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IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS WHEN SPEAKING IS NOT
ALLOWED DURING AN "AIR SITUATION" THE INDEX FINGER
WHEN POINTED AT THAT PERSON GOING TO BE ON "THE AIR"
BY USE OF THE WHOLE FOREARM IN BENDING AT THE
ELBOW, MEANS THE PERSON CAN BEGIN, OR START.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT IS IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS AND
HAS USED THIS SIGNAL TO INSTRUCT A PERSON WHO IS ON
THE AIR TO BEGIN.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): COMMUNICATIONS? CLEAR AS MUD.

James Callow Keyword(s): BROADCASTING

Subject headings: 602 Body Parts
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business
SPEECH -- Instructions Directions

Date learned: 10-31-1971

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WHAT GOES CLUMP, CLUMP, CLUMP, SQUISH?
AN ELEPHANT WITH ONE WET TENNIS SHOE.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET SWALLOWED BY AN ELEPHANT?
RUN AROUND UNTIL YOU GET "POOPED" OUT.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED FROM PATIENT

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN--POOPED REFERRING TO DEFECATION.

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-25-1967

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IF YOU PULL A GUINEA PIG'S TAIL HIS EYES WILL
POP OUT.

Submitter comment: THE TROUBLE IS THAT A GUINEA PIG DOESN'T HAVE A TAIL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH HIDDEN CONNECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal
RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: CHILDHOOD

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SHERLOCK HOLMES RIDDLE

JOHN AND MARY WERE IN A SEALED ROOM DEAD. WHEN YOU
WALK INTO THE ROOM YOU SEE A PUDDLE OF WATER, BROKEN
GLASS AND A CAT. WHO KILLED JOHN AND MARY?
-- THE CAT, JOHN AND MARY WERE GOLDFISH.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): FISH CAT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1967

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Omen

A cat on board a ship will keep death and disaster away.

Data entry tech comment:

Motif added by T.R. Davidson

Where learned: CANADA ; ONTARIO ; TORONTO

Keyword(s): CAT ; DEATH ; Disaster ; Nautical ; OMEN ; PREVENTION ; Ship

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

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Nine Times Tables

Easy way to multiply by nine:

1x9=9

2x9=18

3x9=27

4x9=36

5x9=45

6x9=54

7x9=63

8x9=72

9x9=81

Count from one to eight for the first didgits top down, and then again from the bottom up (for the second digits).

Data entry tech comment:

Possible name variations for Collector: Cuisloh, Crisloh, Cisloh

Possible name variations for Informant: Frabiky, Frabilsy, Zrabiky, Zrabilsy
 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; Calculation ; Cheat ; COUNTING ; MATHEMATICS ; MULTIPLICATION ; Multiplication Tables ; NUMBERS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Numbers System of counting Calculation

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Belief

If you drop salt on the floor, shake salt over your left shoulder or there will be a catastrophe of fire or disappointment.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Various Boggs number classifications written down and crossed out:

P686

P860 = Use of Object

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CATASTROPHE ; DISAPPOINTMENT ; FIRE ; Salt ; SUPERSTITION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Conversions P883.17

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Belief

If you drop salt on the floor, shake salt over your left shoulder or there will be a catastrophe of fire or disappointment.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Various Boggs number classifications written down and crossed out:

P686

P860 = Use of Object

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CATASTROPHE ; DISAPPOINTMENT ; FIRE ; Salt ; SUPERSTITION

Subject headings:

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A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs entered by TRD

Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself

Keyword(s): Catholic ; CATHOLICISM ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious

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THERE IS A LEGEND THAT SAYS THAT ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS IN
COUNTY SLIGO, IRELAND HAS A LUMP IN THE MIDDLE AND THE PEOPLE
SAY THAT ONE DAY THE DEVIL TOOK A BITE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND SPIT
IT AT CASHEL.

Submitter comment:

KATHY HEARD THIS FROM AN IRISHMAN WHILE HITCH-HIKING FROM CORK
TO LIMERICK IN IRELAND. CASHEL IS A ROCK ABOUT THREE HUNDRED FEET
HIGH WITH A RUIN OF A CASTLE AND CATHEDRAL ON IT. I BELIEVE IT WAS
ONCE THE SEAT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS BUT AM NOT SURE. I DO NOT KNOW
IF THE MAN WHO TOLD KATHY BELIEVED IT BUT KATHY DOESN'T.

Data entry tech comment:

Additional (non-numbered) Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

[Please make a copy. Label it B472] - handwritten at the bottom of the card.

 

The original Boggs Number [P400] is crossed out and B425 and B472 are written next to it.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; PARTY

Keyword(s): Castle ; Cathedral ; DEVIL ; GEOLOGY ; IRELAND ; IRISH BELIEF ; MOUNTAIN ; NATURE ; Pagan ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS LEGEND ; Rock ; Rock Formation

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Devil Demon
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formation

Date learned: UNKNOWN

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A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs entered by TRD

Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself

Keyword(s): Catholic ; Catholocism ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY

Subject headings:

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The Clever Chef

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

There once was a king who demanded that his chef prepare him a different type of meat for each principle meal. when the chef ran out of meats it would mean his death.

Quite naturally, the king soon ran out of chefs and volunteers for the job were few and far between. in fact, things got so bad that the king had to draft his subjects into the job. One of these peasants got drafted and day after day he prepared a different type of meat. However, as time went by, he began to run out of choices. Finally the day arrived when he had none. In desperation, he went to the palace barn at milking time and collected the cow manure as it was being expelled. That night he served it to the king. Upon tasting it, the king called for the chef in order that he might compliment him on the most delicious meat of all. When asked where it came from, the chef replied "it is that which hasn't fallen, your majesty."

Submitter comment:

This is translated from Polish and I feel it has lost its humor in translation.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

A grammatical correction was made to the Collector's spelling: Changing it's to its.

Original Boggs Number [B665] has been crossed out and B646 is written next to it.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Class ; COOKING ; Deception ; FECES ; Fool ; IGNORANCE ; King ; Peasant ; ROYALTY ; Scat ; SCATOLOGICAL ; Scatological Humor ; Social Class ; Trickery ; Wit

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic

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Caught

Three men: a Catholic, Jew and Protestant; were digging a ditch in front of a house of inequity. They looked up and saw the Rabbi coming down the street. The Rabbi stopped in front of the house, looked both ways and ran up the steps. When this happened the Catholic and Protestant really gave it to the Jew. A little later, the Protestant minister came down the street, stopped in front of the house, looked both ways and ran up the steps. Well now it was the Protestant's turn to be razzed. A little later the three saw a Catholic priest walk up to the front of the house, look both ways and run up the steps. The Catholic man yelled "There must be somebody sick in there!"

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ALLUSION TO PROSTITUTION ; Catholic ; HUMOR ; Jewish ; JOKE ; PROSTITUTION ; Protestant ; RELIGION

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote

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Spelling Aid

Arithmetic: A Rat In Tom's House May Eat Tom's Ice Cream.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

BN V300 and MNEM chosen due to previous/existing classification of such entries using the same mnemonic device.

James Callow comment:

Original BN [A784] Crossed out and replaced with the term Mnemonic Device.

Submission Card was located in a pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Arithmetic ; EDUCATION ADVICE ; MATHEMATICS ; MEMORY ; Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Spelling Aid

Geography - George Eats Old Gray Rats And Paints Houses Yellow.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TR.Davidson

V300 and MNEM chosen due to previous entries of similar or exact substance using these classifications.

James Callow comment:

Original BN [A784] crossed out and the term mnemonic device is written next to it.

Submission card was located in a pile markled To Be Classified.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): EDUCATION ; EDUCATION ADVICE ; GEOGRAPHY ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device ; SPELLING

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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Entry filtered.

Ethnic Joke: The Italian Who Came to Detroit

Ima don lak Detroit worth a sheet. I check inna hotel and go down for breakfast an I tella da girl I wanna ham and eggs and two piece a toast. I tella her I wanna two peese. She say if you wanna to peese go to da toilet. I say you no unnerstand, I wanna two peese on my plate. She say you don peese on your plate, you sonna ma beech. I no eat, I go to my room.

At lunch time I go donna da street for my lunch inna Drake Hotel. The waitress brings me a knife an a napkin but no foke. I tella her I wanna foke. She say whatta you talk, everybody wanna foke. I say you no unnerstand, I wanna foke on the table. She say you don care where you foke, you sonna ma bech. So when she call me sonna ma beech, I go back to hotel.

When I get inna da room I got no sheet on my bed, so I calla da manager and tell him I wanna sheet on my bed. He says don sheet on your bed, go to the bathroom. You no unnerstand, I say, I wanna sheet on the bed. He say you better not sheet on your bed, you sonna ma beech. So when he call me a sonna ma beech, I go check out. I go to da desk to check out to New York, and when I leave the manacer say Peace on You. I say peese on you too, you sonna ma beech cause I go back to Italy.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The word Italian is written in the upper left hand corner of the submission.

Submission card was located in a pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES

Keyword(s): AMERICAN ; Cultural Divide ; EUPHEMISM ; HUMOR ; Italian ; Language ; Language Barrier ; NEW YORK ; OBSCENE IMPLICATION ; SPEECH ; Stereotype

James Callow Keyword(s): Italian

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote
ITAL

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Mnemonic Device

A mnemonic Device for remembering the names of the Great Lakes:

H.O.M.E.S.

----------

H.uron

O.ntario

M.ichigan

E.rie

S.uperior

Submitter comment:

It is rather vague where, when or who I learned this from, But I do remember it!

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Submission card was located in a pile marked To Be Classified.

Where learned: OHIO ; FOURTH GRADE CLASS ; Teacher ; Brownhelm School

Keyword(s): EDUCATION ; EDUCATION ADVICE ; GEOGRAPHY ; GREAT LAKES ; MEMORY ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM

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Entry filtered.

Mnemonic Device

A mnemonic device for remembering the resistor color code:

Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Goes Willingly.

B.lack = 0

B.rown = 1

R.ed = 2

O.range = 3

Y.ellow = 4

G.reen = 5

B.lue = 6

V.iolet = 7

G.rey = 8

W.hite = 9

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN has been whited out.

Submission card located in pile marked To Be Classified

Where learned: Lorain Products Corporation

Keyword(s): EDUCATION ADVICE ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device ; Rape ; Resistor Codes

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM
Filter - Mature Content

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Mnemonic Device

-Vibgyor-

One of my art teachers tried to make it easier for us to remember colors and their place on the color wheel so she introduced to us -vibgyor-pronounced vib-gee-or.

Submitter comment:

This method works every time - I now remember them (the colors).

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Submission card located in pile labeled To Be Classified.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS

Keyword(s): ART ; COLOR ; EDUCATION ; EDUCATION ADVICE ; MEMORY ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM

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Entry filtered.

Parody on a Proper Name

Sister Edith Kathleen was discussing current novels one day in our English class when she asked "Have you heard the latest book, 'Catch Her in the Raw? (A parody on the book Cathcher in the Rye)

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs and BN added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [S580] crossed out. Nothing written in place.

Submission card located in pile labeled To Be Classified.

Where learned: CLASS

Keyword(s): BOOK TITLE ; Classroom ; CLASSROOM HUMOR ; EDUCATION ; LITERATURE ; PARODY ; PUN ; WORDPLAY

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Translations, plays on words, symbol writing
Filter - Mature Content

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