Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for POSITION returned 662 results.
Good and Bad Luck
If you find a penny with tails side up, don't pick it
up because it's bad luck. It is only lucky if it is
heads side up.
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001972CA
STATUES AND FIGURINES OF ELEPHANTS WITH THEIR TRUNKS UP
IN THE AIR ARE A GOOD LUCK CHARM. ELEPHANTS WITH THEIR TRUNKS
DOWN ARE BAD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
James Callow Keyword(s): DIRECTION ; POSITION
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001976CA
IF A LADY LEAVES HER PURSE ON THE FLOOR, SHE WILL END UP WITH
NO MONEY. LADIES SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THEIR PURSES ON THE FLOOR
THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PUT THEM ON A TABLE OR CHAIR, OR ELSE THEY
WILL HAVE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION ; Unnatural act
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 00001980CA
WHEN SENDING A LETTER TO SOMEONE WHOM YOU LOVE,
ALWAYS PUT THE STAMP ON THE ENVELOPE UPSIDE DOWN
AS AN INDICATION TO THE RECEIVER OF THE LETTER
THAT THEY ARE LOVED.
Submitter comment: THIS WAS LEARNED FROM PRUDENCE TUCKER, MARTIN, TENNESSEE
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
Keyword(s): POSITION
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- To Be Seen |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
Good Luck
Standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean just before
sunrise can put you in a great state of mind and can bring
you a world of good luck. If you then take a quarter out
of your pocket
and throw it out into the ocean as far as you can it will
bring you 25 days of good luck. This all must be done before
the sun rises.
Where learned: FLORIDA ; FORT LAUDERDALE
Keyword(s): Buying luck
James Callow Keyword(s): East ; POSITION DIRECTION
Date learned: 00-00-1991
If you find a penny and the front is facing
upwards then it will bring you good luck.
If the back is facing upwards then it will
bring you bad luck.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
If you hang wolfbang (an herb) above the
kitchen door all will be well in your house.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; wolfbane?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Home BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 00001985ca
Don't step over someone younger than you or you will stunt his
growth. If you do, you should step back over him to reverse
the omen.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Conversions |
A woman should never place her purse on the floor or she will
never receive any money.
Submitter comment:
The informant learned this from an older woman while she was
attending church. She also said that the older woman was
clutching her purse in her lap as if she fully believed this
to be true.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; Taboo ; Unnatural place
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
In England myrtle is considered lucky. In Wales
myrtle is planted on each side of a home to
insure love & to keep the atmosphere peaceful.
Submitter comment: Many people still consider myrtle a sign of peace.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; LONDON
Keyword(s): nature, beauty
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; SYMBOL
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Cure for the hiccups
Drink a glass of water and turn upside down. Your hiccups will
be cured. If by some chance that does not work, hold your breath
for 15 seconds.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Number P686.1.15 BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 00001970S
Never put your purse on the floor; if you do you'll always be
broke.
Submitter comment:
Ruth says she learned this from her mother, Mary Edmonson, who
was born in Arkansas in 1899.
Where learned: Arkansas ; LITTLE ROCK
Keyword(s): POSITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00001940S
It is believed in much of Greece that if one sleeps in a bed
which faces east-west with the head of the bed on the west side, that
person is to die an early death. It is not specified, however, when
that person is to die. It could take from one night to ten nights to
one year (and so forth) for that person to die after he or she has
slept in the bed. This superstition is based on the fact that all
dead are placed on their "death bed" lying east-west with their head
on the west side.
Where learned: GREECE
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION, DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Measure of time |
Date learned: 00001943CA
If you hang a horseshoe above your door for good luck, the
horseshoe legs must be pointed up. If the horseshoe legs are
pointed down, the luck will run out.
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure BELIEF -- Good luck BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1957
Luck
In order for a horseshoe to be lucky, it has to be turned up.
If it faces down all the luck will run out.
Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND ; ca 1931
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1931
Don't let a cat cross the street in front of you, especially
crossing from right to left. This was a sign of bad luck.
James Callow comment:
Cf. Hand, North Carolina, no. 3808; Puckett, Ohio, nos. 7581,
21242 ("good luck"), 21249.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): POSITION
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Bury a statue of St. Joseph upside down in your garden, if
your house is for sale it will sell immediately.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIVONIA
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Religious hero |
STATUE
ONE PERSON WOULD BECOME THE CUSTOMER AND WOULD HAVE
TO LEAVE TILL THE SIGNAL WAS GIVEN. THEN A SECOND
PERSON, AS THE STORE OWNER, WOULD TWIRL THE OTHERS
AROUND AND IN WHATEVER POSITION THEY ENDED, THEY
WOULD HAVE TO REMAIN. THEN THE CUSTOMER WOULD RETURN
AND CHOOSE ONE. THE 'STORE OWNER' WOULD 'TURN ON'
THE STATUE AND WHOEVER WAS CHOSEN HAD TO DO SOMETHING
AND AT THE COMMAND 'STOP' WOULD REMAIN IN THE POSITION
LAST ATTAINED. THE CUSTOMER WOULD THEN HAVE TO GUESS
WHAT IT WAS. THE FIRST ONE HE GUESSED RIGHT BECAME THE
NEXT CUSTOMER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
IF YOU SPILL SALT, YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK UNLESS
YOU IMMEDIATELY THROW SALT OVER YOUR RIGHT
SHOULDER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ACCIDENT ; POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Conversions Activities |
Date learned: 04-03-1967
IF YOU SPILL SALT, PICK SOME UP AND THROW IT OVER
YOUR LEFT SHOULDER OR YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment:
MY MOTHER COLLECTED THIS FROM A WOMAN WITH WHOM
SHE WORKED. MRS. HAIRSTON LEARNED IT FROM HER
MOTHER AND HER GRANDMOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ACCIDENT ; POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Conversions Activities |
Date learned: 02-00-1967