Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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WHEN THE EXPECTANT MOTHER SEEMS BIGGER OR LOOKS BIGGER
IN THE FRONT THAN THE BACK, SHE SHOULD HAVE A GIRL
BABY.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT WAS TOLD BY HER MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 10-03-1967
IF YOU CARRY A BABY HIGH, IT WILL BE A BOY, AND IF IT
IS LOW, IT WILL BE A GIRL.
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 00001967 FALL
BOY OR GIRL?
IF A PREGNANT WOMAN LOOKS VERY HEAVY, SHE WILL HAVE
A BOY. IF SHE DOES NOT SEEM TO PROTRUDE SO MUCH,
THEN SHE WILL HAVE A GIRL.
THIS WAS PASSED ALONG TO STEVE BY HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW.
THIS IS WHAT THE OLD LADIES MEAN WHEN THEY SAY "YOU
LOOK LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOY (GIRL)."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 11-18-1968
IF EXPECTANT MOTHER'S STOMACH IS SHAPED LIKE AN
OVAL, CHILD WILL BE A BOY; IF ROUND--A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 03-00-1970
IF THE BABY IS CARRIED UP FRONT IN THE WOMAN, IT
WILL BE A BOY; IF CARRIED DOWN LOWER, A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 02-00-1970
YOU CAN ALWAYS PREDICT THE SEX OF A CHILD BY TAKING A
GOOD LOOK AT THE MOTHER, AND THE WAY SHE IS CARRYING
THE BABY. IF SHE CARRIES THE BABY FAR BACK (THAT IS,
SHE GROWS VERY BROAD IN THE HIPS), THEN THE CHILD
WILL BE A BOY. HOWEVER, IF SHE MAINTAINS HER NORMAL
FIGURE, BUT GROWS AN EXTREMELY LARGE BELLY (THEREFORE
CARRYING THE BABY FAR TO THE FRONT), THEN THE CHILD
WILL BE A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 03-17-1970
IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER AND SEX OF FUTURE
CHILDREN, TAKE A THREADED NEEDLE AND ROLL OVER ARM
FIVE TIMES. THEN LET THE NEEDLE DANGLE OVER YOUR
WRIST. THE CHILD WILL BE A FEMALE IF IT DANGLES IN
A CIRCULAR MANNER; A MALE IF IT DANGLES IN A STRAIGHT
MANNER. REPEAT UNTIL THE THREAD NO LONGER DOES EITHER.
THIS IS THE SIGN THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE CHILDREN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
THREAD A NEEDLE AND HOLD IT OVER THE MOTHER'S WRIST.
IF IT GOES IN A CIRCLE, THE CHILD WILL BE A GIRL.
IF IT GOES BACK AND FORTH, THE CHILD WILL BE A BOY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 10-00-1969
TO DETERMINE THE SEX OF AN UNBORN CHILD, TIE THE
PREGNANT WOMAN'S WEDDING RING ON A STRING AND HOLD
IT OVER HER. IF IT MOVES BACK AND FORTH, THE BABY
IS A BOY; IF IT MOVES IN A CIRCLE THE BABY IS A
GIRL.
Where learned: HOME
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 01-21-1968
TO TELL WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE, THREAD
A NEEDLE AND HOLD IT BY THE THREAD OVER THE PALM OF
YOUR HAND, BUT NOT TOUCHING YOUR HAND. THE THREAD
WILL SWAY. IF IT SWAYS BACK AND FORTH THE CHILD
WILL BE A BOY, AND IF IT SWAYS IN A CIRCULAR MOTION,
IT WILL BE A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 01-00-1968
YOU CAN TELL THE GENDER OF THE UNBORN CHILD BY
SUSPENDING A WEDDING BAND ON A STRING ABOVE
THE MOTHER'S STOMACH. IF THE RING MOVES IN A CIRCLE,
THE CHILD IS A GIRL. IF IT MOVES BACK AND FORTH,
IT'S A BOY.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 11-17-1968
A PERSON SUSPENDS A NEEDLE ON A STRING OVER ANOTHER
PERSON'S WRIST. THIS IS TO DETERMINE HOW MANY
CHILDREN YOU WILL HAVE AND WHETHER THEY WILL BE BOYS
OR GIRLS. IF THE NEEDLE MOVES FROM SIDE TO SIDE, YOU
WILL HAVE GIRLS, BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS, BOYS. THE
NUMBER OF TIMES THE NEEDLE SWINGS DETERMINES THE
NUMBER OF CHILDREN YOU WILL HAVE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 03-00-1966
TO PREDICT THE SEX OF AN UNBORN CHILD, A RING IS
ATTACHED TO A STRING AND HELD OVER THE ABDOMEN OF
THE PREGNANT WOMAN. IF ITS MOTION IS FROM SIDE TO
SIDE, IT WILL BE A GIRL, WHILE STRAIGHT FORWARD AND
BACK MOTION PREDICTS A BOY.
Submitter comment:
MY MOTHER REMEMBERS THIS BELIEF FROM HER CHILDHOOD
IN THE 1930S TO 1940S.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 04-04-1970
IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE SEX OF AN UNBORN CHILD, TIE
YOUR WEDDING RING TO A STRING AND LET IT HAND IN
FRONT OF THE WOMB. IF IT SWINGS IN A CIRCLE, IT WILL
BE A BOY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 02-08-1970
WHILE THE PREGNANT WOMAN IS LYING ON HER BACK, TAKE
HER WEDDING RING AND TIE IT TO A STRING. LET HER
BAND HANG OVER HER STOMACH AND IF IT MOVES PARALLEL
TO HER STOMACH, SHE WILL HAVE A BOY, IF IT MOVES
PERPENDICULAR TO HER, IT WILL BE A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 09-23-1969
HOLD A PIECE OF STRING IN FRONT OF A PREGNANT WOMAN.
IF IT STANDS STILL AND IS UNMOVING, THE BABY WILL BE
A BOY. IF THE STRING SWINGS BACK AND FORTH, IT WILL
BE A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 03-12-1970
EXPECTANT MOTHER TAKES A STRING AND TIES A LIGHT
OBJECT AT THE END OF IT. SHE HOLDS THE PALM OF HER
HAND UNDER THE OBJECT AND IT IT MOVES BACK AND FORTH
THE BABY WILL BE A BOY. IF THE OBJECT MOVES IN A
CIRCULAR FASHION, THE BABY WILL BE A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 02-19-1970
HOLD STRING WITH NEEDLE ATTACHED AT END OVER GIRL'S
WRIST. FOR EVERY MOVEMENT (EITHER BACK AND FORTH
OR CIRCULAR) THAT IT MAKES, A CHILD WILL BE BORN.
IF IT MOVES BACK AND FORTH, A GIRL WILL BE BORN;
IN CIRCLES, A BOY. WHEN STRING STOPS MOVING, THAT'S
ALL THE CHILDREN THE PERSON WILL HAVE.
Where learned: OHIO ; FAIRVIEW PARK
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 00-00-1966
IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX OF THE UNBORN CHILD,
SWING THE (YOUR) WEDDING RING ON THREAD OVER THE
STOMACH OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN. IF THE RING GOES
SIDEWAYS, IT IS A BOY; IF THE RING GOES IN A CIRCLE,
THEN IT IS A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 02-26-1972
TAKE A NEEDLE AND SUSPEND IT BY A SHORT STRING. PLACE
THE NEEDLE JUST ABOVE THE PREGNANT WOMAN'S WRIST.
TAP IT THREE TIMES AGAINST HER WRIST AND THEN LET IT
STAND STILL. THE NEEDLE WILL BEGIN MOVING ON ITS OWN.
IF IT MOVES IN A CIRCLE AND THEN STOPS, THE EXPECTANT
MOTHER WILL HAVE A BABY GIRL. BUT, IF IT MOVES IN
A STRAIGHT LINE, SHE WILL HAVE A BOY. THIS CAN ONLY
BE DONE ON A WOMAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Date learned: 09-17-1969