Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P686.3 returned 131 results.
OBJECTS USED FOR PREDICTION
AT WEDDING SHOWERS, THE RIBBONS OFF THE BRIDE'S PRESENTS
ARE HANDLED CAREFULLY! FOR EACH RIBBON SHE BREAKS AS SHE
OPENS THE PRESENTS, SHE'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CHILD, SO IF SHE
BREAKS FOUR RIBBONS, SHE WILL HAVE FOUR CHILDREN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 10-00-1983
IF YOU COUNT STARS OR POINT AT THEM WITH YOUR FINGERS, YOU ARE
SUBJECT TO HAVE WARTS IN YOUR HANDS. TO GET RID OF THOSE WARTS
YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR A LEMON TREE, CUT A LEMON IN HALF, LEAVING
ONE OF THE HALVES HANGING FROM THE TREE, THEN WITH THE OTHER HALF
YOU RUB THE WARTS, AND YOU THROW IT AWAY WITHOUT LOOKING.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- PS60 |
Date learned: 00-00-1966
IF SOMEONE IS GIVING YOU MONEY OR GIVING YOU BACK SOME CHANGE, DO
NOT LET HIM COUNT THE MONEY IN YOUR HAND; THIS WILL BRING YOU
MISFORTUNE.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
BLACK-AMERICAN BELIEF
THE NUMBER OF WRINKLES IN THE FOREHEAD SHOWS HOW
MANY KIDS YOU WILL HAVE.
Submitter comment: GRANDMOTHER PASSED THIS SAYING.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI
James Callow Keyword(s): CHILDREN
Date learned: 00-00-1960
IT IS BAD LUCK TO COUNT THE CARS IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: 11-00-1987 ; 11-00-1987
IF YOU COUNT THE CARS IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION IT WILL BRING YOU BAD
LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Ortonville
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001930S CA.
FUNERALS
IT IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK TO COUNT THE CARS IN A FUNERAL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: UNKNOWN
WHEN YOU SEE LIGHTNING START TO COUNT UNTIL YOU HEAR
THUNDER. AND WHEN YOU SEE LIGHTNING AGAIN COUNT AGAIN UNTIL
YOU HEAR THUNDER. IF THE SECOND NUMBER IS LARGER THE STORM IS
LEAVING AND WHEN IT IS SMALLER THE STORM IS COMING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: 00001970S
IF YOU COUNT THE CARS IN A FUNERAL, YOU WILL HAVE BAD
LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
On Halloween night, put a bucket of sand or a broom
outside your door. If a soul comes by and wants to
harm you, it will have to count every grain of sand
or broom bristle first. By the time that the spirit
has done this, it would be daytime and it would have
to go back where it came from.
Submitter comment:
This story was told to Maryann by her Italian father,
who heard it from his grandfather.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; SKOKIE
Keyword(s): ghost, precaution, All Souls' Day
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- October 31 Halloween BELIEF -- Witch Shaman BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Good luck Broom Sweeping BELIEF -- Control Prevention Provocation Protection |
Date learned: 00001930S
Never count the number of cars in a funeral
procession. It is very bad luck.
Where learned: KANSAS ; Manhattan
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: 00001920S
Wart Remedies
Take a piece of string and tie a knot in it for each wart
that you have. Dig a hole, and bury the string.
When the string rots, your warts will be gone.
Count the number of warts you have, and write the number
in chalk on the inside of the oven door. When the number
fades, your warts will be gone.
Submitter comment:
When I was twelve I had warts all over my hands and I was
really upset about them. My mother told me these remedies,
told to her by her mother.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK
James Callow Keyword(s): Divestment
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 00-00-1982
It is bad luck to count the number of cars of a funeral as it
passes you by. It could cause serious illness or death.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
ON YOUR BIRTHDAY FOR HOW MANY YEARS OLD YOU ARE YOU ARE TO BE
SMACKED LIGHTLY ON THE BACKSIDE. THIS MAY SOUND CRUEL BUT IT IS
SUPPOSED TO BRING GOOD FORTUNE IN THE YEAR TO COME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PORT HURON
James Callow Keyword(s): SPANKING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Funeral Superstition
One should never count the number of cars in the line of a
funeral procession. For every car which one counts, he/she will
lose a year of his/her life.
Submitter comment:
My grandmother, who is Italian, told me of this superstition
when I was five years old. The reason that she told me of this
particular belief is that I had just learned to count and I began
to count all of the objects that I looked at. For example,
railroad cars were a favorite of mine to count. Therefore, she
believed that if she told me of this belief, I would have a long
and prosperous life.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; KALAMAZOO
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
Cake candles resisting "blow out" are years until wish comes
true.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
James Callow Keyword(s): COUNTING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: 00-00-1991
Cure for the Hiccups? Count them.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 00-00-1976
This is a tradition that has been handed down from my mother
and which I have in turn handed down to my children. The
tradition is that if a certain vegetable is being served to eat
and a certain person does not like that vegetable he or she has
to eat as many of the vegetables as he or she is old. For
example, if I hated peas and I am 11 years old, I would have to
eat 11 peas. This only applies to kids until they are 18 years
old. It was a good way of getting children to eat their
vegetables.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; RIVERVIEW
James Callow Keyword(s): AGE
Date learned: 00-00-1966
DON'T COUNT FUNERAL CARS, AS THEY PASS BY, OR SOMEONE IN YOUR
FAMILY WILL DIE NEXT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
IT'S BAD LUCK TO COUNT YOUR TEETH.
Submitter comment: HIS MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Bad luck Body parts and functions |
Date learned: 07-29-1964