Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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A MAN WAS SENT TO PRISON FOR SIXTY DAYS WITH THE CONDITION
THAT HE WOULD BE RELEASED AFTER 30 DAYS IF HE COULD STAY
ALIVE THAT LONG WITH NOTHING TO EAT. THE ONLY PERSON
WHO VISITED HIM DURING THAT TIME WAS HIS DAUGHTER.
AFTER 30 DAYS HE APPEARED HEALTHY AND HAPPY BEFORE THE
JUDGE WHO ASKED HIM HOW HE DID IT. THE MAN REPLIED WITH
THIS RIDDLE: I WAS A BABY AND BECAME A MAN AND BECAME
A BABY AGAIN. THE DAUGHTER WHO VISITED HIM IN PRISON
WAS NURSING HER BABY AT THE TIME AND KEPT HER FATHER
ALIVE THE SAME WAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PUNISHMENT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 00-00-1930
"SOUCOUNIANT" OR "VOLANT" ARE PEOPLE THAT TAKE OFF THEIR SKIN AND
GO SUCK ANIMALS' BLOOD. THEY HAVE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH
THEIR ARMS AND THEY CAN FLY. IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO GET BACK
INTO THEIR SKIN, YOU ADD SOME SALT, GARLIC, LEMON, ETC. TO THE
SKIN WHICH IS USUALLY LEFT IN A BIG BUCKET. ANOTHER WAY TO STOP
THEM IS TO DRAW A CROSS WITH A KNIFE, AND AT THE INTERSECTION OF
THE TWO LINES YOU STAB THE KNIFE.
Submitter comment:
MOST OF THE TIMES, THE "SOUCOUNIANTS" ARE WOMEN. I REMEMBER MANY
YEARS AGO THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THAT THEY CAUGHT ONE AND
THEY TOOK HER TO THE HOSPITAL.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
Keyword(s): "VOLANT" MEANS SOMETHING THAT COULD FLY.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
"M'AN COCO POTE D'ENFER" IS A WOMAN WHO LIVES IN AN UNDERWATER
CAVE, AND IT IS BELIEVED THAT SHE ATTACKS FISHERMEN AND DIVERS.
Submitter comment:
SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN HER UNDERWATER CAVE, AND
WHAT THEY SAW WAS A HUGE TABLE FULL OF DISHES.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
Keyword(s): "M'AN COCO" MEANS "MADAME COCO". "POTE D'ENFER" MEANS "HELL'S GATE" ; SUPPOSELY THAT IS WHERE SHE LIVES. ; WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE NORTHERN EXTREMITY OF GUADELOUPE, AND
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Supernatural Being |
Date learned: 00-00-1966
IN ORDER TO CURE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SICK, THE "QUIMBOISEUR" WILL
GIVE THE PERSON A BATH USING THE SAME WATER THAT SEVEN DOGS HAD
BEEN BATHED IN.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
Keyword(s): "QUIMBOISEUR" IS SOMEONE THAT PRACTICES WITCHCRAFT AND WHITE MAGIC.
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 00-00-1974
IF YOU HAVE A DOG AND YOU WANT HIM NEVER TO GET LOST, YOU TAKE
SOME HAIR FROM HIS TAIL AND YOU BURY THEM UNDER THE FIRST STEP
OF THE STAIRS OF YOUR HOUSE.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; HOMEUPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
AS SOON AS A PERSON IS DEAD, YOU SOULD STOP ALL THE CLOCKS IN THE
HOUSE AND COVER THEM; TURN OR COVER ALL MIRRORS; LIGHT A CANDLE
NEXT TO THE BED; PUT SOME BLESSED WATER AND A BRANCH OF "TAMARIN"
NEXT TO THE BODY; PUT A BUCKET OF WATER IN THE ROOM SO THAT THE
SOUL OF THE DEFUNCT COULD WASH ITSELF.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
Keyword(s): TAMARIN IS A VERY COMMON TREE IN GUADELOUPE. IT GIVES SOME FRUITS ; THAT ARE EITHER SWEET OR SOUR DEPENDING ON THE TREE.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
NO SWEET WITHOUT SWEAT.
Where learned: NIGERIA ; KABBA
James Callow Keyword(s): PARA RHYME (PARARHYME): SWEET / SWEAT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
THERE IS ROOM FOR MY NAME IN YOUR ALBUM,
THERE IS ROOM FOR MY NAME IN YOUR HEART,
THERE IS ROOM FOR US BOTH IN HEAVEN,
WHERE WE MAY NEVER PART.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): INCREMENTAL REPETITION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Pious reflection |
Date learned: 00001890S
Belief: Children's Song
STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK. STEP ON A LINE
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT USED TO SING THIS WHEN SHE PLAYED HOPSCOTCH ON
THE SIDEWALK.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): GAME SONG
IF A GIRL HAS BEEN BAD TO HER PARENTS OR HAS TRIED TO HIT
THEM, HER HAND WILL COME OUT OF HER GRAVE UNTIL IT IS SLAPPED
DOWN.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS TOLD TO THE INFORMANT BY HER BOYFRIEND. HIS
GRANDMOTHER TOLD HIM THIS STORY WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY.
SHE SAID THAT IT COULD ONLY HAPPEN TO GIRLS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): PUNISHMENT
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; JUSTICE ; SEXISM
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial SPEECH -- Gesture |
GHOST STORY
"A LITTLE BOY GOT KILLED BY A TRAIN WHEN HE WAS PLAYING
ON SOME RAILROAD TRACKS. HE HAD BEEN TOLD NOT TO PLAY
ON THE TRACKS. THE TRAIN HIT HIM REAL HARD AND PULLED HIM
FOR A REAL LONG WAY. THE TRAIN CUT HIS BODY UP INTO
HUNDREDS OF PIECES. HIS MOM AND DAD WENT UP AND DOWN THE
TRACKS PICKING UP HIS BODY PARTS. IF YOU LISTEN AT NIGHT
AT THE TIME THE BOY WAS KILLED, YOU CAN HEAR HIM CALLING
TO HIS MOM AND DAD. HE SAYS,'MOMMY, HERE'S A PIECE OF ME.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF ME.'"
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; SHAMOKIN
Keyword(s): DISOBEYED PARENTS
James Callow Keyword(s): DISMEMBERMENT BY MISFORTUNATE ACCIDENT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter PROSE NARRATIVE -- Body part Senses |
Date learned: 00001934CA
SONG
COMET, IT MAKES YOUR TEETH TURN GREEN.
COMET, IT TASTES LIKE LISTERINE.
COMET, WILL MAKE YOUR VOMIT.
SO GET SOME COMET
AND VOMIT TODAY.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT LEARNED THIS SONG FROM A FRIEND IN SCHOOL. A FRIEND
OF HERS IS THE ONE WHO WROTE IT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): COMET IS A BATHROOM CLEANSER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Good humor Jest |
Date learned: 00001978CA
IF IT IS A GOOD GROWING YEAR, THE CORN WILL BE KNEE HIGH
BY THE FOURTH OF JULY.
Submitter comment:
THIS BELIEF WAS PASSED TO BRIAN AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN
RURAL OHIO.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.475 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- July 4 Independence Day BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- P535 |
Date learned: 11-02-1984 ; 00001960S
YOU SHOULD ONLY CUT YOUR HAIR WHEN THERE'S A FULL MOON
BECAUSE THEN YOUR HAIR WILL GROW BACK THICKER AND LONGER.
Submitter comment:
WHEN MY INFORMANT WAS YOUNGER, HER MOTHER ONLY CUT HER HAIR
WHEN THERE WAS A FULL MOON BECAUSE SHE WANTED HER TO HAVE
LONG, THICK HAIR. TODAY, MY INFORMANT HAS LONG HAIR.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Moon |
MY MOTHER USED TO GIVE US CASTOR OIL AND ORANGE POP
TO GET THE COLD OUT OF US.
Submitter comment: ORANGE POP COVERS UP THE BAD TASTE OF CASTOR OIL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): REMEDY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 10-11-1984 ; 00001950S
DURING THE DEPRESSION, SOUTHERN BLACK WOMEN WHO DIDN'T HAVE
THE MONEY TO BUY HAIR GREASE TO USE WHEN PRESSING THEIR HAIR
USED LARD INSTEAD.
Submitter comment:
TOLD BY HER GRANDMOTHER AND PASSED ON
LARD=ANIMAL FAT
Where learned: NORTH CAROLINA ; CARTHAGE
James Callow Keyword(s): BEAUTIFICATION ; COSMETICS
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Human or animal body BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
Date learned: 00001950S
DURING THE 1930s, BLACK WOMEN WHO DIDN'T HAVE EYEBROW
PENCILS WOULD STRIKE A MATCH, BLOW OUT THE FLAME, TAKE THE
WARM TIP AND SCRAPE IT AGAINST THE INSIDE WALL OF THE
FIREPLACE AND USE THE TIP AS AN EYEBROW LINER.
Submitter comment: SHE USED MANY GESTURES.
Where learned: NORTH CAROLINA ; CARTHAGE
James Callow Keyword(s): BEAUTIFICATION ; COSMETICS
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Human or animal body |
Date learned: 10-14-1984 ; 00-00-1950
SOUTHERN BLACKS WHO LIVED IN PITTSBURGH BELIEVED IN GIVING
THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN CASTOR OIL MIXED WITH SUGAR TO GET RID
OF A COLD.
Submitter comment: SUGAR COVERS UP THE BAD TASTE OF CASTOR OIL.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): REMEDY
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Daily Life BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-14-1984 ; 00001960S
SOUTHERNERS BELIEVED THAT A PERSON WITH A COLD SHOULD BE
RUBBED DOWN WITH VICK'S VAPOR RUB ON THE FOREHEAD, CHEST, AND
BACK. THE PERSON SHOULD THEN BE PLACED UNDER HEAVY COVERS SO
THEY COULD SWEAT OUT THE COLD.
Submitter comment: MY MOTHER ALWAYS RUBS ME DOWN WITH VICK'S WHENEVER I HAVE A COLD.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
James Callow Keyword(s): VICK'S VAPO RUB
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-14-1984 ; 00001960S