Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for House returned 78 results.
RIDDLE
Q: LONG LEGS, CROKED (CROOKED?) THIGHS, LITTLE HEAD, NO EYES.
A: A PAIR OF TONGS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): HOUSEHOLD ITEMS (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q) ; PRIVATIONAL
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle |
RIDDLE IN VERSE
Q: I'M AS HELPFUL AS CAN BE/ BUT I MAKE AN AWFUL DIN/ WHEN I LEAVE,
NO DIRT YOU'LL SEE/ FOR I TAKE THE DIRT RIGHT IN.
A: VACUUM CLEANER. (VACUUM CLEANER)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; HOUSEHOLD ITEMS (A) ; NATURAL PHENOMENA (Q)
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle |
Date learned: 10-00-1967
RIDDLE
Q: WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY TO ST. IVES/ I MET A MAN WITH SEVEN WIVES/
EACH WIFE HAD SEVEN BAGS/ EACH BAG HAD SEVEN CATS/ EACH CAT HAD
SEVEN KITTENS/ WIVES, BAGS, CATS AND KITTENS/ HOW MANY WERE GOING
TO ST. IVES?
A: ONE.
Data entry tech comment: TWO VARIANTS IN U OF D FOLKLORE 5 X 8 CARD FILES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMALS (Q) ; HOUSEHOLD ITEM (Q) ; NUMBERS ; PERSONS (Q)
James Callow Keyword(s): CUMULATIVE VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle C890.400 |
Date learned: 11-18-1970
Entry filtered.
MAFIA APPLICATION
=====================================================================
MAFIA APPLICATION
WHATZA U NAME?}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}U HAGE?}}}}}}}
WHATZA U HOWZA NUMBA?}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}U STREETA?}}}}}}}}}}
WHATZA U BAG? HITTAMAN}}}}}LONE ARRANGER}}}}}PROSTITUIT}}}}}
PUTTA DOWNNA WEAR U WORGA NOW}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
IZZA U GIRL!!!! OR BOY?!!!! (JUSTTE CHEKA ONE)
WAZZA U INN DE BIGGA OUSE?}}}}}WHATTA WAZZA U INN DE BIGGA OUSE 4?
I SHOOTE ONE GUIZE}}}}}I KEEDENAP SOMEBODYS}}}}}
PROTECKSHON RAGGETS}}}}}SOM UDDER DINGZA}}}}}
U WANNA BE DE BIGGA SHOTZA SOMDAZE? YASSE?}}}}}NO?}}}}}EH?}}}}}
U NO OW 2 MAKKE DE CEMENT SHOOZE?}}}}}}}}}}
U NO OW 2 DRIVA DE CAR? CADDILLAC?}}}}}BUICK?}}}}}LINKEN?}}}}}
U LIKA EAT GARLIC?}}}}}PIZZA?}}}}}SALAMI?}}}}}U LIKKA SPAGHETTI?}}}}}
U LIKKA GIRLZE OR BOYZE?}}}}}}}}}}(PEEKA JUSTA ONE, NO FOOLA ROUND)
U SEE DE GODFATHER?}}}}}OR JUSTE DE MOVIE?}}}}}
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WHENNA U JOINNE U GONNA GETTA SOMADING U REELY GONNA LIKKE.
1 PR. DARKE GLAZZES
1 BLAKE SHIRTE WIDDA WITE TIE
1 WITE HAT WIDDE BLACKE BRIMA
1 PR. POINIE SHOOZE
1 PR. CEMENT SHOOZE (COMZA LATER IFFA U FOOLAROUND)
GOODA STOFF (IFFA U NOTTE SURE, I TELLA U WHATTA U GET WIZZA GUY)
1 KISSE (LATER-ONNA U CHEEDK)
=====================================================================
Submitter comment: MONOLOGUE IN ITALIAN DIALECT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): HOUSE NUMBER STREET LONE RANGER PROSTITUTE ; SLANG: BIG HOUSE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Underworld SPEECH -- Formula SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 10-00-1975
A SIGN OF BAD LUCK
IT IS BAD LUCK IN THE JAPANESE CULTURE TO CLEAN THE HOUSE ON THE
FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR. THE HOUSE IS CLEANED THOROUGHLY THE DAY BEFORE
THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HOUSECLEANING
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 11-11-1969
I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT
I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT SHORT AND STOUT,
HERE'S MY HANDLE, HERE'S MY SPOUT
WHEN I GET ALL STEAMED UP I JUST SHOUT
TIP ME OVER AND POUR ME OUT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HOUSEHOLD OBJECT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children |
Date learned: 03-00-1968
THE HOUSE ON MENDOTA
EVERY MORNING ABOUT TEN O'CLOCK FOOTSTEPS WOULD COME DOWN THE
STAIRS AND WALK OVER TO THE BUFFET. THEN WE WOULDN'T HEAR THEM
ANY MORE. WE NEVER SAW ANYONE BUT THEY DIDN'T MISS A DAY. IN THIS
SAME HOUSE I COULD STAND AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS AND NO MATTER
HOW HARD I WOULD THROW WHATEVER I THREW WOULD ONLY GO ONE STEP
AND THEN FALL ON THE STEP AS THOUGH SOMEONE WAS CATCHING THE
THINGS.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT LIVED IN THIS HOUSE IN DETROIT IN 1942.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): GHOST ; HAUNTED HOUSE.
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00-00-1942
WHY HE SOLD HIS HOUSE.
EVERY DAY ABOUT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON THE DOORKNOB TURNED ON
THE FRONT DOOR AND MY WIFE AND I COULD HEAR SOMEONE COME IN.
WE WOULD RUSH TO THE SPOT, BUT THERE WOULD NEVER BE ANYONE THERE.
A LITTLE WHILE LATER EVERY DAY WE WOULD HEAR THE WORST COMMOTION
IN THE BASEMENT- LIKE TWO MEN GRUNTING, HITTING, AND BANGING
FURNITURE AROUND DOWN THERE. THEN WE WOULD HEAR THE SOUND OF
SOMEONE DUMPING COAL IN THE DRIVEWAY, BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY COAL
THERE OR ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE COULD FIND.
A FEW TIMES WE CALLED THE POLICE FROM THE PALMER PARK STATION TO
COME OVER AND HEAR THE NOISE. THEY HEARD IT TOO BUT COULD NOT
FIND OUT WHO WAS MAKING IT. WE MOVED.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT TOLD ME THIS STORY IN 1955 WHILE HE WAS FILLING
MY TEETH. HE SAID THE HOUSE WAS ON SAN JUAN, TWO BLOCKS OFF OF SIX
MILE ( IN DETROIT ) .
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HAUNTED HOUSE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
MR. MURPHY WAS WARNED NEVER TO GO ADVENTURING IN THE WILD
TOWN OF HURLEY, WISCONSIN., WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER. MANY
STORIES WENT AROUND, NONE OF WHICH HE CAN REMEMBER
EXPLICITLY, BUT HE DOES REMEMBER MANY TIMES HEARING
OF THE LUMBERJACKS THAT WENT THERE, GOT DRUNK, WENT
TO A "CAT HOUSE" AND WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE STREET, BROKE AND HALF FROZEN. HE ALSO
HEARD MANY TALES OF MEN WHO HAD GOTTEN INTO FIGHTS
AND BEEN KILLED AND WHOSE BODIES WEREN'T FOUND UNTIL THE
SPRING THAW, BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST BEEN TAKEN OUT AND
DUMPED IN THE DEEP SNOW.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
James Callow Keyword(s): HOUSE OF ILL REPUTE ; PROSTITUTION
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: 05-22-1965
WHEN WASHING BRIGHT COLORS, IF SALT IS ADDED INTO THE WASH
WATER, THE COLORS WON'T RUN OR BLEED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): HOUSEHOLD HINT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 00001984CA
Always leave by the same door as you enter by; this will ward off
bad luck while you're out.
Submitter comment: Lisa learned this around 1980 from her mother, Kathleen Metz.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TROY
Keyword(s): Ingress
James Callow Keyword(s): House
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001980S
Stain Remover
As a high school student, I was forever getting ink on some part
of my clothing. My mother informed me that if put on a fairly new ink
stain, hair spray would remove it completely.
Submitter comment:
This form of stain removal is still used by my family and
friends.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
Keyword(s): HOUSEHOLD HINT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home |
Date learned: 00001985ca
Ammonia will kill paint odor.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND
James Callow Keyword(s): HOUSEHOLD HINT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home |
Date learned: 00-00-1957
You can use health and beauty aides as laundry spot removers.
I learned that shampoo is a very good spot remover especially for
grease. The other product that can be used is hairspray to remove
ink stains.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE
Keyword(s): Household hints
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Working |
Date learned: 00-00-1987
IF YOU GO BACK AFTER SOMETHING, MAKE A CROSS WITH YOUR
FOOT OR YOU'LL HAVE BAD LUCK.
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; FULTON
James Callow Keyword(s): GO BACK INTO THE HOUSE, AFTER LEAVING?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 06-20-1970
DOOR KNOB GHOST
DURING WORLD WAR II, IN DARIEN, GEORGIA, TWO WOMEN LIVED
ALONE WHILE THEIR HUSBANDS WERE IN SERVICE. ONE NIGHT
WHEN ALONE THEY SAW THE DOORKNOB TO THEIR BEDROOM DOOR
TURN. DECIDING TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THIS, ONE
STOOD BY THE DOOR TO JERK IT OPEN WHILE THE OTHER WAS
GOING TO HIT THE ASSAILANT OVER THE HEAD. WHEN THE
DOORKNOB TURNED AGAIN, THEY OPENED THE DOOR TO FIND
AN EMPTY HALL ON THE OTHER SIDE. IN THIS SAME HOUSE,
THEY FREQUENTLY HEARD BABY CRIES WHEN THERE WAS NO
BABY IN THE HOUSE.
Where learned: GEORGIA ; ATHENS
James Callow Keyword(s): HAUNTED HOUSE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 07-22-1968
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
DID YOU HERE ABOUT THE BIG HOLDUP? TWO CLOTHESPINS HELD UP A
PILLOW CASE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): House
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 10-02-1967