Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P462 returned 245 results.
RELIGIOUS BELIEF
BEFORE YOUR WEDDING HAVE A STATUE OF MARY, THE BLESSED MOTHER,
LOOKING OUT YOUR WINDOW AND PRAY TO HER FOR GOOD WEATHER ON YOUR
WEDDIND DAY.
Submitter comment: THIS ITEM CAME FROM A RELATIVE IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage F545.083 BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 00-00-1976
IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR A PERSON TO LOOK INTO A MIRROR WHILE IT IS
RAINING AND THUNDERING. WHOEVER DOES SO WILL BE KILLED BY THAT
THUNDER.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT SAID IT WITH ASSURANCE
Where learned: NIGERIA ; KABBA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
IT IS SAID THAT WHEN A HEAVY RAINSTORM COMES, IT IS ST. PETER
CRYING AT HEAVEN'S GATE. IF YOU WANT THE RAIN TO STOP, YOU
MUST WALK OUT INTO THE RAIN, HOLD OUT YOUR ARMS IN SUPPLICATION,
AND ASK ST. PETER TO STOP THE RAIN.
Submitter comment:
I WAS IN THE GARAGE WITH MY GRANDFATHER AND TWO OF HIS
FRIENDS WHEN IT STARTED TO THUNDERSTORM. ONE OF HIS FRIENDS
TOLD ME THE ABOVE STORY. I TRIED IT, BUT IT FAILED TO WORK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; NORTH BRANCH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
IF ALL THE PLATES WERE SCRAPED CLEAN (IF THERE WERE NO LEFT OVERS)
THERE WOULD BE GOOD WEATHER THE NEXT DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CLIO
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Home |
Date learned: 00-00-1973 ; 11-00-1987
IF COWS LAY ON A HILL UNDER A TREE, IT MEANS THAT IT IS GOING TO
RAIN.
Where learned: MINNESOTA ; FAIRBAULT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Date learned: 10-10-1987 ; 10-14-1987
When you see the Northern Lights at night, whistle
very loudly and the light will become brighter.
Submitter comment:
Elinor learned this belief from a student of her's who
identified herself as "full-blooded North American Indian."
This woman had lived in northern Canada for some time.
When the informant demonstrated the technique for
whistling, she placed both of her baby fingers in
her mouth to indicate that the whistle was to be
extremely loud.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): Aurora Borealis
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Weather Predictor
Flying a kite with a northern wind direction on a bright sunny
day will mean that it will rain the next day. If you fly your
kite in a southern wind direction on a cloudy day the next day
will be bright and sunny. If you attempt to fly your kite on
a stormy day look forward to a week of terrible weather.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Game, Air.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1988
A warm sunny day makes aches and pains go away.
A walk in the rain brings them back again.
Submitter comment:
He made this up on one of his many walks in the
sun and rain.
Where learned: FLORIDA ; DelRay Beach
Keyword(s): WEATHER
| Subject headings: | Observation Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
IF YOU SEE A BLACK BEETLE LYING ON HIS BACK THE WEATHER IN THE
NEAR FUTURE WILL BE BAD. IF YOU HELP THE BEETLE YOU WILL HAVE BAD
LUCK IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
Where learned: UNKNOWN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Bad luck BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 00001940S
Religious Superstitions
When driving or walking by a graveyard or church you should
never point your finger or stick out your tongue. If you do you
should bite it ten times (finger or tongue). If you don't you will
have seven years of bad luck.
Submitter comment:
I learned this as a child and it never failed; every time we
drove by either of these two sites I had to be either pointing or
licking my lips.
Where learned: DETROIT
Date learned: 00001970S
I spent most of my summers as a young child in Hillsdale,
Michigan. At night we would always have campfires. I was always
told during these campfires that if there were a lot of stars out
that night the following day would be a clear one.
James Callow comment:
Hand, North Carolina, no.6356: "They say if the stars are
thick it is a sign of fair weather."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HILLSDALE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sun BELIEF -- Star BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 08-00-1980
It is a Polish custom to put a rosary in a bush outside the
night before a special day (wedding, etc) so that day will not be
rainy.
Submitter comment: On the occasions which we have done it, it has worked.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage Before wedding BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Marriage Before wedding |
Date learned: 00001950'S
CANDLEMAS DAY CUSTOM
ON CANLEMAS DAY, WHICH IS FEBRUARY 2, POLISH CATHOLICS
HAVE BEESWAX CANDLES BLESSED AT MASS. THESE ARE LIT
DURING BAD STORMS, AND THEY ARE ALSO PLACED IN THE HANDS
OF THE DYING.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT STILL PRACTICES THIS CUSTOM EXCEPT FOR
LIGHTING THE CANDLE DURING STORMS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 02-07-1971
ON THE DAY TO FALL EXACTLY A WEEK BEFORE THE BRIDE'S
WEDDING DATE, SHE SHOULD PLACE A ROSARY ON A ROSE
BUSH, SO THAT IT'LL BE A NICE DAY, WEATHER-WISE.
THIS SUPERSTITION IS NO LONGER FOLLOWED, HOWEVER,
IN THIS FAMILY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage Superstition about good weather BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 10-08-1971
A RISING SUN MEANS A GOOD DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sun BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 11-27-1971
WEATHERMAN
I REMEMBER BEING TOLD QUITE A LONG TIME AGO THIS FACT
ABOUT THE FORECASTING OF WEATHER. IF, IN THE EARLY
EVENING, AS THE SUN IS SLOWLY SETTING, IT APPEARS AS A
LARGE PINK BALL ON THE HORIZON, IT MEANS THAT THE NEXT
DAY WILL BE VERY HOT AND THERE WILL BE NO RAIN.
AND FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, THE SUN HASN'T BEEN
WRONG. THIS CONDITION APPLIES MOSTLY IN THE SUMMER,
I AM TOLD.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT, MY MOTHER, WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS
INFORMATION, CLAIMS THAT SHE NEVER HEARD OF IT. (?)
Where learned: WASHINGTON DC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 11-27-1967
ROOSTERS CROWING--WEATHER CHANGES
IF YOU HEAR ROOSTERS CROWING AT NIGHT, IT MEANS A CHANGE
IN THE WEATHER--A STORM APPROACHING.
AND THUNDER AND LIGHTNING IN THE WINTER MEANS AN ICE
STORM OR FREEZING RAIN.
WHEN YOU HEARD A FROG CROAK, IT MEANT SPRING. BUT AFTER
THE FIRST CROAK, THERE WERE 3 MORE FREEZES BEFORE
SPRING ARRIVED FOR GOOD. BOTH HAD BELIEVED THIS IN
POPULAR TRADITION IN THEIR HOMES IN GLOUCESTER AND
HOLLISTER, OHIO.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; DETROIT ; GLOUCESTER ; HOLLISTER
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 05-11-1965
DURING A STORM, IT WAS A CUSTOM IN OUR FAMILY FOR THE
HEAD OF THE HOUSE TO TAKE HOLY WATER AND SPRINKLE IT
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE TO PROTECT IT. THE ENTIRE FAMILY
WOULD ACCOMPANY THE FATHER ON A JOURNEY TO EVERY ROOM,
AND EVERY TIME HE SPRINKLED HOLY WATER ALL WOULD BLESS
THEMSELVES. (MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.)
Where learned: NEW YORK ; WAVERLY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Wind Whirlwind Hurricane Cyclone Tornado |
Date learned: 00001960 CA.
A NOTABLE DISPLAY OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS MEANS A
SEASON OF COLD WEATHER.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF LEAVES ON THE TREES ARE TURNED SO THAT YOU CAN SEE
THEIR BACKS, IT MEANS THAT THERE WILL SOON BE A STORM.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT SAYS THIS WAS TOLD TO HIM BY ONE OF HIS
GRANDPARENTS IN IOWA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; IOWA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 03-09-1972