Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P642 returned 558 results.
MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS SAID THAT (A) PERSON WHOSE BIRTHDAY
IT WAS COULD NOT TALK WHEN EATING HIS PIECE OF CAKE.
CAUSE IF THEY DID, THEIR WISH WOULD NOT COME TRUE. IT
WAS JUST A RULE. IT WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD. WE NEVER
QUESTIONED IT.
Submitter comment:
IT IS STILL A FAMILY TRADITION TODAY. (EVEN THOUGH MY
WISHES DON'T ALWAYS COME TRUE.)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DINING ROOM ; ROSEVILLE
Keyword(s): MUTE
James Callow Keyword(s): FOOD
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- P647 |
Date learned: 00001940S
MAKING A WISH
WHEN WE WERE KIDS, WE BELIEVED THAT IF WE SAW A CAR
THAT HAD A BURNT OUT HEADLIGHT, YOU COULD WISH ON IT
AND THE WISH WOULD COME TRUE.
Submitter comment: STUDENT
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; RIVERSIDE
Keyword(s): AUTOMOBILE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1970 ; 00-00-1970
MAKING A WISH
WHEN ELENA WAS YOUNG, SHE WAS TOLD BY HER OLDER SISTER
THAT WHEN SHE WAS RIDING IN A CAR AND IT CROSSED OVER A RAILROAD
TRACK THAT SHE SHOULD TOUCH SMETHING MADE OF METAL AND
LIFT HER FEET OFF THE FLOOR AND MAKE A WISH.
Submitter comment: FORMER ROOMMATE
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
Keyword(s): RAILROAD TRACK
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Prayer |
YOU CAN MAKE A WISH WHEN THE CLASP OF YOUR NECKLACE IS IN THE FRONT
NEXT TO THE PENDANT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALMONT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1976 ; 11-00-1987
IF A PREGNANT WOMAN WISHES FOR A LITTLE GIRL, SHE WILL HAVE A LITTLE
BOY, IF SHE WISHES FOR A LITTLE BOY, SHE WILL HAVE HER WISH TO HAVE
A LITTLE BOY. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE MORE BOYS IN THE WORLD
THAN GIRLS. YOU ONLY HAVE A LITTLE GIRL BY CHANCE OR LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Good luck |
WHEN A RED BIRD APPEARS, MAKE A WISH AND KEEP IT A SECRET AND IT WILL
COME TRUE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 11-00-1987
Make a wish and it will come true if you receive the longer
part of the wishbone when breaking it with someone.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of space: distance, height, depth BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1951
WHEN TWO PEOPLE HAVE EASTER EGGS,
THEY SHOULD CRACK THE EGGS AGAINST
EACH OTHER'S AND MAKE A WISH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1920
May you be in Heaven fifteen minutes before the devil knows
you are dead.
Submitter comment: This is an Irish proverb that my grandfather always said.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Irish, devil
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00001940S
Every time you enter a new church, you should make a wish.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00001940S
IF WISHES WERE HORSES BEGGARS WOULD RIDE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POOR POVERTY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
If you say a prayer to St. Anthony when you lose something,
he will help you to find it.
Submitter comment:
Mrs. Leisner really believes this to be true. Many times
as a young girl I witnessed my mother performing this
ritual, and even now we always know when she has lost
something when we hear her say "St. Anthony help me!"
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; LEXINGTON
Keyword(s): intercession
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Conversions |
Date learned: 00001930S
My sister taught me to put my finger on a screw as we
drove over a set of railroad tracks. This was so you
could get any wish of your choice. The only condition
to this was that you had to be touching the metal
part of the screw.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Prayer SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00001977 ca
This is a dinner prayer my sister taught me, that our
family still uses today.
God, thank you for the food we eat.
God, thank you for the birds that sing.
God, thank you for everything.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222. BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00001975 CA
Balinese custom
Every fifteen days the moon appears. Everyone must go to the
temple to give an individual silent prayer.
Where learned: Bali ; Indonesia
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church BELIEF -- Moon BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
Before you move into a new house you should have it
blessed. It is supposed to bring bad luck if you don't.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 01-00-1979
WHEN WEARING A NECKLACE, THE CLASP SOMETIMES WORKS ITS
WAY TO THE FRONT. GRAB THE CLASP AND TURN IT AROUND WHILE
MAKING A WISH. IF YOU DO NOT TELL WHAT THE WISH WAS,
IT WILL COME TRUE.
Submitter comment:
THIS SUPERSTITION IS WIDESPREAD. WHEN THE INFORMANT MOVED
TO DETROIT, SHE LEARNED THAT KIDS IN DETROIT BELIEVE THIS
TOO.
Where learned: KANSAS ; WHITE CITY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer |
When two people break a wish bone of either a chicken
or a turkey, the person who gets the larger end gets
to make a wish and it will come true.
Submitter comment:
Informant said that his family believed in this for
as long as he can remember because it was a
Thanksgiving Day tradition.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00001930S
If two people say the same thing at the same time
you should hook your little fingers and make a
wish.
Submitter comment:
Informant says she has been practicing this since
she was a little girl.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Simultaneity of speech
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Prayer SPEECH -- Gesture SPEECH -- Wishes Wants Desires Predictions |
Date learned: 00001950S
To give a religious gift to someone is to wish
death on them. My great grandmother fervently
believed this, but my grandmother is much more
skeptical.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00001940S