Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P429 returned 446 results.
Mary Wells
During the 1950's or 60's, Mary Wells was supposedly a witch
that burned down half a small southern town called Yazoo City.
Chains were placed around her grave to keep her spirit from
returning from the dead. Children during the 1970's and 80's had
a superstition that her spirit could be called from the dead. The
procedure for doing this was to go into the restroom, turn off the
lights, look into the mirror and say Mary Wells' name ten times and
her face would appear in the mirror.
Submitter comment:
I'm not sure whether this is true or not because I've been
always too afraid to try it; even up to this date.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Louise
Keyword(s): SPIRITS
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration 686 First / Once / One / Newness Favorites BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Witch Shaman |
Date learned: 01-01-1978
When I was growing up, my father would tell me a story about a
man who got his head cut off. He would say that every time after
it rained you would be able to see the puddle of blood where it
happened and the night after it rained you would be able to see the
man standing over the puddle of blood.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Louise
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
If you want to contact a deceased love one, you can write
them a letter and they will come to see you.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): Conjuring
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
Many Vietnamese people believe that the spirit of dead
ancestors sit on the heads and shoulders of the living. It is
therefore considered inappropriate to touch the shoulder or pat
the head of a Vietnamese person. This is an insult to the
ancestors.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Body part Senses SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
The Judson Mart family owns a farm on route 43, approximately
two miles outside of Amsterdam, Ohio. There is a small bridge on
a straight stretch over route 43 in close proximity to the Mart
farmhouse. Occasionally a frantic late night driver would come
pounding on the farm house door, asking to use the telephone to
call someone to pick them up. Most drivers were reluctant to
discuss what they had seen but the few details began to form a
pattern. The drivers had seen a misty form of what appeared to be
a young blonde-haired girl, in a white nightgown, standing in the
center of the bridge. Many drivers had crashed into the bridge in
an attempt to avoid hitting the young girl who quickly
disappeared. At times the crashes were fatal to the driver or
passengers in the cars. Judson Mart relayed that his grandfather
had told him that in the 1800s a young girl had drowned under the
original wooden bridge at the site. It was never determined if she
had been murdered or had drowned while playing there. These
sightings of the blonde young girl have occurred occasionally
from the 1800s until the present time.
Submitter comment:
In 1992, the Judson Mart family still occupies the farmhouse
and occasional late night crash victims still tell of the
sightings.
Where learned: OHIO ; Amsterdam
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1958
Cure
To stop a keloid from growing, one should place the keloid on
the face of a dead love one.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing
James Callow Keyword(s): Loved one
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 02-10-1992
Ghosts were commonly seen deep in the country in the state of
Georgia. Late at night, a headless horseman was riding through the
woods.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 01-00-1986
If you want the dead to come to you in your sleep and talk to
you, write a letter, fill a glass with water, put it under your
bed, put the letter on top of the glass, and go then go to sleep.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Ghost of the Dead
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mythology BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 02-00-1992
The souls of ancestors were reborn in other living things or
objects.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): African Reincarnation Myths
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 02-00-1992
Our north pasture had yielded many Indians artifacts during the
century, the land belonged to my family. My uncle told me that the
spirits of the long or gotten still made their semi-yearly trips to
that pretty place. Fires could be seen over the pasture hill on
mild and misty spring and fall evenings. The gentle nomadic Indian
spirits still returned to a place where they were.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HIGHLAND PARK
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
If you see a ghost you should say, "What in the name of the
father, son and the holy ghost do you want?" Then the ghost will
not do any harm onto you.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 03-15-1992
God Bless You
When I was a small child my grandmother told me that the reason
a person must say, "God bless you" after someone sneezes is that,
according to American-Indian beliefs, a man's spirit escapes his
body when he sneezes. When you "bless" him his spirit returns to
his body.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00001960S
Origins of Halloween
Samhain, October 31, is the Celtic feast of the dead, honoring the
Aryan Lord of Death, Samana (the Irish call it the Vigil of Saman).
Witches still leave offerings of "soul cakes" for the deceased
ancestors, a custom that has been transformed into the giving of
treats to the travelers who wander about on that night (i.e., "trick
or treat").
In ancient times it was believed that if the right offerings and
sacrifices were not made, the spirits of the dead would take advantage
of the opening in the seam between the worlds to come and do harm and
mischief to the living.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MANCHESTER
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- October 31 Halloween BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 01-00-1992
Japan-Suicide
In Japan, suicide is an acceptable way to solve problems. The
Japanese feel that the spirit is more important than the body and
still lives on after death.
In fact, in Japan there is a lovers' leap. Lovers whose families
won't allow them to marry tie themselves together and jump together.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
James Callow Keyword(s): cliff
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Formation BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 01-00-1990
Japan -- Abortion
In Japan, abortion and birth control are not allowed. There is a
strong concern for the spirit of the unborn. They have abortion
cemeteries for victims of abortion. In these cemeteries, there are
stone figures of babies, on which are placed little knitted caps.
These babies are called "water babies".
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
James Callow Keyword(s): NAME
Date learned: 01-00-1990
IF YOU LOOK OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER WHILE IT'S RAINING
YOU WILL SEE A DEAD PERSON.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; MONROE
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Since I was little, the kitchen table always had to be cleaned
before we went to bed at night in case the spirits, especially
those relatives that had passed, wanted to come and have dinner.
The spirits must leave the table the way they found it; therefore,
the table must be cleaned of crumbs, etc., before we go to bed;
otherwise it would be too difficult for the spirits to clean their
crumbs and only leave the ones we had left on the table.
Submitter comment:
This custom came from Poland, and even in my house today it is
followed, more out of habit than anything--I never knew the reason
for having been taught to clear off the kitchen table every night.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222. BELIEF -- Measure of time Sleeping |
Date learned: 00001920S
Never speak ill of the dead; if someone dies, never say
anything bad about them. If you do they could come back and
haunt your house: this would cause discomfort and confusion.
Submitter comment:
This informant believes this very strongly. She said her
mother has told her tales of happenings to friends. She said
when she gets the time, she would tell me some of those stories.
Where learned: ONTARIO ; WINDSOR
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 02-10-1992
Holiday
On Christmas Eve my family exchanges gifts after enjoying a
dinner with every one present. We give our thanks to God and
remember all of our family members who have passed before us.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Prayer |
POLISH CUSTOM
THE "SIGN OF THE CROSS" WAS MADE OVER FRESHLY BAKED
BREAD AS A PREVENTIVE AGAINST THE DEVIL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: NOT GIVEN