Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P475 returned 568 results.
TREE SUPERSTITION
THERE IS A SUPERSTITION IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT BIG TREES AT NIGHT AREN'T SAFE. ONE MUSTN'T GET TOO NEAR ONE AT NIGHT OR A MAN MIGHT APPEAR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 11-00-1970
TREE SUPERSTITION
A "LONE TREE" THAT IS FOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD WITHOUT ANY OTHER TREES AROUND IS CONSIDERED SACRED. NOBODY WOULD RISK CUTTING IT DOWN FOR FEAR OF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; BISHOP BORGESS HIGH SCHOOL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 11-00-1970
ONION SUPERSTITION
PIT A PIN IN YOUR MOUTH WHEN PEELING AN ONION AND YOU WON'T CRY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 16564 Littlefield
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-00-1970
CUCUMBER BELIEF
CUT A CUCUMBER AND RUB THE SMALL END AGAINST THE LARGE END. THE BITTERNESS GOES INTO THE SMALL END, WHICH YOU HAVE TO THROW AWAY BECAUSE IT GETS A FROTH ON IT. THIS ONLY HAS TO BE DONE TO THE ONES PICKED AT THE FIRST OF THE SEASON BECAUSE THESE ARE USUALLY GREEN AND PICKED TOO EARLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 16564 Littlefield
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-00-1970
CUCUMBER BELIEF
CUT OFF THE END OF A CUCUMBER AND RUB IT IN A CIRCULAR MOTION AGAINST THE REST OF THE CUCUMBER. THAT IS, RUB THE SMALL END AGAINST THE LARGER. THIS TAKES THE BITTERNESS OUT.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S FRENCH CANADIAN GRANDMOTHER, WHO LIVES IN LEBANON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ALWAYS DID THIS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 16884 Santa Rosa
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-00-1970
THORN BUSHES
THE REASON THAT THERE ARE SO MANY THORN BUSHES IN HAWAII, IS WHEN THE MISSIONARIES FIRST CAME TO HAWAII, THE NATIVES WORE NO CLOTHING. IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO WEAR CLOTHES, THE MISSIONARIES PLANTED THORN BUSHES SO THAT THE NATIVES WOULD CUT THEMSELVES ON THEM, AND THUS REALIZE THE NEED TO WEAR CLOTHES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; A&P FOOD STORE
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 04-03-1970
BREAD BELIEF
EATING THE CRUST OF BREAD MAKES YOUR HAIR CURLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Cereal Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 11-22-1968
GOOD EYES
WHEN A PERSON EATS A LOT OF CARROTS, IT IS SAID THAT HE WILL HAVE GOOD EYES.
Submitter comment:
WHOEVER SAW A RABBIT WITH GLASSES???
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
SIGNIFICANCE OF DIFFERENT FLOWERS:
ROSEMARYS--FOR REMEMBRANCE
LILY--PURITY
VIOLET--SHY
Submitter comment:
MY INFORMANT LEARNED THESE FROM HER MOTHER IN KENTUCKY IN HER YOUTH. SHE SAID THERE WERE MANY MORE BUT SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER THE REST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant SPEECH -- To Be Seen |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
PLANT HUSBANDRY
IF A TREE DOESN'T BEAR FRUIT, FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE: GO OUT IN YOUR GARDEN ONE NIGHT (PREFERABLY WHEN THE FULL MOON IS OUT) AND CARRY A SHARP KNIFE. TAKE THE KNIFE AND STRIKE THE TREE THREE TIMES. AFTER EACH CHOP, REPEAT THE WORDS, "TREE BEAR FRUIT" WITH A STERN VOICE. THE NEXT YEAR ON THAT SAME DAY, THE TREE WILL BEGIN TO BEAR FRUIT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): THREAT?
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 09-20-1969
CARROTS FOR GOOD EYESIGHT
IF YOU EAT CARROTS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IN THE DARK.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT BELIEVED THIS MATTER-OF-FACTLY AS A CHILD.
Where learned: OVER THE TELEPHONE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-11-1972
TOMATO BELIEF
TOMATOES ONLY RIPEN IN FULL MOONLIGHT.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT CLAIMS HE WAS TOLD THIS BY HIS MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; St. Francis Club
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Moon BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 03-20-1972
HAZELWOOD TREE LEGEND
THERE IS A LEGEND ABOUT THE HAZELWOOD TREE. WHEN MARY AND JOSEPH AND JESUS WERE FLEEING TO EGYPT THEY CAME TO A POPLAR TREE THAT WAS BIG AND TALL AND STRAIGHT. MARY ASKED THE POPLAR TREE TO COVER HER UP AND PROTECT HER FROM THE RAIN. THE POPLAR TREE WOULD NOT. MARY SAID,"MAY YOU NEVER HAVE YOUR LIMBS DOWN AND MAY YOUR LEAVES NEVER REST." THIS IS WHY THE POPLAR TREE IS ALWAYS TREMBLING WHETHER THERE IS ANY WIND OR NOT. THE NEXT TREE MARY CAME TO WAS THE HAZLEWOOD TREE. THEY DO NOT GROW VERY HIGH, ARE SQUATTY AND ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF BRANCHES ON THEM. MARY ASKED THE HAZELWOOD TREE TO COVER HER AND IT DID. SHE BLESSED THE TREE IN RETURN SAYING, "MAY YOU BE BLESSED FOR ETERNITY BECAUSE YOU HAD SHELTERED ME. MAY YOUR LEAVES BE A MEDICINE TO PEOPLE THAT NEED YOU. HEAL THEM OF THEIR DISEASES. AND MAY YOU BEAR FRUIT FOR MANKIND AND BEASTS." SINCE THEN THE HAZLEWOOD TREE HAS PRODUCED LOTS OF NUTS CALLED FILBERTS.
James Callow comment:
Poplar branches reach up, as if arms extended in prayer.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT ANIMAL
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious hero Food Drink -- Plant food Nut BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-04-1972
PLANTING METHOD
THIS IS A COMMON METHOD USED BY INDIANS IN PLANTING TOMATOES. A HOLE ABOUT 18 INCHES DEEP IS DUG. ABOUT HALF OF THIS HOLE IS FILLED WITH DRY CHOPPED CORNSTALKS. THIS IS COVERED WITH A FEW INCHES OF GROUND, THE TOMATO SEED AND A FINAL THIN LAYER OF GROUND.
Where learned: COLLECTED AT HOME
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 11-04-1969
GARLIC BELIEF
GARLIC BUILDS UP THE BLOOD.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: informant's home
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 09-20-1969
PREDICTION
IF YOU EAT CARROTS, YOUR EYES WILL SPARKLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ; ANN ARBOR ; COUZENS HALL
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 03-10-1970
SHAMROCK MAGIC
A PERSON WEARING A FOUR-LEAFED SHAMROCK CAN UNDERSTAND BARKING DOGS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT SAID IT WAS AN OLD IRISH CUSTOM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
JOB'S TEARS
THIS CHARM MAKES THE LIVING INVISIBLE TO A GROUP OF EVIL SPIRITS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT IS INTERESTED IN GARDENING AND MENTIONED THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname and place of residence.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
TOMATO BELIEF
IF YOU EAT TOO MANY TOMATOES, YOUR SKIN WILL TURN RED.
Submitter comment:
Cause of illness.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: OHIO ; NORTH OLMSTED
James Callow Keyword(s): COLOR ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
PLANTING BELIEF
IF A ROSE IS TO BE STARTED FROM THE CUTTING OF ANOTHER ROSE, THE CUTTING SHOULD BE STUCK IN A POTATO AND THEN PLANTED.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: COLLECTED AT HOME
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-23-1969