Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for C538 returned 80 results.
THIS IS A "TWENTY QUESTIONS" GAME, WHERE SOMEONE GIVES
A SCENE, AND THE LISTENERS ARE ALLOWED TO ASK ANY
QUESTION WHICH CAN BE ANSWERED BY "YES" OR "NO" ONLY.
THE OBJECT IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED, BE A DETECTIVE
WITH ONLY A FEW CLUES TO WORK FROM.
SCENE: THERE IS A MAN LYING DEAD ON THE SIDEWALK, A
POOL OF RED NEXT TO HIM AND A STICK. WHAT HAPPENED?
ANSWER: THE MAN DIED WHILE EATING A POISON POPSICLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 03-23-1971
KILLER
THE NAME OF THE GAME IS "KILLER," AND THE OBJECT IS TO
BE ABLE TO KEEP A STIFF AND BLANK FACE SO AS NOT TO
GIVE AWAY YOUR SECRET. THE GAME IS PLAYED AS FOLLOWS:
EVERYONE SITS IN A CIRCLE ON THE FLOOR AND ONE PERSON
IS "IT." "IT" BEGINS BY WINKING CAREFULLY AT ONLY
ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE CIRCLE AND TEN SECONDS LATER
THAT PERSON IS "DEAD." EVERYONE ELSE IN THE CIRCLE
HAS TO GUESS WHO THE KILLER WAS, AND THE ONE WHO
GUESSES CORRECTLY IS "IT" OR THE "KILLER" FOR THE NEXT
GAME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 01-30-1971
HAND GAME CALLED "OLD GREY HORSE," WHERE YOU HOLD
OBJECTS IN HAND. THE OPPONENT SAYS "OLD GREY
HORSE MADE (1, 2, 3, ETC.) LAPS." IF HE GUESSES
CORRECTLY HE GETS THE OBJECTS. IF HE LOSES, HE
OWES THE OTHER ONE THAT MANY OBJECTS AS HE GUESSED.
Where learned: WORK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 10-30-1971
BLACK MAGIC
THIS GAME IS PLAYED AS SOMEWHAT OF A JOKE ON THE
UNINFORMED. BEFORE LEAVING THE ROOM "IT" SUPPOSEDLY
PICKS AN OBJECT IN THAT ROOM. WHEN HE RETURNS, A PERSON
KNOWING HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME, BEGINS TO ASK "IT"
"IS IT THE LAMPSHADE?" AND THE ANSWER IS "NO." THIS
PROCEEDS BACK AND FORTH, THOSE UNAWARE ARE BEGINNING
TO GET CONFUSED AT ACTION. FINALLY,"IT" IS ASKED "IS
IT THE CANDLE STICK?" (WHICH HAPPENS TO BE BLACK).
THIS IS "ITS" CLUE THAT THE NEXT OBJECT ASKED OF
HIM IS THE OBJECT THE KIDS PICKED BEFOREHAND. "IT"
CONTINUES TO BE CORRECT EACH TIME, AND THOSE UNAWARE
MUST FIGURE OUT HOW THIS MAGIC POWER HAS BEEN BESTOWED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 10-22-1971
SEVEN UP
IT IS PLAYED WITH THE WHOLE CLASSROOM, 30-50, STUDENTS.
SEVEN STUDENTS ARE CHOSEN. THE REST OF THEM PUT
THEIR HEADS DOWN WITH EYES COVERED. THE SEVEN TAP
ONE PERSON APIECE ON THE HEAD. THE SEVEN WHO GOT TAPPED
TRY TO GUESS WHO TAPPED THEM. IF THEY GUESS RIGHT THEY
BECOME A TAPPER; IF THEY DON'T GUESS, THE SAME PERSON
STAYS UP.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; SAINT JOHN VIANNEY SCHOOL
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
THE MOTO GAME
TWO PLAYERS STICK OUT ANY NUMBER OF FINGERS FROM ONE
HAND AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, BOTH
PLAYERS CALL OUT THE NUMBER THEY THINK IS THE SUM
OF ALL FINGERS THROWN OUT. THIS CONTINUES UNTIL
ONE PLAYER GUESSES CORRECTLY. THE GAME IS USUALLY
PLAYED FOR NICKLES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 08-00-1971
WHEN I WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL, MY CLASSMATES AND I USED
TO PLAY A GAME CALLED "PAPER, ROCK, SCISSORS." EACH
PLAYER HIT HIS FIST INTO HIS OTHER HAND THREE TIMES
AND THE THIRD TIME HE MAKES A GESTURE. ONE OF THE
THREE GESTURES COULD BE MADE: A ROCK, WHICH WAS
DESIGNATED BY THE FIST, A PAIR OF SCISSORS WAS
DESIGNATED BY A SHOWING OF TWO FINGERS, OR A PIECE
OF PAPER, WHICH WAS DESIGNATED BY A FLAT HAND.
NONE OF THE THREE GESTURES REALLY HAND AN ADVANTAGE.
A PAPER COULD WRAP A ROCK. A SCISSORS COULD CUT PAPER.
AND A ROCK COULD BREAK A SCISSORS. THE WINNER GOT
TO HIT THE LOSER ON THE WRIST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
TAPPY IN THE ICE-BOX
FIRST, THE PERSON WHO IS IT BLINDS HIS EYES AND LEANS
AGAINST THE LAMPPOST. THE OTHER PLAYERS PRETEND
THAT HIS BACK IS AN ICEBOX AND PUT FOOD IN IT,
TELLING THE "ICEBOX" WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING IN.
FINALLY, ONE PERSON STICKS THEIR THUMB IN THE
"ICEBOX'S" BACK AND HE HAS TO GUESS WHOSE THUMB IT IS.
James Callow comment: DO THE PLAYERS DISGUISE THEIR VOICES?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-30-1971
WITCHAMA, WITCHAMA, CRONG CROW,
WENT TO THE WELL TO WASH MY BIG TOE.
WHEN I FOT THERE THE WELL WAS DRY,
WHAT TIME IS IT OLD WITCH?
Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS WHEN SHE WAS A GIRL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-23-1970
FINGERS OUT
CHINESE CHILDREN'S GAME
NUMBER OF PLAYERS, TWO.
FORMATION AND ACTION: THE PLAYERS FACE EACH OTHER. THEY
COUNT "ONE, TWO, THREE." ON "THREE" THEY PUT OUT THEIR
RIGHT HANDS, EITHER CLOSED OR WITH ONE OR MORE FINGERS
EXTENDED. AT THE SAME TIME THEY SHOUT SOME NUMBER.
THE PLAYER WHO GUESSES THE CORRECT NUMBER OF THE SUM
TOTAL OF FINGERS EXTENDED, OR THE NEAREST TO IT,
SCORES A POINT. FIVE POINTS MAY CONSTITUTE A GAME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 10-11-1972
HANGMAN
THIS IS A SIT-DOWN GUESSING GAME. ON A PAPER OR A
BOARD, YOU WOULD DRAW A FIGURE THAT LOOKED LIKE A
SEVEN. UNDERNEATH YOU WOULD DRAW A LINE OR SERIES
OF DASHES, EACH REPRESENTING THE LETTER IN A WORD
CHOSEN BY YOU. OTHER PLAYERS WOULD THEN TRY TO
GUESS THE LETTERS. IF THEY GUESSED CORRECTLY
THE LETTER WAS FILLED IN. IF THE GUESS WAS WRONG,
SOMETHING WOULD BE ADDED TO THE FIGURE OF A MAN HAN-
ING FROM THE SEVEN. IF THEY GUESS THE WORD BEFORE
THE MAN IS COMPLETED, THEY WIN. IF NOT, IT'S YOUR
GAME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
MOVIE STARS
THIS IS A SIT DOWN, GUESSING GAME. ONE PERSON GAVE
A PAIR OF INITIALS. THE ENTIRE GAME WAS TO GUESS
WHOSE INITIALS THEY WERE, IF NOT IMMEDIATELY,
THEN EVENTUALLY THROUGH CLUES GIVEN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
STORY--GAME
THE PLAYERS WOULD BE SEATED, PREFERABLY IN A
CIRCLE. SOME PERSON, NOT PLAYING, WOULD THEN
WHISPER TO EACH PLAYER A PHRASE. THEN THAT PERSON
WOULD START A STORY AND AS THEY GO AROUND THE
CIRCLE, EACH PLAYER WOULD ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE THE
STORY, ADDING TO IT THE PHRASE HE HAD BEEN GIVEN.
THE BEGINNER WOULD CALL TIME FOR EACH PLAYER AND
FINALLY CALL TIME FOR THE GAME. THEN THE STORY WOULD
END AND THE OTHER PLAYERS WOULD ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY
EACH OTHERS PHRASES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
SITTING IN A ROOM AND SOMEONE WILL THINK OF AN
ARTICLE OF A CERTAIN COLOR AND THE OTHER KIDS
TRY TO GUESS WHAT IT IS. THAT PERSON WHO STARTS
MAY SAY WHETHER THE OTHERS ARE HOT OR COLD.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
MY FATHER OWNS A GROCERY STORE AND IN IT HE SELLS
(NAME SOMETHING). CLUES MAY BE ASKED FOR BY
EACH PERSON IN TURN. THE PERSON TO GUESS IT
STARTS OFF THE NEXT ROUND.
Submitter comment: COULD BE PLAYED IN CAR OR AT HOME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
I SPY
PERSON TO START THINKS OF AN OBJECT ALWAYS IN THAT
ROOM OR IT CAN BE PLAYED RIDING IN A CAR. I SPY
WITH MY LITTLE EYE SOMETHING THAT IS (PERSON
SAYING IT GIVES A CLUE.) TURNS ARE TAKEN BY EACH
OF THE OTHER PERSONS IN TRYING TO GUESS THE OBJECT.
PERSONS CAN ASK FOR CLUES AT RANDOM. THE PERSON TO
GUESS WHAT IT WAS GETS THE NEXT TURN.
Submitter comment: VARIANT: I SPY SOMETHING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
MY FATHER OWNS
ONE PERSON IS IT. STARTS GAME BY SYING "MY FATHER
OWNS A STORE (HOUSE, CAR, ETC.) IN IT HE HAS
(BLANK.") FIRST LETTER OF OBJECT IS ONLY GIVEN CLUE.
OTHERS MUST GUESS WHAT OBJECT IS. THEN HE IS "IT."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 00-00-1956
THREE GUESSES TO GUESS OBJECT IN ROOM, AFTER EACH
GUESS A HINT IS GIVEN. AFTER THE CORRECT OBJECT
IS GUESSED THE OTHER PERSON THEN PROCEEDS AND
BEGINS THE GAME.
Submitter comment: FROM FRIENDS.
Where learned: LIVING ROOM
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 10-23-1967
GOING DOWNTOWN
GAME STARTS WITH A LINE OF PLAYERS. LEADER SAYS:
"I'M GOING DOWNTOWN TO SMOKE MY PIPE,
I WON'T BE BACK 'TIL SATURDAY NIGHT.
I'LL WHIP YOU BLAC, I'LL WHIP YOU BLUE,
ESPECIALLY YOU MY DAUGHTER SUE.
(THE LEADER CHOOSES SOMEONE TO BE SUE).
THE LEADER THEN LEAVES THE GROUP. A WITCH COMES
ALONG AND GIVES EACH MEMBER OF THE GROUP THE NAME
OF A COLOR AND STEALS ONE OF THE MEMBERS (SUE).
THE LEADER RETURNS: "WHERE'S SUE?"
GROUP ANSWERS: "THE WITCH TOOK HER."
THE WITCH RETURNS. THE LEADER CALLS OUT COLORS AND
THE WITCH CHASES THE MEMBER WHO RESPONDS TO HER
GIVEN COLOR. A MEMBER WHO IS NOT CAUGHT BECOMES
THE MOTHER, AND THE GIRL WHO WAS "SUE" IS NOW THE
WITCH.
Submitter comment:
THIS GAME HAS MANY VERSIONS IN DIFFERENT NEIGH-
BORHOODS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HUNTINGTON WOODS
Date learned: 02-20-1970
THE STAR GAME
A PERSON (NORMALLY THE ONE WHO INITIATES THE GAME)
THINKS OF A MOVIE STAR FROM ANY PERIOD OF PICTURES.
AS AN EXAMPLE LET'S PICK DAVID NIVEN. THE PERSON WHO
IS "IT" THEN SAYS "D.N." AND THE OTHER PLAYERS TRY TO
GUESS WHO THE PERSON IS. DEPENDING ON THE GROUP,
THE PERSON WHO IS "IT" MAY ALSO TELL WHETHER THE
STAR IS A MALE OR FEMALE. THE FIRST PERSON WHO
GUESSES THE STAR'S NAME IS NOW "IT" AND GIVES SOME
STAR'S INITIALS. IF NO ONE CAN GUESS WHO THE STAR
IS AND THEY ALL GIVE UP, THE PERSON WHO IS "IT"
TELLS THEM WHO THE STAR IS AND HAS ANOTHER TURN.
THE GAME LASTS UNTIL ALL ARE TIRED OF IT.
Submitter comment: EXPLAINED TO ME BEFORE WE BEGAN TO PLAY THE GAME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Date learned: 02-15-1967