Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for HUMOR returned 352 results.
RIDDLE
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS A HUMMINGBIRD WITH A DOORBELL?
A HUMDINGER.
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: CHILDHOOD
JOKE
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS JACKIE GLEASON WITH JIMMY DURANTE?
AN ELEPHANT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 03-16-1971
RIDDLE
WHY DID THE MORON THROW BUTTER OUT OF THE WINDOW
HE WANTED TO SEE BUTTERFLY.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
Entry filtered.
MORON JOKE, RIDDLE
DID YOU HEAR THE STORY ABOUT THE MORON WHO SAID "NO"?
NO.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 03-01-1970
RIDDLE
WHY DID THE MORON BURY HIS MOTHER UNDER THE FRONT PORCH STEPS?
SHE WAS HIS STEP MOTHER.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
RIDDLE MORON JOKE
WHY DID THE MORON THROW BUTTER OVER THE CLIFF?
HE WANTED TO DEE THE BUTTER FLY.
Where learned: OHIO
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
MORON JOKE
WHY DID THE MORON PUT HIS MOTHER UNDER THE STEPS?
HE ALWAYS WANTED A STEP MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 03-00-1968
Entry filtered.
THREE WORMS
ONCE THERE WERE THREE WORMS - MOM, DAD, AND WEE LITTLE BABY -
WHO DECIDED TO HAVE A PICNIC. THEY PACKED A LUNCH AND
SCAMPERED OFF. WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE PARK IT CLOUDED UP
SO THEY RAN AS FAST AS THEY COULD TO THEIR HOLE. WHEN THEY
ARRIVED THERE SAFELY THE WEE BABY WORM SAID, "GEE, I'M GLAD THE
FOUR OF US ARRIVED SAFELY." WHY DID HE SAY "FOUR" WHEN THERE
WERE THREE? (TELLER IS ASKED QUESTIONS WITH "YES" AND "NO"
RESPONSES)
-- HE WAS TOO YOUNG TO COUNT ACCURATELY.
Submitter comment:
FIRST HEARD IN 1952 AND MANY TIMES SINCE. SOMETIMES WITH
MICE INSTEAD OF WORMS.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): HUMOR INTELLIGENCE ATTIBUTED TO ANIMALS
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1952
Entry filtered.
The Nun in the Bar
A guy picked up a nun in the street and invited her into a bar to have a drink with him. "I really shouldn't," said the nun. But the man finally convinced her. when they got into the bar she told him she'd have a double martini, but to bring it in a coffee cup so that other people wouldn't knwo she was drinking. "Hey bartender," the man yelled out. "Give me a double martini in a coffee cup!" "oh," replied the bartender, "That nun's back again."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): BAR ; Bartender ; Bartender Jokes ; Comic dialogue ; DIALOGUE ; DRINKING HUMOR ; HUMOR ; JOKES ; Pub ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Jokes
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious |
A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs entered by TRD
Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself
Keyword(s): Catholic ; CATHOLICISM ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious |
A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs entered by TRD
Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself
Keyword(s): Catholic ; Catholocism ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY
| Subject headings: |
The Clever Chef
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
There once was a king who demanded that his chef prepare him a different type of meat for each principle meal. when the chef ran out of meats it would mean his death.
Quite naturally, the king soon ran out of chefs and volunteers for the job were few and far between. in fact, things got so bad that the king had to draft his subjects into the job. One of these peasants got drafted and day after day he prepared a different type of meat. However, as time went by, he began to run out of choices. Finally the day arrived when he had none. In desperation, he went to the palace barn at milking time and collected the cow manure as it was being expelled. That night he served it to the king. Upon tasting it, the king called for the chef in order that he might compliment him on the most delicious meat of all. When asked where it came from, the chef replied "it is that which hasn't fallen, your majesty."
Submitter comment:
This is translated from Polish and I feel it has lost its humor in translation.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
A grammatical correction was made to the Collector's spelling: Changing it's to its.
Original Boggs Number [B665] has been crossed out and B646 is written next to it.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Class ; COOKING ; Deception ; FECES ; Fool ; IGNORANCE ; King ; Peasant ; ROYALTY ; Scat ; SCATOLOGICAL ; Scatological Humor ; Social Class ; Trickery ; Wit
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic |
The Blacksmiths Son
Long ago in a small village there lived a blacksmith. Now although blacksmiths were poor, they were, nevertheless, held in respect because they were the strongest men in the village.
People used to go to the blacksmith for advice and help. This particular balcksmithhad one son, and the blacksmith wanted his son to be a blacksmith also. But the son was lazy and did not like to work. One day he told his father: "father, I have a very brilliant idea. I'm going to learn your trade in an easy way. Here's my plan: Put me in a large basket above yuor workshop and I will watch everything you do. And by watching you constantly, I will earn your trade."
So the son was put in the basket and watched his father fort several months. Then the son said to his father: "Father, I think I'm ready." And so the father gave the son tools, and a large piece of iron, and said to his son: "now son, what are you going to make?"
"Father," the son said, "I think I'll make a hammer."
"Son," the father said, "If you can make a hammer, you will be a better blacksmith than I, because it took me five years to learn how to make a hammer." And the son worked feverishly for several days but to no avail. So the son went to his father and said: "Father, I think I'll make a horseshoe instead."
The father said; "Son, if you can make a horseshoe, you will be a better blacksmith than I, because it took me three years to learn how to make a horseshoe." The son again went out, pounding and forming, but to no avail. He said to the fahter: "Father, I think I will make a nail instead of a horseshoe."
The fahter said: "Son, if you can make a nail, you will be a better blacksmith than I, because it took me two years to learn how to make a nail." The son worked for several hours, but to no avail. He said to his father: "Father, I will make something you never made. I will make a needle."
"Son," said the father, "if you make a needle, you will be a better blacksmith than I, for no smith has made a needle. " And so, the son worked and worked until finally there was nothing left. but he did not give up. He said: "Father, I will make something with no iron at all."
"Son, if you can make something without iron, it will indeed make you a great blacksmith," the father replied.
The son said: "Come watch, Father." He took a pair of tongs and heated them red hot, and suddenly plunged them into a barrel of water, and said: "Father, I did it. I made a pss."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Number [ B665] crossed out and B646 is written next to it.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK
Keyword(s): Blacksmith ; FAMILY ; Father ; Hammer ; HORSESHOE ; HUMOR ; IRON ; Learn ; Lesson ; Needle ; Outsmart ; Skill ; Son ; TRADE ; Wise ; Wisecrack
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic |
Play on Words
Did you hear about the nearsighted optician who fell into a lens-grinding machine and made a spectacle of himself?
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Numbers [W400, B667] crossed out and B660 Substituted.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Anecdote ; HUMOR ; IRONY ; Jest ; Optician ; PUN ; Silly
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Translations, plays on words, symbol writing |
The Cat
Joe called up Jim and said "How's my cat?" Jim told him, "He's dead." Joe said "You shouldn't have come out and said 'he's dead.' You should have said 'He's up on the roof' and then I'd call back later and you could say 'he fell off the roof and he's in the hospital.' Then a few days later you should say 'he's very sick in the hospital,' and then a few days after that you should say 'he passed away.' That way the shock wouldn't be so much for me."
Jim then said "I'm sorry. I'll do it like that next time." Joe said "OK. By the way, how's my mother?" Jim said "she's up on the roof."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Numbers [B620, F546] have been crossed out and B667 written nest to them. The number 2 is written on top of the number 7 in the new boggs number.
Keyword(s): CAT ; DIALOGUE ; Humorous ; JOKE ; MOTHER ; Roof ; Stupid
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman |
Caught
Three men: a Catholic, Jew and Protestant; were digging a ditch in front of a house of inequity. They looked up and saw the Rabbi coming down the street. The Rabbi stopped in front of the house, looked both ways and ran up the steps. When this happened the Catholic and Protestant really gave it to the Jew. A little later, the Protestant minister came down the street, stopped in front of the house, looked both ways and ran up the steps. Well now it was the Protestant's turn to be razzed. A little later the three saw a Catholic priest walk up to the front of the house, look both ways and run up the steps. The Catholic man yelled "There must be somebody sick in there!"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ALLUSION TO PROSTITUTION ; Catholic ; HUMOR ; Jewish ; JOKE ; PROSTITUTION ; Protestant ; RELIGION
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote |
Entry filtered.