The James T. Callow Computerized Folkore Archive | University of Detroit Mercy Libraries

IN A LITTLE ITALIAN CITY THERE LIVED A VERY POOR
MAN. ALL HE OWNED WAS AN OLD BICYCLE OF WHICH HE WAS
VERY PROUD. ONE DAY HE WENT TO A SMALL GROCERY
STORE TO BUY SOME VEGETABLES AND WHEN HE CAME
BACK, HE FOUND HIS BICYCLE ALL BROKEN INTO LITTLE
PIECES--PROBABLY SOME EVIL BOY DECIDED TO PLAY A
BAD JOKE ON HIM. THE MAN BEGAN TO CRY. AT THAT
TIME, A FUNERAL PROCESSION ARRIVED AND THE MAN JOINED THE
RELATIVES OF THE DEAD WOMAN, CRYING SO PITIFULLY THAT
A FRIEND OF THE DEAD WOMAN STOPPED HIM AND SAID,
"COME ON NOW, SHE WAS OLD AND DECREPIT, YOU KNOW."
TO THAT THE MAN REPLIED, "YES, BUT SHE STILL HAD
TWO PEDALS AND A HANDLE-BAR!"

Submitter comment: THE ABOVE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FUNNY STORIES CHILDREN
TELL IN ITALY. I REMEMBER HEARING AND TELLING ONE
SIMILAR TO THIS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION---ITALIAN VERSION ON 5 X 8 CARD.

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman

Date learned: 10-06-1971

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THAT'S THE SPIRIT

AN OLD NEIGHBOR WAS RETURNING HOME FROM A SICK FRIEND.
IT WAS NIGHT AND THE MOON WAS NOT SHINING. SO HE WAS
JUST WALKING ALONG AND HE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE CEMETERY.
HE WAS A LITTLE AFRAID, BUT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT HIS
FRIEND AND ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE MIGHT NOT GET BETTER.
JUST THEN, HE HEARS SOMEONE MOANING. THE MAN BECAME
FRIGHTENED AND HE STOPPED AND WAITED. AGAIN, HE HEARS
SOMEONE MOANING. SO THE OLD MAN ASKS THE SPIRIT OF
THE ONE WHO WAS BURIED IN THE GRAVE BESIDE WHICH HE
STOOD: "SOUL (SPIRIT), WHAT DO YOU DEMAND?" BUT AGAIN,
HE HEARD THE MOAN. WITH THAT, A VOICE COMES FROM
BEHIND THE TOMBSTONE, "I'D LIKE A PIECE OF PAPER."

Submitter comment: TRANSLATED FROM POLISH. I HEARD THIS WHEN I WAS
ABOUT 13-15, BUT COULDN'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS, SO
ASKED MY MOTHER TO WRITE THEM DOWN FOR ME. SHE DID
SO ON MAY 15, 1965.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale

Date learned: 05-00-1965

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THE KING AND THE SMART SERVANT

ONCE UPON A TIME, A KING HAD A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER. THE
KING WANTED A PRINCE FOR A SON-IN-LAW, BUT HIS DAUGHTER
FELL IN LOVE WITH A PAROBEK (HOUSEMAN) WHO JUST WORKED
FOR THE KING, TOOK CARE OF HIS CATTLE AND BARNS. THE KING
COULDN'T GET HIS DAUGHTER TO CHANGE HER MIND, SO HE TOLD
THE YOUNG MAN AND HER THAT IF HE DOES 3 THINGS, HE, THE
KING, TELLS THE YOUNG MAN TO DO, HE CAN MARRY HIS
DAUGHTER. IF HE FAILS HE WILL BE BEHEADED. IN OTHER
WORDS, HE WILL HAVE HIS HEAD CHOPPED OFF. AND THE KING
WAS SURE HE WOULD HAVE TO MISS ONE--HE COULDN'T BE THAT
SMART. ALTHOUGH THE KING LIKED THE YOUNG MAN BECAUSE
HE WAS AN HONEST AND LOYAL WORKER.
FIRST WAS TO COUNT ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY AND SHOW PROOF.
SO THE YOUNG MAN WONDERED AND WORRIED HOW CAN HE, BUT
AHA! HE TOOK A LARGE PIECE OF PAPER AND MADE HOLES IN IT
WITH A PIN. NEXT DAY AT THE TIME THE KING TOLD HIM TO
COME HE DID SO. HE PRESENTED THE PAPER TO THE KING AND
SAID, "I PIERCED A HOLE FOR EACH OF THE STARS. HERE
THEY ARE." WELL, IT WAS ACCEPTED BECAUSE THE KING COULD
NOT SHOW PROOF OTHERWISE.
SECOND: NOW SAID THE KING, "AT MIDNIGHT YOU SHALL COME
TO ME DRESSED BUT NOT DRESSED, ON A BLACK, BUT NOT BLACK,
WHITE BUT NOT WHITE, HORSE. SO AGAIN HE WORRIED WHAT TO
DO, BUT "AHA! I GOT IT!" HE GOT A GREY HORSE WITH DARKER
SPOTS HERE AND THERE SO HE WAS NEITHER WHITE OR BLACK
AND TO DRESS AND NOT DRESS, HE WRAPPED HIMSELF IN A
NETTING, LIKE CHEESE CLOTH OR VEIL. SO HE MADE IT
EXACTLY 12 MIDNIGHT. SO THE KING SAID, "YOU'VE DONE IT
AGAIN," AND WAS WORRIED THE YOUNG MAN MIGHT OUTSMART HIM.
SO HE SAID, "THIS IS THE LAST; I'M SURE HE WILL FAIL."
THIRD: "YOUNG MAN YOU SHOWED YOURSELF SMART SO FAR, BUT
THIS LAST; EITHER YOU DO IT OR YOUR HEAD BE CUT OFF."
THE KING SAID, "BE HERE AT 12 NOON. COME RIDING, BUT NOT
RIDING A HORSE, WALKING BUT NOT WALKING."
THIS WAS HARD, BUT THE YOUNG MAN CAME TO THINK THEN,
!AHA! I GOT IT!" SO HE WENT THROUGH TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
HE TRIED HUNDREDS OF HORSES, THEN HE ALMOST GAVE UP.
THE HORSES WERE EITHER TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL, BUT WHEN
HE ALMOST GAVE UP, HE THOUGHT OF THE HORSE HE TOOK CARE
OF AT THE KING'S PALACE. THERE HE TRIED ONE MORE, AND HE
WAS HIS LIFE SAVER. HE WAS JUST THE KIND HE NEEDED. AS
HE SAT ON HIS BACK HE LET HIS LEGS HANG DANGLING SO AS TO
ALMOST STAND BUT COULDN'T BUT HE HALF WALKED, THAT IS ON
THE BALL OF FOOT AND TOES. SO CAME 12 NOON AND THE KING
WAITED PATIENTLY, SO DID HIS DAUGHTER, THE PRINCESS.
AND THERE RODE, AND NOT RODE, WALKED, BUT NOT WALKED,
THE YOUNG MAN. THE KING WAS AMAZED AND SAID HE IS THE
LOSER AND THE YOUNG MAN THE WINNER. THE KING TURNED
TO HIS DAUGHTER, "YOU MAY MARRY THE YOUNG MAN AND HE
SHALL LIVE IN THE PALACE AND NOT WORK AS A HANDYMAN
ANY MORE. HE HAS PROVEN HE IS A SMART AND A GOOD MAN.
SO THEY MARRIED AND LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT, MY MOTHER, TOLD THIS STORY TO MY
BROTHERS AND ME WHEN I WAS ABOUT 9 OR 10 YEARS OLD.
I REMEMBERED A FEW OF THE FACTS, BUT NOT THE SOLUTIONS
TO THE KING'S TASKS, SO I ASKED HER TO WRITE THE STORY
DOWN FOR ME. THE ONLY THING I CHANGED IN TRANSCRIBING
IT, IS THE PUNCTUATION. THE WORDS ALL HERS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale

Date learned: 05-15-1965

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THE PROUD ONE

ONCE THERE WAS A VERY RICH LADY. SHE HAD SERVANTS,
MAIDS, AND A NURSEMAID FOR HER BABY. ONE DAY, THE
NURSEMAID HAD TO GO SHOPPING, AND THE LADY HAD TO CHANGE
THE BABY'S DIAPER. THE LADY HATED TO DO THAT, BECAUSE
IT WAS DISTASTEFUL TO HER (ONA SIE BRZYDZILA), BUT SHE
HAD TO DO IT BECAUSE THE NURSEMAID WAS NOT THERE.
WHILE SHE WAS WIPING THE BABY'S BOTTOM, SHE GOT SOME
"DIRT" ON HER FINGER. THEN SHE BEGAN TO SCREAM AND
CALL FOR HER MANSERVANT, "COME, QUICK, AND BRING
YOUR AX AND CUT THIS FINGER OFF, BECAUSE I CAN'T
STAND TO LOOK AT IT!" BUT HE KNEW THE LADY WELL,
SO HE TOLD HER TO PUT HER FINGER ON THE "KLOCEK"
(BLOCK) AND HE JUST HIT IT WITH THE DULL SIDE OF THE
AX. THE LADY, FROM PAIN, PUT THE WHOLE FINGER IN
HER MOUTH AND THE MANSERVANT LAUGHED, SAYING, "WHAT
A LADY!"

Submitter comment: THIS HAS BEEN TRANSLATED FROM THE POLISH LANGUAGE.
I HEARD THE STORY ORIGINALLY WHEN I WAS ABOUT 15,
AND THEN AGAIN MORE RECENTLY FROM THE INFORMANT
(A RELATIVE) WHO ASKED THAT I DON'T USE HIS NAME..

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman

Date learned: 05-00-1965

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ULBE A ULB WALADU, ULB WALADU A ULB IL HAGARE.
MY HEART IS ON THE HEART OF MY CHILD, MY CHILD'S HEART
IS ON THE HEART OF A STONE.

Submitter comment: YOU HAVE A FEELING FOR ME BUT IT'S NOT LIKE I HAVE
FOR YOU, BECAUSE I'VE EXPERIENCED MORE--USUALLY SAID
BY PARENTS WHEN A CHILD IS MAD AT THEM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION

Subject headings:

SPEECH -- Formula

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DITHEY ADDIE MA GOAL; KOODIE MAH ROOM.
JUDGE CONDEMNS; PRIEST REMOVED.

Submitter comment: WHEN A YOUNG CHILD BABBLES ON, HE IS LIKE A JUDGE
THAT WAS CONDEMANED OR A PRIEST THAT WAS REMOVED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION

Subject headings:

SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 11-23-1970