Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P574.82 returned 93 results.
WASHING ON SUNDAY'S IS A NO-NO
"MY MOTHER TOLD ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD THAT IT IS
CONSIDERED A SIN IF YOU WASH ON SUNDAYS."
Submitter comment:
I ASKED HER IS IT A SIN TO WASH CLOTHES ONLY. SHE
SAID IT MEANT IF YOU WASH ANYTHING IT IS CONSIDERED
A SIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00-00-1967 ; 10-00-1985
DONT DO ANY WORK ON SUNDAY, BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED BAD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 11-18-1987
DON'T SWEEP ON A PERSON'S FEET OR THEY WON'T GET MARRIED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 10-00-1987
If someone offers to finish sweeping the floor
for you after you have already started, you
must not let them, but do it yourself.
Where learned: KANSAS ; Manhattan
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00001920S
IF YOU ARE HIT BY A BROOM WHILE SOMEONE IS SWEEPING IT IS
BAD LUCK, BECAUSE YOU COULD GO TO JAIL IF HIT.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; MARTIN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Bad luck Broom Sweeping |
Date learned: 00001947CA
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
Tale of Kate Elshender
A woman in the highlands, Named Kate Elshender, went to
a quarry hole to wash her clothes. As she passed the
village shop, she went in and bought a half pound of
soap and proceeded to wash; the soap slipped from her
hands, and she went back and bought another half pound.
The shopkeeper warned her to be careful, remembering the
old superstition...(when soap slips from your hand it
means death)...It slipped from her hands once again and
she returned for a third half pound of soap. This time
the shopkeeper was thoroughly frightened and begged her
not to go back again, but Kate went. Shortly after the
shopkeeper went to the quarry to find no one there. She
gave the alarm, and Kate Elshender was discovered drowned
at the bottom of the quarry hole.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; LONDON
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK
| Subject headings: | Observation PROSE NARRATIVE -- Still water Small body. Lake, pond.... BELIEF -- P447 BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00-00-1991
If someone sweeps your feet with a broom you must do seven
complete turns and spit on the broom three times or you will soon go
to jail.
James Callow comment:
For earlier African-American predictions that sweeping one's feet
can send that person to jail see Puckett, "Folk Beliefs of the
Southern Negro," p. 397; the informants were from Alabama and
Georgia. Puckett, Ohio, nos. 20562-20572 also equate brooms and
sweeping with arrest and jail. Note that almost all the informants
are listed as Negro. No. 20573 contains three examples of converting
the consequences by spitting on the broom, but none of these
informants, two of whom are Negro, prescribes a certain number of
times for this action.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 00-00-1978
Never do laundry on New Year's Day or you will wash someone out
of the family. My mother did it once, two loads of colored clothes
and one load of white clothes. Two of the darker family members died
and the lightest also passed.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 00-00-1982
Do not wash clothes on New Year's Day because you'll wash a
person out of your family. The informant's mother died on January
15, 1982 right after the oldest sister washed clothes on January 1,
1982. The informant's mother was very upset because she was very
sick and she did die.
Date learned: 00-00-1955
It's said that if you sweep your trash off your porch after
dark, a police officer will come to your house and take one of your
family members to jail.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
If you sweep trash in the middle of the floor and leave it,
you may receive company.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 00-00-1980
New Year's Day belief
Never wash clothes on New Year's Day or you will wash someone
out of your family.
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00-00-1978
Japan -- Sun
In Japan, women only dry clothes in the sun. It is believed that
the Sun Goddess frowns on any clothes dried in dryers.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Gods BELIEF -- Sun BELIEF -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 01-00-1990
DON'T SWEEP A PERSON'S FEET, WITH A BROOM, OR THEY WILL GO TO
JAIL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Bad luck |
IF YOU SEW ON SUNDAY, IT'S BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS BY HIS PENNSYLVANIA MOTHER
IN HIS CHILDHOOD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Date learned: 01-12-1967
IT IS BAD LUCK TO SEW ON SUNDAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
A HOUSEWIFE CANNOT CUT DRESS MATERIAL ON A FRIDAY.
THIS WILL BRING BAD LUCK WHEN THE DRESS IS WORN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MILFORD
James Callow Keyword(s): SEWING
Date learned: 09-22-1968
IF YOU ARE SEWING AND USING A THIMBLE, AND LOSE THE
THIMBLE THROW THE GARMENT OUT, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS
FOR IT CAN ONLY BRING BAD LUCK.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities |
Date learned: 09-00-1969
IT IS BAD LUCK TO SEW ON A PERSON. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW
WHO IS GREEK, IS A FIRM BELIEVER OF THIS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities |
Date learned: 06-29-1964