Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P477 returned 904 results.
IF YOUR RIGHT EYE JUMPS YOU ARE GOING TO CRY AND GET MAD.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Eye twitch |
Date learned: 03-00-1982
SUPERSTITION
DRINKING WATER FROM THE LAVATORY MAKES A MAN A LIAR.
Submitter comment:
THIS EAST AFRICAN BELIEF IS INTENDED TO DISCOURAGE AN UNWHOLESOME
HABIT.
Where learned: TANZANIA ; EAST AFRICA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 03-00-1982
IF YOU TALK ABOUT SOMEONE, AND HE APPEARS AT THE SAME MOMENT, IT IS A
SIGN THAT HE IS NOT A BASTARD.
Where learned: TANZANIA ; EAST AFRICA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 03-00-1982
IF A PERSON WHO IS BEING TALKED ABOUT APPEARS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
DISCUSSION, IT INDICATES THAT HE WILL LIVE TO A VERY OLD AGE.
Where learned: TANZANIA ; EAST AFRICA
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 03-00-1982
IF YOU WALK OVER A CHILD LYING ON THE FLOOR, YOU MUST WALK BACK OR
THE CHILD WILL NOT GROW ANYMORE.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM HIS MOTHER, WHO WAS BORN IN LEBANON AND
HEARD IT THERE. NEITHER THE INFORMANT NOR HIS MOTHER TAKE THIS
SUPERSTITION SERIOUSLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRASER
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 03-00-1982
IF YOU WHISTLE AT NIGHT, YOU ARE INVITING SNAKES INTO YOUR HOME.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE SNAKES IN YOUR
HOME IN AFRICA BECAUSE MANY ARE POISONOUS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 03-00-1982
CREOLE BELIEF
DO NOT PUT YOUR UNDER GARMENTS ON BACKWARDS OR YOUR WHOLE DAY
WILL GO BAD.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BREAUX BRIDGE ; LOS ANGELES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 00-00-1933
SAGINAW SAWDUST
IF YOU GO DOWN 30 FEET BELOW GENESSEE STREET IN SAGINAW, MICHIGAN
YOU WILL HIT SAWDUST. THE TOWN WAS BUILT IN A SWAMP, AND SO THEY
USED SAWDUST AND BARK AS A FOUNDATION TO MAKE THE PLACE LESS
SWAMPY. IT WAS A LUMBERING TOWN, AND HAD LOTS OF SAWMILLS.
THE SIDEWALKS WERE BUILT ON STILTS, AND MS. BOW WAS TOLD BY
HER GRANDPA MANY STORIES OF LIFE IN SAGINAW AROUND 1880 TO 1900.
Submitter comment:
MS. BOW HAS A VERY LACONICAL STYLE OF DELIVERY OF THESE STORIES.
I WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE EXCITED AS SHE TOLD THEM TO ME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wood Gourd ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Grouping of Structures Settlement BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 04-02-1982
THE MATHEMATICAL BRIDGE
THE RIVER CAM RUNS BEHIND SOME OF THE COLLEGES AT CAMBRIDGE-
QUEENS' COLLEGE HAVING A WOODEN BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER. THE
LEGEND GOES THAT IT WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY SIR ISAAC NEWTON
WHO ATTENDED COLLEGE THERE. THE BRIDGE WAS SUPPOSEDLEY DESIGNED TO
STAND UP BY ITSELF WITHOUT NAILS, SCREWS, OR BOLTS. UPON CLOSER
EXAMINATION, IT DOES HAVE SCREWS AND BOLTS WHICH ARE EXPLAINED
BECAUSE THE BRIDGE WAS TAKEN APART SOME YEARS AGO TO BE REPAIRED
AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN THE RIGHT WAY.
Submitter comment:
THIS LEGEND HAS STUBBORNLY PERSISTED FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS
DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT SIR ISAAC NEWTON HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BRIDGE AND THE DETAILS ABOUT IT CONCERNING
THE ORIGINAL BUILDER CAN BE LOOKED UP IN ANY CAMBRIDGE HISTORY
BOOK. IT'S PROBABLY SAFE TO SAY THAT THE YOUNG MEN WHO RENT PUNTS
AND/OR CHAUFFEUR TOURISTS ALONG THE RIVER ARE CHIEFLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR MAINTAINING THE LEGEND.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; CAMBRIDGE
James Callow Keyword(s): ARCHITECT ; ARCHITECTURE
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Bridge BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 07-00-1982
IN FRONT OF THE SOCIAL HALL AT THE USAFA THERE IS A STATUE
OF THE WINGED HORSE PEGASUS. THE LEGEND IS THAT IF A VIRGIN WALKS
IN FRONT OF IT, THAT IT WILL COME TO LIFE AND FLY AWAY.
Submitter comment: HOWEVER, IT'S STILL THERE.
Where learned: COLORADO SPRINGS ; US AIR FORCE ACADEMY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR SHIRT ON BACKWARDS OR INSIDE OUT,
WITH ANY ARTICLE OF CLOTHING, YOU MAY MAKE A WISH
WHILE PROPERLY PUTTING ON YOUR CLOTHES.
Submitter comment: THIS WISH WILL BE GRANTED.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): DRESSING ; POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1940
WHEN A PERSON IS LAYING ON THE FLOOR,
NO ONE SHOULD CROSS OVER HIM. THIS GESTURE MEANS THEY
WILL NEVER GROW AGAIN. TO UNDO THE CURSE ONE MUST
WALK BACK OVER THE PERSON ON THE FLOOR, THEN WALK
AROUND HIM.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
WHEN AT A CEMETERY, IT IS NECESSARY TO AVOID
WALKING OVER OCCUPIED PLOTS. IT MAKES THE
DECEASED BECOME RESTLESS. AND ONE MUST
NEVER DISTURB THE DEAD.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1940
WHEN YAWNING YOU MUST COVER YOUR MOUTH IN ORDER
TO KEEP AWAY BAD SPIRITS FROM ENTERING YOUR BODY.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1945
EAR IS RINGING
IF YOUR EAR IS RINGING, SOMEONE IS TALKING ABOUT YOU.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Ears, noise in ear BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching ear |
Date learned: 12-00-1982
BLISTERS ON THE TONGUE CAN BE CAUSED BY TELLING LIES.
Where learned: OHIO ; CONTINENTAL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001909-00001919 CHILDHOOD, 00001922-00001929, TEEN AGE YEARS
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, MY FATHER USED TO TELL ME THAT I SHOULD
ALWAYS BE HONEST, DO GOOD THINGS, AND BE NICE TO PEOPLE. HE
SAID THAT GOD KNEW EVERYTHING WE DID. HE SAID THERE WAS A LITTLE
ANGEL SITTING ON EACH OF OUR SHOULDERS AND THAT EVERY TIME WE DID
SOMETHING GOOD, THE ANGEL ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER WOULD WRITE IT
DOWN. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN WE DID SOMETHING BAD, THE ANGEL ON THE
LEFT SHOULDER WOULD RECORD IT. HE SAID THAT WHEN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
CAME, GOD WOULD CHECK TO SEE WHICH LIST WAS LONGER. IT WASN'T
ENOUGH TO JUST TRY NOT TO BE BAD BECAUSE THE ANGEL ON THE RIGHT
SHOULDER ONLY WROTE DOWN GOOD DEEDS--NOT NO DEEDS AT ALL.
Submitter comment:
MY FATHER WAS RAISED IN LEBANON. HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES
IN 1929 WHEN HE WAS 20 YEARS OLD AND LIVED HERE UNTIL HIS DEATH
IN 1982.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
James Callow Keyword(s): LEFT ; RIGHT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Gods BELIEF -- Angel BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of quantity or weight |
Date learned: 00001950S
FORGETFULNESS TRADITION
IF YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE FORGETTING SOMETHING, YOU MUST SIT DOWN AND
COUNT TO TEN BEFORE LEAVING THE HOUSE AGAIN.
Submitter comment: THIS ITEM WAS LEARNED IN DETROIT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; BOTSFORD GRADE SCHOOL ; WAYNE COUNTY
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Number P686.3.10 |
Date learned: CA00001930S
PHYSIOLOGICAL BELIEF-CUSTOM
AMERICAN INDIANS WOULD ISOLATE A WOMAN DURING HER MENSTRUAL
CYCLE BECAUSE IT WAS BELIEVED SHE WAS CONTAMINATED BY EVIL SPIRITS
DURING THIS TIME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CLINTON TOWNSHIP
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 09-00-1982
HAIR-CUTTING BELIEF
IF YOU CUT YOUR HAIR WHEN THE MOON IS FULL IT WILL GROW BACK
THICKER.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CLINTON TOWNSHIP
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Moon BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 11-00-1982