Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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WHEN TAKING A SHOT OF WHISKY DRINK A GLASS OF WATER.} / THIS WILL
KEEP YOU FROM GETTING ULCERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JACKSON
James Callow Keyword(s): WHISKEY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 10-01-1972
FOR CUTS ON YOUR HANDS SPIT WHISKY ON THE CUT. WHISKY WILL
KILL THE GERMS AND PREVENT INFECTION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JACKSON
James Callow Keyword(s): WHISKEY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 10-01-1972
IF IT'S RAINING AT SEVEN
IT WILL QUIT BY ELEVEN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JACKSON
James Callow Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; RHYME: AA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 10-01-1972
SPIDER IN THE EAR
PUT SOME WATER AND OLIVE OIL OR CASTER OIL TOGETHER AND POUR IN
EAR AND SPIDER WILL COME OUT.
Where learned: OHIO ; LUCAS COUNTY
James Callow Keyword(s): CASTOR OIL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 10-03-1972
NEVER THROW OUT THE BACK DOOR WHAT YOU BRING IN THE FRONT, IT
WILL CAUSE BAD LUCK.
Where learned: OHIO ; LUCAS COUNTY
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 10-03-1972
LUCK
IF A MAN IS THE FIRST PERSON TO KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR ON A MONDAY
MORNING, YOU WILL HAVE GOOD LUCK ALL OF THAT WEEK. HOWEVER, IF A
WOMAN KNOCKS, IT WILL BE BAD LUCK. THE INFORMANT SAID THIS ACTUALLY
HAPPENED TO HER MOTHER ONCE. INFORMANT WAS NOT SURE OF ACTUAL
CIRCUMSTANCES.
Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA
James Callow Keyword(s): SEXISM
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. Favorites BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 10-25-1972
OLD LADY MACK
OLD LADY MACK MACK, MACK, ALL DRESSED IN BLACK, BLACK, BLACK. WITH
SILVER BUTTONS, BUTTONS, BUTTONS, ALL DOWN HER BACK, BACK, BACK.
SHE ASKED HER MOTHER, MOTHER, MOTHER, FOR FIFTEEN CENT, CENT, CENT.
TO SEE THE ELEPHANT, ELEPHANT, ELEPHANT, JUMP THE FENCE, FENCE,
FENCE. SHE JUMPED SO HIGH, HIGH, HIGH, TILL HE TOUCH THE SKY, SKY
SKY. AND HE NEVER CAME BACK, BACK, BACK, TILL THE FOURTH OF JULY-
LY-LY. I REMEMBER PLAYING THIS HAND GAME WHEN I WAS ABOUT TEN YEARS
OLD. IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE, BOTH FACING EACH OTHER. WE CLAP OUR
HANDS TOGETHER TO THE RHYME UNTIL WE PICKED UP A GOOD RHYTHM. THE
FIRST ONE TO LOSE THE RHYTHM WAS OUT.
James Callow Keyword(s): FINAL ITERATION
| Subject headings: | Favorites Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
OMEN
MY MOTHER SAID, HER MOTHER TOLD HER, THAT WHENEVER SHE THOUGHT SHE
HEARD SOMEONE KNOCKING AT THE DOOR AND THERE WAS NO ONE THERE, IT WAS
A SIGN OF SOMEONE DEAD COMING TO GET YOU. MY GRANDMOTHER SAID THE
YET" AND THE DEAD PERSON WILL RETURN TO HIS GRAVE.
James Callow comment: A LINE OF TEXT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN LOST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): MYSTERIOUS SOUND
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 10-24-1972
PROVERB
A MAN WHO KNOWS AND KNOW THAT HE KNOWS, FOLLOW HIM.
James Callow Keyword(s): ITERATION WORD PLAY
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
PROVERB
A MAN WHO KNOWS AND KNOW NOT THAT HE KNOWS IS A FOOL, SHUN HIM.
Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA
James Callow Keyword(s): ITERATION WORD PLAY
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 10-25-1972
RIDDLE
WHY WERE THE INDIANS HERE FIRST? ANSWER: BECAUSE THEY HAD
RESERVATIONS. ANOTHER OF THE INFORMANT'S FAVORITE RIDDLES. THE
INFORMANT SAID NO ONE IS EVER ABLE TO GUESS THE ANSWER TO THIS
RIDDLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PUN
| Subject headings: | Favorites RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 10-18-1972
REMEDY
WHENEVER A PERSON HAS RINGWORMS, JUST STEAL SOMEONE ELSE'S WASHCLOTH
AND WASH THE STRICKEN PERSON'S FACE WITH IT. INFORMANT NEVER
ACTUALLY OBSERVED THIS TECHNIQUE IN USE, HOWEVER, HE DID SAY HIS
MOTHER HAD SEEN IT USED BEFORE.
Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA
James Callow Keyword(s): THEFT
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 10-15-1972
WISHING
STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT, FIRST STAR I SEE OUT TONIGHT. I WISH I
MAY, I WISH I MIGHT, GET THE WISH I WISH TONIGHT. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER
I REMEMBER RECITING THIS VERSE, WHEN THE FIRST STAR WOULD COME OUT
AT NIGHT, IN HOPES THAT MY WISH WOULD COME TRUE.
James Callow Keyword(s): APOSTROPHE
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.455 Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
TONGUE TWISTER
SHE SAW SEASHELLS BY THE SEASHORE. THIS WAS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR
FAVORITE TWISTERS WE USED TO USE DURING OUR RAINY DAYS INSIDE.
James Callow Keyword(s): ALLITERATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
SIGNATURE
2-SWEET, 2-BE, 4-GOTTEN. THIS SIGNATURE WAS OFTEN USED IN SIGNING
GRADUATION AND MEMORY BOOKS DURING GRADUATION. MY GRADUATION BOOK
WAS SIGNED IN THIS WAY BY SEVERAL FRIENDS.
James Callow Keyword(s): DIGITAL SPELLING
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
NEW YEAR'S CUSTOM
GRANDMOTHER SAID WHEN NEW YEAR'S WOULD COME AROUND SHE HAD THE
TRADITIONAL BLACK-EYED PEAS AND COLLARD GREENS TO COMPLETE HER NEW
YEAR'S DINNER. GRANDMOTHER SAID THE TRADITIONAL DINNER REPRESENTED
GOOD FINANCIAL LUCK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE BLACK-EYED PEAS
SYMBOLIZED COINS AND THE COLLARDS REPRESENTED GREENBACKS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT
PRACTICED THIS CUSTOM SINCE THE EARLY YEARS OF HER MARRIAGE.
Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC MONEY ; SYMBOLS
Date learned: 00001960S (MID)
LUCK
IF YOU SHOULD STUMP YOUR LEFT TOE, TURN AROUND, AND SPIT ON THE
GROUND TO KEEP FROM HAVING BAD LUCK. THE INFORMANT SAID SHE ACTUALLY
DID THIS HERSELF WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER.
Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA
James Callow Keyword(s): DIRECTION POSITION: LEFT ; STUB
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck BELIEF -- Conversions |
Date learned: 10-26-1972
RIDDLE
WHAT HAPPENS TWICE IN A MOMENT,
ONCE IN A MINUTE,
BUT NOT AT ALL IN A THOUSAND YEARS? (THE LETTER M).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): DIMINISHING CHAIN DIMINUTIVE CHAIN ; SPELLING RIDDLE
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 09-26-1972
RIDDLE
OVER THE GROUND,
UNDER YOUR NOSE
IT HAS AS MANY HEELS AS TOES. (A PAIR OF SHOES).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): CLOTHING (A) WEARING APPAREL (A)
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle |
Date learned: 09-26-1972
CHILDREN'S SONG
WHILE ONE SLICK SEAL SLID IN THE SLUSH, THE OTHER SLICK SEAL
SLID OUT (REPEAT THREE MORE TIMES).
GLORY, GLORY WHAT'S IT TO YA?
GLORY, GLORY WHAT'S? IT TO YA?
GLORY, GLORY WHAT'S IT TO YA?
WHILE ONE SLICK SEAL SLID IN THE SLUSH, THE OTHER SLICK SEAL SLID
OUT.
Submitter comment: SUNG TO THE TUNE OF "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): TONGUE TWISTER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 09-26-1972