Letter From Willis D. Faust to Alfred L. Shoemaker, May 3, 1954

Authors

Willis D. Faust

Document Type

Correspondence

Files

Date

5-3-1954

Keywords

cake batter, Peter and Paul, rye, mixing bowl, Bernville, Pennsylvania Dutch dialect

Description

A handwritten letter from Willis D. Faust addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated May 3, 1954. Within, Faust writes in response to an inquiry made on Shoemaker's radio program involving Peter and Paul's day on the church calendar and relates other stories from his childhood.

Sender

Willis D. Faust

Recipient

Alfred L. Shoemaker

Corresponds to:

Packet 8-14

City

Bernville, Pennsylvania

Transcription

May 3, 1954.

Dear Sir:

On radio you asked about Pater-Parl. The day Peter and Paul is indicated on some church calenders; June 29. The Dutch saying is: “Pater-Paarl mocht dem karn die wurtzel foul.” (rots the roots of rye)

At that date rye is ripe for harvesting.

I once asked a man what he had worked at since I last met him. He answered:

For awhile I helped Staarna butza (cleaning stars), moon rous henka (hanging out the moon), volga sheeva (pushing clouds), und doonera loos lussa (and loosening thunders).

You once mentioned that our grandparents had tied a bunch of sticks or whips for mixing cake batter. When I was young, my mother had such with her culinary equipment.

There was a belief prevalent that one should always go around in the mixing bowl in same direction to mix batter; that if you reversed your stirring you would undo the work already done and it would not be good for the cake.

Yours truly,

Willis D. Faust,

R. 1, Bernville, Pa.

Language

English and Pennsylvania German

Rights Statement

This item is available courtesy of the Ursinus College Library Special Collections Department. It is not to be copied or distributed for commercial use. For permissions which fall outside of educational use, please contact the Special Collections Department.

Recommended Citation

Faust, Willis D., "Letter From Willis D. Faust to Alfred L. Shoemaker, May 3, 1954" (1954). Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents. 154.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/shoemaker_documents/154