Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P438 returned 634 results.
If a pregnant woman sees something die, like an animal
or a person, during her pregnancy the baby will have
a birth-mark in the shape of the animal or person
that she saw die.
My informant seemed quite sure about this. Someone
that she knew saw a person get hit by a car when she
was pregnant and her baby had what looked like a red
mark shaped like a person on its back.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 00001988 ca
GETTING A HAIRCUT ON GOOD FRIDAY WILL MAKE YOUR HAIR
GROW LONGER AND HEALTHIER.
Submitter comment:
A. RAY THOMAS, OF BURROUGHS CORP, WROTE ME ON APRIL 21
1980:
"ITEMS FROM MRS. ANTHONY J. THOMAS OF KULPMONT,
PENNSYLVANIA. SHE IS OF ITALIAN DESCENT (ELIZABETH
M. POLIDORE) AND GREW UP IN A SMALL MINING TOWN IN
PENNSYLVANIA. MANY OF HER FOLKLORE BELIEFS ARE A
COMBINATION OF HER ITALIAN HERITAGE AND THOSE OF
HER PREDOMINANTLY IRISH CUSTOMERS."
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; A SMALL MINING TOWN IN
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Good Friday BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
If you eat carrots you won't have to wear
glasses.
Submitter comment:
Informant believes this; however, she says that this
is told to children to get them to eat their carrots.
Children do not like to eat carrots but they dislike
wearing glasses even more.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FOOD ; FUNCTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001960S
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
When I was a small child, I believed in what was
called the tooth fairy. When my tooth fell out I
placed it under my pillow that night and the tooth
fairy would come and take the tooth and leave me a
dollar.
Submitter comment:
I stopped believing in the tooth fairy when I was
about eight years old. I caught my father taking my
tooth one night and leaving a dollar.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
Date learned: 00001970S
LOW FOREHEADS INDICATE LOW IQ AND BRUTISH DISPOSITIONS
WHILE HIGH FOREHEADS ARE RELATED TO HIGH INTELLECTUAL
ABILITY AND LOFTINESS OF THOUGHT AND FEELING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HAIRLINE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
Date learned: 00001980S
You should never point at a rainbow or you or
your child could lose a hand.
Where learned: THAILAND
Date learned: 00001960S
If you dream of teeth and they hurt, it means
someone close to your family will die. If they
don't hurt, a distant person will die.
Submitter comment:
Mrs. Wojtan really believes in her dreams and
told me that they often come true.
Where learned: KANSAS ; Manhattan
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Dreams |
Date learned: 00001920S
When a person praises or compliments you or
your children, you should make the sign of evil,
or the devil, behind your back by holding your
little finger and first finger up while making
a fist. By doing this you ward off the evil eye
or bad luck.
Submitter comment:
My grandmother doesn't particularly believe in this
but her parents and husband's parents did. It is
a strong belief in Malta.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): index finger
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Curse BELIEF -- Bad luck SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00001930S
Superstition
If a member of the family dies, a hole should be knocked in
the plaster of the ceiling and a lock of their hair put in it
to prevent the soul from escaping.
Submitter comment:
This was learned by the informant from Michael O'Connor, who
was born in County Cork, Ireland. He was my great grandfather.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PLUGGING
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00001930ca
Superstition
My mother used to be terrified to weep at the table,
because my grandmother told her that her tears would
turn her food to poison.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222. |
Date learned: 00001950CA
HORSERADISH WILL PUT HAIR ON YOUR CHEST.
IF A CHILD EATS A LOT OF HORSERADISH, HE WILL GROW UP
TO HAVE A HAIRY CHEST.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS LEARNED FROM MY GRANDFATHER WHO DID NOT DISTINGUISH
BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE CHILDREN WHEN TELLING OF THESE MAGICAL
POWERS OF HORSERADISH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Body part Senses Upper body, arms, neck BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00001976CA
Entry filtered.
IF A PERSON HAS ITCHY PALMS, HE IS GOING TO COME INTO MONEY.
THIS MEANS THE PALMS OF THE HANDS. THE PERSON WILL GET
MONEY WITHOUT HAVING TO WORK FOR IT, IT MAY BE A PRIZE
OR AN INHERITANCE OR MONEY THAT IS FOUND.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Hand ; Inherit ; INHERITANCE ; ITCH ; Itchy ; MONEY ; Palm ; PREDICTION ; SIGN ; Windfall
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet |
Date learned: 00001976CA
IF ONE IS CUTTING THE HAIR OF A CURLY-HAIRED CHILD AND
WANTS TO ENSURE THAT THE CHILD'S HAIR WILL REMAIN CURLY,
THE HAIRCUT SHOULD TAKE PLACE WHEN THERE IS A FULL MOON.
Where learned: VIRGINIA ; SPLASHDAM
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Moon |
Date learned: 00001930ca
IF YOUR NOSE ITCHES IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN EXPECT COMPANY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching nose |
Date learned: 00-00-1935
NEVER HAVE A TOOTH PULLED WHEN THE MOON IS IN THE SIGN
OF THE HEAD OR BAD WILL COME OF IT.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO FOLLOWS THE
MOON'S CYCLE FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS. THE SIGNS OF THE
ZODIAC EACH CORRESPOND TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE BODY,
THE HEAD BEING THE SIGN OF CAPRICORN, THE RAM.
Where learned: VIRGINIA ; SPLASHDAM
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Moon BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1930
If you hit or slap your mother, your hand will stick up in
your coffin.
Submitter comment:
Basically an old wives' tale, although I did hear my aunt tell
my cousin that her coffin would be shaped funny after she
jokingly hit her.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
If your left eyebrow itches something bad will happen.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): RIGHT LEFT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itches |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
If you're choking someone's thinking ill thoughts about you.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions |
Date learned: 03-00-1991