The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PROVERB

YOU'RE A CROSS BETWEEN A BULLDOG AND A BARBED-WIRE FENCE.

Submitter comment: REPLY FROM FATHER UPON INQUIRING WHAT NATIONALITY
INFORMANT WAS.

Where learned: MINNESOTA

Date learned: 00-00-1948

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PROVERB

YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE ON THE BEACH.

Submitter comment: TOM SAID THIS TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDS WHEN THEY WANTED
TO BE PICKED UP AND HE ALREADY HAD A FULL CAR.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Date learned: 11-22-1969

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PROVERBIAL PHRASE

YOU'RE SLIDING A GREASY SHOE.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Date learned: 11-19-1968

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PROVERB

YOU'RE SO DEEP IN THE FOREST, YOU CAN'T SEE THE TREES.

Submitter comment: I WAS HELPING A FRESHMAN WITH HIS CHEMISTRY HOMEWORK
AND HE JUST KEPT MISSING THE POINT OF THE PROBLEM
WHICH WAS QUITE OBVIOUS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1966

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PROVERB

"YOU CAN'T HANG ANY FLIES ON HIM," MEANS YOU CAN'T FOOL HIM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ANN ARBOR

Date learned: 00-00-1968

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Graffiti

When you're up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember that your primary objective was to drain the swamp.

Submitter comment:

Graffiti regarding final examinations and the purposes of education.

Data entry tech comment:

BN and Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Upper left hand corner, the name JIM: is written.

Bottomright hand corner, the name Dick Kowalczyk is written.

Where learned: UNKNOWN

Keyword(s): Alligators ; EDUCATION ; EDUCATION ADVICE ; GRAFFITI

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Proverb

Too soon old and too late smart.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [C880.800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Dup of WPP

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): AGE ; Elderly ; Hindsight ; IGNORANCE ; Old ; WISDOM ; YOUTH

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Proverb

As dead as a doornail.

Submitter comment:

The number 335 is typed in the upper right hand corner.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V600] crossed out and replaced with current classifications.

The word As is underlined in red the first time it appears.

Dup of WPP.

The word (informant) has been written in red next to the name of Sophie Drouillard.

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Dead ; Doornail ; SIMILE

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Proverb

Hit the nail on the head

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.

Keyword(s): ACCURACY ; Correct ; Dead-on ; METAPHOR ; Nail ; SYMBOL

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Proverb

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.

Keyword(s): Ability ; Fool ; JACK ; Labor ; Master ; Skill ; TRADE ; WISDOM ; WORK

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Proverb

Like water off a duck's back.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V600, V200] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classification.

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ;

Keyword(s): ADAPTABILITY ; BIRD ; DUCK ; Resilience ; WATER ; Waterproof

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Proverb

Dead as a doornail

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Dead ; Doornail ; SIMILE

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Proverb

No rest for the wicked

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V300] crossed out. replaced with current classifications.

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Keyword(s): Busy ; METAPHOR ; PROVERB ; Rest ; Wicked

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Proverb

To Eat Humble Pie:

To eat humble pie means to occupy an inferior position

Submitter comment:

Proverbial Phrase

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Keyword(s): Concede ; FOOD ; Humble ; HUMILITY ; Inferior ; METAPHOR ; Pie

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Proverb

That's the way the ball bounces

Submitter comment:

While Mr. DuCharme, a fellow student in a Folklore course at the University of Detroit, was giving his presentation on a comparative study of ballad variation, he used the phrase: "That's the way the cookie crumbles." I was reminded that when I was about his age, we used to say "That's the way the ball bounces." But it still means the same thing!

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ;

Keyword(s): Ball ; Bounce ; Inevitable ; LIFE

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Proverb

That's the way the cookies crumble...

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V600] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Keyword(s): Cookies ; Crumble ; Inevitable

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Proverb

Snug as a bug in a rug

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V300] crossed out. replaced with current classification.

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

KW: ALX, RRM

Keyword(s): Bug ; Comfort ; Rug ; SIMILE ; Snug

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Proverb

You can't see the forest for the trees.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW

Keyword(s): BLIND ; Forest ; Outlook ; Proximity ; TREES

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Proverb

From the Pennsylvania Dutch:

"The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get."

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V700] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classification.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; DUTCH ; ETHNIC ; Maxim ; PENNSYLVANIA ; PROVERB ; VERSE

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