Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P477 returned 904 results.
I WAS ALWAYS TOLD NOT TO WALK ON THE GRASS IN THE SPRINGTIME
OR ELSE DANDELIONS WOULD GROW IN THE SPOTS WHERE I WALKED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Whenever my sister and I were driving in the car she
would always hold her breath and pick up her feet
as we drove by a cemetery. Finally I asked why she did
this and her response was that if you didn't the
spirits of all the dead people would haunt you forever.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
While looking at a friend's scrap book I noticed
that they had pictures of their old pets, but
no current pictures of current pets. When I asked
why, the response was that if you took a picture of
your pet it would soon die afterwards. This was
said with conviction and firm belief. The reason
the belief was so strong was that this happened
to 4 of their pets after they took their picture.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): Post hoc reasoning
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001988 ca
When going over railroad tracks you should lift your
feet up off the floor, hold your breath, and touch a
screw all at the same time. This wards off bad luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Conversions |
Date learned: 00001988 ca
Twenty years ago at Central Michigan University, a girl
mysteriously died in her dorm room. The university had a
problem with kids moving out of the dorm because of the
incident, so they changed the numbering in the dorm. Now
people complain of lights, radios and televisions that are
on when they come back from class because they know they
had turned them off before they left.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MOUNT PLEASANT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1985
Kim's family used to wax their cars, but every time they did,
whoever drove it after the waxing got into an auto accident.
This happened quite a few times. Kim's parents quit waxing
the cars and have not been in an accident since.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PLYMOUTH
James Callow Keyword(s): Post hoc reasoning
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Bad luck |
TO KEEP FROM SNEEZING, THINK OF A COW AND YOU
WILL NOT SNEEZE.
Submitter comment: THIS REMEDY REALLY WORKS
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 10-00-1987
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 |
MRS. MOOR SAYS THAT WHEN YOU GIVE A PURSE TO
SOMEONE OR PUT ONE IN STORAGE YOU SHOULD LEAVE
A PENNY IN IT; OTHERWISE THE PURSE WILL NEVER
HOLD MONEY.
Where learned: KANSAS ; WHITE CITY
Keyword(s): GIFTS, PRESENTS
| Subject headings: | 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: 00001975CA
If you play with fire, you will wet the bed.
Submitter comment:
My parents stressed this to us when we were young.
I believed it then, but now I believe it was merely
told to us to deter us from playing with fire.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION
| Subject headings: | Observation Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Dance Verse BELIEF -- Fire BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00001970S
If a woman or girl sings at the table, she
will marry a crazy man.
Submitter comment:
Informant said this happened to a friend of hers who
used to listen to the radio and sing while she was
eating. When she grew up she married a man who was
crazy.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): EATING ; FUNCTION ; Meals ; TABLE MANNERS
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Physically handicapped Deformed BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222. |
Date learned: 00001940S
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
You should always walk on the same side of the post
as your partner or you will have a fight.
Submitter comment:
Informant says that she believes this and tries
to practice it because it has happened to her on
several occasions.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): quarrel
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00001950S
Never set your purse on the floor because if you do
you will never have much money.
Where learned: ALABAMA
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of quality Monetary system Money Wealth BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 00-00-1958
If you accidentally put your clothes on inside out,
it is bad luck to turn them the correct way because
you were supposedly meant to put them on inside out.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; Carbon Hill
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001950S
Always hold your breath when passing a cemetery. If
you do not you will "inhale" death.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; Carbon Hill
Date learned: 00001950S
If your right ear is ringing, someone is saying good
things about you. If your left ear rings, someone is
saying bad things about you.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; Carbon Hill
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTRAST ; RIGHT LEFT
| Subject headings: | 842 Ringing ears / buzzing / hot, burning BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00001950S
Never step on a grave. Because if you do, you will make
a dead person angry because you are showing disrespect.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; Carbon Hill
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00001950S
Bloody Mary
At slumber parties we always used to hear from at least
one person a story about Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary was
supposed to be seen by a person who stood in front of
a mirror, in the dark. The designated person would
stand in front of a mirror anywhere in the house and say
bad things about Bloody Mary. The person would call her
name and say things like "Show yourself Bloody Mary,
or are you too scared?" The person would also call her
names or even swear at her. If the person got Bloody
Mary angry enough, she would appear in the mirror and
cause an injury to the person who had called her.
Submitter comment:
A few people that I knew had enough nerve to do this.
Even though two of the people that did were unaffected,
three of the people I know who tried this came out with
severe scratches on both of her arms, and one also
had severe scratches on her throat.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 00-00-1980
When there are a lot of pigeons on a roof there will
be a death in the family or the neighborhood.
Where learned: ALABAMA ; Carbon Hill
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00001950'S