Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P442 returned 470 results.
PUT A HAIR FROM A HORSE'S TAIL INTO THE CISTERN AND
IT WILL TURN INTO A SNAKE.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT RECALLS THIS FROM HER YOUTH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SHELBY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
THE CHOCTAWS OF THE MISSISSIPPI HAVE MANY SUPERSTITIONS.
OF ALL, TWO ARE MOST IMPORTANT:
(1) BATS ALWAYS FLAP NEAR A WITCH'S HEAD. (P435, P442).
(2) BUZZARDS FORETELL DISASTER. (P444).
Where learned: HOME
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Witch Shaman BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Bird |
KODER (TOM CAT)
WHEN THE TOM CAT GOES OUT COURTING HIS LADY FRIEND, YOU CAN
HEAR HIM OUT IN THE ALLEY. HE COMES UP TO HER BACK DOOR
AND SAYS, "MEOOW, MEOW?" WHAT HE IS REALLY ASKING HER IS,
"CAN YOU COME OOOUT NOOOW?" THE LADY CAT THEN ANSWERS,
"MEOOW, MEOOW," WHICH MEANS, "NOT NOOOW, AFTER WHIIILE."
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT IS MY GRANDMOTHER. WHEN SHE TOLD THIS STORY, SHE
EMPHASIZED THE WORDS TO MAKE THEM SOUND LIKE A CAT'S MEOW.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
James Callow Keyword(s): ONOMATOPOIEA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal SPEECH -- Onomatopoeia |
LEGEND
IF A HORSE HAS A STRAIGHT ROMAN NOSE IT HAS AN UGLY DISPOSITION.
IF A HORSE HAS A SLOPING NOSE IT IS GENTLE.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): ANIMAL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
LUCK
AN ELEPHANT WITH ITS TRUNK TURNED UP IS GOOD LUCK, WITH HIS TRUNK
DOWN IS BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment: THIS ELEPHANT MAY BE A FIGURINE, A TOY ETC.
Where learned: ; COLLECTORS HOME
Keyword(s): ANIMALS: ELEPHANTS
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Good luck P881.31 BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.31 |
Date learned: 03-10-1970
EXPECTANT MOTHERS
IF A PREGNANT WOMAN EATS THE FLESH OF A WILD PIG, SHE WILL HAVE A
VERY UGLY OR FEROCIOUS BABY.
Submitter comment: THIS IS BELIEVED IN NIGERIA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Meat Wild animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 10-00-1981
BAD LUCK
DO NOT EAT MONKEY BECAUSE OF ITS RESEMBLANCE TO MAN.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT LEARNED THIS IN NIGERIA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Meat Wild animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 10-00-1981
WEATHER BELIEF
IF A CAT SNEEZES, IT MEANS IT WILL RAIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 00001970S
COW-PUNCHING
COWS ARE SUPPOSED TO SLEEP STANDING UP AND IF YOU SNEAK UP ON
ONE AND HIT IT, IT WILL FALL OVER BECAUSE THEIR LEGS ARE TOO
CLOSE TOGETHER.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 09-00-1980
IF A PERSON IS ILL IN A HOUSE, ONE CAN DETERMINE
DEATH IS NEAR IF A CAT WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE HOUSE.
IT IS BELIEVED CATS COULD SMELL DEATH NEARBY.
Where learned: CANADA ; COLLECTED BY MAIL ; MONTREAL
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
EXPECTANT MOTHER
WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST CHILD,
I WENT SHOPPING WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IN A VILLAGE IN LEBANON.
WE CAME ACROSS A VENDOR WITH A MONKEY. WHEN I NOTICED THE MONKEY,
I TOLD MY MOTHER-IN-LAW TO LOOK AT HOW CUTE IT WAS. SHE WAS
HORRIFIED! "SPIT, SHE YELLED, "QUICK, SPIT!
WHEN I ASKED WHY, SHE SAID IF I DIDN'T SPIT, THE BABY WOULD COME
OUT LOOKING LIKE A MONKEY.
"THAT'S A RIDICULLOUS SUPERSTITION," I TOLD HER, "I DON'T BELIEVE
IT AND I WON'T SPIT."
WHEN SHE TURNED HER BACK I QUICKLY SPIT -- JUST IN CASE.
James Callow Keyword(s): PRAISE ; SPITTLE
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 11-00-1982
ANIMAL BELIEF
COVER YOUR HEAD IF YOU SEE A BAT. THEY WILL GRAB YOUR HAIR
WITH THEIR FEET
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT MAINTAINS THIS TO BE AN OLD WIVE'S TALE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CLINTON TOWNSHIP
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 09-00-1982
HUNTING BELIEF
BEARS SHOULD NEVER BE SHOT WHILE FACING THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL
LUNGE FORWARD. THEY SHOULD ALWAYS BE SHOT FROM THE SIDE.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT REPORTS THIS TO BE COMMON KNOWLEDGE AMONG
EXPERIENCED HUNTERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CLINTON TOWNSHIP
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 09-00-1982
INFANT/ANIMAL CUSTOM-BELIEF
DONT LEAVE A BABY ALONE WITH A CAT OR IT WILL SUCK THE LIFE
OUT OF THE BABY.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS A FIRMLY HELD BELIEF AMONG THE INFORMANT'S ITALIAN
FEMALE RELATIVES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CLINTON TOWNSHIP
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 10-00-1982
DREAM BELIEF
IT WAS ONCE A COMMON SAYING AMONG CHILDREN IN THE 1930'S
THAT IF YOU SUDDENLY SHIVER, A RABBIT IS RUNNING ACROSS
THE SPOT WHERE YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE BURIED. I DON'T
RECALL ANY ONE PARTICULAR PERSON SAYING THIS-- IT
WAS JUST A COMMON SAYING AMONG CHILDREN.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT ATTENDED HUGH CARY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
6501 SOUTH STREET, DETROIT, MICHIGAN FROM 1931 TO
1940. SHE LATER MENTIONED THAT SHE REMEMBERED HEARING THE
SAYING AMONG HER CLASSMATES. THE INFORMANT ESTIMATES THE
ETHNIC MAKE-UP OF CARY SCHOOL AS 50% ARMENIAN, 20% HUNGARIAN,
20% ITALIAN, AND 10% OTHER (LESS THAN 1% BLACK).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Chills, shivering |
Date learned: 09-00-1982
SUPERSTITION
NEVER HAVE A CAT AROUND A BABY. IT WILL TAKE THE BABY'S BREATH
AWAY. IT WILL LAY ON THE BABY'S FACE AND SMOTHER IT BECAUSE OF
JEALOUSY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PET
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001970S
"IF A BLACK CAT CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE CAR THAT REVEREND CASEY
WAS DRIVING, HE WOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING, BUT WOULD TURN HIS HAT
COMPLETELY AROUND ON HIS HEAD."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Bad luck Animals BELIEF -- Conversions Animals |
Date learned: 09-19-1982
IF CATTLE GO INTO A BARN AND HUDDLE IN A CORNER ON A SUNNY
DAY, IT WILL RAIN.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Date learned: 03-00-1983
WHEREVER THERE ARE RATS, THERE ARE EVIL PEOPLE WAITING
TO DO HARM TO OTHERS.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT SAYS THE FILTH OF RATS ATTRACTS WRONGDOERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 04-00-1983
SPRINKLE RED PEPPER AROUND THE FRONT DOOR TO PREVENT
EVIL PEOPLE FROM ENTERING THE HOUSE.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT SAYS RED PEPPER ALSO WARDS OFF STRAY DOGS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Witch Shaman BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 04-00-1983