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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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EASTER EGG COLORING

UKRAINIANS ARE WIDELY KNOWN FOR THEIR EASTER EGG COLORING ART. THIS
ART ORIGINATED IN PAGAN TIMES, AND SYMBOLIZED THE REAWAKENING OF THE
EARTH FROM WINTER INTO SPRING. AFTER THE ADVENT OF CHRISTIANITY
THE "PYSANKA" SYMBOLIZED THE RESURRECTION AND THE REBIRTH OF
MANKIND, THEREFORE IT IS LAVISHLY DECORATED AND IS UNCOOKED. IT IS
NEVER EATEN BUT GIVEN AWAY AS A TOKEN OF LOVE, AND REGARDED
AS TALISMAN.

Data entry tech comment:

Told at informant's place of occupation - Detroit Board of Education.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; DETROIT BOARD OF EDUCATION ; INFORMANT'S PLACE OF OCCUPATION

Keyword(s): EASTER GIFTS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs

Date learned: 03-17-1970

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BELIEF

TURN A BURNT HAND TOWARDS THE EAST TO REDUCE THE STING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): COMPASS POINT - EAST ; DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 10-23-1968

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Entry filtered.

THE CANDY BAR SITUATION

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

ONE DAY MR. GOODBAR THOUGHT HE WOULD LIKE A BIT OF HONEY,
SO HE WENT DOWN TO FIFTH AVENUE AND PICKED UP MISS HERSHEY.
THEY WENT BEHIND THE POWERHOUSEE.
MR. GOODBAR SAID, "LET'S PRODUCE 3 MUSKETEERS".
MR. GOODBAR STARTED FEELING HER MOUNDS,
WHICH TO HIM WAS PURE ALMOND JOY.
HE SNICKERED UP HER MILKY WAY.
THEN SHE FELT HIS BUTTERNUTS AND CRIED, "OH HENRY, I AM
FOREVER YOURS".
THE RESULTS, BABY RUTH

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HUNTINGTON WOODS

James Callow Keyword(s): EUPHEMISMS FOR BREASTS, VAGINA, AND GONADS ; PUNS ON NAMES OF CANDY BARS ; SEX

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale
Filter - Mature Content

Date learned: CA00001977

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DO YOU KNOW WHAT A ZEBRA IS?
IT'S ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE SIZES LARGER THAN AN A-BRA.

Submitter comment: LARRY HEARD IT AT THE TOWN AND GOWN SERIES, FROM A
GROUP CALLED THE ARBORS. (THEATER GROUP)

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; CAR

James Callow Keyword(s): BOSOM ; BREAST ; BUST

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote

Date learned: 10-16-1967

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ACTIVITY-ASTRONOMY

CORN SHOULD BE PLANTED UNDER LEO TO INSURE LARGE
EARS. MM
CORN SHOULD BE PLANTED UNDER GEMINI TO INSURE TWO
EARS PER STALK.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM AN UNCLE, JOHN FURR.

Data entry tech comment: GEMINI=TWINS

Where learned: INDIANA ; GREENFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): LEO=LION, KING OF BEASTS. ; SYMBOLISM ; SYMBOLISM MM

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Plant husbandry Farming

Date learned: 11-23-1967

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EATING BATTER GIVES YOU BIGGER BOOBS.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY MY GRANDMOTHER WHEN I WAS MAKING PANCAKES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; NEW BUFFALO

James Callow Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; BOOBS = BREASTS (ASSUMED)

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses

Date learned: 00-00-1981 ; 10-14-1987

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Good Luck

Standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean just before
sunrise can put you in a great state of mind and can bring
you a world of good luck. If you then take a quarter out
of your pocket
and throw it out into the ocean as far as you can it will
bring you 25 days of good luck. This all must be done before
the sun rises.

Where learned: FLORIDA ; FORT LAUDERDALE

Keyword(s): Buying luck

James Callow Keyword(s): East ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: Favorites
BELIEF -- Sun
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Still water Large body.
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour
BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth
BELIEF -- Number P686.1.25
BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 00-00-1991

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Blessing of the Easter Basket

When my mother was growing up, she would prepare an Easter
basket with her mother the day before Easter. The basket
contained Polish sausage, hard boiled eggs which symbolized new
life, a pound cake molded into the shape of a lamb, a pound of
butter shaped into the form of a lamb (the shape of the lamb
reminds us of Christ being sacrificed like a lamb), and homemade
bread with a cross cut into it (the cross symbolized the
crucifixion of Jesus). After all of these foods were made and put
into the basket, they carried the basket to Church on Holy
Saturday. At the Church, the priest would bless the basket of
food with Holy Water and say prayers. Then the basket of food was
taken home and eaten the next day on Easter Sunday. This food
basket was the base of that year's Easter Sunday dinner.

Submitter comment: Our family still practices this custom of blessing the Easter
Basket only in Chicago, Illinois when we go to visit our Polish
grandparents. They live in a Polish dominated area of Chicago and
we all attend the Polish church down the street. The Mass is said
completely in Polish, and then the priest will bless all of the
Easter Baskets for the people.

Keyword(s): Polish Easter

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School

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THE FLOWER OF A DOGWOOD TREE IS SUPPOSED TO SYMBOLIZE THE CROSS
ON WHICH CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED, AND THE BROWNISH MARKS ON THE
ENDS OF THE PETALS REPRESENT, ACCORDING TO ONE LEGEND, THE
BLOOD OF CHRIST, AND ACCORDING TO ANOTHER, THEY REPRESENT
THE RUST FROM THE NAILS WHICH HELD HIM TO THE CROSS.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): EASTER EASTERTIDE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Plant Life
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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BIG BOSOMED WOMEN ARE USUALLY RATHER DUMB.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Keyword(s): BREASTED BREASTS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Upper body, arms, neck

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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PULL ON A WISHBONE WITH A FRIEND. WHOEVER GETS THE LONGEST
PIECE WILL MARRY FIRST.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Keyword(s): BREASTBONE ; FO

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Meat
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Marriage

Date learned: 08-06-1968

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RIDDLE

ON WHICH SIDE OF A CHURCH DOES A CYPRESS TREE GROW?
-- THE OUTSIDE.

Where learned: HOME ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): LEFT RIGHT EAST WEST

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-00-1967

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RIDDLE

IF A ROOSTER LAID AN EGG ON TOP OF A ROOF, WHICH WAY WOULD
IT FALL?
-- ROOSTERS DON'T LAY EGGS.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; LEFT RIGHT EAST WEST

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 02-23-1972

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RIDDLE

IF A ROOSTER LAID AN EGG ON THE TOP OF A ROOF, WHICH WAY
WOULD THE EGG ROLL?
-- NEITHER, ROOSTERS DON'T LAY EGGS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): ANIMAL LEFT RIGHT EAST WEST

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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RIDDLE

IF A DIESEL WERE HEADING UP A HILL INTO A SEVENTY MILE AN
HOUR CROSS WIND WHICH WAY WOULD THE SMOKE GO?
-- NO DIRECTION BECAUSE DIESELS DON'T SMOKE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): LEFT RIGHT NORTH EAST WEST

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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Ethnic: Moravian

Burial Custom: Moravian:

Every Easter, headstones are brought to uniform whitenes and flowers bedeck virtually every grave of deceased Moravian members at Old Salem, North Carolina. At sunrise, approximately half a dozen bands march into the graveyard to celebrate the risen lord.

Submitter comment:

Read in National Geographic Magazine,  Dec. 1970

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: Myself ; Magazine

Keyword(s): BURIAL ; CUSTOM ; Easter ; ETHNIC ; Funeral ; Moravian

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial

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Myth

Easter Bunny:

The Easter Bunny - A big rabbit with a white tail who hides eggs around your house.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P429] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; HOME

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Bunny ; CUSTOM ; Easter ; Eggs ; Hare ; holiday ; MYTH ; Rabbit

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal

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Belief: Animal

Legend about the Rhinoceros:

In the Far East the horn of a rhinoceros is thought to be an aphrodisiac. Becasue of this the rhinoceros is almost extinct in this region.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [ B444, N800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; APHRODISIAC ; ETHNIC ; Extinct ; Far East ; Horn ; HUNTING ; Rhinoceros

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal

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Superstition: Animals

La Cicilia (Snake Belief):

This is a little short snake (type of viper) which is blind and hisses. It comes out once a year on the feast of the Madonna degli Angeli. On this feastday no child is left alone for the people believe that these vipers seek babies and small children. The vipers are believed to have the spirit of the devil within them and seek little children's souls.

Submitter comment:

My mother really believes this story and claims to have seen them.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Written on the right hand side of the card: Date? Unknown.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Babies ; CHILDREN ; Feast ; FESTIVAL ; holiday ; Holy Day ; Prey ; Serpent ; Snake ; Soul ; Viper

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Mammal

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Belief: Weather

Weather Proverb:

If the wind is from the East, the fishing is the least;

But if the wind is from the West, the fishing is the best.

Submitter comment:

My mother heard this proverb from my father, who likes fishing.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Dup. of WPP

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; Connor St ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES

Keyword(s): Air ; DIRECTION ; East ; FISHING ; PREDICTION ; RHYME ; WEATHER ; West ; Wind

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

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