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The James T. Callow Computerized Folkore Archive | University of Detroit Mercy Libraries Back to Top
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Your search for Grandmother returned 16 results.

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"SHINEYMAN"

THE SHINEYMAN WAS A JUNKMAN, NO, CAN'T SAY THAT CAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE SAME. HE WAS MORE OF A CELEBRITY. HE ALWAYS WORE A FUNNY OLD HAT. HE HAD LARGE TRINKETS AND USED BROOMS HANGING FROM HIS WAGON. HE ALWAYS TOOTED A FUNNY HORN. I THOUGHT HE WAS A KIDNAPPER BECAUSE HE WAS UGLY, DIRTY, AND SMELLY. HE WAS A REGULAR AND HAD HIS OWN ROUTE. EVERYDAY HE WOULD COME UP AND DOWN GRANDMA'S ALLEY AND PICK UP OLD CARPETS, AND OTHER USED OBJECTS WHICH PEOPLE HAD DISCARDED I DON'T KNOW HOW HE GOT HIS TITLE BUT WE JUST CALLED HIM THE SHINEYMAN, AND NEVER ASKED WHY.
APPARENTLY, EACH NEIGHBORHOOD HAD ITS OWN SHINEYMAN.

Submitter comment: PRONOUNCED "SHEE-NEE"

Where learned: DETROIT ; MOTHERS GRANDMOTHERS HOME

Keyword(s): GARBAGE ; TRASH

James Callow Keyword(s): SHEENY MAN

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
BELIEF -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate

Date learned: 00001940S

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ARABIC MARRIAGE CUSTOM

IN AN ARABIC MARRIAGE WHEN THE COUPLE IS ABOUT TO GO
ON THEIR HONEYMOON, THE MOTHER OF THE BRIDE GIVES HER
A WHITE HANDKERCHIEF. IF THE BRIDE COMES BACK A VIRGIN
SHE GIVES THE HANDKERCHIEF BACK TO HER MOTHER.

Submitter comment: SHE SAID HER FAMILY USED TO PRACTICE THIS TRADITION.

Where learned: Grandmother

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage

Date learned: 00-00-1976 ; 11-00-1987

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Chin Tickler

I remember this little game my grandmother played on my face
and head. She would knock on my head and say, "head knocker", then
touch my eyes and say, "eye peepers," then pinch my nose and say,
"nose blower," then place her finger on my mouth and say, "mouth
chopper" and tickle under my chin and say, "chin tickler."

Submitter comment: The two of us would continue the little game, laughing until
one of us would finally give in due to stomach pain from laughter.
I did the same with my children.

Where learned: Grandmother

James Callow Keyword(s): Names for body parts

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
SPEECH -- Vocabulary

Date learned: 00001950S

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PRODUCT OR ACTIVITY OF MAN

DON'T WALK OVER SOMEONE OR THEY WON'T GROW

Submitter comment: THIS IS A STUPID BELIEF. WE WOULD HAVE TO WALK BACK OVER THAT PERSOM.
THIS WAY THE PERSON WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO GROW.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; BROOKLYN ; GRANDMOTHERS HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

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GOOD LUCK OMEN (NEGRO)

WHEN MOVING, MOVE IN A BROOM FIRST.

Where learned: Grandmother ; Arkansas ; TOLD BY

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.

Date learned: 10-00-1969

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BELIEF

IF YOU HAVE A LARGE "V" SHAPED LINE IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND,
IT IS CALLED YPUR LIFE LINE
AND YOU WILL LIVE TO AN OLD AGE.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER IS ALWAYS LOOKING AT OUR PALMS
THIS IS SOMETHING SHE HAS HEARD OF
AND BELIEVED IN SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD IN ENGLAND.

Where learned: HOME ; Grandmother ; TOLD BY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 02-24-1970

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BIRD IN THE HOUSE SUPERSTITION

IF A BIRD FLIES INTO YOUR HOUSE, SOMEONE WILL DIE IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER WAS BORN IN ENGLAND, AND THIS SUPERSTITION WAS REALLY
BELIEVED WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD.

Where learned: HOME ; Grandmother ; TOLD BY ; 29501 GRAND RIVER

Subject headings: Observation

Date learned: 02-26-1970

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BAD LUCK IN THREES

BAD LUCK, ESPECIALLY DEATHS, COMES IN THREES.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; Grandmother ; TOLD BY

Subject headings: 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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SPIRITUAL

I'M GONNA TELL GOD ALL MY TROUBLES
WHEN I GET HOME...
I'M GONNA TELL HIM THE ROAD WAS ROCKY
WHEN I GET HOME...
I'M GONNA TELL HIM I HAD HARD TRAILS
WHEN I GET HOME...
I'M GONNA TELL GOD HOW YOU'RE DOING
WHEN I GET HOME...

Where learned: DETROIT, ASSUMED ; Grandmother ; TOLD BY

Subject headings: Favorites
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Death
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Religious

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PRODUCT OR ACTIVITY OF MAN

DON'T CROSS YOUR EYES OR THEY WILL STAY THAT WAY

Submitter comment: SHE WOULD TELL MY BROTHERS AND I THIS TO DISCOURAGE US FROM DOING IT.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; BROOKLYN ; GRANDMOTHERS HOME

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 07-00-1965

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BLOODY BONES.

BLOODY BONES GONNA GET YA TONIGHT-
FIRST STEP, BLOODY BONES GONNA GET YA
TONIGHT- SECOND STEP, BLOODY BONES
GONNA GET YA TONIGHT- THIRD STEP,
BLOODY BONES GONNA GET YA TONIGHT-
FOURTH STEP, BLOODY BONES GONNA
GET YA TONIGHT- FIFTH STEP,
HE GOTCH YA.

Submitter comment: TOLD AS A SPOOKY BED TIME STORY
TO SCARE CHILDREN. TELLER CAN
USE AS MANY STEPS AS THERE ARE
TO GET TO THE TOP OF THE STEPS.

Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA ; IN BED AT MY GRANDMOTHERS HOUSE

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale

Date learned: 00001960S

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DUMMY DUMMY DO DO / DUMMY DUMMY DEE/ I CHOOSE ---- TO CHASE AFTER ME.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT DOES PRATICE IT NOW AT HULL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IN LIVONIA.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 5678 TARNOW ST ; 48210 ; TOLD AT GRANDMOTHERS HOME

Keyword(s): CALL-RHYME

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

Date learned: 02-07-1971

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God is watching

Whenever the sun would stream down to earth through a break in
the clouds, my grandmother would tell me that that was God looking
down on his children, keeping a good watch.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE ; from my Grandmother

James Callow Keyword(s): Sunshine

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Gods
BELIEF -- Sun

Date learned: 00001950S

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AGNUS DEI

AFTER THE EASTER LAMB CAKE IS MADE AND DECORATED, IT IS TAKEN TO THE
CHURCH ON EASTER MORNING TO BE BLESSED BY THE PRIEST FOLLOWING THE
MASS. THIS LAMB CAKE, BEARING A TINY SILK BANNER WITH A CROSS ON
IT, REPRESENTS CHRIST, THE VICTORIOUS LAMB OF GOD.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT IS MY GRANDMOTHER. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR POLISH CUSTOM, WHICH IS EVEN OBSERVED IN MANY POLISH PARISHES IN THIS COUNTRY. MY GRANDMOTHER HAS KNOWN THIS CUSTOM ALL HER LIFE.

Data entry tech comment:

AGNUS DEI MEANS "THE LAMB OF GOD" WHEN TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; Grandmother

Keyword(s): FOOD CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday

Date learned: 04-08-1965

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Song

Miss Susie had a steamboat
The steamboat had a bell--ding ding
Miss Susie went to heaven
The steamboat went to hell--o
Operator give me number nine
If you disconnect me
I'll push you right behind--the refrigerator
There lay a piece of glass
Miss Susie fell upon it
And broke her little ass.

Ask me no more questions;
Tell me no more lies;
Miss Susie told me all of this
The day before she died.
 

Submitter comment:

This song is sung while clapping hands with a partner. The informant does practice it now at Hull Elementary School in Livonia.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Informant's grandmother's house ; 5678 Tarnow

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children

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Lullaby

Go tell Aunt Rhody
Go tell Aunt Rhody
Go tell Aunt Rhody
That the old grey goose is dead.

The one she's been saving
The one she's been saving
The one she's been saving
To make a feather bed.

Old gander's weeping . . .
Because his wife is dead.

The goslins are crying . . .
Because their mother's dead.

Go tell Aunt Rhody . . .
That the old grey goose is dead.


 

Submitter comment:

From childhood; my grandmother used to sing it.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Grandmother

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Cradle song Lullaby

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showing 16 items

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