Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P574.5 returned 450 results.
If you leave food uneaten at a big family gathering
you will have bad weather the next day. Conversely,
if you make sure that all the food has been consumed,
you will be sure to have good weather on the morrow.
Submitter comment:
Elinor heard this saying while a young girl. She has
been told that it is a German belief. To this day in her
family, the phrase "Finish it so it'll be a good day
tomorrow" is used to encourage everyone to eat.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRASER
Keyword(s): function, prediction, celebrations, meals
Date learned: 00001950S
"MONDAY'S CHILD IS FAIR OF FACE,
TUESDAY'S CHILD IS FULL OF GRACE,
WEDNESDAY'S CHILD IS FULL OF WOE,
THURSDAY'S CHILD HAS FAR TO GO,
FRIDAY'S CHILD IS LOVING AND GIVING,
SATURDAY'S CHILD WORKS FOR A LIVING,
AND SUNDAY'S CHILD IS FAIR AND WISE AND GOOD AND GAY."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 02-20-1990
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT IF YOU LIE ON THE GRAVE OF SOMEONE ON
HALLOWEEN NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT, YOU WILL BECOME POSSESSED BY THE
SPIRIT OF THAT PERSON. THE ONLY WAY TO RID YOURSELF OF THE
SPIRIT IS TO PERFORM THE SAME ACT ON THE NEXT HALLOWEEN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- October 31 Halloween BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 04-01-1990
Balinese custom
If snakes appear at a temple and you kill one, if it is a
snake of one of the God's, a God will come down and kill you
in a horrible way within twenty-four hours.
Where learned: Bali ; Indonesia
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Gods BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Church BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
Chinese custom
When a family member dies, that same night two white candles
are to be lit and placed outside the front door to signal to
the deceased where to come home to.
Where learned: CHINA
Keyword(s): Deceased
Date learned: 00-00-1955
Michelle's grandpa used to tell her mom when she couldn't fall
asleep as a young child that her stuffed animals got very
angry because at the stroke of midnight they came out to play.
In the morning, the animals were spread out all over the floor
so the child believed the story.
Submitter comment:
Michelle said her mom used to use the same one on her and she
believed it and fell asleep.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Stuffed animals
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Never get married on Friday the 13th of any month or your
marriage will be doomed with divorce or some other tragedy.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
| Subject headings: | 686 Specific number by specific number being described BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Measure of time Month BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 01-00-1980
A PERSON BORN BEFORE NOON AND AFTER MIDNIGHT
INDICATES THRIFTINESS AND ARROGANCE WHILE A
PERSON BORN AFTER NOON AND BEFORE MIDNIGHT
INDICATES GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 00001980S
IF ONE URINATES AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ONE
WILL ACQUIRE A STY UPON ONE'S EYE WITHIN ONE WEEK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LEXINGTON
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Good Luck
Standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean just before
sunrise can put you in a great state of mind and can bring
you a world of good luck. If you then take a quarter out
of your pocket
and throw it out into the ocean as far as you can it will
bring you 25 days of good luck. This all must be done before
the sun rises.
Where learned: FLORIDA ; FORT LAUDERDALE
Keyword(s): Buying luck
James Callow Keyword(s): East ; POSITION DIRECTION
Date learned: 00-00-1991
Find a penny and pick it up and all day long you'll have
bad luck. Throw a penny on the ground and all day long you'll
have good luck.
Submitter comment:
An Italian friend of mine told me this belief during my Senior
year of high school. I laughed.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Chance, toss
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1987
Wearing a vibrant color such as red, yellow or pink on Good
Friday is setting yourself up for bad encounters all
throughout the day.
Submitter comment:
Bright colors represent happy times and these colors would
hardly be appropriate to be worn on Good Friday.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Clothes, Jacket.
| Subject headings: | 663 Good Friday BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
Washing your clothes after the sun sets will bring good luck
the next day. Washing your clothes during the day will bring
bad luck on the following day, but only if those same clothes
are worn.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Dusk, Night
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1984
Betting on a cock fight with an excess of more than one hundred
dollars and the cock that you bet on loses, you will have
bad luck for one week.
Submitter comment:
I learned of this belief back in seventh grade when we had a
guest speaker come in and talk to the class about games
involving animals.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WEST BLOOMFIELD
Keyword(s): Ring, Money.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1983
Asking for money from a stranger and getting it can prove
to be rewarding for the man or woman who has given the
money out. For the reason being that "Good Luck" will
follow him or her for the rest of the day.
Submitter comment:
My father seemed very optimistic when he was telling me
this story.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Farmington Hills
Keyword(s): money, green
James Callow Keyword(s): donor
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1983
Don't begin anything on a Friday because it will never be
finished.
Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 00-00-1929
Put the first money you receive each day into an
empty pocket; it will attract more coins.
Submitter comment:
In English market places this custom is still very
popular; that original coin is called handsel.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; LONDON
James Callow Keyword(s): Pilot
Date learned: 00-00-1989
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
IF YOU SEE AN OWL DURING THE DAY YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK TILL
AUTUMN.
Where learned: GREECE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Measure of time AutumnFall BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO WATCH A COMPLETE SUNRISE ON A CLEAR MORNING
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE ONE WISH. THIS WISH SHOULD BE FULFILLED
BY SUNSET.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sun BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Prayer |