RE:SEARCH logo
University of Detroit Mercy Libraries / Instructional Design Studio
UDM HOME BLACKBOARD MY UDMERCY
RESEARCH HOME / FIND / SPECIAL COLLECTIONS / THE JAMES T. CALLOW FOLKLORE ARCHIVE /
James Callow Folklore Archive

Collection Home

About Dr. James T. Callow

Dr. James T. Callow publications

Collectors

Browse by

Subject heading

Keyword

Location

Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.

The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

search for

Content filter is on

Your search for B returned 4320 results.

prev | items
| next

GAELIC

IS FEAR MALL NA GO BRATH
IT'S BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

Data entry tech comment: THIS APPEARS TO BE A TRANSLATION FROM GAELIC

James Callow comment: OFTEN ELLIPSIS IS USED WITH THIS PROVERB

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CONTRAST, OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 08-00-1964

View just this record

I SINK LIKE A STONE WHEN I SWIM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METAPHOR, ALLITERATION, SWIMMING, OBSERVATION, CONTRADICTION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

View just this record

I SLEEP LIKE A LOG.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METAPHOR, SLEEP, OBSERVATION

James Callow Keyword(s): SIMILE ; WOOD

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.

View just this record

IT ALWAYS RAINS ON MY GENERATION.

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): METAPHOR, OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 00-00-1975

View just this record

NO MONEY PROVERB.

"LACK OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL."

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): OBSERVATION ; PARODY

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

SAYING

LAND'S SO RICH THAT WHEN YOU PLANT CORN, YOU HAVE TO JUMP BACK SO IT
WON'T HIT YOU IN THE EYE.

Submitter comment: I HEARD MY 5TH COUSIN SAY THIS ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO. IT WAS IN THE
SAN JOAQUIN DELTAS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. HE WAS DESCRIBING A
MUDFLAT THAT HE HAD LEASED.

Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; SAN JOAQUIN DELTA

Keyword(s): AGRICULTURE ; FERTILITY ; HYPERBOLE ; LAND

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: 10-08-1968

View just this record

PROVERB

LAUGH AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU, CRY AND YOU CRY ALONE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TRAVERSE CITY

Keyword(s): CONTRAST ; OBSERVATION ; SYMPATHY

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

View just this record

PROVERB

LAUGH AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU, SNORE AND YOU SLEEP ALONE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ALIENATION ; HUMOR ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 07-15-1964

View just this record

PROVERBIAL SAYING

LAY DOWN WITH THE DOGS AND GET UP WITH THE FLEAS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES

Keyword(s): ANIMAL COMPARISON ; COMPANIONS ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 01-20-1971

View just this record

BLISTERS ON THE LIP MEANS ONE HAS TOLD A LIE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOLS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 10-00-1979

View just this record

THE CLADDOUGH RING

AN IRISH ENGAGEMENT RING IS CALLED A CLADDOUGH RING, A HEART HELD
IN TWO HANDS UNDER A CROWN. WHEN WORN ON THE LEFT HAND IT
SYMBOLIZES THAT THERE IS SOMEONE SPECIAL IN YOUR LIFE. WHEN WORN
ON THE RIGHT HAND WITH THE HEART FACING YOU, IT MEANS THAT THERE
IS SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE ESPECIALLY FOND OF, AND WORN ON THE
RIGHT HAND WITH THE HEART FACING OUT IT MEANS THAT YOUR HEART
IS STILL OPEN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIVONIA

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; SYMBOLS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Marriage

Date learned: CA02001980

View just this record

BELIEF

SANDDOLLARS GOT THEIR DESIGN ON GOOD FRIDAY. IT IS SAID THAT THE
SANDDOLLAR WAS AFFECTED BY THE CRUCIFICTION, WHICH IS THE REASON
FOR THE FIVE HOLES IN ITS SURFACE, AND THE ETCHING OF AN EASTER
LILY AROUND THEM.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CRUCIFIXION ; SYMBOLS OF CHRIST'S WOUNDS

Subject headings: 663 Good Friday
BELIEF -- Fish

Date learned: CA00001974

View just this record

RETORT

UPON PASSING WIND (FARTING) ONE WOULD SAY "LET THEM FLY, THEY ARE NO
WORTH FEATHERING ANYWAY."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): BIRD METAPHOR

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 02-16-1980

View just this record

POLISH CUSTOM FOR A NEW HOUSE

THE FIRST THINGS TO ENTER A NEW HOUSE ARE A TABLE, A CROSS, AND
SOME HOLY WATER.

Submitter comment: BRINGING THE TABLE INSURES THAT THE FAMILY WILL NEVER BE WITHOUT
FOOD. THE CROSS, REPRESENTATIVE OF RELIGION, GUARANTEES A BLESSED
LIFE. THE HOLY WATER REMOVES EVIL FROM THE HOUSE.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOLS

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
Favorites
BELIEF -- Home
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications

Date learned: 01-13-1980

View just this record

SUPERSTITION

NEVER GIVE YOURSELF A MANICURE ON SUNDAY. IF YOU DO, YOU WILL
HAVE A WEEK OF BAD LUCK.

Submitter comment: SOME OLD LADY TOLD THIS SUPERSTITION TO MY MOTHER YEARS AGO.
MY MOTHER RELAYED THIS SUPERSTITION TO MY SISTER AND ME. MY
SISTER BELIEVES THE SUPERSTITION. I ONLY BELIEVE IT IF I DO
MY NAILS ON SUNDAY AND HAVE A WEEK OF BAD LUCK.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): GROOMING ; SABBATARIANISM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: CA00001930 ; 01-13-1980

View just this record

Entry filtered.

BABY JOKE

HOW DO YOU MAKE A DEAD BABY FLOAT?
ADD A LITTLE ROOT BEER; OR
USE ONE GLASS OF ROOT BEER AND ONE DEAD BABY.
THIS ITEM WAS COLLECTED WITH MANY SIMILAR ITEMS THROUGH
NUMEROUS MEETINGS AT VARIOUS BARS IN DETROIT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CANNIBALISM

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote
Food Drink -- Kind of Drink and Its Preparation
RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00001970S ; 03-00-1980

View just this record

Entry filtered.

BABY JOKE

WHY DO YOU BOIL WATER WHEN A BABY IS BORN?
IN CASE IT DIES YOU CAN HAVE FRESH BABY SOUP.
THIS ITEM WAS COLLECTED WITH MANY SIMILAR ITEMS THROUGH
NUMEROUS MEETINGS AT VARIOUS BARS IN DETROIT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CANNIBALISM

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth
RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00001970S ; 03-00-1980

View just this record

"MAMA, MAMA" JOKE

CHILD: MAMA, MAMA, YOU KNOW I HATE MY SISTER'S GUTS.
MOTHER: SHUT UP AND KEEP EATING.
THIS ITEM WAS COLLECTED WITH MANY SIMILAR ITEMS THROUGH
NUMEROUS MEETINGS AT VARIOUS BARS IN DETROIT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CANNIBALISM

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote
Food Drink -- Food

Date learned: 00001970S ; 03-00-1980

View just this record

Entry filtered.

POLISH JOKE

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

WHAT DO THEY CALL A SWIMMING POOL FULL OF POLISH GIRLS?
BAY OF PIGS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): CUBA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Poli

Date learned: 02-00-1980

View just this record

Entry filtered.

POLISH JOKE

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS A POLACK WITH A FLOWER?
A BLOOMING IDIOT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): BLOOMING: SLANG FOR GENUINE, VERITABLE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Poli

Date learned: 02-00-1980

View just this record

prev | items
| next

University of Detroit Mercy
4001 W. McNichols Detroit , MI , 48221-3038
This site is endorsed by the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) and supports the views, values, and mission of UDM. The University of Detroit Mercy web site provides links to other web sites, both public and private, for informational purposes. The inclusion of these links on UDM's site does not imply endorsement by the University. Please contact the Associate Dean for Technical Services and Library Systems for any questions regarding this web site.