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NEVER KISS AT THE GARDEN GATE,
LOVE IS BLIND BUT THE NEIGHBORS AIN'T.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
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POLISH JOKE
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
HOW CAN YOU TELL WHICH KID IN THE FIRST GRADE CLASS IS POLISH?
THE ONE WITH THE RUSTY ZIPPER AND YELLOW SNEAKERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FOWLERVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Poli RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
EASTER-EGG FIGHTS
ON EASTER, IT IS CUSTOMARY TO HAVE EASTER-EGG FIGHTS TO SEE WHO
HAS THE "CHAMPION" EGG. ONE PERSON HOLDS AN EGG WHILE ANOTHER TRIES
TO CRACK IT BY STRIKING THE EGG WITH ANOTHER EGG. THE WEAKER
EGG BREAKS, THUS MAKING THE STRONGER EGG THE WINNER.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 10859 BALFOUR ; 48224
Keyword(s): GAME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
CHEER
OUR TEAM IS SO BIG,
YOUR TEAM IS SO SMALL,
(THEN EVERYONE STARTED STOMPING THEIR FEET.)
Submitter comment: CATHOLIC CENTRAL IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; GRAND RAPIDS ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival Custom Festival |
JUMP ROPE RHYME
BLUE BELLS COCKEL SHELLS,
EVE EVY OVER,
HERE COMES TEACHER WITH A BIG BLACK STICK,
YOU BETTER KNOW YOUR ARITHMATIC.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
GRAFFITI
I.P. DAILY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GRAFFITI
James Callow Keyword(s): SLANG FOR URINATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Art Craft Architecture Art, Craft, Architecture |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
JOHNNY REEFERSEED (NARCOTICS' LEGENDARY CHARACTER)
AN IMAGINARY CHARACTER WHO IS PICTURED AS A HEAVILY BEARDED GUY
SMOKING A MARIJUANA CIGARETTE. THE FREAKS (HIPPY-TYPE MARIJUANA
SMOKERS) LOOK UPON HIM AS THEIR KING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT ; COLLECTED IN EAST DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Secular hero |
Date learned: 09-20-1969
MISTLETOE HANGS IN THE ROOM WHEREUPON SOME MEMBERS OF
THE GROUP COMES AND KISSES SOMEBODY STANDING UNDER
THE MISTLETOE.
Submitter comment:
SHE SAID THAT SHE LEARNED IT "PROBABLY AT A
CHRISTMAS PARTY OF SOME RELATIVES WHEN (SHE) WAS VERY
SMALL."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery |
Date learned: 02-08-1967
MISTLETOE HANGS IN THE ROOM WHEREUPON SOME MEMBERS OF
THE GROUP COMES AND KISSES SOMEBODY STANDING UNDER
THE MISTLETOE.
Submitter comment:
SHE SAID THAT SHE LEARNED IT "PROBABLY AT A
CHRISTMAS PARTY OF SOME RELATIVES WHEN (SHE) WAS VERY
SMALL."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery |
Date learned: 02-08-1967
A BED HAS TO BE FACING NORTH AND SOUTH
THE BED HAS TO BE FACING NORTH AND SOUTH IN ORDER FOR
THE SPIRITS TO CIRCULATE PROPERLY
AROUND THE SLEEPING PERSON.
Submitter comment:
SHE LEARNED IT FROM HER GREAT-AUNT WHOSE NAME
IS JOSEPHINE SWITZER AND WHO IS EIGHTY-THREE YEARS OLD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
PROVERBIAL METAPHOR
TURN YOUR FACE TO THE SUN, AND THE SHADOWS WILL FALL
BEHIND YOU.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
I was once told the term "splitting headache" originated
in ancient Greece. In those times the gods ruled over
the world. The leader of the gods was Zeus. One day he
was complaining of a severe headache, so he called
in the blacksmith god Hephastus to split his skull
and relieve the intense pressure. Hephastus did as he
was told, splitting Zeus's skull. Once this occurred
a full grown woman came out. She was dressed in full
armor and had a large shield and spear. This woman
was the goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom and combat.
This how we got the term splitting headache.
When I was told this story it was told to me in a humorous
way rather than a this-is-how-it-happened tone.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Alba
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Gods SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: 00001976 CA
Once when I was visiting a friend up north a full
moon was out. I was quite young, 6 years old, when
I was up there. I think I was in the questioning
stage of development, and I asked why the moon has
got those dark spots from. My friend said that those
are called craters and they got there a long time
ago. . . A woman was trying to put her baby to sleep
one night but he couldn't fall asleep because it
was too bright outside. So she went outside to see
why it was so bright. She discovered that the moon
had fallen from the sky and was now only a few feet
from her backyard. So what was the woman to do?
Her baby needed sleep! An idea finally hit her. She
went inside and grabbed her broom. She walked up
to the moon and began to poke and jab at it with the
broom handle causing it to go back towards the sky.
All night long she did this until it was back where
it came from. Upon looking up she saw all the darker
spots where she had hit the moon with her broom handle
causing little dimples. That's how craters got
on the moon.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Alba
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Moon BELIEF -- Moon |
Date learned: 00001976 CA
OMEN OF DEATH
IF A BAT FLIES IN THE HOUSE, IT MEANS DEATH.
Submitter comment:
MY MOTHER COLLECTED THIS FROM A WOMAN WITH WHOM SHE
WORKED. MRS. HAIRSTON LEARNED IT FROM HER MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 02-00-1967
FORMULA SPEECH
"IT'S SNOWING DOWN SOUTH."
Submitter comment:
THIS IS SAID WHENEVER YOU WANT TO TELL A WOMAN THAT HER SLIP IS
SHOWING, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY SO FOR
OTHERS MIGHT HEAR AND CAUSE THE WOMAN EMBARRASMENT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; VALENTES MENS FORMALWEAR
Keyword(s): CLOTHING
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-12-1971
JUMP ROPE RHYME
FUDGE, FUDGE, CALL THE JUDGE,
MAMA HAS A NEW BORN BABY.
IT WASN'T A GIRL
IT'S NOT A BOY
IT'S JUST A PLAIN OLD BABY.
WRAP IT UP IN TISSUE PAPER
SEND IT DOWN THE ELEVATOR
FIRST FLOOR--STOP
SECOND FLOOR ----------.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
CHILDREN'S RHYME
THE WORMS CRAWL IN, THE WORMS CRAWL OUT, THEY EAT UP YOUR GUTS AND SPIT THEM OUT.
James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
CHILDREN'S RHYME
TEACHER, TEACHER, I DECLARE,
GIVE ME BACK MY UNDERWEAR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
JOHN JACOB JINGLE-HIMER SMITH (SCHMIDT)
THAT'S MY NAME, TOO,
WHENEVER I GO OUT, THE PEOPLE ALWAYS SHOUT,
"JOHN JACOB JINGLE-HIMER SMITH."
HURRAH HURRAH HURRAH FOR... (REPEAT)
Submitter comment:
SHE NOTED IN THE WRITTEN COPY THAT SHE GAVE ME THAT THE
"I" IN "HIMER" WAS PRONOUNCED WITH A LONG SOUND AS IN
"HIGH."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HUMOROUS NAME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
KNOCK KNOCK JOKE
KNOCK, KNOCK
WHO'S THERE?
WENDY
WENDY WHO?
WENDY JOKES ARE FINISHED, I'LL TELL YOU!
Submitter comment: I MADE UP THIS LAST JOKE FROM MY AUNT'S NAME, WENDY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE
James Callow Keyword(s): WHEN THE
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00001960S