Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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Goblin Story
A few years ago, in the main plant of Valente's Men's Formal Wear, the general manager, Marty Rapp, and David Palm were cleaning out the drainage wells beside the 50 pound washers down in the laundry. These wells are about 3 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep. Marty, being general manager, directed, while Dave did the cleaning. All of a sudden, Dave found himself being pulled into the well. He was waist deep in the murky water before Marty pulled him out by the arm. Maybe it was well that Marty was there directing, far Max, a vile, loathsome creature that lives in the sewers under Valente's had tried to pull Dave down into his submarine lair. For what purpose, no one knows, but it is certain it wouldn't have been pleasant. From then on, people are cautioned not to walkalone in the laundry in the dark.
Submitter comment:
For us at Valente's, Max is something to blame accidents on. Dave didn't really get pulled into the well, Marty pushed him in. Though, if you ask anyone there about Dave falling into the well, you will probably get the version with Max in it, then the real one.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; VALENTES MENS FORMALWEAR
Keyword(s): FANTASY ; Goblin ; Lore ; Mischief ; OMEN ; SEWER ; Submarine ; SUPERNATURAL ; WATER
| Subject headings: |
Goblin Story
A few years ago, in the main plant of Valente's Men's Formal Wear, the general manager, Marty Rapp, and David Palm were cleaning out the drainage wells beside the 50 pound washers down in the laundry. These wells are about 3 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep. Marty, being general manager, directed, while Dave did the cleaning. All of a sudden, Dave found himself being pulled into the well. He was waist deep in the murky water before Marty pulled him out by the arm. Maybe it was well that Marty was there directing, far Max, a vile, loathsome creature that lives in the sewers under Valente's had tried to pull Dave down into his submarine lair. For what purpose, no one knows, but it is certain it wouldn't have been pleasant. From then on, people are cautioned not to walkalone in the laundry in the dark.
Submitter comment:
For us at Valente's, Max is something to blame accidents on. Dave didn't really get pulled into the well, Marty pushed him in. Though, if you ask anyone there about Dave falling into the well, you will probably get the version with Max in it, then the real one.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; VALENTES MENS FORMALWEAR
Keyword(s): FANTASY ; Goblin ; Lore ; Mischief ; OMEN ; SEWER ; Submarine ; SUPERNATURAL ; TRICKSTER ; WATER
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Fairy Elf Goblin Gnome |
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 |
Custom
Bicycling:
In Belgium, where bicycles and bicycle racing is still very popular, it is very common to see people walking beside very nicely decorated bikes during a parade. Decorations could consist of colored paper, ribbons, or roses which might be interwoven in the spokes of the wheels, etc. This custom is continued for the spectacle and unique designs which appear.
Submitter comment:
Recorded on Tape.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [M247.6] crossed out and replaced with F536.
The word Bicycling is written across the top of the entry.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; RESIDENCE ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): ADORNMENT BEAUTIFICATION ; Belgium ; Bicycle ; Bicycling ; CUSTOM ; Decorate ; ETHNIC ; Parade ; Ribbons ; Roses
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Superstition: Baseball
Never mention a shutout or a perspective no-hitter to a pitcher or anyone in a Major-League dugout during the feat or it will be lost to fate.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
The original BN [P880] is crossed out and replaced with P536.
The words Bad Luck are also crossed out from the top left-hand corner of the card.
Where learned: NBC TELEVISION ; RADIO PROGRAM
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Superstition: Baseball
IF YOU'RE PLAYING BASEBALL AND YOUR PITCHER IS PITCHING
A NO-HITTER, IT'S BAD LUCK TO TALK ABOUT IT AND SAY
ANYTHING ABOUT IT TO HIM. JUST PRETEND LIKE YOU
KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS AN OLD CUSTOM IN BASEBALL THAT I LEARNED FROM
PLAYING IT VERY EARLY IN LIFE.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS ; ASSUMED
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
Superstition: Baseball
NO ONE SHOULD MENTION TO A PITCHER BETWEEN INNINGS THAT
HE HAS A SHUTOUT OR NO-HITTER GOING.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: 09-24-1969
Superstition: Baseball
NEVER MENTION A NO-HITTER TO A PITCHER DURING THE GAME.
Submitter comment:
HEARD IT ON T.V.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD 12.2.2010
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; ASSUMED
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
Superstition: Baseball
BASEBALL PITCHER IS PITCHING A NO-HITTER, NO ONE SPEAKS
OF IT.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: 10-16-1967
Superstition: Baseball
I LEARNED THE FOLLOWING WHILE PLAYING BABE RUTH BASEBALL IN PORT
HURON. "DURING A GAME WHEN A PITCHER IS PITCHING A NO HITTER, IT
IS BAD LUCK TO TELL HIM HOW MANY STRIKE-OUTS HE HAS OR HOW MANY
INNINGS HE HAS YET TO PITCH."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PORT HURON
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.6 |
Date learned: 10-30-1972
Superstition: Baseball
IT IS BAD LUCK TO MENTION THAT A PITCHER HAS A NO-
HITTER GOING WHILE THE GAME IS IN PROGRESS.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance BELIEF -- Bad luck Games Pastimes Sports |
Date learned: 10-22-1969
Superstition: Baseball
THERE HAS BEEN A PREVAILING BELIEF AMONG THE VARIOUS
BASEBALL BROADCASTERS THAT I HAVE HEARD OVER THE
YEARS, IN THE BAD LUCK OF MENTIONING THE FACT THAT A
PITCHER IS WORKING ON A NO HIT GAME. IF ONE MENTIONS
THE IMPENDING NO-HITTER, THE SUPERSTITION GOES, THE
NO-HITTER WILL NOT CONTINUE FOR THE PITCHER WILL HAVE
BEEN JINXED BY THE MENTIONING OF HIS NEARLY COMPLETE
ACHIEVEMENT.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS
Keyword(s): BAD LUCK ; BASEBALL ; BASEBALL STADIUM ; CHANCE ; CUSTOM ; Fan ; FATE ; jinx ; LUCK ; No-Hitter ; Shutout ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
Date learned: 11-23-1970
Superstition
Superstition:
Anything tried on Friday the 13th will fail.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880.6] crossed out and replaced with P574.5
Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; HOME
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CURSE ; DATE ; Day ; Friday ; jinx ; SUPERSTITION ; TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA ; Weekday
James Callow Keyword(s): TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA
| Subject headings: | 686 Specific number by specific number being described BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Superstition: Gambling
Good Luck:
Never win the first hand in a poker game. Otherwise you'll be a sure loser the rest of the night.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out and replaced with current classification
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): CHANCE ; Entertainment ; FATE ; GAMBLING ; Gaming ; jinx ; LOSERS ; LUCK ; NUMBER ; NUMBERS ; Poker ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Number |
Fate
He who disturbs the sleeper by the wayside will be forever damned.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
BN [P880] was written 3 times across the top of the card. All but one of them was crossed out.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
Keyword(s): Disturb ; FATE ; Maxim ; OMEN ; SLEEP ; Traveler ; Wayside
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Belief: Children
Wednesday's Child:
Wednesday's Child is full of woe.
Submitter comment:
(A person born on Wednesday is believed to be ill-fated through-out life.)
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BIRTH ; Born ; CHILDREN ; DAYS OF THE WEEK ; DESTINY ; Destiny, Fate ; Wednesday ; WOE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Autograph Rhyme
Autograph Book Rhyme:
I pity the River/I pity the Brook/I pity the one /Who steals this book.
Submitter comment:
Submission is from informant's Junior High Autograph Book, dated 1929-1933
Data entry tech comment:
Motif and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C760] has been crossed out. The word FlyLeaf is written enxt to it.
Submission card located in pile marked [?]
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; BOOK ; GLENSHAW
Keyword(s): AUTOGRAPH ; BOOK ; FlyLeaf ; poem ; RHYME ; River ; Signature ; VERSE ; WATER
James Callow Keyword(s): FlyLeaf
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
Ethnic:Belgium
Wedding:
In Belgium, at weddings, it was a belief and general practice that the more important or wealthy the bride, the later she would arrive at the church. There were instances where the bride would be as much as 1/2 hour late. The priests were well aware of this practice and would not grow impatient during the waiting period.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P545, F578] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): Belgium ; Bride ; CEREMONY ; ETHNIC ; Late ; MARRIAGE ; PRIEST ; Tardy ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Superstition: Sports
Winning Streak:
It was believed to be bad luck to wash your athletic socks during a winning streak. If the coach made you wear clean ones, you always wore your dirty ones underneath those so as not to jinx the team.
Data entry tech comment:
motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P500] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Coach ; FATE ; GAME ; jinx ; LUCK ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION ; Win ; Winning Streak
James Callow Keyword(s): Reference
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Ethnic: German
Superstition:
In German villages it is believed that if a boy has a dog and the dog runs away, then the boy must follow the dog in search of his fortune. If the dog returns without his master, then the boy is dead. If the dog does not return, the boy has found his fortune.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Boy ; DIVINATION ; DOG ; ETHNIC ; FATE ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Ordaining ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |