Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Bat returned 58 results.
TAKE A DIP IN THE GANGA RIVER AND YOU WILL WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS A HINDU RITUAL. THE RIVER IS FAST RUNNING AND VERY
POLLUTED. A DIP IN THIS RIVER COULD KILL YOU.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): GANGES? ; RITUAL BATHING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Running water Large current. |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
In Baghdad, Iraq swimming in the Tigris and Euphrates river
after the holy month of Ramadan is said to be the last
cleansing process of the soul. Only Moslems participate in
this religious ceremony.
Submitter comment:
My father told me this story because he knew of many
individuals who would participate in the ceremony.
James Callow Keyword(s): bathing
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1948
CUSTOM
ON EASTER MORNING, WHEN THE CHURCH BELLS RING, THE MOTHERS BATHE
THEIR BABIES SO IF THEY ARE FRIGHTENED OF ANYTHING, THE FRIGHT WILL
BE WASHED AWAY.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): bathing ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC ; WASHING ; WATER
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting F663.12 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday |
Date learned: 11-11-1967
Saying
Blind as a bat.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Bat ; BLIND ; Language ; METAPHOR ; Saying ; SIMILE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Group of Vowels and Consonants, and of Words |
CROWHEART BUTTE
THERE IS A BUTTE IN WYOMING CALLED CROWHEART BUTTE
WHICH HAS A HISTORICAL STORY ATTACHED TO ITS NAME, BUT
THE LOCAL PEOPLE PREFER THIS ONE. TWO INDIAN CHIEFS,
ONE OF THEM A CROW, WERE FEUDING, AND, RATHER
THAN RISK LOSING SO MANY BRAVES IN OPEN BATTLE,
DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE SETTLED ON TOP OF CROWHEART
BUTTE AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM ONLY. THEY
MET ON THE TOP THAT DAY (NO ONE HAS EXPLAINED HOW
THEY GOT UP THE STEEP SIDES) AND FOUGHT TO THE DEATH.
THE CROW CHIEF WAS KILLED, SO, ACCORDING TO TRADITION,
THE OTHER CHIEF CUT OUT HIS HEART AND ATE IT
WHILE THE BODY WAS STILL WARM TO SIGNIFY VICTORY.
Where learned: NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
James Callow Keyword(s): CANNIBALISM ; SINGLE COMBAT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name |
Date learned: 00-00-1964
IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, THE OUTHOUSE IS CALLED THE "DAISY," AND THE
CONTENTS ARE CALLED "HONEY," WHICH MUST BE BURNED ONCE A WEEK.
Submitter comment: REMEMBERED FROM HER CHILDHOOD HOME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATHROOM
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Common Word |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
Entry filtered.
DO YOU KNOW WHO BATMAN'S COOK IS? BATTY CROCKER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
IF BATMAN ISN'T MARRIED WHAT IS HE?
A BAT-CHELOR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
WHAT POWERS THE BATMOBILE?
A BAT-TERY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BATMAN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
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
Jokes
A man walked into a rest-room and seen a ten dollar bill laying on a table. As he picked it up and started to put it ini his pocket he heard a weird voice say: "I'm the ghost of Betty Grable and I say the ten dollar bill stays on the table." The man grew frightened, threw the ten dollar bill back on the table and ran out.
Another man walked in , picked up the ten dollar bill and started to walk out. Again the voice came and repeated the same line. The man laughed and put the ten dollar bill back on the table and walked out. A third man came in and picked up the ten dollar bill and put it in his pocket. As he was leaving he heard the haunting voice say: "I'm the ghost of Betty Grable and I say the ten dollar bill stays on the table." The man smiled, and said: "*I am the ghost of Davy Crockett, and I say the ten dollar bill stays in my pocket!"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B667] crossed out and replaced with B660
Editing marks for spelling errors. ( crossed out an errant tin the word laughed).
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): Anecdote ; BATHROOM ; Betty Grable ; Davy Crockett ; GHOST ; GHOSTLY VOICES ; Jest ; MONEY ; Voice ; Wit
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote |
Prank
In LeRoy, N.Y. a common prank would be to call a person on the telephone and tell him you were from teh water department. You would ask him to fill up his bathtub, since the water was to be off for the next day. The pranksters had no connections with the water department, and people would be without use of bathtubs for the night.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): Bathtub ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; PRANKS ; TELEPHONE PRANK ; Water Department
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Destiny
Killing an albatross while on a ship means that the ship is going to meet disaster.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P870] crossed out and replaced with current classification.
Where learned: LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
Keyword(s): Albatross ; ANIMAL SYMBOL ; DESTINY ; Disaster ; Lore ; LUCK ; Nautical ; OMEN ; Sailor ; SEA ; Ship
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Entry filtered.
Language
Tongue Twister:
Betty Botter bought some butter. But, she said, the butters bitter: If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter will make my batter better. So she bought a bit of butter and put it in her batter and it made her batter worse.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Baking ; Batter ; Butter ; Language ; RHYME ; TONGUE TWISTER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Language
Tongue Twister:
Betty Botta bought some butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit o' better butter will but make my batter better." So she bought a bit o' butter, better than the bitter butter, made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botta bought a bit o' better butter.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Something similar (but shorter) already typed as prose.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Baking ; Batter ; Butter ; COOKING ; Dearborn Heights ; GAME ; Language ; MICHIGAN ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Redford ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |