RE:SEARCH logo
University of Detroit Mercy Libraries / Instructional Design Studio
UDM HOME BLACKBOARD MY UDMERCY
RESEARCH HOME / FIND / SPECIAL COLLECTIONS / THE JAMES T. CALLOW FOLKLORE ARCHIVE /
James Callow Folklore Archive

Collection Home

About Dr. James T. Callow

Dr. James T. Callow publications

Collectors

Browse by

Subject heading

Keyword

Location

Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.

The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

search for

Content filter is on

Your search for P475 returned 568 results.

prev | items
| next

CLOVER BELIEF

FOUR LEAF CLOVER--GOOD LUCK

Where learned: DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant

View just this record

GARLIC BELIEF

HANG GARLIC IN THE KITCHEN TO KEEP EVIL SPIRITS AWAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 11-03-1971

View just this record

BLACK TABOO

IF YOU EAT BLACK GRAPES OR BLACK FIGS THEN SOME SORT OF BAD LUCK WILL FOLLOW, SUCH AS BAD NEWS, OR YOU'LL DO SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL FEEL SORRY ABOUT LATER. HOWEVER, RED, WHITE, GREEN, AND BLUE GRAPES/FIGS ARE OK TO EAT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; KALAMAZOO ; TOLD AT INFORMANT'S HOME ; 5583 South 4th St.

Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC, COLOR

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit
BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Color
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: 02-18-1971

View just this record

VITAMIN BELIEF

IF YOU EAT YELLOW VEGETABLES LIKE CARROTS, SQUASH, WAX BEANS, YOUR EYES WILL BE STRONG AND YOU'LL HAVE GOOD VISION.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; collector's home

James Callow Keyword(s): VITAMIN A CONTENT

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
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 03-31-1971

View just this record

PIPAL TREE

THE PIPAL TREE IS A TREE FOUND IN INDIA WHICH THE PEOPLE BELIEVE IS A TREE INFESTED WITH GHOSTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; EAST QUAD ; TOLD AT INFORMANT'S HOME

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; GHOST ; GHOSTS ; India ; Pipal ; SUPERSTITION ; Tree

James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 03-05-1971

View just this record

VEGETABLES BELIEF

EAT VEGETABLES AND YOU WILL SLEEP LESS BUT WILL FEEL BETTER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; E313

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Consume ; CUSTOM ; Eat ; Old Wives Tale ; SLEEP ; SUPERSTITION ; VEGETABLE

James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 11-02-1971

View just this record

PLANT

CARROTS AREN'T GOOD FOR YOUR EYES; THEY JUST MAKE
EYELASHES GROW.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 15134 Westbrook

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: 09-20-1969

View just this record

SPINACH BELIEF

IF YOU EAT SPINACH, YOU WILL HAVE ROSY CHEEKS AND CURLY HAIR.

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT'S MOTHER OFTEN TOLD THE FAMILY THIS TO GET THEM TO EAT THIS DISTASTEFUL VEGETABLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORM

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 10-12-1971

View just this record

CUCUMBER BELIEF

NEVER EAT THE END OF A CUCUMBER WHERE THERE ARE NO SEEDS BECAUSE IT IS POISONOUS.

Submitter comment:

MY MOTHER ACTUALLY BELIEVES THIS BECAUSE HER MOTHER BELIEVED IT. IN OUR HOME WE NEVER EAT THAT END OF A CUCUMBER EVEN THOUGH ALL OF A PICKLE IS REGARDED AS SAFE.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share same surname and place of residence.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LINCOLN PARK ; collector's home ; informant's home

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

PLANT LEGEND

THERE IS A TYPE OF TREE THAT LOOKS LIKE AN ORDINARY TREE IN THE DAYTIME, BUT AT NIGHT THE TREE GROWS MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRUIT. IF YOU PICKED SOME OF THIS FRUIT THE ROOTS OF THE TREE WOULD COME OUT OF THE GROUND AND DEVOUR YOU. THE TREE COULD ALSO MOVE DURING THE NIGHT BY WALKING ON ITS ROOTS. BUT IT HAD TO RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL PLACE AT DAYTIME OR DAWN; THESE TREES COULD BE IN GROUPS.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 16152 Fairfield

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit
BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

BELIEF

WHEN YOU EAT CARROTS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO SEE IN THE DARK.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT'S MOTHER TOLD HIM THIS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARBOR BEACH ; 6653 Section Line Rd.

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: 11-08-1971

View just this record

CARROT BELIEF

CARROTS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR EYES.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

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: 10-04-1969

View just this record

A NATURAL TRANSITION

AT ABOUT TEN YEARS, I BEGAN A COLLECTION OF THE WHITE BALLS OF FUZZ WHICH COME OFF THE TREES IN OUR OLD NEIGHBORHOOD. WHEN MY FRIEND HEARD OF THE COLLECTION, HE TOLD ME TO RID MYSELF OF IT BEFORE THE LITTLE BALLS EVOLVED INTO HUGE SPIDERS. I RUSHED HOME AS QUICKLY AS POSIBLE AND SCATTERED THEM FAR FROM MY HOUSE.

Submitter comment:

Informant learned this in childhood.

 

Where learned: informant's home

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; ARACHNID

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Insect
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

CARROTS

IF YOU EAT A LOT OF CARROTS IT WILL GIVE YOU CURLY HAIR.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 10-25-1969

View just this record

HAIR ON CHEST

WHEN I WAS SMALL, MY FATHER TRIED TO CONVINCE ME TO EAT SOME DISTASTEFUL VEGETABLE BY TELLING ME THAT IT WOULD PUT HAIR ON MY CHEST.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights ; 34552 Richard O Dr.

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE ; FUNCTION ; Positive

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Upper body, arms, neck
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

PLANT BELIEF

TOMATOES ARE SEX APHRODISIACS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 02-19-1970

View just this record

Spinach Belief

SPINACH GIVES YOU MUSCLES.

Submitter comment:

Purpose of consumption.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home ; 4308 Tyler

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable
Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 03-05-1970

View just this record

SASSAFRAS BELIEF

SASSAFRAS IS FOR ENERGY.

Submitter comment:

Purpose of consumption.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT HERB?

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 02-26-1970

View just this record

BUILDING CUSTOM

WHENEVER YOU BUILD A HOUSE NAIL AN EVERGREEN TREE TO THE RAFTERS
WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING THE ROOF ON. THIS GIVES LONG LIFE AND HAPPINESS
TO ALL WHO LIVE THERE.

Submitter comment: JOFRAN LEARNED THIS GERMAN CUSTOM FROM HER FATHER. THEY HAVE
PRACTICED IT IN THE PAST AND IT IS ONE OF HER FAVORITES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Foundation rite Laying of cornerstone
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Plan, design, color, building material, and technic
ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Roof Ceiling
BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Home

Date learned: CA00001968

View just this record

BAD LUCK

WHEN EATING A GUAVA WITH SALT, NEVER SIT UNDER ANOTHER FRUIT TREE,
BECAUSE IT WILL STOP BEARING OR BEAR LESS FRUIT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222.

Date learned: 00-00-1975

View just this record

prev | items
| next

University of Detroit Mercy
4001 W. McNichols Detroit , MI , 48221-3038
This site is endorsed by the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) and supports the views, values, and mission of UDM. The University of Detroit Mercy web site provides links to other web sites, both public and private, for informational purposes. The inclusion of these links on UDM's site does not imply endorsement by the University. Please contact the Associate Dean for Technical Services and Library Systems for any questions regarding this web site.