Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for C580 returned 30 results.
According to my Grandfather, men from town would occasionally
dare each other to swim across the channel as one of the
car ferries was coming into port. No one ever got hurt and
he claims to have done it himself.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Ludington
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Bodily Activity Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow BELIEF -- Secular hero |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
Sharon's Grandfather was a lumberjack. In the off season when
he wasn't up north logging he lived in Detroit. Quite
frequently he would make fifty dollar bets against other
lumberjacks to race across the Detroit River and back by
rolling logs. Some people died attempting this. Her
Grandfather was never hurt and usually won these bets.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Pom-Pom
Pom-Pom is a game played in a pool. It consists of having one
person as "it" in the pool, and the rest of the players standing on
the edge. The object is to get to the other side of the pool by
diving and swimming, and not be touched by "it." If one makes it to
the other side, he/she yells "Pom-Pom," and is safe. If one is
touched in an attempt to make it to the other side, he/she becomes
"it."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: 00001976CA
Bath Game
When it was time to take a bath, the three brothers were "rounded
up" by the father, and placed in the tub. The boys pretended they
were Indians, and had "feathers" created in their hair with shampoo.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: 00001973CA
Marco Polo
Game. The game called "Marco Polo" may only be played in a
swimming pool or lake. There can be as few as two participants or
as many as you wish. There is one person designated as "it." This
person must turn and spin under water and emerge above water with
eyes closed. The purpose of this act is to disorient the "it"
person and allow the other participants to seek new spots in the
water. "It" begins shouting "Marco" with the participants
answering, "Polo." The "it" person listens for voices close by and
begins waving his/her arms and moving about trying to seek one of
the participants. All the time "it" is shouting "Marco" and
receiving answers of "Polo." This continues until "it" touches one
of the participants, who then becomes "it." Should one of the
participants ever leave the water, all other participants are to
report this by shouting, "Fish out of water." Should there be a
fish out of water, he/she automatically becomes "it."
Submitter comment:
I inquired as to why anyone would leave the water to become a
"fish out of water" and was informed that it was generally because
the "it" person was very close to tagging them, or they had to go
to the bathroom.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE ; Neighborhood children
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: 00001970S
FOX CHASE THE GOOSE
THIS IS A GAME PLAYED BY CHILDREN IN THE WINTERTIME.
FIRST EVERYONE HELPS TO STAMP OUT IN THE SNOW AN
INTRICATE MAZE OF PATHS. THEN EACH CHILD MARKS OUT
A "HOME" FOR HIMSELF, CONNECTING IT TO ONE OF THE
PATHS. THEN SOMEONE IS CHOSEN TO BE THE FOX AND
EVERYONE ELSE IS A GOOSE. THE GAME IS THEN PLAYED
JUST LIKE TAG, WITH THE FOX "IT." BUT EVERYONE MUST
RUN ONLY IN THE PATHS MARKED. ANYONE WHO IS CAUGHT BY
THE FOX, OR WHO RUNS OUT OF THE PATHS BECOMES THE FOX.
A PERSON IS SAFE WHEN HE IS IN HIS HOME, BUT IT IS
CONSIDERED UNFAIR TO STAY IN ONE'S HOME FOR VERY
LONG.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
WATER GAME--KILL A KORIE
IT'S A WATER GAME IN WHICH ONE PERSON SITS IN AN OLD
CAR'S INNER TUBE AND PADDLES AROUND A POOL. THE
OTHER PEOPLE TRY TO KNOCK HIM OUT OF THE INNER TUBE
BY JUMPING OFF A DIVING BOARD. THE PERSON MUST STAY
WITHIN RANGE OF THE DIVERS WHO KICK THE TUBE WITH
THEIR FEET. WE ALWAYS YELL "KILL A KORIE," FOR
WHAT REASON I HAVE NO IDEA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
MARCO POLO--WATER GAME
IT'S AN UNDER WATER KEEP AWAY GAME. THE PERSON WHO IS "IT" MUST KEEP HIS EYES CLOSED WHILE SWIMMING AROUND. HE YELLS MARCO
AND THE OTHER PLAYERS SAYS POLO. THE PERSON WHO IS "IT" TRIES TO TAG THEM. IF THE OTHER
PLAYERS ARE OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES WHEN HE YELLS
"OUT" THEN THAT PERSON OR THE PERSON FARTHEST OUT OF
THE BOUNDARIES IS "IT."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
SNOW TAG
THE PLAYERS MAKE AN IMPRINT OF A LARGE CIRCLE IN THE
SNOW, AND THEN DIVIDE THE CIRCLE INTO SECTIONS (AS
PICTURED) (ON 5 X 8 CARD--CIRCLE SECTIONED LIKE A
CUT PIE). ONE PERSON IS "IT" AND MUST CATCH
ANOTHER, WHO BECOMES "IT." THE TRICK IS TO STAY
ONLY ON THE DESIGNATED LINES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow |
Date learned: 10-00-1970
HOCKEY BELIEF
IF THEIR HOCKEY TEAM IS ON A WINNING STREAK, THEY DON'T WASH THEIR
LONG UNDERWEAR.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Water Ice Snow BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 03-15-1968