Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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THIS WOMAN BELIEVES THAT IF A DOVE
TAPS ON A WINDOW IN A HOUSE, THEN
SOMEONE IN THAT HOUSE IS GOING TO DIE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 02-20-1967
OMEN
IF ONE GOES IN ONE DOOR AND OUT ANOTHER DOOR IN THE SAME HOUSE,
COMPANY WILL COME.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 03-17-1970
PREMONITION
IN ABOUT 1900 JENNY TORRANCE WAS SITTING IN HER LIVING ROOM.
SHE HEARD THREE KNOCKS ON HER DOOR AND WENT TO ANSWER IT. NO ONE
WAS THERE. SHE SAT BACK DOWN AND HEARD THREE KNOCKS AGAIN. SHE
WENT TO THE DOOR AND NO ONE WAS THERE. SHE SAID TO HERSELF, "ISN'T
THAT ODD? I HAVE A FEELING THAT SOMEONE HAS DIED." A FEW MINUTES
LATER THE PHONE RANG AND SHE WAS TOLD THAT HER NEICE HAD DIED OF
PNEUMONIA.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER MOTHER, JENNY TORRANCE,
IN DETROIT IN ABOUT 1900.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-12-1965
SHIP LAUNCHING
AN OLD SAILORS' AND SHIPPERS' OMEN IS IF A DEATH OCCURS
IN THE LAUNCHING OF A SHIP, IT MEANS DISASTER FOR THE SHIP.
Submitter comment:
TOLD TO HER BY HER EMPLOYER, MR. ROBERT L. LOESCH, ATTORNEY,
AT 10621 SIX MILE ROAD, DETROIT 21, MICHIGAN
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-11-1965
OMEN OF DEATH
IF A PICTURE FALLS OFF THE WALL IN A HOUSE, IT MEANT
DEATH.
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER MOTHER OF IRISH DESCENT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-11-1965
IF A BIRD FLIES INTO THE HOUSE IT MEANS SOMEONE IS GOING
TO DIE. I REMEMBER WHEN WE JUST MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE
THERE WAS SOMETHING LOOSE IN IT. MY MOTHER WAS REALLY
RELIEVED TO FIND IT WAS A SQUIRREL, NOT A BIRD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PLEASANT RIDGE
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
THREE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR----NOBODY THERE---IMPENDING DEATH.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
DEATH OMENS
IF YOU DREAM OF MUDDY WATER, YOU WILL HEAR OF A DEATH.
IF YOU SEE A FALLING STAR, YOU WILL HEAR OF A DEATH.
(BUT YOU CAN ALSO WISH ON A FALLING STAR, TOO.)
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM PARENTS IN GLOUCESTER, OHIO
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-11-1965
BIRTH OMEN
IF YOU WERE BORN WITH A VEIL OVER YOUR FACE, YOU
WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT OFF AND SAVE IT. IT WAS
A LAYER OF SKIN LIKE A CASING - LIKE THE SKIN FROM
BOLOGNA. I WAS BORN WITH ONE BUT THEY BURNED MINE.
BUT MOM TOLD ME THAT IF THEY HAD KEPT IT, I WOULD BE PSYCHIC.
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER MOTHER IN GLOUCESTER, OHIO.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-11-1965
BLOOD-RED MOON AN OMEN
I HAVE OFTEN HEARD AMONG THE OLDER GENERATION OF THE "BLOOD-RED
MOON." IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SIGN OF DEATH OF TRAGEDY.
Submitter comment: TOLD TO ME BY MY NEIGHBOR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BLOOMFIELD HILLS
| Subject headings: | Observation |
BAD LUCK OMEN FROM YUGOSLAVIA
IF YOU DROP OIL THEN SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY IS
GOING TO DIE. IT'S FUNNY, SHE SAID BECAUSE ABOUT
THREE MONTHS AFTER HER MOTHER SPILT SOME OIL HER FATHER DIED.
Submitter comment: THIS CAME FROM HER COUNTRY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 09-17-1967
MRS. MURPHY REMEMBERS THAT HER MOTHER WAS A VERY SUPERSTITIOUS
PERSON, ESPECIALLY ABOUT DEATH. THEY HAD A LONG PORCH ON THEIR
HOUSE THAT RAN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF TWO SIDES OF THE HOUSE. ONE
NIGHT MRS. MURPHY'S MOTHER, FATHER, AND UNCLE THOUGHT THEY HEARD
WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A PACK OF DOGS TROTTING ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH
OF THE PORCH. WHEN THEY WENT OUT TO SEE, THEY FOUND NOTHING. THEY
WENT BACK INSIDE AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD IT AGAIN. AGAIN THEY SAW
NOTHING. THIS HAPPENED A THIRD TIME AND THEN CEASED. THE NEXT
MORNING MRS. MURPHY'S LITTLE SISTER DIED. HER MOTHER CLAIMS TO
THIS DAY THAT THE SOUNDS THEY HEARD WERE OMENS OF THE IMPENDING
DEATH OF THEIR DAUGHTER.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-22-1965
THE NIGHT BEFORE MRS. MURPHY'S AUNT DIED, HER MOTHER AND HER
GRANDMOTHER BOTH CLAIM THEY HEARD THREE KNOCKS, AT SEPARATE
TIMES, ON THE FRONT DOOR. UPON INVESTIGATION, THERE WAS
FOUND TO BE NO ONE THERE. THE NEXT DAY, THE AUNT DIED. THEY
BELIEVE THESE KNOCKS WERE DEATH OMENS.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-22-1965
MRS. MURPHY'S MOTHER TOLD THE CHILDREN FOR MANY YEARS THAT IF A
SNAKE WERE FOUND IN THE HOUSE IT WAS A SURE SIGN THAT THERE
WAS AN IMMINENT DEATH IN THE FAMILY.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-22-1965
OMEN
AN OWL IS A SIGN OF DEATH. IF YOU SEE AN OWL IN YOUR YARD,
THERE WILL BE A DEATH IN YOUR HOUSE.
Submitter comment:
HE LEARNED THIS FROM HIS MOTHER. IN FACT, SHE SAW AN OWL IN THE
YARD ONCE, AND THREE DAYS LATER HER HUSBAND DIED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 12-01-1967
AN OLD GERMAN LADY WAS LYING ILL IN THE HOME OF HER DAUGHTER
IN ADDISON, MICHIGAN. THE FAMILY DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT
SHE WOULD RECOVER FROM HER AFLICTION. IT WAS THAT KIND OF
AN ILLNESS. THEN ONE DAY A BIRD FLEW AGAINST THE WINDOW -
A SIGN OF DEATH-SURE ENOUGH SHE DIED THAT SAME DAY.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
DREAMS
A LITTLE GIRL REMARKED THAT SHE HAD DREAMT THAT WHITE HORSES
HAD CHASED HER THROUGH A CEMETERY. THAT VERY DAY SHE HAD
SAID THIS SHE WAS RUN OVER BY A CAR. NATURALLY THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE DREAM WAS RECOGNIZED AS EXPLAINING HER DEATH OR THE OCCURENCE
OF HER DEATH.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
SIGN OF DEATH
WHEN A DOG HOWLS, IT'S A SIGN OF DEATH.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT SAID THIS WAS A COMMON BELIEF IN HIS HOMETOWN,
DUBOIS, PA.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 02-22-1970
DEATH
IF YOU HEAR A KNOCK AT THE DOOR OR WINDOW
AND NO ONE IS THERE, OR YOU HEAR A LARGE
CRACKING SOUND WHEN ALL IS QUIET, THEN DEATH
WILL SOON COME TO A PERSON LIVING IN THAT HOUSE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 03-10-1970
DEATH BELIEF
IT IS A SIGN OF DEATH TO HEAR A KNOCKING
NOISE AT NIGHT IF THERE IS NO ONE MAKING IT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 09-00-1967