Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE
COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA
IN 1492.
AND I DISCOVERED A GREAT FRIEND,
WHEN I DISCOVERED YOU.
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): RHYME: ABCB
James Callow Keyword(s): MEDIAL ITERATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Friendship |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
THE SHOPPER
WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE J.L. HUDSON COMPANY AT NORTHLAND CENTER,
I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL WOMAN SHOPPER. SHE WAS A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN
WHO PUSHED A BABY BUGGY THROUGHOUT THE STORE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS
NO BABY INSIDE OF THE BUGGY. INSTEAD, IN THE BUGGY, WERE HER
MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS. WHENEVER SHE WENT SHOPPING SHE LOADED
UP HER BUGGY AND TOOK OFF.
I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS STRANGE BEHAVIOR AND WAS TOLD BY THE WOMAN WHO
HAD BEEN WORKING AT HUDSON'S FOR MANY YEARS THAT THIS WOMAN WAS
ONCE ROBBED. AND, IN ORDER TO BE SURE THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN
AGAIN, SHE TOOK ALL HER VALUABLES WITH HER WHEREVER SHE WENT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR
James Callow Keyword(s): DEPARTMENT STORE LEGEND
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
YELLOW MIKE
BACK IN 1940 THERE WAS A TRAIN WHICH WAS PASSING THROUGH HASTINGS,
MICHIGAN DURING THE NIGHT. A LARGE CRATE WHICH WAS ON THIS TRAIN
FELL OUT OF THE DOOR OF ONE OF THE BOX CARS. A MAN WHO WAS KNOWN AS
MIKE WENT TO SEE WHAT WAS IN THE BOX. AS HE LIT A MATCH AND LOOKED
INSIDE THE BOX, HE SAW A CREATURE WHICH LOOKED LIKE A MAN BUT IT WAS
TOTALLY COVERED WITH LONG YELLOW HAIR. BECAUSE OF THIS IT WAS NAMED
YELLOW MIKE. THE NEXT DAY YELLOW MIKE WAS PUT IN THE HASTINGS'
INSANE ASYLUM. TWO DAYS LATER THE ASYLUM CAUGHT FIRE. SOME OF THE
PATIENTS WERE SAVED AND MANY WERE BURNED TO DEATH. NOBODY SAW
YELLOW MIKE COME OUT, SO THEY FIGURED THAT HE HAD BEEN BURNED TO
DEATH. THE NEXT MORNING FARMERS IN THE AREA REPORTED FINDING
THEIR CATTLE AND OTHER LIVESTOCK LITERALLY TORN APART AND THAT
THERE WAS YELLOW HAIR LYING AROUND. ALSO A LADY SAID THAT HER SON
AND HIS GIRLFRIEND HAD NOT YET RETURNED FROM THEIR DATE. THE TWO
WERE LATER FOUND IN AN AREA BY GUN LAKE WHICH IS CALLED DEVILS' SOUP
BOWL.(IT IS A WELL VISITED SPOT BY PARKERS). THEIR BODIES WERE
TORN APART AS IF SOME ANIMAL HAS GOTTEN AHOLD OF THEM. THERE WAS
ONLY YELLOW HAIR LYING AROUND AND UNDER THE BOY'S FINGERNAILS
THERE WAS YELLOW HAIR. IMMEDIATELY TWENTY MEN WERE STATIONED AT
DEVILS' SOUP BOWL. EIGHTEEN MEN WERE STATIONED AT THE LOW GRADED
SIDE AND THE OTHER TWO AT THE STEEP GRADED SIDE BECAUSE THEY
FIGURED IF YELLOW MIKE WAS IN THERE HE WOULD COME OUT ON THE LOW
GRADED SIDE. THEIR ORDERS WERE TO SHOOT TO KILL AND NOT WOUND
HIM. IF HE WERE TO BE WOUNDED HE WOULD BECOME WORSE THAN HE ALREADY
WAS. ONE OF THE EIGHTEEN SAW YELLOW MIKE AND FIRED BUT HE ONLY
WOUNDED HIM. ONE OF THE TWO FROM THE OTHER SIDE RAN OVER TO SEE
WHAT WAS HAPPENING. WHEN HE DIDN'T RETURN THE OTHER GUY WENT OVER
TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. WHEN HE GOT THERE HE FOUND NINETEEN
MUTILATED BODIES. HIS FRIEND WAS JUST BARELY ALIVE AND THE LAST
THING HE SAID WAS THAT IT WAS YELLOW MIKE AND HE'S WOUNDED. ALL
NINETEEN WERE BURIED ON A HILL NEAR BY NOW CALLED GRAVES' HILL
AND THERE IS A BOULDER OVER EACH GRAVE. WELL THEY FIGURED YELLOW
MIKE WOULD DIE AS A WOUNDED SO THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO TRACK HIM
DOWN. HASTING LATER ON STARTED GETTING REPORTS FROM JACKSON,
MICHIGAN AND EVEN FARTHER SOUTH OF ANIMALS BEING KILLED AND
FINDING YELLOW HAIR BY THEM. IT SEEMS EVEN UP TO THIS DAY THAT
YELLOW MIKE COMES NORTH FOR THE SUMMER AND GOES SOUTH DURING
MICHIGAN'S COLD SEASON. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE YOU
CAN GO TO HASTING'S CITY LIBRARY AND UNDER THE HISTORY OF THE
CITY OF HASTING YOU WILL FIND THIS TALE.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): PLACE NAMES, MURDER ; VIOLENT DEATHS
James Callow Keyword(s): DEVIL'S SOUP BOWL, MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
OUR FAMILY DOCTOR HAS A LARGE BIRTH MARK ON THE SIDE OF HIS FACE.
IT WAS SAID THAT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS PREGNANT WITH HIM THERE
WAS A FIRE AND HIS MOTHER RAISED HER HAND TO HER FACE. THIS
CAUSED THE BIRTH MARK ON HIS FACE IN THE SAME PLACE WHERE THE
MOTHER HAD TOUCHED HER FACE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): MARKS BROUGHT ABOUT BY FEAR.
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 01-00-1968
DESERTED CHILD
THERE WAS A PREGNANT WOMAN. WHEN THE BABY WAS BORN HER HUSBAND
DIED. SHE BLAMED THE BABY AND LOCKED HIM UP IN THE ATTIC. THE
CHILD WAS ALWAYS BY THE WINDOW AND USED TO WATCH THE FIRE-ENGINES
PASS BY. THE WOMAN NEVER OPENED THE DOOR TO THE ATTIC AND EVEN
FED HIM THROUGH THE DOOR. ONE DAY THE WOMAN HAD COMPANY AND
FORGOT TO LOCK THE DOOR. THE BOY WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD AT THIS
TIME AND HE ESCAPED FROM THE ATTIC AND HOPPED DOWN THE STREET
LIKE A KANGAROO AND SCREAMED WRRRRRRR... JUST LIKE A FIRE-ENGINE.
THIS IS TRUE.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM A GIRLFRIEND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
Keyword(s): STRANGE CHILDREN
James Callow Keyword(s): INTERNMENT CONFINEMENT ; ISOLATION ; SOLITUDE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 08-00-1964
PAJAMA PARTY STORY
ONCE THERE WERE TWO GIRLS WHO DECIDED TO SPEND A WEEKEND AT A
COTTAGE WHICH BELONGED TO THE PARENTS OF ONE OF THE GIRLS. THIS
COTTAGE WAS NEAR AN INSANE ASYLUM. THE FIRST NIGHT THEY WERE
THERE, ONE OF THE GIRLS WENT TO BED EARLY, BUT THE OTHER DECIDED
TO STAY UP AND SIT IN THE ROCKING CHAIR.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THE FIRST GIRL WOKE UP AND THOUGHT SHE
HEARD COUNTING: FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO, FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE.
SHE WAS TOO SLEEPY TO THINK MUCH OF IT, SO SHE FELL BACK TO SLEEP
AGAIN SHE WOKE TO HEAR: EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY-SIX, EIGHT HUNDRED
NINETY-SEVEN. BUT AGAIN SHE FELL ASLEEP.
IN THE MORNING SHE WOKE UP AND THE COUNTING WAS STILL GOING ON.
SHE GOT OUT OF BED AND WENT IN THE OTHER ROOM TO FIND A MAN SITTING
IN THE ROCKING CHAIR, WITH THE OTHER GIRL'S HEAD IN HIS LAP. HE WAS
PULLING OUT HER HAIR AND COUNTING EACH STRAND. WHEN HE SAW THE FIRS
GIRL HE STARTED CHASING HER, CALLING HOW MANY HAIRS DO YOU HAVE ON
YOUR HEAD?
HOW MANY HAIRS DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR HEAD?
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): MURDER, FEAR
James Callow Keyword(s): DECAPITATION ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
LEGEND
THERE IS A STORY THAT ON KELLY'S ISLAND IN OHIO WHEN IN THE EARLY
1800'S THE CEMETERY WAS FIRST BEGINNING TO BE FIXED, SOMEHOW ONE
OF THE MEN WORKING ON THIS AREA GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH HIS BOSS AND
IN HIS ANGER HE SAID THAT HE WAS GLAD HE WASN'T GOING TO BE BURIED
IN THAT PLACE.
A FEW MONTHS LATER THIS SAME MAN WAS WORKING ON A HOUSE THAT FELL
ON HIM. HE WAS THE FIRST TO BE BURIED AT THE CEMETERY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTRAST ; FALSE ASSUMPTION. ASSUMPTION PROVES FALSE. ; IRONY ; PROPHECY REVERSED. WISH REVERSED. OPPOSITE COMES TRUE. ; TEMPTING FATE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 11-04-1967
VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC
POLLY, PUT THE KETTLE ON,
POLLY, PUT THE KETTLE ON,
POLLY, PUT THE KETTLE ON,
WE'LL ALL HAVE TEA.
SUKEY, TAKE IT OFF AGAIN,
SUKEY, TAKE IT OFF AGAIN,
SUKEY, TAKE IT OFF AGAIN,
THEY'RE ALL GONE HOME.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): NAMES ; REPETITION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
I SCREAM
YOU SCREAM
WE ALL SCREAM
FOR ICE CREAM.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; NORTH QUAD 105
Keyword(s): FINAL ITERATION ; FOOD ; RHYME: AAAA
James Callow Keyword(s): AMPHIBRACH (LINES 3 AND 4) ; TROCHAIC MONOMETER (LINES 1 AND 2)
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 11-06-1971
WHISTLING GIRLS AND CROWING HENS
ALWAYS COME TO SOME BAD END.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; SLANT RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse in Other Group of Folklore C800.300 |
Date learned: 09-30-1971
BIRTH
PREDICTING THE DUE DATE FOR THE EXPECTED CHILD, AN INDIAN WOULD
COUNT NINE FULL MOONS TILL DUE DATE.
IN STEAD OF THE NORMAL WAY OF PREDICTING THE DUE DATE FOR THE
EXPECTED CHILD, AN INDIAN WOULD COUNT NINE FULL MOONS TILL DUE DATE.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): MEDICINE MAN
| Subject headings: | 686 Ninths / Nine Observation CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth BELIEF -- Moon BELIEF -- Number P686.3.9 |
Date learned: 11-18-1969
BAMBOO DIPPERS
PREGNANT JAPANESE WOMEN BELIEVE IN OFFERING A BAMBOO DIPPER TO
SHRINES. THE BOTTOMS ARE BROKEN THROUGH,
SYMBOLIZING AN EASY DELIVERY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 11-00-1968
EXPECTANT MOTHERS
PREGNANT WOMEN ARE NOT TO WALK OVER A HOSE (GARDEN HOSE, ETC.)
AS THIS WILL STRANGLE THE UNBORN CHILD
Submitter comment: INFORMANT ASSURED ME THIS WAS ACTUALLY TRUE.
Keyword(s): THREAT SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMESOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 02-26-1971
TOAST
HERE'S TO LOVE AND UNITY
DARK CORNERS AND OPPORTUNIT_
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): DRINKING HUMOR
James Callow Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; TRIPLE RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Date learned: 01-00-1971
ROPE JUMPING RHYME
WHEN YOU GET MARRIED AND YOUR HUSBAND GETS CROSS,
JUST PICK UP A STICK AND SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE ; TOLD AT
James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE POSITIVE ; PETTICOAT GOVERNMENT ; SEXISM
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 02-22-1971
JUMP ROPE RHYME - TEDDY BEAR
TEDDY BEAR, TEDDY BEAR TURN AROUND,
TEDDYBEAR, TEDDY BEAR TOUCH THE GROUND,
TEDDY BEAR, TEDDY BEAR SHINE YOUR SHOE,
TEDDY BEAR, TEDDY BEAR OUT GOES YOU.
Submitter comment:
WE OFTEN CHANTED THIS WHILE THE JUMPER WENT THROUGH THE MOTION
IN THE VERSE
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): COMMAND QUATRAIN
James Callow Keyword(s): RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 10-02-1970
BELIEF
A DIMPLE IN YOUR CHEEK --
YOU ARE GENTLE AND MEEK
A DIMPLE IN YOUR CHIN --
THE DEVIL IS WITHIN
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): Cheek ; Demeanor ; DEVIL ; Dimple ; PREDICTION ; RHYME ; SONG
James Callow Keyword(s): BELIEF ; QUATRAIN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Use of Object P860.438 |
Date learned: 02-03-1970
GEORGE
GEORGIE PORGIE, PUDDNIN' PIE,
KISSED THE GIRLS AND MADE THEM CRY.
DAN
DAN, DAN, THE DIRTY OLD MAN,
WASHED HIS FACE IN A FRYIN' PAN.
DAVID
DAVIE, DAVIE, FIE FOR SHAME,
KISSED THE GIRLS IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): TAUNT RIDICULE OF A NAME
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech C870.582 |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
PRAYER
GOD BE IN MY HEAD AND IN MY UNDERSTANDING,
GOD BE IN MY EYES AND IN MY LOOKING,
GOD BE IN MY MOUTH AND IN MY SPEAKING,
GOD BE IN MY HEART AND IN MY THINKING,
GOD BE IN MY END AND IN MY DEPARTING.
Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION MEDIAL ITERATION RELIGION
James Callow Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 03-07-1970
BED CHARM
MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN
BLESS THE BED THAT I LIE ON
FOUR CORNERS TO MY BED
FOUR ANGELS ROUND MY HEAD
ONE AT HEAD AND ONE AT FEET
AND TWO TO GUARD MY SOUL ASLEEP.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): RHYME: AABBCC PRAYER
James Callow Keyword(s): FOUR EVANGELISTS
Date learned: 00-00-1965