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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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LUCK

IF YOU SPILL SALT YOU SHOULD THROW SOME SALT OVER YOUR LEFT
SHOULDER TO WARD OFF BAD LUCK.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Conversions P883.17

Date learned: CA11001973

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LUCK

ALWAYS LAY BREAD UPRIGHT OR YOU WILL CAUSE SOMEONE TO TURN OVER IN
THEIR GRAVE.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: CA11001973

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WATCH YOUR STEP

NEVER STEP OVER A PERSON, ESPECIALLY A BABY BECAUSE YOU WILL STOP
THE PERSON FROM GROWING.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: CA11001973

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SHOES AND SLEEPING

NEVER SLEEP WITH YOUR SHOES UNDER THE BED, IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO
HAVE BAD DREAMS.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: Spirit / Mind / Body
BELIEF -- Measure of time Sleeping

Date learned: CA11001973

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SHOES

NEVER PUT YOUR SHOES OVER YOUR HEAD ON A SHELF OR YOU WILL ALWAYS
HAVE A HEADACHE.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Head, physiognomy, face
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: CA11001973

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COMBING HAIR

IF TWO PEOPLE COMB IN THE SAME PERSONS' HAIR AT THE SAME TIME THE
YOUNGEST WILL DIE FIRST.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): SIMULTANEITY

Subject headings: 686 Seconds / Twice / Two
Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.21

Date learned: 11-05-1973

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BROOM AND BAD LUCK

NEVER STAND A BROOM UPSIDE DOWN IN A HOUSE. IT IS A SIGN OF BAD
LUCK. ALSO: IF YOU STAND A BROOM UPSIDE DOWN IN A CORNER WITH A
FORK STUCK IN IT, YOU CAN MAKE AN UNWANTED VISITOR LEAVE.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.1
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.21

Date learned: 11-05-1973

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BAD LUCK BY A BROOM

DO NOT WALK OVER A BROOM OR NO ONE WILL COME TO VISIT YOU

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

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

Date learned: 11-05-1973

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BAD LUCK BY A BROOM

NEVER SWEEP DIRT FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, OR FROM
THE HOUSE TO THE FRONT GATE BECAUSE YOU WILL BE SWEEPING YOUR LUCK
AWAY FROM YOU

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.21

Date learned: 11-05-1973

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BAD LUCK BY A CAN

OPEN ANY CAN UPRIGHT NOT UPSIDE DOWN OR YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK.

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.21

Date learned: 11-05-1973

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Entry filtered.

POLISH JOKE

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

THERE WERE TWO POLLACKS BUILDING A HOUSE. ONE WAS NAILING THE BOARDS
UP WHILE THE OTHER ONE CUT THEM. THE ONE WHO WAS NAILING KEPT CURSING
AND THROWING NAILS AWAY. THE SECOND POLLACK BECAME CURIOUS AND ASKED
HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE SAID THAT SOME OF THE NAILS HAD THE HEAD
ON THE WRONG END AND HE COULDN'T USE THEM SO HE THREW THEM AWAY. THE
OTHER POLLACK REPRIMANDED HIM FOR THROWING THEM AWAY AND TOLD HIM
THAT HE SHOULD SAVE THEM SINCE THEY COULD BE USED ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE HOUSE.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; SAINT CLAIR

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman
BELIEF -- Poli

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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AUTOGRAPH

MAY YOUR LIFE BE A SUCCESSION OF SUCCESSIVE SUCCESSES.

Submitter comment: FROM AUTOGRAPH BOOK KEPT IN DETROIT, 1960

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Good wishes (sincere)
Z210

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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AUTOGRAPH

BY HOOK OR BY CROOK

Submitter comment: FROM AUTOGRAPH BOOK KEPT IN DETROIT, 1960

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION

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

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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AUTOGRAPH

Y, S YOU ARE. Y, S YOU BE.
I C U R 2 Y, S FOR ME.

Submitter comment: FROM AUTOGRAPH BOOK KEPT IN DETROIT, 1963

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): DIGITAL SPELLING ; WISE=Y'S, C=SEE, U=YOU, R=ARE

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Wisecracks, gags, silly stories, insults

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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LULLABY

NOW THE MOON SLEEPS AND THE STARS ARE SLEEPING. THEY TIRED
MY LITTLE DOLL. CLOSE YOUR LITTLE EYES AND LAY DOWN YOUR
LITTLE HEAD AND I WILL TELL YOU A TALE. THERE WAS A KING,
THERE WAS A "PAZ" , AND THERE WAS ALSO A QUEEN.
THEY LIVED IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROSE GARDEN, DID NOT KNOW STORMY
WEATHER, AND EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT IT.
THEN A TERRIBLE LOSS, A SUDDEN DEATH, CAME UPON THEM.
THE KING WAS EATEN BY THE DOG, THE "PAZ" WAS
EATEN BY THE CAT, THE QUEEN, THE MOUSE HAD EATEN. BUT SO THAT
YOU WILL NOT BE SAD MY DEAREST LITTLE DOLL, FROM SUGAR WAS MADE
THE KING, FROM CHOCOLATE THE "PAZ", AND THE QUEEN
"Z MARCEPANA."

Submitter comment: "Z MARCEPANA" IS A TYPE OF CAKE WHICH THE
QUEEN WAS MADE OF.
THE INFORMANT DID NOT KNOW WHAT KIND IT EXACTLY WAS.
THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE LULLABY LEARNED IN POLAND.
THIS IS TRANSLATED FROM POLISH

James Callow comment: MARZIPAN IS A CONFECTION MADE FROM ALMOND PASTE AND
CK[ EGG WHITE AND SUGAR. PAC

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; POLAND ; Sterling Heights ; GOWARCZOW

James Callow Keyword(s): EGG WHITE AND SUGAR. PAC

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad Epic
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Cradle song Lullaby

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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THE WITCH OF METRO BEACH

A WOMAN WHO DIED IN A CAR CRASH AT METROPOLITAN BEACH HAUNTS THOSE
WHO COME THERE TO PARK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights

James Callow Keyword(s): DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Marriage Dating Courtship

Date learned: 11-15-1973

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CLANCY

CLANCY WAS A COOK AT CAMP OZANAM. HE LIVED IN AN APARTMENT NOW CALLED
ASH. CLANCY WAS BELIEVED TO BE FROM ANOTHER PLANET. ONE DAY CAMPERS
HEARD SCREAMS. THE COUNSELORS WENT IN AND SAW A MEAT GRINDER AND SOME
KIDS. CLANCY WOULD TAKE KIDS AND GRIND THEM UP. HE WAS SERVING THE
CAMP CHILDREN GROUND UP PEOPLE. THE COUNSELORS CALLED THE POLICE AND
CLANCY RAN OUT. THE POLICE SHOT CLANCY BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. CLANCY
RAN ONTO A ROCK AND SHOT UP INTO THE AIR. HE WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights

James Callow Keyword(s): CANNIBALISM ; INEFFECTIVE BULLETS INVULNERABILITY

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Supernatural Being
BELIEF -- Planet

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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JUMP-ROPE RHYME AND CHEER

CHARLEY MCCARTHEY,
DOROTHY LAMOUR,
MAMA'S LITTLE BABY GONNA ROCK TONIGHT
HEY BOB-A-REE-BA--FIGHT, FIGHT
HEY BOB-A-REE-BA--FIGHT, FIGHT
MAMA'S LITTLE BABY GONNA ROCK TONIGHT

Submitter comment: THIS WAS USED BY MY SISTER AND HER CHILDHOOD FRIENDS PRIMARILY
FOR JUMP-ROPE, BUT ALSO AS A CHEER. BEFORE THEY WERE CORRECTED, SOME
OF THE GIRLS (INCLUDING MY SISTER,) USED TO SAY "DOROTHY MAMOOR"
BECAUSE OF THEIR UNFAMILIARITY WITH HER.

Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON

James Callow Keyword(s): RADIO AND MOVIE PERSONALITIES

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse
SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 11-00-1973

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JUMP-ROPE RHYME

I'M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL DRESSED IN BLUE
HERE ARE THE THINGS I LIKE TO DO
WHISTLE TO THE CAPTAIN,
CURTSY TO THE QUEEN,
TURN MY BACK ON A SUBMARINE
I CAN TO THE HOOTCHIE-COO
I CAN DO THE FLIP
I CAN DO THEM JUST LIKE THIS

Submitter comment: WHEN THE JUMPER SAYS "JUST LIKE THIS," SHE JUMPS OUT.
A VARIANT OF THE FIRST TWO LINES IS:
I'M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL DRESSED IN GREEN
HERE ARE THE THINGS I THINK ARE KEEN

Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON

James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION

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

Date learned: 09-00-1973

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