Deprecated: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-search.inc.php on line 473

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/libs/inc/cfa/cfa-item.inc.php on line 327
The James T. Callow Computerized Folkore Archive | University of Detroit Mercy Libraries Back to Top
Top Nav content Site Footer
University Home
James T. Callow Computerized Folklore Archive
search for

Offensive content Filter is ON

Your search for ST returned 2014 results.

prev | items
| next

THE MAD BUTCHER OF KINGSBERRY RUN
KINGSBERRY RUN IS A ROAD RUNNING THROUGH THE FLATS OF CLEVELAND
(INDUSTRIAL AREA). MANY UNSOLVED MURDERS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED THERE
WHERE THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN SLICED UP. THE MURDERER HAS BEEN
CALLED THE MAD BUTCHER. THIS INCIDENT HAS BECOME A LEGEND AMONG
THE PEOPLE OF CLEVELAND.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HEARD OF THIS LEGEND WHILE LIVING IN CLEVELAND WHERE
HE SPENT THE FIRST 18 YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN

Keyword(s): MUTILATED MURDERS ; OHIO

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate

Date learned: 03-02-1970

View just this record

EVIL EYE

IF YOU BRAG ABOUT A CHILD, OR YOUR WIFE, OR ABOUT ANYTHING, THE
EVIL EYE WILL TAKE IT AWAY. TO AVOID THIS, WHENEVER BRAGGING
YOU SHOULD END THE ADULATION WITH A CRITICAL COMMENT.

Submitter comment: AS AN EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF SAYING, "MY SON IS SO PERFECT. HE
ALWAYS GETS GOOD MARKS IN SCHOOL." A CAUTIOUS PERSON WOULD SAY,
"MY SON IS SO PERFECT. HE ALWAYS GETS GOOD MARKS IN SCHOOL, BUT
HE NEVER CLEANS HIS ROOM."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WEST BLOOMFIELD

Keyword(s): ADVICE ; COMPENSATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Curse

Date learned: 09-12-1990

View just this record

In 1967, a composite picture of our sorority sisters fell off
the lounge wall. The crash awakened the girls and they ran from
their bedrooms to the lounge. They found that the crack in the
glass only cut across one face on the picture. It was later found
that this sorority sister's fiance was killed in a car accident at
the exact time that the picture had fallen. His car clock stopped
running upon impact which was the same time that the girls had
been awakened by the picture crashing to the floor.

Submitter comment: I pledged this sorority in 1969 and was told this by my
sorority sisters. The glass had been replaced and the picture
still hung on the wall. The sorority sister whose face was marred
by the crack had transferred to a different university following
her fiance's death.

Where learned: WEST VIRGINIA ; West Liberty State College ; West Liberty

Subject headings: Observation
Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 00-00-1969

View just this record

IT IS BAD LUCK TO HAVE A BLACK CAT CROSS YOUR PATH (ANYWHERE,
NOT JUST IN FRONT). IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT THE CAT IS THERE
AND YOU TURN AND SEE IT BEHIND YOU AND IT CROSSES, YOU
MUST GO BACK AND WALK OVER WHERE YOU WERE. IF YOU DON'T SEE
IT, YOU ARE O.K.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT SAID HIS FAMILY AND EVERYONE HE KNEW BELIEVED

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; PRESTONSBURG

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal
BELIEF -- Bad luck Animals

View just this record

Superstition

Protection Against Vampires:

Garlic is a charm to be used against vampires.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P400] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: ENGLAND ; Wurman, Tom ; WORCESTER

Keyword(s): Garlic ; Lore ; MYTH ; Protection ; Protective ; SPICE ; SUPERSTITION ; Vampire

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire

View just this record

Ways to Kill a Vampire

Preventing a vampire from returning to his casket before sunrise by hiding or burning his casket or separating it from its "native soil" will kill him.

Data entry tech comment:

Collector stamped a home address stamp onto the card in the place of "collector data."

Original Stamp: Mrs. W.E. Givens, Jr.

They then crossed out the Prefix and first initials [Mrs. W.E.] and scrawled over the suffix [Jr.]. Indecipherable writing over suffix, but may be Rev. or Esq.

 

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original Boggs number [P408] is crossed out and replaced with P427.

Where learned: ENGLAND ; 4/72 ; Newman, Tom ; WORCESTER

Keyword(s): Casket ; FIRE ; Undead ; Vampire ; Vanquish

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire

View just this record

PLACE

AMONG THE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, A NICKNAME
FOR ANN ARBOR, WHERE THE SCHOOL IS SITUATED, IS "A" RAISED
TO THE POWER OF 2 (ESPECIALLY USED ON LETTERS).

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Place

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

View just this record

RIDDLE

Q: WHAT HAS TWO ARMS AND NO HANDS?
A: A CHAIR.

Data entry tech comment: ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN THE 5 X 8 CARD FILES.

Where learned: RUSSELL INDUSTRIAL CENTER

Keyword(s): FURNITURE (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q) ; PRIVATIONAL OPPOSITIONAL

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 12-03-1967

View just this record

RIDDLE

Q: WHAT GOES THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT DOES NOT PASS ON EITHER SIDE
OF THE DOOR?
A: A KEYHOLE.

Data entry tech comment: ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN THE 5 X 8 CARD FILES.

Where learned: RUSSELL INDUSTRIAL CENTER

Keyword(s): ANTITHETICAL OPPOSITIONAL ; HARDWARE (A) ; HARDWARE (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 12-03-1967

View just this record

RIDDLE IN VERSE

I RIPPLE AND DRIP,/ I'M GREEN OR I'M BLUE/ I'M WILD OR I'M TAME/
BUT I AM NEEDED BY YOU.
A: WATER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 18410 BIRCHCREST

Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; NATURAL PHENOMENA (A) ; STATES OF BEING (Q) COLOR

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

Date learned: 10-00-1967

View just this record

RIDDLE IN VERSE

Q: I'M WIDE AT THE MOUTH/ I HAVE A BED/ I RISE AND I FALL/ I HAVE
A HEAD.
A: RIVER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 18410 BIRCHCREST

Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; FURNITURE (Q) ; NATURAL ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q)

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

Date learned: 10-00-1967

View just this record

Language: Games

Q: I STAND ALONE UPON A ROCK/ THE ANGRY WAVES I DAILY MOCK/
THE SHIPS THAT PASS ME IN (THE) NIGHT/ ARE SAFELY GUIDED BY MY LIGHT
A: A LIGHTHOUSE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated and Motifs / 02-28-2011 / TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 10410 BIRCHCREST

Keyword(s): BUILDING ; GAME ; Guide ; Language ; LIGHT ; Lighthouse ; Night ; RHYME ; RIDDLE ; Rock ; Ship ; TRANSPORTATION ; VERSE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

Date learned: 10-00-1967

View just this record

RIDDLE

WHAT QUESTION CAN NEVER BE ANSWERED BY "YES"?
ARE YOU ASLEEP.

Where learned: DETROIT, ASSUMED ; 18410 BIRCHCREST ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): HUMOR

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-00-1968

View just this record

RIDDLE IN VERSE

Q: I AM BLACK AND WHITE/ AND I'M VERY AMUSING/ I'M VERY INSTRUCTIVE/
BUT NEVER CONFUSING.
A: NEWSPAPER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 18410 BIRCHCREST

Keyword(s): COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATED ; STATE OF BEING (Q) COLOR

James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH ; INITIAL ITERATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

Date learned: 10-00-1967

View just this record

TRUE RIDDLE

Q: FOUR LEGS UP, FOUR LEGS DOWN/ SOFT IN THE MIDDLE, HARD ALL AROUND.
A: A BED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 18410 BIRCHCREST

Keyword(s): ANTITHETICAL OPPOSITONAL ; FURNITURE (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q)

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

View just this record

RIDDLE IN VERSE

Q: MY TRUNK ALAS. IT HAS NO LOCK./ IT HASN'T ANY KEY./
BUT YET WHEREVER I MAY GO/ I TAKE MY TRUNK WITH ME.
A: AN ELEPHANT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 18410 BIRCHCREST

Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; ANIMALS (A) ; HARDWARE (Q) ; LUGGAGE (Q)

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

Date learned: 10-00-1967

View just this record

Content filter on this entry.

"GREEN GIRL"

THE O.D. GREEN BLANKET DISTRIBUTED TO ALL CADETS IS CALLED A "GREEN
GIRL". WHEN A CADET GOES OUT WITH HIS BLANKET UNDER HIS ARM , ALL
CADETS KNOW THAT HE WILL BE IN THE WOODS WITH HIS GIRL THAT NIGHT.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; WEST POINT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535
SPEECH -- Folk etymology
SPEECH -- Trade & commerce
Filter - Mature Content

Date learned: 00-00-1971

View just this record

JULAFTON FOODS

SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVE FOODS AMONG THE MINNESOTA
SWEDES INCLUDED LUTFISK (BRINE FISH), SWEDISH POTATO SAUSAGE,
POTATIS KORV, SYLTA, FRUIT BREAD, JULKAKA (MEAT), COOKIES, AND
ROSETTES (FRIED BATTER).

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT REMEMBERS HER MOTHER AND RELATIVES PREPARING THE
JULAFTON FEAST WEEKS IN ADVANCE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MINNESOTA ; ROUTE 1 ; STURGEON LAKE ; BOX 121

Keyword(s): CHRISTMAS ; CUSTOM ; FOOD ; holiday ; Swedish ; tradition

Subject headings: 122 Christmas

Date learned: 03-28-1970

View just this record

PROVERB

A BIRD CAN FLY HIGH BUT IT MUST COME DOWN TO ROOST.

Where learned: PASTEUR SCHOOL (SIC)

Keyword(s): BIRD

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; LIMITATIONS? ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 01-29-1968

View just this record

PLACE

AMONG THE STUDENTS AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, A NICK-
NAME FOR THE CITY IN WHICH THE TOWN IS SITUATED (KALAMAZOO)
IS KAZOO.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Place

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

View just this record

prev | items
| next

Back to Top