Northern Ohio.
845. To cure hiccoughs repeat in one breath the words,—
There was an old woman who lived all alone,
And she was made of skin and bone.
One day to church she went to pray,
And on the ground a man there lay,
And from his head unto his feet
The worms crawled in, the worms crawled out.
Boston, Mass.
846. A variant,—
There was an old woman who lived all alone,
And she was made of skin and bone.
One day to church she went to pray,
And on the ground there lay a man.
And from his head unto his feet
The worms crawled in, the worms crawled out.
The woman to the parson said:
“Shall I be so when I am dead?”
The parson he said “yes.”
Portland, Me., Brookline and Deerfield, Mass.
847. For hiccoughs the nurse used to say in a droning, deep, ghostly tone,—
There was an old man an’ an old woman,
And they lived in a bottle and eat Bones.
Brookline, Mass.
848. Other somewhat general remedies for hiccoughs are to munch a spoonful of sugar, to scare the one troubled with hiccoughs by some startling announcement or accusation, as, “See, you’ve torn your dress!” or, “How did you break my vase?” etc. Another custom is to steadily point a finger at the hiccougher, or to make him hold up his arm and shake it.
849. To cure hiccoughs, slowly take nine sips of water.
Prince Edward Island and Northern Ohio.