Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P477 returned 904 results.
ANYONE ENTERING THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND LEAVING BY THE SIDE DOOR
MEANS MORE COMPANY WILL BE COMING AND THERE WILL BE GOOD TIDINGS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BERKELEY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1950
ANYONE ENTERING THROUGH THE BACK DOOR AND LEAVING THROUGH THE FRONT
DOOR MEANS A DEATH IN THE FAMILY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BERKELEY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1950
IF YOU SNEEZE WHILE YOU ARE TALKING, THEN YOU ARE TELLING THE TRUTH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: CA00001965
STEP ON THE HEEL OF SOMEONE'S SHOE AND IT MEANS YOU WANT TO GO TO
THEIR WEDDING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Marriage |
Date learned: CA00001915
IF YOU FORGET WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY, THEN IT MUST HAVE BEEN A
LIE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: CA00001915
GIRLS THAT WHISTLE LIKE TO BE KISSED AND WHEN THEY ARE WHISTLING
THEY ARE REALLY ASKING TO BE KISSED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Marriage SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: CA00001915
APHRODISIACS
STRAWBERRIES MAKE A PERSON HORNY. (IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE)
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT FIRST HEARD THIS IN 1979. STRAWBERRIES ARE OFTEN
ASSOCIATED WITH DESERTS AND SWEETS. THIS MAY ACCOUNT FOR ITS
CONNECTION WITH APHRODISIACS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
STRASBURG STREET
ONE DAY A LITTLE GIRL WAS PLAYING IN THE STREET, WHEN FROM AROUND
THE CORNER CAME A SPEEDING DESOTO. BECAUSE IT WAS DARK OUT,
THE MAN FAILED TO SEE THE CHILD. THE GIRL WAS STRUCK BY THE CAR.
HER ARM GOT CAUGHT ON THE FENDER. THE CAR THEN PROCEEDED TO
DRAG THE GIRL DOWN THE ROAD. STRUGGLING FOR HER LIFE, SHE
DESPERATELY TRIED TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE DRIVER BY KNOCKING.
FROM THAT DAY ON, WHENEVER YOU DRIVE OVER THAT SPOT, YOU WILL
EXPERIENCE HER FURIOUS KNOCKING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
WISHES
IF YOU WISH SOMETHING GOOD ON THE THIRD SNEEZE,
THE WISH WILL COME TRUE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple Favorites BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1925
SUPERSTITION
DON'T PUT SHOES ON TABLE BECAUSE IT WILL LEAD TO FAMILY ARGUMENTS.
Submitter comment:
SHOES PLACED ON THE KITCHEN TABLE UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSED ARGUMENTS BE-
CAUSE THAT WAS NO PLACE FOR THEM. BESIDES A SPANKING USUALLY
FOLLOWED THAT ACTION.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00-00-1940
IT IS BAD LUCK FOR YOU TO COMB YOUR HAIR AND FLUSH IT DOWN THE TOILET
BECAUSE YOUR MIND WILL START TO FLOAT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
EVERYTIME MY GRANDMOTHER SNEEZES WITH FOOD IN HER MOUTH, SOMEONE
IN OUR FAMILY DIES.
Submitter comment:
I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE SHE WAS 7. SHE IS 80
YEARS OLD NOW
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation Favorites BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 11-14-1980 ; 00-00-1900
GREEK RUINS
THERE ARE MANY RUINS IN GREECE, AND SOME ARE UNDERGROUND. FOR
EXAMPLE, ONE FAMILY'S LAND HAD VERY INTERESTING ARTICLES BENEATH. ONE
TIME SOMEONE WAS DIGGING AND CAME UP WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE A BATHTUB,
AND IT WAS. OFFICIALS BOUGHT IT WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS
PART OF A HOUSE. TODAY IT IS CALLED NESTOR'S PALACE AND BECAUSE IT IS
A NATIONAL EXHIBIT, YOU CAN SEE THE BASE OF THE MANSION WITH ANCIENT
PLUMBING AND OTHER THINGS.
Submitter comment:
THIS STORY WAS ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES. THE FACT THAT IT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO MY NEIGHBOR, IT GAVE ME A FEELING OF EXCITE-
MENT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Architecture BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
MY NEIGHBORS ONCE LIVED IN A VILLAGE AND THEY HAD A SET OF BELLS FOR
THEIR SHEEP. THEY WERE MADE AT THE MONASTERY AND EACH SET HAD A
DIFFERENT TONE, SO THE SHEPHERDS COULD TELL THEIR FLOCKS APART.
WHEN HER GRANDPA WENT TO GREECE, THEY FOUND HIS BELLS AND SAW
SHEPHERDS USING BELLS ON THEIR SHEEP.
Submitter comment:
THIS STORY WAS AN ENJOYABLE ONE. IF I WAS A CHILD IN GREECE, I WOULD
HAVE LIKED IT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal SPEECH -- To Be Heard |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
THE GREEK WOMAN
MY FRIEND'S GRANDMA WAS THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE VILLAGE TO OWN A HORSE.
THIS WAS UNUSUAL BECAUSE IN THE SMALL VILLAGE WHERE SHE LIVED, ONLY
THE VERY RICH AND FINEST PEOPLE HAD DONKEYS. SHE WOULD TRAVEL SIDE
SADDLE SIXTY MILES TO THE CITY TO HAVE HER SHOES ORDERED, AS SHE
HATED THE HOME-MADE ONES IN THE VILLAGE. PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT HER
STRANGELY BECAUSE THOUGH HER CLOTHES WERN'T FINE, SHE RODE A RICH
ANIMAL.
Submitter comment:
THIS STORY WAS AN INTERESTING ONE. I PICTURED IT WHEN MY NEIGHBOR
WAS TELLING IT TO ME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
NEW YEAR'S DREAMS
IN POLAND, IT IS A BELIEF THAT IF YOU DREAM ABOUT MARRYING A
PERSON THREE DAYS IN A ROW; ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, NEW YEAR'S DAY,
AND THE DAY AFTER, YOU WILL MARRY THAT PERSON BEFORE THE NEXT
YEAR COMES.
Submitter comment:
THERE IS ONE POINT TO BE MENTIONED IN REGARDS TO NEW YEAR'S EVE.
IT IS BELIEVED THAT SPIRITS ARE RESTLESS ON NEW YEAR'S EVE AND
THEY WANDER IN AND OUT OF HOUSES. THEREFORE, ON THAT DAY,
POLES ARE CAREFUL NOT TO WAVE SHARP OBJECTS IN THE AIR SUCH AS;
KNIVES, SCISSORS, AND PENCILS, SO AS NOT TO INJURE A SPIRIT AND
GIVE HIM CAUSE TO BE ANGRY WITH THEIR HOUSEHOLD. ALSO, THE POLES
WOULD LEAVE PLATES OF FOOD NEXT TO EMPTY CHAIRS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF
THE HOUSE. IF THEY WOULD DO THESE THINGS, THEY THOUGHT THE SPIRITS
WOULD THEN FEEL FREE TO BLESS THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Date learned: 00-00-1978
NEW YEAR'S CRYING
IT IS A POLISH BELIEF THAT IF YOU CRY ON NEW YEAR'S DAY YOU WILL
CRY EVERYDAY FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
Submitter comment:
NOTE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR SETTING A
PATTERN FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR MANY POLISH
NEW YEAR'S BELIEFS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Year |
Date learned: 00-00-1971
THE GHOST OF WORRINER HALL
MANY YEARS AGO ON CAMPUS WORRINER HALL BURNED. ONE PERSON
WAS BURNED TO DEATH IN FIRE. THE BUILDING STILL STANDS BUT IT
WAS GUTTED OUT IN THE FIRE. AT 3 A.M. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT
IN THE TOWER GOES ON. IT IS TURNED ON BY THE GHOST
OF THE BURNED PERSON, THE GHOST OF WORRINER HALL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MOUNT PLEASANT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 11-00-80
AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY (AND AT ALMOST EVERY COLLEGE IN THE
U.S.) THERE IS A LARGE CYLINDER TOWER WHICH CARRIES A LEGEND. NO
VIRGIN WILL EVER LEAVE THIS SCHOOL AFTER 4 YEARS, HENCE THE TOWER
WILL FALL.
Submitter comment:
THIS STORY IS REPEATED AT ALMOST EVERY COLLEGE I GO TO. I WOULD
IMAGINE IT GOES BACK MANY DECADES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; KALAMAZOO
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- School BELIEF -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00-00-1976
IF YOU SING AT THE TABLE YOU'LL MARRY A CRAZY MAN.
Submitter comment:
SYD'S GRANDMA TOLD HER THIS ONE WHILE AT THE DINNER TABLE. I THINK
IT ORIGINATES FROM THE VICTORIAN ERA WHEN SILENCE AT MOST OCCASIONS
WAS EXPECTED FROM CHILDREN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION
Date learned: 00-00-1950