Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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WHAT TIME IS IT, MR. FOX?
THE FOX ANSWERS A CERTAIN TIME, THEN TRIES TO CATCH
ANOTHER CHILD, AS HE OR SHE GETS CLOSE TO HIM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 03-17-1971
A PORCH GAME WE'D PLAY AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE,
FOR SHE LIVED ON A BUSY STREET. WE'D (MY COUSINS
AND SIBLINGS) WOULD STAY ON THE SIDEWALKS UNTIL CARS
WOULD REACH A CERTAIN POINT. IF WE DID NOT REACH
THE PORCH BY THE TIME THE CARS WERE IN FRONT OF
THE HOUSE, WE WERE OUT.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 03-26-1971
CAT AND MOUSE
THERE ARE A GROUP OF CHILDREN IN A RING. ONE
INSIDE IS THE CAT. ONE OUTSIDE IS CALLED THE MOUSE.
THE CAT WILL TRY TO CATCH THE MOUSE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 01-31-1971
CEREAL TAG
PLAYED LIKE REGULAR TAG, BUT IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE
TAGGED, YOU HAVE TO STOOP DOWN AND NAME A CEREAL.
IF YOU FAIL TO DO THIS AND ARE TAGGED, THEN YOU ARE
IT.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT IS A FRIEND'S YOUNGEST SISTER, AND SHE IS
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 00001971 SPRING
DIAPER TAG
IF YOU STEP IN A SQUARE WITH A LETTER WRITTEN ON IT,
YOU HAVE A DIAPER.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT IS A FRIEND'S YOUNGEST SISTER, AND SHE IS
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD. THIS IS A GAME THEY PLAY
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE
Keyword(s): SIDEWALK SQUARE?
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 00001971 SPRING
RED ROVER
RED ROVER WAS/IS A GAME PLAYED BY CHILDREN. TEAMS WERE
CHOSEN EVENLY AND EACH TEAM WOULD MIGRATE AT LEAST 40
FEET AWAY FROM THE OTHER. EACH MEMBER ON EACH TEAM WOULD
HOLD HANDS WITH THE TWO MEMBERS ON EITHER SIDE OF THEM.
ONE TEAM AT A TIME WOULD SHOUT: "RED ROVER, RED ROVER,
SEND (NAME) RIGHT OVER." THE ONE CALLED WOULD THEN
PROCEED TO RUN TOWARDS THE OTHER TEAM WHO CALLED, AND
BREAK THROUGH THE HAND BRIDGE OF THAT TEAM BY CRASHING
THROUGH. IF HE DIDN'T BREAK THE CLASPED HANDED BRIDGE,
HE WAS INCORPORATED INTO THAT TEAM. AND THAT TEAM
CONTINUED TO CALL PERSONS FROM THE OTHER TEAM. IF
THE PERSON CALLED, DID SUCCEED IN BREAKING THROUGH,
HE WOULD CHOOSE ONE OF THE TWO MEMBERS FORMING THE BROKEN
BRIDGE AND THAT PERSON WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE
OTHER TEAM. THEN THAT TEAM WOULD BEGIN TO CALL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 00-00-1971
FROZEN TAG
THIS IS A GAME OF TAG. FROM A GROUP, ONE PERSON IS
CHOSEN TO BE "IT." HE RUNS AROUND AND TRIES TO TAG
EVERYONE. WHOEVER HE TAGS MUST REMAIN MOTIONLESS
WHERE HE TAGGED THEM. ANYONE NOT TAGGED CAN TAG THE
"FROZEN" INDIVIDUAL AND FREE HIM SO THAT HE MUST BE
RETAGGED. AFTER THE "IT" TAGS EVERYONE, THE FIRST
ONE TO BE TAGGED WITHOUT BEING FREED BECOMES "IT."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 00-00-1971
THERE ARE TWO FREE SPACES OR SO CALLED, GOALS (EDGE
OF ROAD AND SOME OTHER LINE). ONE PERSON STANDING
BETWEEN THE SPACES WHILE EVERYONE ELSE GROUPS AT
EACH FREE SPACE. HE NAMES A COLOR, AND WHOEVER
DOESN'T HAVE THAT COLOR RUNS BACK AND FORTH PAST HIM.
HE MUST CATCH ALL OF THEM. THE LAST ONE TO GET
CAUGHT IS IT. ANYONE WITH THAT COLOR THAT DOESN'T
RUN, CAN ALSO BE CAUGHT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARBOR BEACH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 10-24-1971
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG WE'D PLAY A GAME CALLED "FROZEN TAG."
WHOEVER WAS IT WOULD HAVE TO CHASE EVERYONE AND TAG
THEM AND IF YOU WERE TAGGED YOU HAD TO STAND STILL
IN THE EXACT POSITION YOU WERE TAGGED IN UNTIL ALL
HAD BEEN TAGGED AND THE GAME WAS OVER. THE LAST ONE
TAGGED WAS IT FOR THE NEXT ROUND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 11-17-1971
RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT
THIS IS A GAME WE USED TO PLAY IN OUR BACK YARD WHEN
I WAS A SMALL CHILD. IT REQUIRES AN OPEN SPACE WITH
TWO END LINES. A LEADER STANDS AT ONE END LINE AND
THE OTHER CHILDREN AT THE OTHER END LINE. THE LEADER
ALTERNATES SAYING "RED LIGHT" AND "GREEN LIGHT." THE
CHILDREN MAY RUN TOWARD THE FINISH LINE AFTER "GREEN
LIGHT," BUT THEY MUST FREEZE COMPLETELY AT "RED LIGHT."
ANY CHILD CAUGHT MOVING DURING "RED LIGHT" MUST RETURN
TO THE STARTING LINE AND BEGIN AGAIN. THE FIRST CHILD
TO REACH THE FINISH LINE IS THE WINNER AND BECOMES
THE LEADER FOR THE NEXT ROUND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
POM POM
THIS IS A GAME WE USED TO PLAY DURING LUNCH HOUR IN
GRAMMAR SCHOOL. IT'S A ROUGH GAME, PLAYED ONLY BY
BOYS. THE GAME REQUIRES AN OPEN SPACE ABOUT 50 FEET
WIDE, WITH TWO END LINES DESIGNATED ONE AT EACH END.
ONE BOY IS SELECTED TO BEGIN AND HE STANDS IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE SPACE. EVERYONE ELSE STANDS AT ONE OF
THE END LINES. THE BOY IN THE MIDDLE CALLS OUT "POM
POM" AND EVERYONE MUST RUN FROM ONE END LINE TO THE
OTHER ACROSS THE SPACE. THE STARTER TRIES TO CATCH
ONE OR MORE BOYS AND SLAP THEM ON THE BACK THREE TIMES
BEFORE THEY GET TO THE FAR END LINE. ANYONE CAUGHT
IN THIS WAY MUST JOIN HIM IN THE MIDDLE.
"POM POM" IS SAID AGAIN AND ALL THE BOYS IN THE MIDDLE
TRY TO CATCH OTHERS IN THIS WAY. THE PROCESS IS
CONTINUED UNTIL EVERYONE IS CAUGHT. THE OBJECT IS
TO BE THE LAST BOY CAUGHT, AND IT WAS A FURTHER SIGN
OF PRESTIGE IF YOU WERE THE ONLY BOY LEFT AND YOU
COULD GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE GROUP ONE OR MORE
TIMES WITHOUT BEING CAUGHT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
FRESHER
THIS IS A GAME WE USED TO PLAY DURING LUNCH HOUR IN
GRAMMAR SCHOOL, FROM ABOUT GRADES 5-7. IT IS PLAYED ONLY
BY BOYS. THE BOYS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO TEAMS AND EACH
TEAM LINES UP BEHIND THEIR SAFE LINE WITH A LARGE OPEN
SPACE BETWEEN. THE BOYS THEN TAKE TURNS VENTURING OUT
FROM THEIR SAFE LINES AND TRYING TO LURE ONE ANOTHER
INTO BEING CAPTURED. SOMEONE IS CAPTURED IF HE IS IN
FRONT OF HIS SAFE LINE AND IS TOUCHED BY A MEMBER OF
THE OPPOSITION WHO IS "FRESHER" THAN HE IS, THAT IS,
WHO HAS ADVANCED FROM HIS SAFE LINE MORE RECENTLY
THAN THE ONE CAPTURED. SUCH PRISONERS ARE PUT IN A
DESIGNATED SPOT AT EACH SAFE LINE. SEVERAL PRISONERS
HOLD HANDS AND FORM A LINE EXTENDING OUT INTO THE
OPEN SPACE. WHEN THIS IS DONE, THE SAFE LINE FOR A
TEAM HOLDING PRISONERS MOVED OUT TO WHERE THE LAST
PRISONER IN THE LINE IS STANDING. THE PLAYERS TRY TO
FREE MEMBERS OF THEIR TEAM WHO ARE PRISONERS BY
TOUCHING THEM WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED THEMSELVES. IF THIS
IS DONE, BOTH BOYS ARE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR SAFE
LINE UNMOLESTED. A TEAM WINS IF IT IS ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL
OF THE OTHER TEAM OR IF IT HAS THE MOST PRISONERS WHEN
THE BELL RINGS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
MOTHER MAY I
THIS IS A GAME WE PLAYED IN OUR BACK YARD WHEN I WAS
A SMALL CHILD. IT REQUIRES A LARGE SPACE WITH TWO END
LINES. THE OBJECT IS TO BE THE FIRST CHILD TO CROSS
FROM ONE END LINE TO THE OTHER. ONE CHILD IS DESIGNATED
AS "MOTHER" AND SHE STANDS AT ONE END LINE. THE OTHER
CHILDREN LINE UP AT THE OTHER END LINE. THE MOTHER
THEN GIVES INSTRUCTIONS TO THE OTHERS ON HOW TO ADVANCE
SUCH AS, "YOU MAY TAKE THREE GIANT STEPS," "YOU MAY
TAKE FOUR BABY STEPS," OR "YOU MAY TAKE 2 RABBIT HOPS."
THE CHILDREN THEN ASK "MOTHER, MAY I?" THE MOTHER
RESPONDS EITHER "YES, YOU MAY" OR "NO, YOU MAY NOT."
THE FIRST CHILD TO REACH THE END LINE FOLLOWING THESE
INSTRUCTIONS IS THE WINNER AND BECOMES THE MOTHER FOR
THE NEXT ROUND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
BLOODY MURDER
THIS IS A ROUNDABOUT VERSION OF THE OLD STANDARD
"HIDE-AND-GO-SEEK." IN THIS GAME, THE PERSON WHO IS
CHOSEN "IT" HAS TO RUN AND HIDE, WHILE EVERYBODY
ELSE HAS TO STAY AT THE GOAL AND COUNT TO 100.
THEY BREAK UP, AND THE FIRST PERSON TO FIND THE "IT"
SHOUTS "BLOODY MURDER," AND EVERYONE RUNS BACK TO THE
GOAL. NOW, THE "IT" PERSON CHASES THEM, AND CAN TAG
ANYONE HE PLEASES, NOT JUST THE ONE WHO SHOUTED
"BLOODY MURDER." THE PERSON HE TAGS THEN HAS TO BE
"IT"--IF HE DOES NOT TAG ANYONE, THEN HE STILL
MAINTAINS THAT POSITION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 12-02-1971
CHINESE TAG
WHEN YOU PLAYED CHINESE TAG ONE PERSON WAS IT AND WHEN
HE TAGGED YOU, YOU HAD TO PUT ONE HAND WHERE HE
TAGGED AND GO TAG SOMEONE ELSE WHILE HOLDING YOUR
HAND WHERE YOU WERE TAGGED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
HIDE AND SEEK
TAKE AN EMPTY TIN CAN AND PUT IT ON THE FLOOR. SOMEONE
WHO WILL BE CHOSEN AS THE GHOST AND SOMEONE ELSE
WILL KICK THE CAN SO THAT IT MAY TAKE THE GHOST
SOME TIME TO PICK IT UP. THE OTHER CHILDREN WILL RUN
AND HIDE SO THAT THE GHOST CANNOT SEE THEM. IF THE
GHOST SPOTS A PERSON, HE CAN RUN BACK TO THE STARTING
PLACE. IF THIS PERSON GETS BACK BEFORE THE GHOST, HE
WILL NOT LOSE OR BE THE NEXT GHOST.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT OBSERVED THIS GAME IN TAIWAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; TAIWAN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 03-01-1971
RING-O-LEVIO
PRISONERS WOULD BE CAPTURED AND PUT INSIDE OF A
GUARDED SQUARE. TO FREE THE CAPTURED PRISONERS, YOU
WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB FENCES, AND ALL SORTS OF
OBSTACLES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO OUTWIT THE GUARD
AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO TOUCH A PRISONER AND
YELL RING-O-LEVIO.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 10-00-1971
FRUIT BASKET UPSET
FRUIT BASKET UPSET IS A GAME IN WHICH A LEADER IS CHOSEN.
THE LEADER THEN GOES AND WHISPERS THE NAMES OF FRUITS
INTO THE DIFFERENT PLAYERS' EARS. TWO PEOPLE WILL
RECEIVE THE SAME FRUIT'S NAME. THEN ALL THE PLAYERS
SIT IN A CIRCLE WITH THE LEADER STANDING IN THE CENTER.
THE LEADER STARTS TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING HE LIKES AND
HE JUST MENTIONS A NAME OF A FRUIT WHILE HE IS TALKING.
AS SOON AS HE MENTIONS A NAME OF A FRUIT THAT TWO
PEOPLE HAVE, THE TWO PEOPLE MUST SWITCH PLACES, AT
THE SAME TIME THE LEADER TRIES TO GET TO ONE OF THE
PLACES BEFORE THE PLAYERS. THE PERSON WITHOUT A
PLACE GOES TO THE CENTER. AT ANY TIME THE PERSON IN THE
CENTER MAY CALL FRUIT BASKET UPSET--WHEN HE DOES
EVERYONE MUST SWITCH PLACES. THE ONE LEFT GOES TO THE
CENTER OF THE CIRCLE AND THE GAME CONTINUES.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT DOES NOT REMEMBER WHO TAUGHT HER THIS GAME
BUT EVER SINCE SHE CAN REMEMBER THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD
HAS PLACED IT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 02-26-1971
KITTY IN THE CORNER
KITTY IN THE CORNER IS PLAYED ON THE BOTTOM PART OF
A DRIVEWAY. THERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE, FOUR OF WHICH
STAND IN EACH OF THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE DRIVEWAY.
THE FIFTH PERSON STANDS IN THE MIDDLE AND YELLS,
"KITTY IN THE CORNER." EACH OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
CORNERS HAS TO RUN FOR A NEW CORNER AND THE PERSON IN
THE MIDDLE TRIES TO GET A CORNER WHILE EVERYONE IS
CHANGING. THE PERSON LEFT WITHOUT A CORNER TAKES
HIS PLACE IN THE MIDDLE AND THE GAME CONTINUES.
Submitter comment:
THIS GAME WAS PLAYED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN DETROIT,
MICHIGAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 07-00-1964
RED ROVER
PLAYED BY TWO TEAMS OF ANY NUMBER. THE TEAMS LINE UP
ABOUT 30-50 FEET APART AND FORM TWO CHAINS BY
HOLDING HANDS. THEN ONE TEAM WILL CALL FOR A MEMBER
OF THE OTHER TEAM TO CROSS OVER AND TRY TO BREAK THE
CHAIN. IF HE BREAKS IT, HE TAKES ONE OF THAT TEAM
BACK TO HIS TEAM. IF HE FAILS, HE JOINS THAT TEAM.
"RED ROVER, RED ROVER, SEND (NAME) ON OVER."
Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN