Main Piece: Folk Medicine
My grandma, she was born in 1935… was always told by her aunt, in order to not catch a cold or a flu, you had to put a necklace of raw garlic around your neck. Like what you would do to ward off a vampire. She put the raw clove of garlic around her neck when she went to school and she never got sick.
Background Information:
- Why does informant know this piece?
It was told to her to teach her how to ward off illness.
- Where did they learn this piece?
It was told to her by her grandmother.
- What does it mean to them?
It’s an interesting trick to ward off illness.
Context:
- Where?
n/a
- When?
When you are afraid you will get sick
- Why?
To avoid getting sick.
Personal Thoughts:
I think that this folk medicine works because garlic does not smell very good, and so people would avoid contact with a person who is wearing garlic, therefore preventing them from getting sick.