Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for C720 returned 217 results.
PARODY OF A NURSERY RHYME
MARY HAD A LITTLE WATCH,
SHE SWALLOWED IT ONE DAY,
SHE TOOK SOME CASTOR OIL,
TO PASS THE TIME AWAY.
THE CASTOR OIL DID NOT WORK,
THE TIME IT DID NOT PASS,
SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TIME,
JUST LOOK UP MARY'S BROTHER-
HE'S GOT A WATCH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
BABY, BABY
BABY, BABY IN THE TUB,
SUDDENLY HE PULLED THE PLUG.
OH MY GOODNESS,
OH MY SOUL,
THERE GOES BABY DOWN THE HOLE.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT LEARNED THIS RHYME WHEN SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC
HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE,
THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE.
THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON;
THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED
TO SEE SUCH SPORT
AND THE DISH RAN AWAY WITH THE SPOON.
Submitter comment: LEARNED AS A CHILD.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): HYPERBOLE ; INDIRECTION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
TWO LITTLE DICKY BIRDS SITTING ON THE HILL.
ONE NAMED JACK, ONE NAMED JILL.
FLY AWAY JACK, FLY AWAY JILL.
COME BACK JACK, COME BACK JILL.
Where learned: TEXAS ; RICHARDSON
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 02-00-1980
THERE WAS A LITTLE TURTLE, THAT LIVED IN A BOX.
HE SWAM IN THE WATER, HE CLIMBED ON THE ROCKS.
HE SNAPPED AT A MOSQUITO,
HE SNAPPED AT A FLEA.
HE SNAPPED AT A MINNOW,
AND HE EVEN SNAPPED AT ME.
HE CAUGHT THE MOSQUITO
HE CAUGHT THE FLEA.
HE CAUGHT THE LITTLE MINNOW,
BUT HE DIDN'T CATCH ME.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
A BIRDIE WITH A YELLOW BILL, HOPPED UP ON MY WINDOW SILL.
HE COCKED HIS LITTLE HEAD AND SAID; AREN'T YOU ASHAMED, YOU SLEEPY HEAD}
Submitter comment: FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE LATE TO SCHOOL, THE CLASS WOULD RECITE THI WHILE MAKING THE SHAME-ON-YOU GESTURE WITH THEIR HANDS.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; REBUKE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 02-00-1980
Entry filtered.
LIMERICK
THE BOY STOOD ON THE BURNING DECK;
HIS FEET WERE FULL OF BLISTERS.
HE CLIMBED A LOFT, BURNED HIS PANTS RIGHT OFF
AND NOW HE WEARS HIS SISTERS'.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT IS A VERY COMICAL PERSON.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PARODY
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: CA00001970
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE
THE SKY WAS DARK, THE MOON WAS HIGH,
WE WERE ALONE, JUST HER AND I.
HER HAIR WAS SO SOFT, HER EYES SKY BLUE,
I KNEW JUST WHAT I HAD TO DO.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW, BUT I DID MY BEST.
I RAN MY FINGERS DOWN HER SPINE
I PUT MY HAND AGAINST HER BREAST.
I'LL NEVER FORGET MY BEATING HEART,
AS SHE SLOWLY SPREAD HER LEGS APART.
NOW ITS ( IT'S ) DONE--ITS ( IT'S ) OVER NOW
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE MILKING A COW.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; ANTICLIMAX ; HUMOR ; MONOLOGUE ; SURPRISE ENDING
James Callow Keyword(s): PRETENDED OBSCENE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Prose Narrative C820.660 |
Date learned: 09-30-1970
PASTIME
WHENEVER DANDELIONS WERE IN SEASON, THE CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
WOULD PINCH UNDER THE TOP OF THE FLOWER, CAUSING IT TO BREAK OFF THE
STEM. THE FLOWER WOULD THEN FLY THROUGH THE AIR. AT THE SAME
TIME, THE FOLLOWING WAS CHANTED: MM
MAMA HAD A BABY
AND ITS HEAD POPPED OFF.
Submitter comment:
THE COLLECTOR FIRST HEARD OF THIS DANDELION PASTIME AS A CHILD IN
TAYLOR, MICH. IN 1970 AND CONTINUED PLAYING IT UPON MOVING TO
SOUTHGATE, MICH. AN ANALOGY IS MADE BETWEEN A MOTHER'S BABY AND
A DANDELION FLOWER. WHEN PLAYED AS DESCRIBED, NO COMPETITION IS
INVOLVED. HOWEVER, WITH TWO OR MORE CHILDREN, THE ELEMENT OF
DISTANCE IS PRESENT AND THE WINNER IS THE ONE WHO POPS THE FLOWER
THE FARTHEST. THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE BEHEADING OF A FLOWER AS
IT RELATES AS A SYMBOL OF A BABY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; USA ; SOUTHGATE
James Callow Keyword(s): BEHEADING OF FLOWER (BABY)
Date learned: 00-00-1970
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
THE FOLLOWING IS A JUMP ROPE RHYME ACCOMPANIED BY DIFFERENT ARM AND
LEG MOVEMENTS. MM
NOT LAST NIGHT, BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE
TWENTY FOUR ROBBERS CAME KNOCKING AT MY DOOR.
AS I STEPPED OUT, THEY STEPPED IN
AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID TO DO. MM
LADY, LADY TURN AROUND.
LADY, LADY TOUCH THE GROUND.
LADY, LADY TIE YOUR SHOE.
AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID TO DO.
Submitter comment:
THE COLLECTOR HEARD OF THIS FIRST IN 1970 AS A CHILD IN TAYLOR,
MICHIGAN. IT MAY BE A VARIATION OF TANGLETALK SINCE THERE ARE
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS. THIS IS AN ACTION RHYME WHICH REQUIRES
THE JUMPER TO PERFORM SIMPLE TASKS WHILE JUMPING. THE OPENING
SECTION IS A PLAIN RHYME WHICH THE JUMPER SIMPLY CHANTS A RHYME
TO THE RHYTHM OF HER JUMPING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; USA ; SOUTHGATE
Date learned: 10-00-1980 ; 00-00-1970
AN ENGLISH RHYME
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
FATTY AND SKINNY WENT UP IN A BALLOON,
FATTY BLEW A FART AND BLEW SKINNY DOON.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; MISSION VIEJO
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1925
VARIATION OF MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,
HIS FLEECE WAS BLACK AS SOOT,
AND EVERY WHERE THE LAMB WOULD GO,
HIS SOOTY FOOT HE'D PUT.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; MISSION VIEJO
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
NURSERY RHYME
LITTLE MISS MUFFET SAT ON A TUFFET,
EATING HER CURD AND WHEY.
THERE CAME A BIG SPIDER
WHO SAT DOWN BESIDE HER,
AND FRIGHTENED MISS MUFFETT AWAY.
Submitter comment:
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, MY FATHER BOUGHT ME A BOOK OF NURSERY
RHYMES, AND THIS WAS MY FAVORITE ONE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
GAME VERSE
IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING
THE OLD MAN IS SNORING.
BUMPED HIS HEAD WHEN HE WENT TO BED
COULDN'T GET UP IN THE MORNING.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS ALWAYS DONE ON RAINY DAYS, AND WAS SUNG IN A
MOCKING KIND OF TUNE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.465 Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Date learned: 00001960S
DREIDEL, DREIDEL, DREIDEL
I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY
AND WHEN IT IS DRY AND READY
OH DREIDEL I WILL PLAY
Submitter comment:
LEARNED IN BROOKLYN,, NEW YORK
A DREIDEL IS A CLAY TOP USED IN A JEWISH GAME CALLED.
SEE MY ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; BROOKLYN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
Entry filtered.
WEDDING RHYME
USE A NAME OF A BOY AND A NAME OF A GIRL
E.G. JOE AND LULU SITTING IN A TREE K-I-S-S-I-N-G,
FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE,
HERE COMES JOE WITH A BABY CARRIAGE.
Submitter comment:
I HEARD THIS WHEN I WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL.
WAY BEFORE WE HAD SEX EDUCATION...
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB.
SHE TIED IT TO THE HEATER.
AND EVERY TIME IT TURNED AROUND
IT BURNED ITS LITTLE SEATER.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; BALDWIN COUNTY ; FOLEY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00001940-1950
COUNTING OUT RHYME FOR CHOOSING "IT"
OH, A PEANUT SAT ON A RAILROAD TRACK.
HIS HEART WAS ALL A FLUTTER.
AROUND THE BEND CAME NUMBER TEN.
TOOT TOOT PEANUT BUTTER.
THE PERSON WHO IS LANDED ON IS "IT" FOR THE GAME TO BE PLAYED.
WHENEVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS WOULD USE THIS RHYME, THEY WOULD
ALWAYS PUNCH EVERYBODY'S HANDS IN THE CIRCLE BECAUSE OF THE
TRAIN SMASHING THE POOR PEANUT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS
| Subject headings: | Favorites Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1974