Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P882 returned 579 results.
NEVER LOOK STRAIGHT INTO A CAT'S EYES. IT WILL CAUSE VERY BAD
LUCK
Where learned: MISSOURI ; HIGHGATE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001940S
IF YOU SEE A BLACK BEETLE LYING ON HIS BACK THE WEATHER IN THE
NEAR FUTURE WILL BE BAD. IF YOU HELP THE BEETLE YOU WILL HAVE BAD
LUCK IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
Where learned: UNKNOWN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Bad luck BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 00001940S
IF YOU SEE AN OWL DURING THE DAY YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK TILL
AUTUMN.
Where learned: GREECE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Measure of time AutumnFall BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
WHEN THE WAGERS FAMILY ARRIVED FROM FRANCE IN THE LATE
1700'S, THE TWO BROTHERS WHO IMMIGRATED BOUGHT LAND IN CENTRAL
KENTUCKY. THEY BUILT TWIN PLANTATION HOUSES. DURING THE CIVIL
WAR, A WARFORD DESCENDANT ALLEGEDLY FILLED A HUNTING HORN WITH
MONEY AND HID IT SOMEWHERE ON THE FAMILY'S LAND. NO ONE HAS YET
FOUND THE LEGENDARY MONEY HORN. THE LAND IS NO LONGER HELD BY THE
FAMILY.
Submitter comment:
MY MOTHER LEARNED OF THIS LEGEND THIS YEAR FROM HER ELDERLY
AUNTS AND AN UNCLE. WHEN SHE AND HER RELATIVES WENT TO VISIT THE
REMAINING HOUSE (THE OTHER BURNED DOWN), THEY WERE GREETED BY THE
CURRENT OWNER WITH "Y'ALL MUST BE WARFORDS!" WHEN MY MOTHER TOLD
ME OF THIS LEGEND SHE ADDED A COMMENT THAT "KNOWING THE LUCK OUR
FAMILY HAS, IF THERE REALLY IS A MONEY HORN, IT'S PROBABLY FILLED
WITH CONFEDERATE MONEY!"
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; IRVINE
Keyword(s): TREASURE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Bad luck |
superstition
The number 13 is lucky in whatever Eric does. Friday the 13th
days are always good days whereas Saturday the 14th everything
goes wrong.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | 686 Specific number by specific number being described BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Number P686.1.14 BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
whenever playing baseball, never step on the chalk lines
because it will make you play poorly and lose the game.
Submitter comment:
Mike's believed this ever since he was younger and played
ball.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001980S
Whenever a black cat crosses in front of my mother, something
tragic will happen. When the cat crosses her path, she tells her
family to be extra careful because something wrong will happen.
Usually when my mom sees a black cat, she'll stay inside all day.
Submitter comment:
My mother is a very superstitious person, especially when it
comes to black cats.
Where learned: USA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001950S
Bad luck always happens in three's. It never stops at one or
two.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
Always leave by the same door as you enter by; this will ward off
bad luck while you're out.
Submitter comment: Lisa learned this around 1980 from her mother, Kathleen Metz.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TROY
Keyword(s): Ingress
James Callow Keyword(s): House
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001980S
If you leave the house, and forget something, and return for it,
and you must sit down before leaving. If you do not sit down you may
never return; tragedy will strike.
Submitter comment:
Lisa learned this from her boyfriend's mother, Delores Girten,
who Lisa says is very superstitious.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Novi
Keyword(s): Danger
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1986
If you break a mirror you are sentenced to seven years bad luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001950S
When two people are walking together if they split the pole one
person must go back and walk around the pole three times, or have bad
luck all day.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): SUPERSTITION
Date learned: 00001960S
Never cross the path of a black cat or you will be doomed to
seven years bad luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
In Greece, it is strictly believed that all good and all evil
will come in three's. My informants gave me an example to help me
understand:
"If you steal something, you may get away with it once, twice, but
the third time you will get caught."
Submitter comment:
Even though I don't believe in this superstition, I have
experienced it on a few occasions.
Where learned: GREECE
Keyword(s): LUCK
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001943CA
Superstition
It is bad luck to breathe while passing a cemetery, so to avoid
the bad luck, hold your breath.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001987ca
Religious Superstitions
When driving or walking by a graveyard or church you should
never point your finger or stick out your tongue. If you do you
should bite it ten times (finger or tongue). If you don't you will
have seven years of bad luck.
Submitter comment:
I learned this as a child and it never failed; every time we
drove by either of these two sites I had to be either pointing or
licking my lips.
Where learned: DETROIT
Date learned: 00001970S
Bad luck to point at funeral procession.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
No dirty clothes in the house when bringing in the New Year;
they bring bad luck.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001960S
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
If someone sweeps your feet with a broom you must do seven
complete turns and spit on the broom three times or you will soon go
to jail.
James Callow comment:
For earlier African-American predictions that sweeping one's feet
can send that person to jail see Puckett, "Folk Beliefs of the
Southern Negro," p. 397; the informants were from Alabama and
Georgia. Puckett, Ohio, nos. 20562-20572 also equate brooms and
sweeping with arrest and jail. Note that almost all the informants
are listed as Negro. No. 20573 contains three examples of converting
the consequences by spitting on the broom, but none of these
informants, two of whom are Negro, prescribes a certain number of
times for this action.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 00-00-1978