Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Me returned 3064 results.
Wart Remedies
Take a piece of string and tie a knot in it for each wart
that you have. Dig a hole, and bury the string.
When the string rots, your warts will be gone.
Count the number of warts you have, and write the number
in chalk on the inside of the oven door. When the number
fades, your warts will be gone.
Submitter comment:
When I was twelve I had warts all over my hands and I was
really upset about them. My mother told me these remedies,
told to her by her mother.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK
James Callow Keyword(s): Divestment
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 00-00-1982
Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.
If I'm lying may a lizard eat my gizzard.
Submitter comment: Child version of swearing to tell the truth.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK
James Callow Keyword(s): Asseveration ; FEMININE RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 00001970S
I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For bringing home a baby bumble bee, OUCH HE BIT ME!!!!!
I'm mashing up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For mashing up my baby bumble bee, Ugh, what a mess!!
I'm licking up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For licking up my baby bumble bee, Ohh, I feel sick!!!
I'm puking up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For puking up my baby bumble bee, Eew, what a mess!!
I'm mopping up my baby bumble bee.
Won't my mommy be so proud of me
For mopping up my baby bumble bee, there all clean.
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur.
Won't my mommy hide behind the door.
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur, OOPS, HE ATE ME!!!
Submitter comment:
This song is done with lots of hand motions and
pretend gestures.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK
James Callow Keyword(s): INCREMENTAL REPETITION ; REFRAIN ; Teller killed in his own story.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad Epic Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children |
Date learned: 00001970S
Arabic Hiding Game
Shaytana Gronue is a game played similar to hide and seek.
Somebody would be picked out of 10 people and that
person would be Shaytana Gronue. The chosen individual
must dress up in a costume representing the devil and
then hide anywhere. The game can be played inside or
outside. The object is for the remaining nine players
to go and seek out Shaytana Gronue. When spotted
"Shaytana Gronue" is yelled out and everybody runs to a
predetermined safety zone which Shaytana Gronue does not
know about. Players are eliminated by the poison touch
of Shaytana Gronue. The last player remaining then becomes
the new Shaytana Gronue.
Submitter comment:
When I was around 10 years old my father would play this
game with me and my brothers and sisters.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
Keyword(s): Shaytana Gronue is "It" in this game.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching |
Date learned: 00-00-1974
Weather Predictor
Flying a kite with a northern wind direction on a bright sunny
day will mean that it will rain the next day. If you fly your
kite in a southern wind direction on a cloudy day the next day
will be bright and sunny. If you attempt to fly your kite on
a stormy day look forward to a week of terrible weather.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Game, Air.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1988
A Chaldean recipe for good luck at the beginning of the new
year is called Homuth Hillue. This is a sauce made of dried
prunes and apricots with raisins, slices of almond and meat.
It is very sweet and colorful. The sauce is poured over rice
and chicken and when eaten luck will follow throughout the
new year.
Submitter comment:
This dish is only made once a year to signify the beginning
the new year and to bring luck to all who eat from it.
Keyword(s): Dish, Meal.
Date learned: 00-00-1984
If yo tink yo bundle of dirty clothes too heavy, try
picking up yo neighbor's own.
Submitter comment:
People always believe that they have the worst of everything
until they realize that other people have problems too.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): tink = think ; yo = you or your
James Callow Keyword(s): Advice -- Positive ; Metaphor: problems = bundle of clothes ; RELATIVITY ; WEIGHT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 02-00-1991
Yo have mo front 'n Katie Ben.
Submitter comment:
You have more "gumption" than Katie Ben. The story goes back
to the 1940's in Saint Thomas when there was a problem with
the congregation of a Methodist church. Everyone was afraid
to talk about it, including the minister, even though all knew
a problem existed. Katie Ben, a child, got up in church and
spoke out or took the "front." The informant has no idea what
the problem was at the time but that is where this saying came
from.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): 'n = than ; mo = more ; Yo = you
James Callow Keyword(s): Effrontery Boldness Audacity ; Personal name in proverb
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
Willing is a good man; Able is a better one.
Submitter comment:
Being willing to try to do something is good but being able to
do something is better.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
James Callow Keyword(s): NAMES ; PERSONIFICATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
To cure asthma, take the child outside and place him/her in
front of a tree on your property. Take a nail and drive it
into the tree at the same level as the top of your child's
head. Make sure the nail can slide in and out of the hole
easily, so that the hole will remain a permanent part of the
tree. If it closes up repeat the process, every year until
the asthma goes away.
Submitter comment:
The informant told me that since most children outgrow asthma
as they enter adolescence this is done for only two years
maybe before it is believed that this has cured him/her.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): MEASURING ; PLUGGING
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
This is a cure my sister was telling me her doctor did to her.
When you have ringworm you take off your wedding band, it has
to be gold, and have someone press it firmly down in the
infected area where the ringworm shows up. Within a few days
it will clear up.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE
James Callow Keyword(s): homeopathic (ring for ringworm)
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
WHILE SITTING ON A HAY BALE AT THE 1989 MICHIGAN
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL, A FRIEND AND I OVERHEARD A YOUNG BOY CALL
ANOTHER BOY A "FROGHEAD." CONTEXT: "WAIT UP, YOU FROGHEAD!"
BOTH OF US ENJOYED THE NAME SO MUCH THAT WE SPREAD IT TO OUR
FRIENDS. MY FRIENDS AND I STILL USE THE EXPRESSION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Holly
Keyword(s): FROG
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL NAME FOR HUMAN
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
MY MOTHER'S UNCLE TAUGHT HER THIS LITTLE BALLAD ABOUT A FARM
GIRL AND A TRAVELING SALESMAN:
"A FARMER'S DAUGHTER NAMED LOU'ELLER
WAS THE PRETTIEST GIRL FOR MILES AROUND.
BUT THAT POOR GIRL DINT HAVE NO FELLER
UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN SHE WENT TO TOWN.
SHE WENT DOWN TO THE VILLAGE DEPOT
TO WATCH THAT EVENIN' TRAIN COME IN
AND MET A DRUMMER FROM THE CITY WITH
TWO GOLD TEETH AND A WALKIN' CANE.
THEY WENT DOWN TO THE VILLAGE DRUGSTORE
AND AT THE COUNTER THEY DID SAT
HE FILLED HER FULL OF SASPARILLA
TILL SHE DINT KNOW WHERE SHE WAS AT.
ALAS! ALACK! FOR PORE LOUELLER
SHE STARTED SOMETHING SHE COULD NOT STOP
NOW EVER' TIME SHE GETS A NICKEL
SHE BLOWS IT IN ON SODY-POP.
AND IN THE EVENIN'S IN THE SUMMER
AT THE DEPOT DOOR SHE WAITS IN VAIN
AND ROLLS HER EYES AT EVER' DRUMMER
THAT GITS FROM OFF THAT EVENIN' TRAIN."
Where learned: OHIO ; CINCINNATI
James Callow Keyword(s): DRUMMER = SALESMAN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad Epic Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C230 |
Date learned: 00001950S
The sanctified religion says women are not allowed to wear make-
up, jewelry, pants, or red in church or outside of church.
Submitter comment:
Leah says that these rules are stated in the bible; the bible
says: "women should dress in modest apparel"; if they don't "Women
should be shame-faced."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CLOTHING
James Callow Keyword(s): COSMETICS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 00001970S
It was said if you wore two hats you were going to get a double
whooping.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; RIVER ROUGE
James Callow Keyword(s): Punishment -- beating
| Subject headings: | 686 Seconds / Twice / Two ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Head |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
Never let young girls wear make-up before age 13 for she may
become a mother before her custom allows.
Submitter comment:
My mother explain to me at 12 that I could not wear makeup
until I was 13 years of age because I cannot become a grown lady
before my time.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): COSMETICS
| Subject headings: | 686 Seconds / Twice / Two 686 Specific number by specific number being described BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Maturity |
Date learned: 00-00-1987
Red Light Green Light
This was a children's game in which one chosen person would
close his/her eyes and say "Red light green light" several times
while simultaneously spinning around. While the chosen person
would spin and say this the other participants would run around in
circles around the chosen person. And when the chosen person
opened his/her eyes, whoever was still moving would be put out of
the game.
Submitter comment: This seemed to be a very fun game at the time.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Louise
Keyword(s): GAMES
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
I work with a teacher by the name of Penny Coin.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOROUS NAME
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname SPEECH -- FamilyGroup |
Date learned: 03-22-1992
Entry filtered.
Luck
Two things you should always eat on New Year's Day: Greens
and Black-Eye Peas. Greens for money and Black-Eye Peas for
luck.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
James Callow Keyword(s): Homeopathic Magic -- green
Date learned: 00-00-1931