Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for CATCH returned 54 results.
WANT A NICKLE?
GO EAT A PICKLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CATCH RHYME ; FEMININE RHYME ; RHYME: AA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
AUTOGRAPH (COLLECTOR'S TITLE) ; READING OR WRITING BACKWARDS OR UPSIDE DOWN (CLASSIFIER'S TITLE)
ONLY MONKEYS LOOK UPSIDE DOWN}
Submitter comment: WRITTEN UPSIDE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK
Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; CATCH INSULT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Reading or writing backwards, upside down |
Date learned: 03-01-1970
TAUNT
LITTLE CHILDREN WILL TRY TO TEASE THEIR FRIENDS WITH THE FOLLOWING; MM
QUESTION - WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?
ANSWER - PEA GREEN SOUP MM
QUESTION - WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR LUNCH?
ANSWER - PEA GREEN SOUP MM
QUESTION - WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR DINNER?
ANSWER - PEA GREEN SOUP MM
QUESTION - WHAT DID YOU DO ALL NIGHT?
ANSWER - PEA GREEN SOUP
Submitter comment:
THE COLLECTOR FIRST HEARD THIS IN 1976 FROM A YOUNGER SISTER. IT
IS A CATCH QUESTION EMPHASIZING REPETITION TO EMBARRASS THE UNWARY.
PEA GREEN SOUP IS USED IN TWO DIFFERENT CONTEXTS - FIRST AS A NOUN
AND THEN AS A VERB. PEE IS USED AS A SLANG WORD FOR URINATE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; USA ; SOUTHGATE
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH ; SLANG: PEE FOR URINATE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-00-1980 ; 09-00-1976
THE DEAD CHINAMAN
WHY DID THEY BURY THE CHINAMAN ON THE SIDE OF THE HILL?
BECAUSE HE WAS DEAD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- CHIN RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
RIDDLE
WHAT IS SMOKEY THE BEAR'S MIDDLE NAME? ANSWER: THE.
Data entry tech comment: SMOKEY THE BEAR IS A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL CHARACTER ; USED
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
CATCH JOKE
THIS IS A FAIRY STORY AND A RIDDLE.
ONCE THERE WAS A GREAT KING WHO HAD TWO UNMARRIED
DAUGHTERS. A BRAVE KNIGHT CAME TO CALL ON THE KING AND
WAS IMMEDIATELY OFFERED THE CHANCE TO MARRY INTO THE ROYAL
FAMILY. NOW ONE DAUGHTER WAS TERRIBLY HOMELY, BUT SHE WAS
A TERRIFIC HOMEMAKER AND A GREAT COOK. SHE WAS, EXCEPT
FOR HER LOOKS, A PERFECT MATE. THE OTHER DAUGHTER WAS
BEAUTIFUL-- BUT HELPLESS. SHE COULD NEITHER COOK NOR
KEEP HOUSE. AFTER LENGTHY DELIBERATION, THE FOUR OF THEM--
THE KING, THE TWO DAUGHTERS, AND THE BRAVE KNIGHT--
GATHERED TO HEAR THE DECISION. WHOM DID HE CHOOSE?
(AT THIS POINT THE LISTENER GUESSES ONE DAUGHTER OR
THE OTHER.) WRONG! HE CHOSE THE KING. I TOLD YOU IT
WAS A FAIRY STORY.
Submitter comment:
I WAS TOLD THIS JOKE ON MY JOB AT DETROIT BANK AND TRUST
COMPANY IN 1977. THE JOKE, OF COURSE, IS IN THE DOUBLE-
ENTENDRE OF THE MEANING OF THE WORD "FAIRY", WHICH IS
USED HERE AS A DERISIVE TERM FOR HOMOSEXUALS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH TALE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale SPEECH -- Formula RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
PRACTICAL JOKE
THE JOKE TELLER INSTRUCTS THE DUPE TO REPEAT THE PHRASE
"BEHIND THE BUSH" AFTER EVERY STATEMENT THAT HE MAKES.
JOKE TELLER- THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN.
DUPE- BEHIND THE BUSH.
JOKE TELLER- TAKING OFF HIS CLOTHES.
DUPE- BEHIND THE BUSH.
JOKE TELLER- WHERE WERE YOU?
DUPE- BEHIND THE BUSH.
Submitter comment:
THIS JOKE IS MEANT TO TRAP PEOPLE (ESPECIALLY WOMEN) INTO
ADMITTING TO HAVING DONE SOMETHING DISGUSTING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH TALE ; REFRAIN
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 00001970S
TARZAN AND ELEPHANT JOKE #1
Q. WHAT DID TARZAN SAY WHEN HE SAW THE HERD OF ELEPHANTS
COMING OVER THE HILL?
A. LOOK--A HERD OF ELEPHANTS COMING OVER THE HILL!!
Submitter comment:
THIS JOKE IS KNOWN AS A GROANER, SINCE IT RECEIVES GROANS,
NOT LAUGHS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNION LAKE
James Callow Keyword(s): LITERAL CATCH
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 03-00-1984
AT MIDNIGHT YOU WERE MADE TO STAND IN A FIELD, USUALLY A
CAMP GROUND. YOU WERE TOLD TO SCREAM THREE INDIAN WORDS
VERY FAST UNTIL YOU FIGURED OUT WHAT IT MEANS.
THE THREE WORDS WERE, "WANNA," "ASA," "AM." SAID VERY FAST
THESE WORDS SOUND LIKE --WHAT AN ASS I AM.
Submitter comment: IT WAS USED AS AN INITIATION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
Date learned: 00001970S
Entry filtered.
Question: How many people are buried in a cemetery?
Answer: All that are dead.
Submitter comment:
Informant's grandfather used to ask this riddle
every time they drove past a cemetery.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00001940S
A popular joke in school was:
If a rooster is on top of a roof, on a peak,
and lays an egg, which direction will the egg roll?
Answer, roosters do not lay eggs.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): Catch Riddle
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 00001970S
PETE AND REPEAT SITTING ON A FENCE,
PETE JUMPED OFF, WHO WAS LEFT?
REPEAT (THEN REPEAT THE VERSE).
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH ; VERSE ROUND
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Prose Narrative Prose Narrative |
WENT UP THE FIRST STAIR--JUST LIKE ME.
ARROW DRAWN FROM 1ST TO
WENT UP THE 10TH STAIR--JUST LIKE ME.
WALKED INTO THE ROOM--JUST LIKE ME.
LOOKED INTO THE MIRROR--JUST LIKE ME.
SAW A MONKEY--JUST LIKE ME.
Submitter comment: LEARNED IN JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; JOHNSTOWN
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 10-06-1964
TAUNT
PETE AND HIT ME WERE WALKING ACROSS A BRIDGE.
PETE FELL IN AND WHO WAS LEFT?
HIT ME!
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER BROTHER, BARRY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 09-25-1967
WENT UP THE FIRST STAIR--JUST LIKE ME.
ARROW DRAWN FROM 1ST TO
WENT UP THE 10TH STAIR--JUST LIKE ME.
WALKED INTO THE ROOM--JUST LIKE ME.
LOOKED INTO THE MIRROR--JUST LIKE ME.
SAW A MONKEY--JUST LIKE ME.
Submitter comment: LEARNED IN JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; JOHNSTOWN
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 10-06-1964
TAUNT
PETE AND HIT ME WERE WALKING ACROSS A BRIDGE.
PETE FELL IN AND WHO WAS LEFT?
HIT ME!
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER BROTHER, BARRY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 09-25-1967
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
Entertainment: Catch Tale
Catch Tale Designed to Make Listener Ridiculous and/or Surprised:
Speaker: "I can make a match burn twice."
Listener: "How?"
Speaker: "Watch."
Speaker lights match and then blows it out, whereupon he quickly touches the skin of the listener with the still hot match, thus making it "burn" twice.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B667] crossed out. F536 written next to it.
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): Catch Riddle ; CATCH TALE ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; MATCH ; MATCHES ; RIDDLE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Entertainment: Catch Tale
TELL VICTIM YOU CAN MAKE A MATCH BURN TWICE. LIGHT MATCH, AND BLOW
OUT. THEN STICK THE TIP INTO THE VICTIM'S HAND.
Data entry tech comment:
Edited on 11-30-2010/ added Motifs,Keywords,BN. -TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CATCH ; Catch Riddle ; CATCH TALE ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; MATCH ; MATCHES ; MOCK EPIC FIRE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 11-16-1968