for each one on a piece of paper that he carries for the purpose. Later he buries the paper. This is supposed to insure his finding as many dollars as he received bows." (72) I only realized this was "bow" as in "take a bow" and not "bow" as in "hair-bow" at the very end of this
— May 06, 2026 09:00PM
elstaffe
is on page 61 of 289
"There is once in a while a man who, when he sneezes, says, 'God bless it,' that the sneeze may bring him good luck. If he hears someone else sneeze, he helps them to good luck by saying, 'God bless you.'" (61)
— May 05, 2026 08:49PM
elstaffe
is on page 49 of 289
"Wear an eelskin around your waist to keep off rheumatism. Some say they had rather have the rheumatism." (49)
— May 04, 2026 08:14PM
elstaffe
is on page 48 of 289
"Eat poison ivy, and it will never poison you afterward. When this remedy is mentioned, the comment usually is, 'Well, I guess it wouldn't. You wouldn't live to give it the chance.'" (48)
— May 04, 2026 08:08PM
elstaffe
is on page 44 of 289
"When you and a companion are walking together, don't allow a third person to go between you. If you do, it will out your friendship. Nevertheless, if, in spite of precautions, this should happen, say, 'Bread and butter,' and the fates will be propitiated." (44)
— May 04, 2026 08:07PM
elstaffe
is on page 43 of 289
"Sleep before midnight is 'beauty sleep.' Therefore if you wish to be handsome go to bed early." (43)
— May 04, 2026 08:06PM
elstaffe
is on page 39 of 289
"Often when two persons make a bargain they at its conclusion 'Shake hands on it' to make it binding." (39) wild to see this shown up in a slew of other folkloric traditions that have not persisted as equivalently common at one point
— May 04, 2026 08:05PM
elstaffe
is on page 35 of 289
"Eat the blossoms of three innocents, and the next person of the opposite sex that you meet will be the one you are to marry." (35) I beg your pardon?
— May 04, 2026 08:03PM
