RE:SEARCH logo
University of Detroit Mercy Libraries / Instructional Design Studio
UDM HOME BLACKBOARD MY UDMERCY
RESEARCH HOME / FIND / SPECIAL COLLECTIONS / THE JAMES T. CALLOW FOLKLORE ARCHIVE /
James Callow Folklore Archive

Collection Home

About Dr. James T. Callow

Dr. James T. Callow publications

Collectors

Browse by

Subject heading

Keyword

Location

Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.

The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

search for

Content filter is on

Your search for P546 returned 1346 results.

prev | items
| next

NOT GIVEN

IN BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK, THERE WAS A PONTIAC, BUICK AND CADILLAC
DEALERSHIP, GUY F. JOHNSON. THIS AUTO COMPANY IN THE 1930'S GOT
HOLD OF A CAR SUPPOSEDLY OWNED BY A GANGSTER WHO WAS MURDERED
IN THIS CAR. THE CAR CHANGED HANDS MANY TIMES UNTIL A YOUNG
COUPLE, NEEDING A CAR, BOUGHT IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNERS NEVER
EXPLAINED WHY THEY HAD RETURNED THE AUTO. APPARENTLY, WHEN A
SINGLE PERSON WOULD DRIVE THE CAR, THERE WAS A DISTINCT ODOR OF
CIGAR SMOKE. A PAIR OF EYES WOULD APPEAR IN THE MIRROR. THE
COUPLE RETURNED THE CAR AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. NO ONE
KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 03-17-1972

View just this record

THE LEGEND OF STRASBURG STREET OR "KNOCK-KNOCK" STREET

SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME A STORY ABOUT AN INCIDENT WHICH SUPPOSEDLY
OCCURRED ON STRASBURG STREET IN DETROIT. THERE WAS A TERRIBLE
ACCIDENT ON THIS STREET ONE NIGHT IN WHICH A LITTLE THREE-YEAR-
OLD GIRL WAS KILLED AND HER BODY BADLY DISMEMBERED. THE POLICE
SEARCHED THE AREA FOR HER REMAINS BUT FAILED TO LOCATE ONE OF
HER ARMS. NOW THE STORY HAS IT THAT WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN STRASBURG
STREET AT NIGHT, IF YOU ARE VERY QUIET, YOU CAN HEAR A KNOCKING ON
THE SIDE OF YOUR CAR. FOR THIS REASON STRASBURG STREET IS KNOWN
AS KNOCK-KNOCK STREET.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; WALSH COLLEGE

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Means of transportation Vehicle propelled by mechanical or other force on land
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 03-31-1970

View just this record

KNOCK-KNOCK STREET

ON A DARK, FOGGY NIGHT SOME YEARS AGO ON A STREET NEAR MY HOME
(I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME ANYMORE), A BOY WAS RUN OVER BY A CAR
AND KILLED. THE HIT AND RUN DRIVER WAS NEVER FOUND. FROM THAT
TIME ON, ANYTIME MY FRIENDS AND I WERE RIDING DOWN THE STREET,
STRANGE NOISES CAME FROM BENEATH THE CAR. WE BELIEVED THAT THIS
BOY WHO WAS KILLED WAS BOTHERING PEOPLE BECAUSE THE KILLER WAS
NEVER FOUND. THE NOISE WAS NOT THE FAULT OF A DEFECTIVE CAR,
SINCE THIS NOISE WOULD ONLY OCCUR ON THIS PARTICULAR STREET.
THE NICKNAME FOR THIS STREET WAS KNOCK-KNOCK STREET.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 03-31-1970

View just this record

RAIN AT A WEDDING BRINGS BAD LUCK, RAIN AT A
FUNERAL BRINGS GOOD LUCK.
HAPPY IS THE BRIDE THAT THE SUN SHINES ON;
HAPPY IS THE CORPSE THAT THE RAIN POURS ON.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD. SHE
WAS BORN AND RAISED IN IRELAND.

Where learned: DETROIT ; RECTORY ; IRELAND ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; HOLY NAME

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Marriage Superstition about good weather
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Good luck Activities

Date learned: 02-19-1967

View just this record

IF A WEDDING AND FUNERAL PASS EACH OTHER, THIS
WILL MEAN GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Good luck Activities

Date learned: 09-00-1969

View just this record

RELICS OF DEAD PEOPLE WHO ENJOYED HEALTH IN LIFE,
BRING THEIR WEARER GOOD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Good luck Amulet, mojo

Date learned: 03-09-1968

View just this record

IF YOU SMELL ROSES WHEN THERE ARE NO ROSES NEAR,
YOU WILL SOON HEAR OF SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU DYING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Use of Object Plant

Date learned: 01-00-1968

View just this record

WHEN THE BANSHEE CRY, IT'S A SIGN THAT THERE WILL BE
A DEATH IN FAMILY OR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Where learned: IRELAND ; BELFAST

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

IF A BANSHEE SQUEALS, THERE'S BEEN A DEATH IN THE FAMILY.

Submitter comment: SYLVIA HEARD THIS ON THE "TONIGHT SHOW" ONE EVENING
WHEN MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN WAS ON. (AN ACTRESS).

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 09-23-1967

View just this record

IF DURING THE NIGHT YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF A BANSHEE'S
WAIL, YOU KNOW THAT BY MORNING A MAN WILL BE DEAD.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY MY IRISH ROOMMATE LAST YEAR
WHILE I WAS STUDYING AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN.
(IRELAND). SHE BELIEVED IN THIS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

IF YOU HEAR KNOCKS AT THE DOOR AND WHEN YOU GO TO ANSWER
THERE'S NO ONE THERE, IT'S A SIGN OF A PENDING DEATH.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THAT THESE KNOCKS OCCURRED ON THE
NIGHT HER HUSBAND DIED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 02-22-1970

View just this record

WHEN MRS. SOSNOWSKI WAS 12 (ABOUT 1930) IN PENNSYLVANIA
SHE AND HER MOTHER WERE IN THE LIVINGROOM OF HER HOUSE.
HER MOTHER WAS ROCKING HER LITTLE BROTHER TO SLEEP.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY HEARD THREE LOUD KNOCKS.
WHEN THEY WENT TO THE DOOR, NO ONE WAS THERE. ABOUT
15 MINUTES LATER A MRS. ROMIKOFF, ONE OF THE NEARBY
NEIGHBORS RAN OVER TO THEIR HOUSE FOR HELP, BECAUSE
HER BABY WAS VERY SICK. WHEN THE TWO LADIES GOT
THERE, THE BABY WAS DEAD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF TALE

Subject headings: Observation
Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

IF THERE'S A KNOCK ON THE WALL, THERE WILL BE A DEATH.

Submitter comment: SYLVIA LEARNED THIS FROM HER SISTER, WHO HAD IN TURN,
LEARNED IT AT THE NURSES' LOUNGE AT BEAUMONT HOSPITAL
IN ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 09-23-1967

View just this record

IF YOU HEAR A KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR AND YOU GO TO
ANSWER IT BUT NOBODY IS THERE, THIS MEANS DEATH.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS CUSTOM IN THAILAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; THAILAND ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 02-02-1971

View just this record

A FRIEND OF MINE WAS KILLED IN VIETNAM, HIS FATHER HEARD
A SHOT IN HIS SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE THEY RECEIVED
THE TELEGRAM AND HE KNEW HIS SON HAD BEEN KILLED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Dreams Foretelling a death

Date learned: 11-00-1968

View just this record

IF OIL COMES OUT OF A BOTTLE WITHOUT SPREADING,
DEATH WILL OCCUR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 04-06-1971

View just this record

YOU WILL DIE IN A YEAR IF YOU SEE YOUR IMAGE IN A BROKEN
MIRROR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Measure of time Year
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.14

Date learned: 03-04-1968

View just this record

IF YOU ARE LOOKING AROUND QUICKLY AND YOU SEE THE
SHADOW OF SOMEONE FALLING DOWN, IT MEANS SOMEONE
YOU KNOW DIED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 03-31-1968

View just this record

WHEN YOU LOOK UP AT A DOOR AND THINK YOU SEE A SHADOW,
SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 01-16-1968

View just this record

IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR SHADOW AND CANNOT SEE THE SHADOW OF YOUR
HEAD YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS IN THAILAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; THAILAND ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 02-12-1971

View just this record

prev | items
| next

University of Detroit Mercy
4001 W. McNichols Detroit , MI , 48221-3038
This site is endorsed by the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) and supports the views, values, and mission of UDM. The University of Detroit Mercy web site provides links to other web sites, both public and private, for informational purposes. The inclusion of these links on UDM's site does not imply endorsement by the University. Please contact the Associate Dean for Technical Services and Library Systems for any questions regarding this web site.