Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Men returned 558 results.
Superstition
Always cross your fingers when passing a black crow.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out and replaced with current classifications.
The question For Good Luck? is written underneath the submission.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BIRD ; COLOR ; Crow ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Color SPEECH -- Gesture |
Belief: Luck
Luck:
If someone wants your place at Bingo, take your chair with you or you won't win.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
Keyword(s): Luck, Chance, Wagers, Bingo, Chair, Custom, Game, Entertainment
James Callow Keyword(s): LUCK
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Entertainment: Gambling
In poker, a full house - aces and eights- is a Dead Man's Hand. Supposedly Wild Bill Hickok had this hand when he died.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out/ replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Aces ; CARDS ; Dead Man's Hand ; DEATH ; Eights ; Entertainment ; Hero ; Legend ; NUMBERS ; Outlaw ; Poker, Gambling ; Wild West
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Secular hero BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Entertainment: Gambling
Belief:
Aces and Eights - this is the Dead Man's Hand. Wild Bill Hickok was killed in a poler game with this hand.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] was written twice and crossed out each time/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: SCHOOL
Keyword(s): Aces ; CARDS ; Dead Man's Hand ; DEATH ; Eights ; Entertainment ; Hero ; Legend ; NUMBERS ; Outlaw ; Poker, Gambling ; Wild West
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Secular hero BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
CHANGE YOUR LUCK (COLLECTOR,S TITLE) ; CONVERSION: WALKING COUNTERCLOCKWISE (CLASSIFIER,S TITLE)
IF A PERSON IS HAVING A STREAK OF BAD LUCK IN A GAME SUCH AS BINGO,
ALL TYPES OF CARD GAMES, OR IN A GAME IN WHICH A PLAYER IS SEATED,
HE CAN CHANGE HIS LUCK BY WALKING AROUND THE CHAIR COUNTER-CLOCKWISE.
OF COURSE, IF THIS PROCEDURE DOES NOT WORK THE FIRST TIME IT SHOULD
BE REPEATED UNTIL A CHANGE OF LUCK TAKES PLACE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Bingo ; CUSTOM ; DIRECTION: COUNTERWISE ; Entertainment ; GAMES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- P833 P833.6 |
Date learned: 09-15-1969
Belief: Luck
Winning Streak:
Many coaches won't change a suit, socks or some particular piece of clothing if they have a winning streak going.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CLOTHING ; CUSTOM ; Entertainment ; GAMBLING ; jinx ; LUCK ; SPORTS ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Ethnic:Ugandan
Cocks and Misfortune:
If a family keeps poultry, and is a cock among them crows between sun-set and mid-night [sic], that particular bird must be strangled immediately to overt misfortune!
Submitter comment:
The superstition is proper to the Batooro tribe of about 100,000 poeple of Uganda.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P530, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; ETHNIC ; FARMING ; MISFORTUNE ; Omens ; Poultry ; SUPERSTITION ; Tribe ; Uganda
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Bird |
Maxim
Sun and Rain:
Happy is the bride the sun shines on;
Lucky is the corpse that rain falls on.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880, P45] crossed out/ replaced with current classifications.
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Bride ; BURIAL ; Corpse ; DEATH ; Funeral ; MARRIAGE ; Maxim ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Superstition:Wedding
Wedding Superstition:
For each ribbon a bride breaks on a wedding or shower gift she'll have a child.
Submitter comment:
This is a superstition common in the Oswald family
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P545] crossed out/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; BIRTH ; CHILD ; CUSTOM ; FUTURE ; MARRIAGE ; OMEN ; Ribbon ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Superstition
Superstition:
If you come in one door and immediately go out another you'll have company.
Submitter comment:
Sylvia learned this from her sister who in turn learned it at the nurses' lounge at Beaumont Hospital, Detroit.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P860] crossed out/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Company ; CUSTOM ; Entrance ; Exit ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Autograph Rhyme
Autograph Book Rhyme:
Don't steal this book, my honest friend, for fear the gallows be your end. And when you die the Lord shall say, "Where is the book you wtole away?" But if you cannot tell, the Lord shall cast you into hell. Whoever steals this book of knowledge, will sweetly graduate from Sing-Sing College.
Submitter comment:
The autograph book this is taken from is collected from the years 1929-1933.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
BN [C760] is crossed out and the word FlyLeaf is written next to it.
Submission card located in a pile marked [?]
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; BOOK ; Glanshaw
Keyword(s): AFTERLIFE ; AUTOGRAPH ; FlyLeaf ; HELL ; Judgment ; PRISON ; RHYME ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): FlyLeaf
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
Entry filtered.
Menstrual
Menstrual:
Pickling: you can't pickle beans or make kraut while on your period or it will ruin.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P535] crossed out.
Submission card found in pile marked [?]
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Canning ; COOKING ; FOOD ; MENSES ; MENSTRUATION ; Period ; Pickling ; TABU
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Custom |
Maxim
It begins with you sinking into his arms and ends with your arms in the sink.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Submission card located in pile marked [?]
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; OFFICE
Keyword(s): Feminism ; MARRIAGE ; Newlywed ; OMEN ; ROMANCE
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Numerology
If the numerical number of your birthday coincides with your actual age, then you will have good luck that year.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P686, P800] crossed out/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Birthday, Numerology, Numbers ; LUCK ; OMEN
James Callow Keyword(s): Birthday ; Birthday Belief ; NUMEROLOGY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- P647 BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Custom
Graduation Custom:
When the seniors graduated they turned their rings so that the writing faced out toward other people and was upside down to the person wearing it.
Submitter comment:
This was a common custom at Our Lady of Mercy High School in Farmington, MI. The informant performed this ceremony in 1968 when she graduated. I also did this when I graduated in 1968.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Commencement ; CUSTOM ; Graduation ; JEWELRY ; RING ; SCHOOL
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Custom
Wedding Custom:
When a woman in her family is engaged to be married, the aunts on her fahter's side give a shower gift to her which is a pure white negligee. This is a sign that the perspective groom has been accepted as a member of the family.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Keyword(s): Engagement ; FAMILY ; GIFT ; Shower ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Belief: Luck
Wedding Luck:
If it rains on a wedding day this is good luck; if it doesn't, the couple is sprinkled with champagne.
Data entry tech comment:
motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [I545] crossedo ut. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CUSTOM ; LUCK ; MARRIAGE ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Ethnic: Yugoslavian
Engagement:
In Yugoslavia, parents still arrange any marriages. Thus, whenever a horn is heard blowing, everyone knows that an engagement has been decided. Often, the young people involved may be the last ones to know.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F533] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): Arranged Marriages ; COURTSHIP ; DATING ; Engagement ; ETHNIC ; Horn ; MARRIAGE ; Weddings ; Yugoslavia
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Entertainment: Game
Method of Choosing IT:
To choose the "it" in a smae, the kids get together and someone would volunteer. Everyone eventually got chosen, and the ones that did not volunteer often enough were made "it" by mob rule. The informant learned it from the neighborhood kids.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C570, C570.500] crossde out. Replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CHILDREN ; Entertainment ; GAME ; Playground
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime |