Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for AGE returned 437 results.
Language
Tongue Twister Verse:
As I was passing through Arkansas, I saw a saw that could outsaw any saw I ever saw.
So, if you're ever passing through Arkansas and see a saw that can outsaw the saw I saw, I'd like to see the saw you saw as you were passing through Arkansas.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Alternative possible spelling of Collector's last name: Datson, Datser
James Callow comment:
Already typewritten as Prose.
Keyword(s): Arkansas ; Detroit ; GAME ; Language ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Saw ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Language
Tongue Twister:
Betty Botta bought some butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit o' better butter will but make my batter better." So she bought a bit o' butter, better than the bitter butter, made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botta bought a bit o' better butter.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Something similar (but shorter) already typed as prose.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Baking ; Batter ; Butter ; COOKING ; Dearborn Heights ; GAME ; Language ; MICHIGAN ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Redford ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Entry filtered.
Goats Feet
There was a girl who liked to dance and socialize very often. Her parents objected so she used to sneak out of the house. One day her mother caught her and put a curse on her. If she went out of the house to go dancing again her feet would turn to goat's ffet. She didn't believe her mother. Next time she went out her beau picked her up and off they went. When she went to get out of the car, she looked down and her feet had turned to goat's feet. The moral is: listen to your parents.
Submitter comment:
Polish Tale (Written across the top of the card)
Co - Feet of girl turned into feet of goat when/after she is cursed by her mother for dancing. (written on an attached card that listed motifs. Signed by M. Butzen
Data entry tech comment:
Non-numbered motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Number [B600] crossed out and B642 written nest to it.
Collector's note of Polish Tale is crossed out.
Why Polish is written at the bottom of the card, then crossed out and followed by: B. Fagan says this is a Polish FolkTale.
A separate card is attached with motif numbers listed. Bottom of card is signed by an M. Butzen.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Dancing ; DATING ; Fable ; FAMILY ; FEET ; Goat ; Moral ; PARENTAL RESPECT ; PARENTS ; POLISH ; SOCIAL RELATIONS ; Teenager ; YOUTH
James Callow Keyword(s): POLISH
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Magic |
Yellow Ribbon
This is a story about John and Jane. They lived next door to each other, went to school together, and loved each other very much. John was a normal happy boy and Jane was a happy girl who always wore a yellow ribbon . Jane kept answering "perhaps some day I'll tell you."
Time went by, and John and Jane were engaged. Jane told John she would tell him about the ribbon on their wedding day. On their wedding day, they forgot about the yellow ribbon. Next day, however, John asked why she wore it again. She replied that they were happily married so what difference does it make?
Time went by and it was their golden anniversary and John asked about the ribbon again. Jane asked him to wait a little longer since he has waited so long already. Finally, Jane became very ill and was dying. John asked again to please tell him why she wore the yellow ribbon.
"All right," said Jane. "You can untie it." So John untied the yellow ribbon and Jane's head fell off.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Numbers [B600 B642] are crossed outand B667.1 is substituted.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself
Keyword(s): Anniversary ; BEHEADING ; BODY ; CURIOSITY ; Curious ; DEATH ; DECAPITATION ; DYING ; HEAD ; LOVE ; MARRIAGE ; Neighbors ; SECRET ; Yellow Ribbon
| Subject headings: | 6677 Formula Tale |
A teenage couple went out for a drive and the ran out of gas. The boy said he would go for gas; he told the girl not to leave the car because there has been stories of weird happenings in the area. When he returned with the gas, they got ready to leave, but they heard this DRIP! DRIP! DRIP! Finally, they discovered what it was; blood was dripping on the hood of the car.
Submitter comment:
This was an old boy scout story circulating when the informant was a boy scout.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
The word "realistic" is penciled in very lightly nest to the Boggs Number.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): DATING ; Drip ; Gas ; Hood ; Scary Stories ; Stranded ; Teenager
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ordinary Tale |
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Custom
Ukrainians have a custom of greeting honored guests with bread and salt. The host or hostess, carrying a plate with a loaf of bread and a mound of salt on top of it, meets the guest at the door with proper salutations, in expression of greetings & hospitality. Newlyweds are installed in their new home with a ritual of bread and salt.
Submitter comment:
Today this custom is used only by organizations when greeting individuals of great distinction.
Data entry tech comment:
Motif added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; MOTHER
Keyword(s): BREAD, Salt ; CUSTOM ; DOMESTIC RELATIONS ; ETHNIC ; MARRIAGE ; Salt, Bread ; Social Rank ; SOCIAL RELATIONS ; UKRAINIAN
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Belief: Luck
Luck:
If someone wants your place at Bingo, take your chair with you or you won't win.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
Keyword(s): Luck, Chance, Wagers, Bingo, Chair, Custom, Game, Entertainment
James Callow Keyword(s): LUCK
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Maxim
Sun and Rain:
Happy is the bride the sun shines on;
Lucky is the corpse that rain falls on.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880, P45] crossed out/ replaced with current classifications.
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Bride ; BURIAL ; Corpse ; DEATH ; Funeral ; MARRIAGE ; Maxim ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Superstition:Wedding
Wedding Superstition:
For each ribbon a bride breaks on a wedding or shower gift she'll have a child.
Submitter comment:
This is a superstition common in the Oswald family
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P545] crossed out/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; BIRTH ; CHILD ; CUSTOM ; FUTURE ; MARRIAGE ; OMEN ; Ribbon ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Entry filtered.
Maxim
It begins with you sinking into his arms and ends with your arms in the sink.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Submission card located in pile marked [?]
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; OFFICE
Keyword(s): Feminism ; MARRIAGE ; Newlywed ; OMEN ; ROMANCE
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Language
Slang Expressions:
Dippy, fag, flag, bad, bold, jive, slimey, freaky, chumpy, jivey, cool, rocked, jammed, super, ain't, jolly, looney, goof, goofy, "da," bull, shoo, shy not, why.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
Where learned: SAINT HYACINTH SCHOOL
Keyword(s): Language ; SLANG ; Vernacular ; Vocabulary
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Ethnic: Native American
Use of the Pipe During a Wedding:
The married couple standing together before the priest for the nuptial blessing could both hold the same Pipe with the right hands, stem away from themselves. This would be a perfect ceremonial sign of the words of the priest. The Nuptial Blessing contains the type of prayer which is most nautral to the Pipe.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: CANADA ; Tekakwitha Conference ; WINNIPEG ; MANITOBA
Keyword(s): AMERICAN INDIAN ; CEREMONY ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; MARRIAGE ; Native American ; PRAYER ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer |
Custom/Belief
Irregular Festival:
It is a custom in my family to have a big family gathering, celebration, reunion, and party whenever someone in the fammily has made the Sacrament of Confirmation or 1st Communion. The recipient recieves gifts and/or money from every other member of the fmaily. It roughlyparallels the Bar Matzvah of the Jewish Religion.
Data entry tech comment:
motifs added by TRD
Where learned: NEW YORK ; Myself ; LeRoy
Keyword(s): Celebration ; CUSTOM ; Maturity ; PARTY ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Rite-of-Passage
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Maturity |
Custom
Wedding Custom:
When a woman in her family is engaged to be married, the aunts on her fahter's side give a shower gift to her which is a pure white negligee. This is a sign that the perspective groom has been accepted as a member of the family.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Keyword(s): Engagement ; FAMILY ; GIFT ; Shower ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |