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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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RIDDLE

WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS AN ELEPHANT AND A COW?
PEANUT BUTTER.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM A FRIEND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMALS: COWS ; ANIMALS: ELEPHANTS ; RIDDLE JOKE: CROSSING ONE THING WITH ANOTHER

James Callow Keyword(s): HYBRID

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-13-1967

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ELEPHANT JOKE

WHAT WAS THE ELEPHANT DOING ON THE HIGHWAY?
OH, ABOUT TEN MILES AN HOUR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMALS: ELEPHANTS ; RIDDLE JOKE: ELEPHANT JOKE

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN ON DOING

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 09-00-1968

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The Ant and the Grasshopper

All day long all through the warm days of summer, a green
grasshopper went happily about. Whenever the grasshopper was
thirsty, he would sip nectar from any plant he saw. One
afternoon, as the grasshopper was leaping from flower to flower,
he saw beneath him a little black ant struggling to carry a fat
leaf bigger than himself. "Little friend," said the grasshopper,
"What are you doing down there?" "Why, I am carrying this leaf
off to my nest. I must fill my nest with food to last through
winter." "Winter?" said the grasshopper. "Who cares about
winter? Why don't you climb up to this flower and enjoy its
sweet nectar? Winter will take care of itself." "That isn't the
way things work in this world," said the ant. "Winter will be
here soon. The flowers will be gone, and there will be nothing
to eat." "Well, suit yourself," said the grasshopper. And off
he went, singing happily and having no cares at all. The ant
returned to carry each leaf, but he did not mind. He knew he
would have enough to last the winter. Soon the cold weather
came. The ant was snug in his
nest with plenty of food to eat. The grasshopper? He had
nothing to eat and soon was no more. A WISE PERSON KNOWS THAT
SUMMER DOES NOT LAST FOREVER.

Submitter comment: My informant remembers reading this fable in Aesop.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing

Keyword(s): Nectar = A sweet liquid secreted by plants

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale
BELIEF -- Measure of time Winter

Date learned: 11-00-1991

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RIDDLE

WHAT OCCURS ONCE IN EVERY MINUTE, TWICE IN EVERY MOMENT, BUT NOT ONCE
IN A THOUSAND YEARS?
THE LETTER "M".

Keyword(s): CONSTANTS

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-15-1968

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RIDDLE

WHAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF TEXAS?
THE LETTER "X".

Keyword(s): CONSTANTS

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-15-1968

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RIDDLE

LUKE HAD IT FIRST. PAUL HAD IT LAST. GIRLS HAVE IT ONCE. BOYS NEVER
HAVE IT. MISS SULLIVAN HAD IT TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE UNTIL SHE
MARRIED PAT MURPHY. THEN SHE NEVER HAD IT AT ALL.
THE LETTER "L".

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): CONATANTS

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 09-07-1967

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DO THE FIREMEN WEAR SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO KEEP THEIR PANTS UP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DOES UNCLE SAM WEAR RED - WHITE - AND - BLUE
SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO HOLD HIS PANTS UP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1965

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DOES A FIREMAN WEAR RED SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO KEEP HIS PANTS UP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-00-1967

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DID THE FIREMAN WEAR RED SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO HOLD HIS PANTS UP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DOES A FIREMAN WEAR RED SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO HOLD UP HIS PANTS.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-00-1968

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DO FIREMEN WEAR RED SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO HOLD UP THEIR PANTS.

Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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RIDDLE

QUESTION: WHY DOES UNCLE SAM WEAR RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
SUSPENDERS?
ANSWER: TO HOLD UP HIS PANTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PANTS (A) ; SUSPENDERS (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

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Autograph Rhyme

Autograph rhyme;

Yours till the Mississippi wears rubber pants.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): AUTOGRAPH ; Mississippi ; Pants ; PUN ; RHYME ; River ; Rubber ; Signature ; VERSE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music

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Autograph Rhyme

Album Verse:

Yours till the Atlantic ocean wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Album ; Atlantic ; AUTOGRAPH ; Ocean ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; Rubber Pants ; SEA ; Signature ; VERSE ; WORDPLAY

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music

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Salutation

Yours till the ocean wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs Added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Leave-Talking?

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Album ; AUTOGRAPH ; Devotion ; Farewell ; Ocean ; Pants ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; Rubber ; Salutation ; Signature ; WORDPLAY

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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CATS KILL INFANTS BY SUCKING THEIR BREATH.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Keyword(s): Babies ; BREATH ; Cats ; Infants ; Kill

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

Date learned: 10-14-1973

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Rhyme

The Ants

The ants go marching one by one: Hurrah! Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, Hurrah! Hurrah!

Chorus:*

The ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to shoot his gun, and they all go marching down to the earth, to get out of the rain, Boom Boom Boom!

The ants go marching two by two...the little one stops to tie his shoe...

three by three...climb a tree

four by four...slam the door

five by five...do the jive

six by six...pick up sticks

even by seven...go to heaven

eight by eight...shut the gate

nine by nine...check the time

ten by ten...shout THE END!

Data entry tech comment:

Entered by TRD

Keyword(s): Ants ; Children's Song ; COUNTING ; GAME ; MEMORY ; RHYME ; SONG

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad Epic

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PLANT LEGEND

THERE IS A TREE BY THE TWO OCEANS WHICH PUTS YOU TO SLEEP WHEN
YOU SIT UNDER IT. UPON AWAKENING, YOU ARE COVERED WITH HIVES
AND THE ONLY CURE IS TO WASH IN THE OCEANS--SALT WATER REMOVES
THE HIVES.

Submitter comment:

MISS ZITZEWITZ LEARNED OF THIS FROM HER MOTHER AS A CHILD.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Botanical ; HIVES ; Legend ; Ocean ; PLANTS ; Tree

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Water
BELIEF -- Earth

Date learned: 10-01-1963

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BELIEF

THERE ARE CUFFS ON PANTS BECAUSE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN FARMERS USED
TO ROLL UP THEIR TROUSERS WHEN THEY WENT TO WORK IN THE FIELDS.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Cuffed ; English ; Farmers ; Fashion ; Functions ; Menswear ; Origin ; Pants

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Work Commerce Business

Date learned: 11-05-1968

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