Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Man returned 288 results.
WHO WAS BATMAN'S GIRLFRIEND?
CLEO-BAT-RA
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
WHAT IS BATMAN'S FAVORITE SPORT?
BAT-MINTON.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
WHAT DOES BATMAN DO THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING?
HE PUTS ON HIS BAT-ROBE AND GOES TO BRUSH HIS TEETH IN THE BAT-ROOM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
WHAT DO THEY CALL BATMAN AND ROBIN AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN RUN OVER
BY A TRUCK?
FLATMAN AND RIBBON.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
Remedy - Animal
Whoever carries the right eye of a wolf fastened inside his right sleeve, remains free from all injury.
Where learned: INDIANA ; VEEDERSBURG
Keyword(s): "NATURAL" REMEDY ; AMULET ; ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; CLOTHING ; CURE ; Injury ; MEDICAL ; PREVENTION ; talisman
James Callow Keyword(s): "NATURAL" REMEDY ; ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; REMEDY
| Subject headings: |
Prank
Fletcher Tube:
The Fletcher Tube us a non-existent piece of equipment. When freshmen are having problems in lab, you tell them that a Fletcher Tube will do the trick. They go to the stockroom to check one out and are laughed at.
Submitter comment:
Informant said that he pulled this gag while he was a graduate student.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CLASSROOM ; CHEMISTRY BUILDING
Keyword(s): ACADEMIC JOKES ; Chemistry ; COLLEGE ; COLLEGE PRANK ; COLLEGE PRANK ; Entertainment ; Freshman ; Hazing ; JOKE ; Laboratory ; PRACTICAL JOKE ; Prank
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Ethnic:Polish Superstition
If you sing at the table you'll marry a crazy husband.
Submitter comment:
I distinctly recall hearing this in a Polish Verse form but I can't find anyone else who recalls it.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P800] crossed out and replaced with P88o. The numbers 880 are crossed out and replaced with 477.
Various grammatical correction symbols.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; HUSBAND ; MANNERS ; Omen, Singing ; POLISH ; SUPERSTITION ; TABLE MANNERS
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Ethnic:Polish Superstition
IF A YOUNG GIRL SINGS AT THE TABLE, SHE WILL MARRY A CRAZY HUSBAND.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT IS A FRIEND OF MINE WHO REMEMBERS THIS FROM HER CHILDHOOD.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
Keyword(s): CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; HUSBAND ; MANNERS ; Omen, Singing ; POLISH ; SUPERSTITION ; TABLE MANNERS
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 02-00-1971
Ethnic:Polish Superstition
IF YOU SING AT THE TABLE, YOU WILL MARRY A CRAZY HUSBAND.
Submitter comment:
SHE HEARD THIS FROM HER MOTHER.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; HUSBAND ; MANNERS ; Omen, Singing ; POLISH ; SUPERSTITION ; TABLE MANNERS
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 11-00-1967
Entertainment: Gambling
In poker, a full house - aces and eights- is a Dead Man's Hand. Supposedly Wild Bill Hickok had this hand when he died.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out/ replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Aces ; CARDS ; Dead Man's Hand ; DEATH ; Eights ; Entertainment ; Hero ; Legend ; NUMBERS ; Outlaw ; Poker, Gambling ; Wild West
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Secular hero BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Entertainment: Gambling
Belief:
Aces and Eights - this is the Dead Man's Hand. Wild Bill Hickok was killed in a poler game with this hand.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] was written twice and crossed out each time/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: SCHOOL
Keyword(s): Aces ; CARDS ; Dead Man's Hand ; DEATH ; Eights ; Entertainment ; Hero ; Legend ; NUMBERS ; Outlaw ; Poker, Gambling ; Wild West
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Secular hero BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Ethnic: German
Prosperity Belief:
It is an old German belief that if you eat herring and shake coins in a tin box, you will not go hungry and will always have money.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P740, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Herring ; LUCK ; MONEY ; PROSPERITY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fish BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
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 |
Ethnic: German
Tros, tros, tril,
Der Bauerhat ein Phil,
Das Philchen will nicht lauffen,
Der Bauer will verkaufen,
Tros, tros, tril.
This verse was sung by a grandfather to a small child. It accompanied a little game in which the grandfather sat with his knees crossed. On his right leg the child was seated facing the grandfather who grasped the child's hands. As the grandfather sings the verse, he gives the child a "pony" ride on his leg.
The verse tells of a farmer who had a horse, the horse would not run, so the farmer wants to sell the horse.
Submitter comment:
The informant remembers her German-born father entertaining his grandchildren with this game in Kenosha, Wisconsin about 30 years ago.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Loose (very loose) translation:
Tros, Tros, tril, The Bauerhat a Phil, The Philchen will not often run, the farmer wants to sell, Tros, Tros, tril.
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C520, C750] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CHILDREN ; Entertainment ; ETHNIC ; Fable ; GAME ; GERMAN ; HORSE ; Play ; RHYME ; SONG
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.520 |
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 |
Ethnic: Roman
Rome is the city of cats, stones and priests becasue all three of these are very plentiful. The cats can be found everywhere and are respected by the people and are feed [sic] by them. Cats are never killed and always cared for because it is said that the Roman spirit is reincarnated in them.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P752, B440] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Keyword(s): CAT ; DEATH ; ETHNIC ; Feline ; Priests ; REINCARNATION ; Roman ; Rome ; Soul ; STONES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Entry filtered.
Verse
The Wind:
When the wind is in the East,
'Tis good for neither man nor feast;
When the wind is in the North,
The skillful fisher goes not forth;
When the wind is in the South,
It blows the bait in the fishes' mouth;
When the wind is in the West,
Then 'tis at its very best.
Submitter comment:
Discovered in a paper placement, printed in Rhode Island. Paper then discovered at Audio's Pizzaria in Detroit.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Dup. of WPP
Where learned: Rhode Island
Keyword(s): Bait ; DIRECTION ; East ; FISH ; Fisherman ; FOOD ; Formula ; North ; Ocean ; PREDICTION ; RHYME ; Sailor ; SEA ; Sky ; SONG ; South ; Sport ; VERSE ; WARNING ; West ; Wind
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb C880.890 |
Proverb
God's Alive:
God's not dead; he's living in Argentina.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Possible combination spoof on the saying "God is Alive and Well and Living in your Heart," while the Argentina reference may refer to the British Foriegn Office's response to the requested extradition of Adolph Eichmann: ("Eichmann is alive and well and living in Argentina")
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V400] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.
Card located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.
Where learned: RATHSKELLER
Keyword(s): Alive ; Argentina ; DEATH ; Eichmann ; God ; PROVERB ; Spoof
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim PROVERB -- Blason Populaire |
Proverb
A house without a woman and firelight is like a body without a soul or sprite.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V700] crossed out. Replaced with current classfication.
Located in a pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Keyword(s): BODY ; Domesticity ; Feminine ; FIRE ; Firelight ; PROVERB ; RHYME ; Soul ; SPIRIT ; Warmth ; Woman
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |