English, Department of
Title
Signs, Omens, and Portents in Nebraska Folklore
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
January 1933
The signs, omens, and portents in the following collection
have been reported by inhabitants of Nebraska and most of
them are beliefs or sayings commonly known in the central
western region. Although the list must be far from complete,
it is probably representative of the bulk of current
superstitions of Nebraskans. Informants have been persons
from practically every part of the state, so that the beliefs
presented are not limited to any particular region. No
attempt has been made to indicate from what community the
different signs were reported, since a sign which may be
common in the Sand Hills may be equally well known in the
southeastern corner of the state. Since mountain barriers do
not separate the inhabitants of Nebraska into distinctive
groups, and travel and communication are not difficult, lore of
any kind cannot remain long isolated in the present day.
For the material in the following study the writer is indebted
to many informants, but especially to Dr. Louise
Pound from whose collection of Nebraska folklore many of
the beliefs were obtained. Much of the material was
gathered by students in Miss Pound's classes at the University
of Nebraska, particularly those in American literature,
and the interest and generosity of these contributors is gratefully acknowledged.
The signs have been given verbatim et literatim as far as
possible. They are recorded as originally reported unless
slight changes seemed necessary for the sake of clearness.
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Comments
Published in the University of Nebraska Studies in Language, Literature, and Criticism series, number 13. Lincoln, Nebraska, 1933.