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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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IF YOUR LEFT EYE BEGINS TO TWITCH, IT MEANS YOU WILL RECEIVE
GOOD NEWS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye
BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 03-00-1982

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CREOLE BELIEF

WALK BACKWARDS IF YOU CURSE YOUR MOTHER OR YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK.

Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BREAUX BRIDGE ; LOS ANGELES

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Measure of time Year
BELIEF -- Curse
BELIEF -- Conversions

Date learned: 00-00-1929

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CREOLE BELIEF

IF AN OWL HOWLS TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES AND TURN THEM UPSIDE DOWN
OR BAD LUCK WILL COME TO YOU

Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BREAUX BRIDGE ; LOS ANGELES

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bird
BELIEF -- Conversions

Date learned: 00-00-1933

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CREOLE BELIEF

DO NOT WALK OVER A BROOM, BECAUSE IT IS BAD LUCK.

Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BREAUX BRIDGE ; LOS ANGELES

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: 00-00-1930

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CREOLE BELIEF

DO NOT PUT A BABY'S SHOE HIGHER THAN THE BABY'S HEAD OR IT WILL NOT
GROW ANY TALLER.

Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BREAUX BRIDGE ; LOS ANGELES

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: Favorites
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 00-00-1935

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WHEN YOU PUT YOUR SHIRT ON BACKWARDS OR INSIDE OUT,
WITH ANY ARTICLE OF CLOTHING, YOU MAY MAKE A WISH
WHILE PROPERLY PUTTING ON YOUR CLOTHES.

Submitter comment: THIS WISH WILL BE GRANTED.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): DRESSING ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Prayer

Date learned: 00-00-1940

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BELIEF

IF YOUR LEFT HAND IS ITCHY IT MEANS YOU WILL RECEIVE MONEY.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Body part Senses

Date learned: 00-00-1940

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CURE FOR WARTS

TO RID YOURSELF OF A WART, RUB A PENNY ON IT AND TAKE THE
PENNY TO THE NEAREST CROSSROAD. THROW THE PENNY OVER YOUR
LEFT SHOULDER AND LEAVE WITHOUT LOOKING BACK. THE NEXT
PERSON FINDING THE PENNY WILL ALSO GET THE WART. THIS
WAS TOLD TO ME AROUND 1970 BY MY GRANDMOTHER, MARY GIBBLE,
IN KALAMAZOO. SHE ALSO TOLD ME THAT SHE TRIED THE CURE
YEARS AGO AND IT WORKED.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT LATER TOLD ME THAT MRS. GIBBLE WAS BORN IN
SWITZERLAND AND EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES AROUND 1920.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; TRANSFER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 09-00-1982

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IF YOU LOOK AT A BABY UPSIDE DOWN IT WILL END UP CROSSED EYED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 00001950S

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IF YOU SLEEP ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE THEN YOU'LL BE A
GRUMPY PERSON, BUT IF YOU SLEEP ON YOUR LEFT SIDE
YOU'LL BE NICE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): PERSONALITY ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 02-00-1983

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NEVER SIT WITH YOUR BACK TOWARDS A DOOR, THIS WILL
DEFINITELY BRING YOU BAD LUCK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bad luck
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 03-00-1983

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REMEDY FOR WARTS

REMEDY FOR REMOVAL OF WARTS AS TOLD BY MARK TWAIN:
UNDER A FULL MOON GO TO CEMETERY, STAND WITH YOUR
BACK TO THE MOON AND THROW THE BODY OF A DEAD BLACK
CAT BY THE CAT'S TAIL OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 10-17-1983

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IF THE HEM ON YOUR DRESS IS TURNED UP (ON THE OUTSIDE),
THEN YOU ARE GOING TO GET A NEW DRESS.

Where learned: ALABAMA ; BALDWIN COUNTY ; FOLEY

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 00001940-00001958

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IF YOUR NECKLACE TURNS AROUND SO THAT THE CLASP IS IN
FRONT AND SOMEONE NOTICES IT, THEN YOU MAKE A WISH
AS YOU TURN THE CLASP AROUND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK ; OAKLAND COUNTY

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Prayer

Date learned: 00-00-1983

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WHEN OUR BABIES ARE INFANTS, WE PUT THEIR UNDERSHIRTS
ON INSIDE-OUT TO CONFUSE THE EVIL EYE AND KEEP IT AWAY
FROM THE BABY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): DRESSING ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Overall body coverUpper body and arms
BELIEF -- Curse

Date learned: 00-00-1950

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YOU SHOULD NOT CROSS OVER A CHILD WHO IS CRAWLING ON THE FLOOR
BECAUSE HE MIGHT HAVE SOME PHYSICAL ABNORMALITIES WHEREVER YOU
CROSSED OVER HIM. IN ORDER FOR THIS NOT TO HAPPEN, YOU SHOULD
RECROSS OVER HIM IN THE OPPOSITE WAY.

Where learned: GUADELOUPE

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

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

Date learned: 00-00-1965

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STEPPING INTO "SHIT" BRINGS GOOD LUCK, SPECIALLY IF IT IS THE
LEFT FOOT.

Where learned: GUADELOUPE

James Callow Keyword(s): LEFT RIGHT ; POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Good luck

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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WHEN TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIENDS ARE WALKING SIDE BY SIDE ON THE
ROAD IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR ANOTHER PERSON TO PASS BETWEEN THEM.
IF ANOTHER FELLOW PASSES BETWEEN THEM, THE COMMONSENSE OF THE TWO
FRIENDS WILL MOVE IN TO THE HEAD OF THE PERSON THAT PASSES
WHILE THE TWO FRIENDS WILL BECOME IDIOTS.

Where learned: NIGERIA ; KADUNA

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; TRANSFER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Comet
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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POSITION OF RICE AT DINNER (THAI)

"THE THAIS WILL PLACE THEIR DISH OF RICE CLOSEST TO THEM WHEN
THEY'RE EATING."

Submitter comment: I LEARNED THIS AT A THAI PARTY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT. A
THAI GIRL SAID TO ME THAT I AM NOT THAI BECAUSE I PLACED THE
RICE FAR FROM ME. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE OTHER THAIS, I SAW
THAT THEY ALL HAD THEIR DISH OF RICE CLOSEST TO THEMSELVES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222.
Food Drink -- Service Table furnishing and decoration Food container

Date learned: 02-00-1984

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CHINESE BURIAL CUSTOM

"WHEN BURYING THEIR DEAD, THE CHINESE ARE VERY CHOOSEY ABOUT
THE SITE. THE AREA WHICH IS CHOSEN WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE
NEXT GENERATION. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SITE WILL AFFECT THE
ELDEST SON, THE THIRD SON, THE FIFTH SON,...(1,3,5,7,...).
THE LEFT SIDE WILL AFFECT THE EVEN-NUMBERED SONS AND THE BACK
SIDE WILL AFFECT ALL THE DAUGHTERS."

Submitter comment: IF ALL THE SIDES ARE GOOD, EVERYTHING WILL BE GOOD FOR THE FAMILY.
BUILDINGS NEAR THE SITE CAN CHANGE THE AFFECT OF THE SITE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Cemetery
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Number Even number (not specific)
BELIEF -- Number Odd number (not specific)

Date learned: 02-00-1984

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