Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P881 returned 459 results.
Wishing
When eating Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, cut out the
wishbone carefully without breaking it. Let the bone dry
overnight so it will snap easily. When the bone is dry, two
people take ahold of opposite ends of the wishbone. Then you
count to three, "one, two, three, go..." and each person pulls on
the bone at the same time until the bone breaks. Whoever gets the
larger segment of the bone has their wish granted. To cheat place
your thumb on the bone which connects the two bones together and
you push forward while they pull. This snaps the bone below the
connecting piece, making the other person's bone shorter.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Frankenmuth
Date learned: 00-00-1976
Lucky Cigarette
When a new pack of cigarettes is opened, a cigarette should be
removed, and then replaced in the pack upside-down. This cigarette
should be smoked last, and is your lucky cigarette.
Submitter comment:
I learned this habit from fellow students at the University of
Detroit.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck |
Tips
A waitress I had been working with told me to use my first tip
received each night to buy someone else a drink. This would act as a
"lucky omen," and cause me to receive more tips.
Submitter comment:
I have been waitressing for nearly two years, have practiced this
tradition, and have always received excellent tips.
Where learned: Saginaw Country Club
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. Favorites BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Monday morning a man should be the first to walk through the
house. It brings good luck.
Where learned: DETROIT
Date learned: 00001960S
Eating Herring on New Year's brings good luck. The more you
eat the more good luck you will have.
Where learned: DETROIT
Date learned: 00001960S
When riding over the railroad tracks if you bounce high enough
to hit your head on the roof you will have good luck the rest of
the day.
Submitter comment:
This was really fun for my sister and me, but our mother
thought differently.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
If the first person to enter your house on New Year's day is a
woman then you'll have good luck. If it is a man you will have
bad luck.
Submitter comment:
This was taken from a bible story about a man who asked god
for something and he was told if his wish was granted he would
have to kill the next person who came through the door. He agreed
and his wish was granted. The next person that walked through his
door was his daughter and he had promised god so he killed her.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): Jephthah -- see Judges 11: 29-40
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001960S
Herring is eaten for good luck.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Meat Fish and other animal life related to water BELIEF -- Fish BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1991
If a black cat crosses the road in front of you and it is
crossing to the left, that means something bad is going to
happen. If the cat crosses to the right then that means
something good is going to happen.
Submitter comment:
This was told to me by my mother while we were in the process
of running into the back of a bus on the way to school one
morning. She said the reason why this happened was because of
the black cat we saw crossing to the left.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
Baby Belief
Babies born with "outtie" (a navel that sticks out) navels will
have good luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK
James Callow Keyword(s): outie -- variant spelling?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 03-00-1992
Keep your table fixed and it will bring you good luck.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Service Table furnishing and decoration BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222. BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1966
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. 686 Seconds / Twice / Two BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Good luck PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
New Year's Eve
In the Steubenville and Toronto, Ohio areas, it is traditional
on New Year's Eve to eat a dinner of keilbassi, sauerkrault and
mashed potatoes.
Submitter comment:
I remember hearing that this is a German tradition that is
followed to ensure good luck throughout the coming year.
Keyword(s): SAUERKRAUT
James Callow Keyword(s): Kielbasa
If you hang a horseshoe above your door for good luck, the
horseshoe legs must be pointed up. If the horseshoe legs are
pointed down, the luck will run out.
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1957
Luck
In order for a horseshoe to be lucky, it has to be turned up.
If it faces down all the luck will run out.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND ; ca 1931
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1931
New Year's Day
A man should always be the first person through the door on
New Year's Day because he will bring you good luck in the coming
year.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
James Callow Keyword(s): SEXISM
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1931
Luck
Two things you should always eat on New Year's Day: Greens
and Black-Eye Peas. Greens for money and Black-Eye Peas for
luck.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
James Callow Keyword(s): Homeopathic Magic -- green
Date learned: 00-00-1931
A bride should have something old.
something new.
something borrowed.
something blue.
Submitter comment: This is for luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Good luck |
Unknown
Do not kill any white spiders because white spiders are good
luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 05-31-1981
Numbers
You will never hit the number if you look up a lady's dress.
Submitter comment: This is a belief of people who play the lottery.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1992