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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for B666 returned 173 results.
JESS HARPER, FROM GODRICH ONTARIO CAME INTO LONDON,
LOOKING FOR A JOB WITH THE RAILROAD. HE WAS 6'6"
TALL AND WEIGHED 240 POUNDS. HE HAD NO TROUBLE PASSING
THE PHYSICAL, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE MENTAL PART, HE
LEFT SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED. THE SHARP LAWYER BEHIND
THE DESK IMMEDIATELY BEGAN DRILLING TRICKLY QUESTIONS
AT JESS. "LET'S SAY THAT THERE ARE TWO TRAINS ON THE
TRACK AT THE SAME TIME, AND EACH TRAIN IS GOING 100
MILES PER HOUR. WITH 200 PEOPLE ON EACH TRAIN. WHAT
WOULD YOU DO, JESS?" "WELL," JESS SAID, "I GUESS I'D WAVE
MY HANDERCHIEF." "NO! NO!, THEY COULDN'T SEE IT IN THE
DARK," SAID THE LAWYER. "THEN I'D WAVE MY LANTERN,"
JESS SAID. "NO! NO!, THEY COULDN'T SEE THE LANTERN
EITHER." "WELL, I GUESS I'D WHISTLE AS LOUD AS I COULD."
"NO! NO! YOU COULDN'T HEAR IT ABOVE THE NOISE." "OH!
I KNOW WHAT I'D DO," JESS SAID, "I'D GO CALL MY SISTER
NELLY WHO LIVES ABOVE THE TRACKS." "CALL YOUR SISTER,
NELLY? WHY?" "WELL," JESS SAID, "I'D TELL HER TO COME
DOWN AND SEE THE GODAMNEST WRECK SHE'S EVER SEEN IN
HER LIFE!"
Submitter comment:
WALLY SAID HIS DAD HAS BEEN TELLING THIS STORY EVER
SINCE HE CAN REMEMBER.
Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; TOP HAT SUPPER CLUB ; WINDSOR
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
COMMITTMENT
A PIG AND A CHICKEN WERE WALKING DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD
DISCUSSING CHURCH SUPPORT. THEY CAME UPON A ROAD
SIGN WHICH READ, "RESTAURANT--SPECIAL FOR
BREAKFAST--HAM AND EGGS."
WELL, THE CHICKEN SAID, "SUPPOSE WE GO IN FOR
BREAKFAST AND CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION."
"NO," SHOUTED THE PIG, "NOT ON YOUR LIFE. FOR
YOU IT WOULD BE JUST A CONTRIBUTION. FOR ME--
TOTAL COMMITMENT."
Submitter comment:
ED SAID THAT HE HEARD IT FROM A CLASSMATE AT
GEORGETOWN PREPATORY HIGH SCHOOL, NEAR WASHINGTON,
D. C. DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
Where learned: WASHINGTON DC
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: 09-12-1967
MEDICINE SHOWS USED TO COME TO TOWN QUITE REGULARLY.
ONE HE PARTICULARLY REMEMBERS, FEATURED A CURE FOR
TAPEWORM, ALONG WITH ITS OTHER MAGICAL PROPERTIES.
THE MEDICINE MAN HAD A TAPEWORM ON DISPLAY IN A
BOTTLE AND HE TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT, IN ORDER TO GET
THIS PARTICULAR TAPEWORM OUT OF A MAN, SO THEY COULD
USE IT FOR DISPLAY, THEY STARVED THE MAN FOR THREE
DAYS AND THEN PUT A GLASS OF MILK IN FRONT OF HIS
MOUTH. THE TAPE WORM CAME RIGHT UP OUT OF THE MAN'S
STOMACH AND JUMPED INTO THE GLASS.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- Curer BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 05-11-1965
TALL TALE
IT WAS FESTIVAL TIME IN A SMALL VILLAGE IN PANAMA WHERE THERE WAS
DANCING AROUND THE FIRE UNTIL THE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING.
WHEN EACH FAMILY STARTED HOME IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE GIRL AND ONE BOY
WERE MISSING FROM THE VILLAGE. A SEARCH WAS COMMENCED AND THE MEN
OF THE VILLAGE BEGAN SETTING OUT FOR THE JUNGLES WHEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN A BOA WITH ITS BODY SWOLLEN APPEARED IN THE VILLAGE SQUARE.
THE FATHER OF THE GIRL, THINKING THE BOA HAD EATEN HIS DAUGHTER
SLICED OFF THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE WITH HIS MACHETE. JUST AT THAT
MOMENT THE TWO CHILDREN APPEARED MYSTERIOUSLY IN THE CROWD OF MEN.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: PANAMA AIR FORCE BASE
Keyword(s): Fable ; FESTIVAL ; Jungle ; Snake ; TALL TALE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: 00-00-1976
HOW THE GREAT LAKES WERE FORMED
JOHN BUNYAN, PAUL BUNYAN'S BROTHER, DECIDED ONE DAY TO BUILD A
LONG, LONG LADDER TO REACH UP TO HEAVEN. HE BUILT THE LADDER
OUT OF FIR TREES AND USED THE BRANCHES FOR RUNGS. HE STARTED
CLIMBING ONE DAY, AND HE CLIMBED AND CLIMBED AND CLIMBED. THEN
HE GOT SO DIZZY FAR ABOVE THE GROUND THAT HE FELL. JOHN BUNYAN
BOUNCED IN FIVE PLACES, MAKING FIVE DEEP HOLES IN THE EARTH.
AFTER THE GLACIAL AGE THE WATER FILLED IN THE HOLES AND FORMED THE
GREAT LAKES. AS THE LADDER FELL, IT ENDED UP IN A STRAIGHT LINE,
AND BECAME THE TRACKS OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Still water Large body. Ocean, sea.... PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: 02-26-1982
IN HORSE AND BUGGY DAYS BEFORE THERE WERE CHAINS PEOPLE USED
COWHIDE TO HARNESS THEIR WAGONS TO HORSES. MY GRANDFATHER WAS
RETURNING HOME FROM A TRIP AND HAD TO CROSS A CREEK. THE
WAGON GOT STUCK IN THE SAND SO GRANDFATHER TOOK THE HORSES AND
STRETCHED THE COWHIDE ATTACHED THE WAGON AND TIED IT TO A POST
AT THE BARN. THE NEXT MORNING THE SUN WAS SHINING ON THE
WINDOW AND HE LOOKED OUT TO SEE THE WAGON IN FRONT OF THE
BARN. THE SUN SHRANK THE COWHIDE PULLING THE WAGON OUT.
Submitter comment: TALL TALE
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; NATCHEZ
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
THE GREAT SMELLING GUN
MY UNCLE BRAGGED THAT HE COULD KILL MORE GEESE WITH THE
SMELLING GUN. HE WOULD HEAR THE SOUND OF THE GEESE IN THE SKY
AND SHOOT. THEN HE WENT BACK IN THE HOUSE AND WATCHED THE
GEESE FALL OUT OF THE SKY.
Submitter comment: TALL TALE, BRAGGING TO CHILDREN
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; NATCHEZ
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
JOKE
"WHAT SUPERB GRAPEFRUIT!" EXCLAIMED A VISITOR TO TEXAS AS
HE PASSED A CITRUS GROVE. "OH, OUR LEMONS ARE A LITTLE
SMALL NOW," SAID THE TEXAN NONCHALANTLY. "WE'VE HAD A
BAD SEASON, YOU KNOW." A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD
THE VISITOR REMARKED ON THE SIZE AND COLOR OF SOME
FLOWERS. "JUST SOME LITTLE OL' WEEDS, " THE TEXAN SAID
MODESTLY. FINALLY THEY CAME TO THE RIO GRANDE. "HMM-M"
MURMURED THE VISITOR, "SOMEONE'S RADIATOR MUST BE
LEAKING!"
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
James Callow Keyword(s): SIZE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: 04-00-1990
Michelle's grandpa used to tell her mom when she couldn't fall
asleep as a young child that her stuffed animals got very
angry because at the stroke of midnight they came out to play.
In the morning, the animals were spread out all over the floor
so the child believed the story.
Submitter comment:
Michelle said her mom used to use the same one on her and she
believed it and fell asleep.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Stuffed animals
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Have you heard about the man who swam halfway across
the ocean, then he decided that he couldn't make it
so he swam back?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): strong man
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: 00001980S
Louis Cyr, Strongman
Louis Cyr, famed Quebecois strongman who was for some
time with P.T. Barnum's Circus, is said to at one time
have held onto the tails of four horses at once.
The horses were then whipped, but could not run away.
Submitter comment:
Louis Cyr was married to the cousin of my
father's mother. She liked to spread impossible
stories about unrecorded feats of his.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- P479 |
Date learned: 00001940CA
Louis Cyr, Strongman
Louis Cyr, famed Quebecois strongman who was for some
time with P.T. Barnum's Circus, is said to at one time
have pushed a loaded cargo car up a steep hill by himself.
Submitter comment:
Louis Cyr was married to the cousin of my
father's mother. She liked to spread impossible
stories about unrecorded feats of his.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- P479 |
Date learned: 00001940CA
There were so many roaches in the house that they took over
the basement and you had to pay a toll to wash your clothes.
Submitter comment:
My mother told me that times were hard coming up; therefore
they just made fun of the problems they had. She really didn't
have any stories to tell that may have been passed down to her
mother because both her parents worked and didn't have time to
tell them. So the kids would make up jokes to help them laugh
about the conditions they lived in.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): housing conditions
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- Insect |
Date learned: 00001960S
There was one rat that was so big that the family had to adopt
him because he could not be killed. They had four cats that all
ran away because the rat would beat them up. Every time they got
a new cat the following morning there would be a big outline of a
cat through the window where the cat had ran out running for his
life.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): housing conditions
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 00001960S
WEDDING CUSTOM
NANCY HONK'S HAS BEEN A LONG TIME GONE. AT HER
FOURTH WEDDING RECEPTION THE GROOM IN REMOVING THE
GARTER TO THROW TO THE MALE GUESTS, HE CAME UP WITH
A VARICOSE VEIN. THERE WAS NO HONEYMOON.
Where learned: LETTER
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 02-01-1971
THE BOYS I PLAYED BASEBALL WITH AND I, OFTEN DUPED
A NEW PLAYER INTO BELIEVING THAT THERE WERE LEFT-
HANDED AND RIGHT-HANDED BASEBALL BATS. I NOTED THE
SAME JOKE IN AAA PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL IN CHATANOOGA,
TENNESSEE IN 1958 PLAYED ON A MUCH OLDER FELLOW.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; BIRMINGHAM ; TENNESSEE ; CHATANOOGA
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Foundation rite Laying of cornerstone |
Date learned: 12-00-1971 ; 00-00-1958 ; 00001950S
AT OLIVET COLLEGE, THE HAZING OF ADELPHIC FRATERNITY
PLEDGES WAS SUPPOSEDLY THE MIDWEST'S ROUGHEST. SOME
OF HELL NIGHT'S PRANKS:
BLINDFOLDED PLEDGE PICKS UP BANANA IN TOILET.
BLINDFOLDED PLEDGE HAS ENCASED SHAVER (ELECTRIC)
DRAWN OVER DIFFERENT HAIRY PARTS OF BODY AND HAIR IS
DROPPED TO SIMULATE ACTUAL SHAVING.
BLINDFOLDED, EATING ALLUM-STUFFED PICKLES, OLIVES, ETC.
FORCING REGURGITATION.
BLINDFOLDED, NUDE PLEDGE STANDING IN SIX INCHES OF ICE
WATER HAS HOT WAX DRIPPED ON HIM.
SINGING FRATERNITY AND SCHOOL SONGS IN UNDERPANTS AND
SHOES ONLY (SNOW ON GROUND) IN FRONT OF GIRL'S DORM.
HAVING TO RECITE PLEDGE RULES IN ORDER WHILE LAYING
NUDE IN SIX INCHES OF ICE WATER, WHILE FRAT MEMBERS
DROPPED RAW EGGS FROM BALCONY INTO MOUTH OF RECITER.
THERE ARE MORE, BUT THEY'RE SADISTIC, SOME CAUSING
THREE OUT OF APPROXIMATELY 30 TO QUIT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; BIRMINGHAM ; TENNESSEE ; CHATANOOGA
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
Date learned: 12-00-1971 ; 00-00-1958 ; 00001950S
THE STORY OF "KATYDIDS"
KATY WAS AT HOME ALONE AND KNOCKED OVER A BEAUTIFUL VASE OF HER
MOTHER'S. WHEN HER MOTHER GOT HOME, KATY TOLD HER THE DOG DID
IT. THAT NIGHT, KATY COULDN'T SLEEP BECAUSE OF THE BUGS SAYING
"KATY DID IT, KATY DID IT." KATY CRIED FOR HER MOTHER AND TOLD
HER THE TRUTH.
Where learned: MISSOURI ; SAINT LOUIS
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Insect PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: LONG TIME AGO
STRETCHING THE LOG
BACK IN POLAND, MANY YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A FARMER WHO WAS
BUILDING A BARN. HAVING CUT ONE OF THE LOGS TOO SHORT, THE
FARMER CALLED TO HIS NEIGHBOR TO BRING HIS OXEN. THE TWO
FARMERS HITCHED BOTH OF THEIR ANIMALS TO THE SHORT LOG AND
PULLED IT UNTIL IT WAS THE RIGHT SIZE.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT IS 81 YEARS OLD.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wood Gourd ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Animal housingBarnPen |
Date learned: 01-20-1968
OLD POLISH STORY: TIRED TRAVELER
A CERTAIN TRAVELER HAD STOPPED AT MANY INNS TO FIND SHELTER FOR
THE NIGHT BUT HAD NO SUCCESS IN FINDING A ROOM. FINALLY, HE
AGREED TO AN INNKEEPER'S BARN. WHEN HE ENTERED, HE SAW THERE
WAS NO PLACE FOR HIM TO RECLINE. HE SAW ONLY SOME HOOKS WHERE
THE TOOLS WERE HUNG. HE PROMPTLY DISASSEMBLED HIMSELF AND PUT
AN ARM ON ONE HOOK, A LEG ON ANOTHER, AND SO ON.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Date learned: 01-20-1968