Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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Instructions
Making Lye Soap:
Put ashes in a tub and mix lye in water. Pour lye mixture over ashes and let drip through bottom of tub. The drippings will turn to lye soap.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Submission card located in pile marked [?]
Original BN [P700] crossed out
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Ashes ; Craft ; Domestic ; INSTRUCTIONS ; Lye ; Product ; Production ; RECIPE ; Soap ; Tool
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Finished Product ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Household furniture and utensil BELIEF -- Use of Object Domestic object, wax, needle, dishware |
Play on Words
Thrones:
IN darkest Africa one time, there were some wicked men who terrorized the natives of the various tribes by exploiting them for their valuables. In fact, these men would go to the chief's hut and steal his throne, because they were usually adorned with gold and diamonds and all sorts of other precious stones.
Well, the word got around to one particular chief that thesemen were coming to his village. Not wanting his throne stolen, he had it hidden up in the attic of his grass hut. When the wicked men arrived, they only found a plain wooden chair as a throne. Thinking that this was not a worthwhile village profitably, they decided to leave. All of a sudden, without warning, the ceiling gave out, and the chief's magnificent throne fell to the ground in front of everybody. discovering this prize, the men packed it up and left the king with no throne.
The moral of this story: People who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones.
Submitter comment:
I heard this a few years ago, but I don't remember when. the informant has also slipped my mind. / I don't remember where or whom I heard this from.
Data entry tech comment:
Motif added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [S570] crossed out/replaced with current classification
Written underneath the BN: [Shaggy Dog - Pun Type]
Where learned: UNKNOWN
Keyword(s): DETECTION OF THIEF ; Fable ; JOKE ; PUN ; SHAGGY DOG STORY ; Throne ; WORD PLAY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Ethnic: Yugoslavian
Wedding:
In Yugoslavia, the bride must bring 40 different items with her to prove that she is versatile and can do all these things. If she fails to do this she can't get married.
Submitter comment:
Recounted from Mrs. Benestelli's mother, a neighbor, who just returned home from Yugoslavia.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F572] crossed out and replaced with current classification.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; NEIGHBORS HOME ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): Chores ; CUSTOMS ; Domestic ; MARRIAGE ; TEST ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Custom
Common Law Custom:
Informant never does family laundry on Sunday, because it is a day of rest and is frowned upon byu herself and other members of the family. Laundry hanging outside on a line is considered disgraceful.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F539] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; LeRoy
Keyword(s): Chores ; CUSTOM ; Domestic ; LAUNDRY ; Sunday
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Week Day Hour |
Entertainment: Game
London Bridge:
London Bridges falling down, falling down. London Bridges falling down, my fair lady. Take the key and lock her up, lock her up. Take the key and lock her up, my fair lady. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Everyone says the verse, two people hold each other's hands and walk around at Monday and when Sunday comes they put someone between them, swinging their arms back and forth and throwing the person away.
Data entry tech comment:
Entered by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C730.360, C523] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Submission card located in a pile marked C750 Jump Rope Rhyme
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself
Keyword(s): Bridges ; CHILDREN ; GAMES ; Jump Rope ; London ; Playground ; Rhymes
| Subject headings: | -- .C750500 |
Ethnic: German
Superstition:
In German villages it is believed that if a boy has a dog and the dog runs away, then the boy must follow the dog in search of his fortune. If the dog returns without his master, then the boy is dead. If the dog does not return, the boy has found his fortune.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Boy ; DIVINATION ; DOG ; ETHNIC ; FATE ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Ordaining ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition: Animals
Cat Superstitions:
If a human touches kittens before their eyes are open the mother cat will let them starve.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P752] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Abandon ; ANIMALS ; BELIEF ; Cats ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Belief: Animal
Mammal:
The excess handling of any or all of a litter of kittens may cause the mother cat to abandon the one kitten or the whole litter.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B442] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Keyword(s): Abandon ; ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; CAT ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Custom: Holiday
On February 2nd, the groundhog is said to come out of his place of hibernation to see if winter is over. If it is over, he will see his shadow, and if he does not see it, the groundhog returns for another six full weeks of winter.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
original BN [B462.642] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; CUSTOM ; Groundhog ; holiday ; SEASONS ; Shadow ; Spring ; WINTER
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Belief: Animal
Crosses on Donkeys:
The fur on a donkey's back seems to make a dark cross length-wise. According to the informant, the cross is there because Christ rode the donkey into Jerusalem. When she told me this, another person who was present said she had always heard it was there because Mary rode on the donkey.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P682.4, M247.3] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ;
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; ASS ; Christ ; CHRISTIANITY ; Cross ; DONKEY ; DONKEY ; Fur ; HAIR ; Jerusalem ; JESUS ; Mary ; RELIGION ; SYMBOL ; VIRGIN MARY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Custom: Holiday
Rudolph:
In conjunction with the legend of Santa Claus is his famous team of reindeer. The leader being Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Every child knows the song about Rudolph, and looks upon him as a sort of hero of Christmas.
Data entry tech comment:
Motif added by TRD
Where learned: CHICAGO
Keyword(s): CHRISTMAS ; Hero ; holiday ; Legend ; MYTH ; Reindeer ; Rudolph ; Santa
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Belief: Animal
Bite-Cure:
In Haiti, there is a small lizard-type animal, resembling a chameleon, because right before it bites you, it changes colors so that you can't see it. When it does bite, its jaws lock and it dangles on your body. The only way you can get it off is to find a donkey and make it bray - there by forcing the animal to open its jaws.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P750] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classification
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Bite ; BLEND ; Camouflage ; Chameleon ; DONKEY ; ETHNIC ; Haiti ; Haitian ; Lizard
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Belief: Animal
A snake having been killed will not die until sundown
Submitter comment:
Informant was skeptical as to this belief
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; DEATH ; Kill ; Serpent ; Snake ; Sundown ; SUPERSTITION ; Time of day
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Belief: Animal
Snake won't die until after sundown.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; SCRANTON
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; Night ; Serpent ; Snake ; Sundown ; SUNSET ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Belief: Animal
Snake Legend:
If you kill a snake you have to do it late in the day, because otherwise the snake would suffer until sunset.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B440] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classification.
Where learned: HOME ; MINNESOTA ; SAINT PAUL
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; DEATH ; Kill ; Serpent ; Snake ; Sundown ; SUNSET ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Superstition: Animals
Reunion of Snakes Belief:
If you cut a snake in two it will come back together after sundown.
Submitter comment:
Original Title was; Reunion of Snakes Bodily... The word bodily was crossed out and replaced with Belief.
The letter B is crossed out in the upper left hand corner. Possibly intended to be a BN.
Collector's phone number is listed at bottom right of card: XXX-5459
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRL
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Serpent ; Snake ; Sundown ; SUNSET ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Superstition: Animals
Resurrection of a Snake Belief:
If you kill a snake it will come back to life after sundown
Submitter comment:
The letter B is crossed out in the upper left hand corner of the submission card. Possibly intended as a BN
Collector's phone number is listed on the bottom right of submission card: XXX-5459
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; DEATH ; Resurrection ; Serpent ; Snake ; Sundown ; SUNSET ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Maxim
Early to Bed:
Early to Bed, early to rise,
makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
Submitter comment:
Heard this when I was a child.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Dup. of WPP
Keyword(s): Awake ; HEALTH ; Lifestyle ; Maxim ; SLEEP ; WEALTH ; WISDOM
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Proverb
Too soon old and too late smart.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C880.800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Dup of WPP
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): AGE ; Elderly ; Hindsight ; IGNORANCE ; Old ; WISDOM ; YOUTH
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |