Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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TELEPHONE CATCHES
MY GIRLFRIEND AND I USED TO PLAY TRICKS ON PEOPLE AND
CALL UP ON THE PHONE AND ASK, "IS YOUR REFRIGERATOR
RUNNING?" WHEN SOMEONE WOULD ANSWER OR GRUNT, WE'D
THEN ADD, "YOU'D BETTER CATCH IT!"
Where learned: MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; SAGINAW
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 03-27-1971
AUTOGRAPH ON FRIENDSHIP
IN CENTRAL PARK THERE IS A ROCK
AND ON IT SAYS FORGET-ME-NOT.
AND FARTHER ON THERE IS A TREE
AND ON IT'S CARVED REMEMBER ME.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT NOT AWARE OF NAME OR RESIDENCE OF MESSAGE WRITER.
Data entry tech comment: "ITS" CHANGED TO "IT'S"
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CAMP METAMORA ; METAMORA
Keyword(s): "INDIRECTION" ; CENTRAL PARK ; CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK ASSUMED ; COMMENT ON REMEMBRANCE ; INFORMATIVE ; METER: IAMBS ; QUATRAIN ; REMEMBRANCE ; RHYME: AABB ; RHYME: SLANT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Remember me |
AUTOGRAPH BOOK RHYME
THINGS ARE HARD TO REMEMBER.
THINGS ARE HARD TO FORGET.
BUT THE HARDEST THING TO REMEMBER
IS TO REMEMBER NOT TO FORGET.
Submitter comment: RHYME FROM INFORMANT'S JUNIOR HIGH AUTOGRAPH BOOK.
Keyword(s): CONTRADICTION ; INFORMATIVE ; METER: TROCHEES ; OBSERVATION ; PARADOX ; QUATRAIN ; REMEMBRANCE ; REPETITION ; RHYME: ABAB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Remember me |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
AUTOGRAPH VERSE
THE EAGLE MAY FORGET THE ROCK
THE OCEAN BIRD THE SEA
THE FLOWERS MAY FORGET TO BLOOM
BUT I'LL REMEMBER THEE.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
Keyword(s): BIRDS ; CONTRAST ; FLOWERS ; FRIENDLY ; FRIENDSHIP ; INFORMATIVE ; METER: IAMBS ; PROMISE OF REMEMBRANCE ; QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Tender sentiment |
Date learned: 10-17-1967
APPRECIATION OF FRIENDS
IT IS EVIDENT THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES,
HOW SWEET AND SOUR OUR LIVES CAN BE.
BUT IF WE COULD LOVE AS WELL AS WE HATE,
WHAT FEW TROUBLES WOULD BE LEFT TO SEE.
FOR JOYS WOULD RESULT WITH NO SORROWS FELT,
THUS LEAVING OUR HEARTS SO EASY TO MELT.
Keyword(s): ADVICE ; ASSONANCE ; CONTRAST ; FREE VERSE ; HATE ; INFORMATIVE ; LOVE ; METAPHOR ; RHYME: ABCBEE ; SERIOUSNESS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Tender sentiment |
Date learned: 00-00-1959
IN ORDER TO HARM, SOME PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
MOST OF THE TIME THEY BECOME DOGS AND THEY ATTACK THEIR ENEMIES.
Submitter comment:
ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN TWO PERSONS USED TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT,
MOST OF THE TIME ONE OF THEM WOULD SAY TO THE OTHER: "I WILL
GET YOU, BUT IT WON'T BE ME, IT WILL BE SOMETHING ELSE." THIS
"SOMETHING ELSE" WOULD BE THE DOG.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFORMATION SHAPE-SHIFTING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 00-00-1966
MY GRANDFATHER BELIEVED THAT IF YOU THREW A HAIR FROM A HORSE'S
TAIL INTO A RAINBARREL IT WOULD TURN INTO A SNAKE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 02-00-1984
When my family and friends are sitting around the
house watching television, we have a saying when
you get up to go to the bathroom or get something
from the refrigerator. The saying is "Place back."
Saying "Place back" means that when you come back
you get your seat back. If you don't say "Place
back," anyone can take your seat from you. When
you come back and see that your seat is gone,
the person sitting in your chair must say,
"Move your meat, lose your seat" before you say
"Place back."
Submitter comment:
The game came about from not having enough
comfortable seats in the house. We were always
arguing who got to sit in the best chair.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
James Callow Keyword(s): Reservation formula
| Subject headings: | Favorites Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1978
THOSE IN THE THEATER, WHEN THEY WANT TO WISH AN
ACTOR OR AN ACTRESS GOOD LUCK, SAY: "BREAK A LEG."
Submitter comment:
THOSE CONNECTED WITH THE THEATER FEEL IT IS BAD
LUCK TO WISH SOMEONE GOOD LUCK BEFORE THEY GO ON
STAGE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | DRAMA -- Secular BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 11-24-1968
WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONS SOMETHING THAT HE HAS HAD
GOOD LUCK WITH IN HIS LIFE, HE PROMPTLY KNOCKS
ON WOOD AND/OR SAYS, "KNOCK ON WOOD" IN ORDER
TO KEEP HIS LUCK FROM CHANGING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
WHEN TWO PEOPLE WOULD SAY THE SAME THING AT THE SAME
TIME, THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY "OWE ME A COKE" WOULD
RECEIVE SOME SORT OF GOOD LUCK.
(SUPPOSEDLY IN THE FORM OF A FREE COKE (COCA-COLA,
A SOFT DRINK).
Submitter comment:
THE WAY I LEARNED IT, THE PERSON SAYING "OWE ME A
COKE" WOULD HAVE TO SLUG THE OTHER GUY ON THE
SHOULDER IN ORDER TO VALIDATE THE CUSTOM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
THIS WAS COLLECTED APRIL 11, 1967 FROM MY SISTER. SHE
HEARD IT FROM HER CLASSMATES; SHE IS IN JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL.
WHEN TWO PEOPLE TALK AT THE SAME TIME, ONE MUST SAY
"NEEDLES AND PINS" IN ORDER TO PREVENT BAD LUCK.
Where learned: JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 04-11-1967
"LUCKY AT CARDS, UNLUCKY AT LOVE."
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement BELIEF -- Conversions Games Pastimes Sports SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 08-00-1967
IF I PULLED A HAIR FROM A HORSE'S TAIL AND SEALED IT
IN A JAR OF MY OWN URINE, THE HAIR WOULD TURN
OVERNIGHT INTO A SNAKE.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; BLACK BOY: A RECORD OF CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH ; SIGNET BOOK ; NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY ; PAGE 81
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 00-00-1945
TAKE A HAIR OUT OF A HORSE'S TAIL AND SOAK IT IN WATER
FOR CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS AND IT WILL TURN INTO A SNAKE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
TALE OF KISSING ONES ELBOW
IF YOU KISS YOUR ELBOW, YOU'LL TURN INTO THE
OPPOSITE SEX.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): IMPOSSIBLE TASK
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Word Letter SPEECH -- Magical |
Date learned: 01-26-1972
Superstition: Pregnancy
IF A HARE PASSES IN FRONT OF A PREGNANT WOMAN, HER CHILD WILL BE BORN
WITH A HARELIP UNLESS SHE MAKES A TEAR IN HER SLIP.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added and information updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; informant's home
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; CURSE ; Deformity ; Hare ; Offspring ; PREGNANCY ; Rabbit ; SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): IMITATIVE MAGIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 01-22-1970
Belief: Animal
IF YOU TAKE A HAIR OUT OF A HORSE'S TAIL AND PUT IT IN A
GLASS OF WATER, IT WILL TURN INTO A WORM.
Submitter comment:
HEARD FROM HER MOTHER.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; HAIR ; HORSE ; MAGIC ; SUPERSTITION ; TRANSFORMATION ; WATER ; Worm
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Animal Life BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 03-07-1969
Belief: Animal
Belief in Magic:
If you place a horsehair in vinegar it will turn into a worm.
Submitter comment:
This was told to the informant by her grandmother many years ago.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P600] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classifications.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; WORK ; CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; HAIR ; HORSE ; MAGIC ; SUPERSTITION ; TRANSFORMATION ; VINEGAR ; Worm
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Animal Life BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Belief: Animal
The Pig's Look:
In Haiti, if walking down the street at midnight, one spy's a pig; he looks and runs the other way, for if the eyes of the pig meet yours simultaneously, you will immediately be transformed into a pig.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; ETHNIC ; Haiti ; Haitian ; MAGIC ; Pig ; TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |