Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for 891.3 returned 74 results.
IF YOU KILL A SPIDER, IT WILL RAIN.
Submitter comment: TOLD BY MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ARACHNID
Date learned: 10-00-1967
IF YOU STEP ON AN ANT, IT MEANS IT WILL RAIN.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
James Callow Keyword(s): INSECT
Date learned: 11-11-1968
AN OLD POLISH FARMER'S BELIEF IS THAT WHEN A STORK
THROWS AWAY ONE OF THE TWO EGGS IT LAYS, THE YEAR
WILL BE DRY (BECAUSE A STORK'S MAIN FOOD IS FROGS
AND FROGS THRIVE IN WET WEATHER).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK
Date learned: 07-00-1964
WEATHER SUPERSTITION
IF YOU KILL A TOAD IT WILL RAIN THE NEXT DAY.
Submitter comment: DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE IT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS
Date learned: 10-00-1973
WEATHER SUPERSTITION
IF YOU SEE COWS LAYING DOWN, THAT MEANS IT WILL RAIN.
Submitter comment:
I FIRST HEARD THIS ITEM FROM MY MOTHER WHEN I WAS A SMALL CHILD,
AND WE WERE TAKING A DRIVE THROUGH THE COUNTRY. SHE HAD HEARD
IT FROM HER MOTHER, WHO STRONGLY BELIEVED IT, AND WHO HAD LIVED ON A
FARM AS A SMALL GIRL. MY MOTHER "THINKS THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO
IT," BUT DOES NOT TOTALLY BELIEVE IN THE IDEA. MY FATHER HAS HEARD
THE SUPERSTITION ALSO.
SOMETIMES WE WOULD SEE A GROUP OF COWS: SOME STANDING AND SOME
LYING. HAVING NO REAL ANSWER, MY PARENTS WOULD TELL ME THAT THE
COWS WERE NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS GOING TO DO.
Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON
Date learned: 11-00-1973
WHEN BIRDS LOOK FOR FOOD IN BUNCHES OR FLOCKS, IT IS A GOOD
INDICATION THAT IT WILL RAIN OR SNOW.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 11-00-1972
FORECASTING WINTER
ACCORDING TO INFORMANT, IF AN UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF SQUIRRELS
HAVE WHITE UNDER THEIR TAILS AND ALONG THE BACKS OF THEIR HIND LEGS,
THEN ONE CAN EXPECT A LONG HARD WINTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PORT HURON
Date learned: 10-30-1972
WEATHER BELIEF
A CAT WASHING OVER ITS EARS IT A SIGN THAT IT WILL RAIN THAT DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN
Date learned: 09-26-1972
WEATHER PREDICTION RAIN
WHEN THE FLIES START TO BITE IT WILL RAIN
Where learned: DETROIT
Date learned: 06-00-1972
WEATHER PREDICTION RAIN
WHEN THE COWS ARE LYING DOWN IN THE FIELD IT WILL RAIN.
Submitter comment:
HIS BELIEF WAS HANDED DOWN FROM HIS FATHER AND HE FIRMLY BELIEVES
IT TO BE TRUE.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; SCRANTON
Date learned: 00-00-1958
WEATHER BELIEF
YOU CAN TELL IF IT'S GOING TO BE A HARSH WINTER BY THE THICKNESS OF
THE COLORED BANDS ON THE WOOLY BEAR CATERPILLAR. IF THE BANDS ARE
THICK IT WILL BE A WINTER WITH A LOT OF SNOW.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 10-03-1972
WEATHER BELIEF
WHEN ALL THE COWS IN THE PASTURE LAY DOWN AT THE SAME TIME IT IS
GOING TO RAIN
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 10-03-1972
BELIEF
STEPPING ON A SPIDER WILL BRING RAIN.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS STATEMENT.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
James Callow Keyword(s): DISBELIEF ; HARMING NATURE
Date learned: 02-19-1972
ANTS
IF YOU STEP ON A COLONY OF ANTS, IT WILL RAIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL INSECT ; HARMING NATURE
Date learned: 02-27-1972
WEATHER BELIEF
SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT ONE CAN PREDICT THE SEVERITY OF THE WINTER
BY OBSERVING THE COLORATION OF THE WOOLLY BEAR CATERPILLAR. IF THEY
ARE MOSTLY BLACK IN COLOR, THE WINTER WILL BE SEVERE, WHILE IF THEY
ARE MOSTLY BROWN IN COLOR, THE WINTER WILL BE LESS SEVERE.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAYS THIS BELIEF MIGHT BE TRUE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL INSECT ; BELIEF
WEATHER
SIGN OF BAD WINTER: IF A CATERPILLAR HAS A WIDE
STRIPE ON HIS BACK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL INSECT LARVA
Date learned: 01-30-1970
FISHING BELIEF
FISH DON'T BITE WELL BEFORE A RAIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 09-10-1969
FISHING BELIEF
THE ALASKAN INDIANS HAVE A PECULIAR WAY OF KNOWING WHEN TO FISH FOR
SALMON. THEIR SHAMAN, A TYPE OF MEDICINE MAN, GOES TO THE TOP (OF)
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN AND PRAYS TO THE SEA. WHEN HE SEES A SCHOOL
OF BELUGA WHALES SWIMMING CLOSE TO THE SURFACE NEAR SHORE, HE
RETURNS TO THE VILLAGE AND TELLS THE TRIBE THAT THEY CAN NOW GO
TO THE RIVERS AND CATCH ALL THE SALMON THAT THEY WILL NEED FOR THE
WINTER. IF THEY BEGIN CATCHING SALMON BEFORE THIS, IT WILL BRING
BAD LUCK ON THE VILLAGE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Date learned: 11-20-1968
A SIGN
A BURROWING MOLE IS A SIGN OF RAIN.
James Callow comment: NOT A PROVERB
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; SUPERSTITION ; WEATHER PROVERB
James Callow Keyword(s): OBSERVATION
YUGOSLAVIAN BELIEF
IF ALL THE COWS ARE LYING DOWN IN THE PASTURE, THAT MEANS IT WILL
RAIN ON THAT DAY.
Submitter comment:
MY INFORMANT TOLD ME THAT THIS HAS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF BEING TRUE.
MY INFORMANT'S FAMILY OWNS A FARM AND BELIEVES IN THIS SAYING. I
HAVE WITNESSED THIS MYSELF ON A FEW OCCASIONS. BEFORE IT RAINS THE
COWS WILL BE LYING DOWN, BUT IF THE RAIN PASSES YOU WILL SEE THEM
STANDING .
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE SHORES
Date learned: 00-00-1964