Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P425 returned 237 results.
Superstition, non-Christian
Each evening, after dinner but before dark, pound around the
foundations of the house with a hammer to expel evil spirits.
Then draw a line in the ground around the house with a butcher
knife to prevent them from returning.
Submitter comment:
The informant reports that the woman observed doing this (name
forgotten) was wealthy and a poet, but reviled her neighbors
for contaminating her with their Christianity.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Apotropaic Ritual
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration BELIEF -- Devil Demon |
You can't play any form of cards because the devil is hidden
in cards.
Submitter comment:
This is a superstition her grandfather told her and he was a
strict Christian of the Trinity College. Her other
grandfather who was not of the strict Christian background
taught them to play everything from solitaire to poker.
Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 00-00-1929
If you sneeze on Monday, you sneeze for danger;
Sneeze on Tuesday, kiss a stranger;
Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter;
Sneeze on a Thursday, something better;
Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow;
Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.
Sneeze on Sunday and the devil will have domination
over you all week.
Submitter comment:
Used to tell to children just for fun. (She's a teacher
and mother of eleven.)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00001970S
WHEN MY MOTHER WAS A LITTLE GIRL, SHE AND HER BROTHERS KNEW
OF A SPIRIT WHO LIVED IN A CLOSET. THE SPIRIT WAS CALLED "BEJA
BOJA." ONLY THE CHILDREN TALKED TO HIM AND OF THEM IT WAS MOSTLY
THE BOYS. HE TOLD THEM TO DO THINGS AND THEY SHARED THEIR TREATS
WITH HIM. THE OLDEST BROTHERS RESPONDED TO HIM THE MOST AND THEY
USED HIS INFLUENCE TO CONTROL THE YOUNGER SISTERS, AS IN "BEJA
BOJA SAYS...." MANY YEARS LATER, MY MOTHER MENTIONED HIM TO A
HUNGARIAN FRIEND'S MOTHER WHO TOLD HER THAT "BEJA" IS HUNGARIAN
FOR "MAN." THUS "BEJA BOJA" IS THE MYTHICAL MAN WHO LIVED IN A
CLOSET.
Where learned: OHIO ; CINCINNATI
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Devil Demon |
Date learned: 00001940S
Holding your breath by a cemetery
Whenever you pass a cemetery, you must hold your breath the
whole time. If you do not hold your breath for the whole time you
are beside the cemetery, you will inhale the evil spirits present
in the air.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
When yawning cover your mouth or your spirit will come out.
If you don't cover your mouth you have to blow because evil
spirits have come in to chase your good spirit away.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00001960S
"Ka zoon tight" is a word used to scare away bad spirits,
because when you sneeze you open up your body to bad spirits.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; ETYMOLOGY ; Origin ; SNEEZE
James Callow Keyword(s): Gesundheit
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Devil Demon SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00001960S
Whenever there was particular loud thunderstorm with plenty of
lightning I was always told that it was the devil beating his wife
for something she had done which in turn the downpour of rain that
came along with the thunder was the angels crying in sympathy for
the devil's wife.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Aberdeen
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Angel BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder |
When the sun is out and it's thundering, raining, and it is
said that the Devil is beating his wife.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Sun BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
Pull your ear if you're talking about a dead person so by doing
this it will keep the evil spirit away.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Body part Senses Ears, noise in ear BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
Throw salt over your left shoulder when entering a new
dwelling.
Submitter comment:
The older folks in the family always told us: When we buy a
new house or are invited to spend the night at a friend's house,
before we go in we should throw some salt over our shoulder to
scare away any evil spirits that may be in the house.
Where learned: BOSTON ; Massachusetts
Date learned: 00-00-1976
If you put a piece of copper in between your teeth, you will
never have to worry about evil spirits invading your body.
Submitter comment:
Grandma always told all of us kids to put a penny in between
our teeth and we would never have to be scared of any evil
spirits or of things that go bump in the night.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 00-00-1940
Just as there are the different books to the bible, so are
there 3 different books to Satan's bible. Folklore has it that
the witch or warlock that can find all 3 of them will be able to
spell the forgotten name of God. And in so doing, the witch or
warlock will acquire all of the powers from God.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; BIRMINGHAM
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Gods BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Witch Shaman BELIEF -- Magic Book SPEECH -- Proper Name |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
Keep a silver butter knife under your bed so that you can
keep away evil spirits causing nightmares in your dreams.
Submitter comment:
As I screamed out my mother came running into the bedroom.
She woke me up and I told her I had a nightmare. She said, "I am
going to get a butter knife to put under your bed so that you
will not have nightmares." The idea of the silver knife is
supposed to keep evil spirits away.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Dreams |
Date learned: 00-00-1978
Always wear a cross around your neck or put your prayers in
your shoe.
Submitter comment:
I was always told to keep my prayers in my shoe to keep evil
spirits away.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress HandsFeet BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications |
Date learned: 00-00-1978
When the Devil Beats his Wife
It is said that when you see a whirlwind it usually means that
the devil is beating his wife.
Submitter comment: The informant was giggling when she told this to me.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Louise
Keyword(s): Small Storms
James Callow Keyword(s): ANTHROPOMORPHISM
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Wind Whirlwind Hurricane Cyclone Tornado |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
Sprinkle salt around your house, to keep evil spirits out.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
If you yawn and don't cover your mouth, the devil will steal
your breath away.
Submitter comment: This is a saying popular among young children.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Sprinkle red pepper around the outside of the house to keep
evil away.
James Callow comment:
Cf. Puckett, Ohio, no. 25964: "Mix the pod of red peppers
with salt and sprinkle in front of your door to keep away
witches."
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Plant |
Home Remedy for Pneumonia
Take cow manure, boil it, strain it in a sieve, put sugar in
it. Drink and pneumonia will clear up. Boiling cow manure will
also keep evil spirits away.
James Callow comment:
"Tea made from the steeping of cow manure is a cure for
pneumonia" (Negro, East Cleveland, 1964); "... shyster tea"
(Negro, Cleveland, 1958) -- Puckett, Ohio, no. 10782.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; Fort Pillow
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1955