Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for EUPHEMISM returned 99 results.
BIRDIE, BIRDIE IN THE SKY,
DROP A WHITE WASH IN MY EYE,
ME NO WORRY,
ME NO CRY,
ME JUST HAPPY COWS DON'T FLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD IN
Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; BABY TALK ; EUPHEMISM: WHITEWASH FOR BIRD DUNG ; RHYME: AABAA ; SUGGESTION COW DUNG
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
WORMS
A CURE FOR STOMACH WORMS IS TO PUT MINT IN THE PERSON'S BOTTOM
AND PUT CHEESE IN THEIR MOUTH.
WORMS HATE CHEESE BUT THEY LIKE MINT.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S MOTHER-IN-LAW PERFORMED THIS IN FRONT OF HER
TO INFORMANT'S DAUGHTER, WHEN THE CHILD WAS SIX YEARS OLD.
THE CHILD STOPPED CHOCKING AND WAS CURED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OAK PARK
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM: BOTTOM FOR ANUS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 01-21-1972
RIDDLE
LITTLE WILLIE LIT A ROCKET
WHICH WAS IN HIS DADDY'S POCKET
THE NEXT DAY HE TOLD HIS COUSIN DAN
DADDY IS A TRAVELING MAN .
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; HUMOR ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
VERSE
IF IN HEAVEN WE DON'T MEET,
HAND-IN-HAND WE'LL STAND THE HEAT.
Submitter comment: I FIRST HEARD THIS IN OHIO IN THE 1950'S
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM FOR HELL
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 00001950'S
VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC "LUCY"
LUCY MET THE TRAIN
THE TRAIN MET LUCY
THE TRACK WAS JUICY
THE JUICE WAS LUCY
Keyword(s): CHIASMUS ; EUPHEMISM ; FEMININE RHYME ; FINAL ITERATION ; INITIAL ITERATION ; RHYME: ABBC
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
I HAD A GOOD JOB AND I QUIT
HIP HIP, HIP HIP
I HAD A GOOD JOB AND I QUIT
FIRST THEY FIRED ME,
THEN THEY FIRED ME,
THEN I GOT MAD AND I QUIT.
Submitter comment: HE HEARD IT IN HIGH SCHOOL
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; RICHMOND
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; ITERATION ; NARRATIVE VERSE ; RHYME: ABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1929
VERSE
LITTLE JOHNNY TOOK A DRINK,
BUT HE SHALL DRINK NO MORE,
FOR WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS H2O
WAS H2SO4.
Submitter comment: TOLD AT INFORMANT,S HOME
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): CHEMICAL TERMS ; DIGITAL HUMOR ; EUPHEMISM ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 01-20-1970
TINKLE, TINKLE
TINKLE, TINKLE LITTLE TOT/TINKLE WELL AND FILL YOUR POT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; URINATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 08-00-1964
RHYME OF MOCKERY
SUSIE AND JOHNNY SITTING IN A TREE, MM
K-I-S-S-I-N-G. MM
FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE,/
THEN COMES JOHNNY WITH THE BABY CARRIAGE.
Submitter comment: ALWAYS SUNG AS A TYPE OF MOCKERY AND KIDDING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIRE SHORES, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; KISSING ; NUTSHELL NARRATIVE
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
CHILDREN'S RHYME
OOOY GOOY WAS A WORM/ A NOBLE WORM WAS HE=
HE CRAWLED UPON THE RAILROAD TRACKS/ THE TRAIN HE DID NOT SEE,/
OOOY GOOY}
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; MOCK EPIC ; RHYME:ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
POEM
LITTLE MARY DRANK SOME WATER/
NOW SHE IS NO MORE./FOR WHAT SHE TOOK FOR H2O WAS H2SO4
Submitter comment:
SHE GAVE ME THIS LITTLE DITTY, QUITE A POPULAR WAY TO
REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM.
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; FUNCTION ; WATER AND SULPHURIC ACID
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
LOVE MAKING
IT WAS MIDNIGHT ON THE BACK PORCH
TWO LIPS WERE TIGHTLY PRESSED
THE OLD_MAN GAVE THE SIGNAL
THE BULL DOG DID THE REST.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; KISSING ; RHYME: ABCB ; SLANG FOR FATHER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 09-12-1965
VERSE
OOEY GOOEY WAS A WORM,
A MIGHTY WORM WAS HE.
HE CRAWLED UPON THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
A TRAIN HE DID NOT SEE.
OOEY GOOEY}
Submitter comment:
HE GAVE THIS TO ME WHILE WALKING ON A RAINY NIGHT.
I MENTIONED THAT THE NIGHTCRAWLERS WERE OUT ON THE SIDEWALK.
RECITED, NOT SUNG
Where learned: WALKING
Keyword(s): INDIRECTION EUPHEMISM ; MOCK EPIC
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
OOGIE GOOIE
HE SAT UPON A RAILROAD TRACK, A TRAIN HE DID NOT SEE.
OOGIE GOOIE}
Submitter comment: NOT SUNG, BUT SING - SONGEY VERSE
Where learned: TOLD IN ; MONROE
Keyword(s): INDIRECTION EUPHEMISM ; RHYME: AAA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 02-00-1972
MULE IN THE BARNYARD TIRED AND SICK
BOY WITH A PIN ON THE END OF A STICK
BOY JABS MULE, MULE GIVES A LURCH
SERVICES MONDAY AT THE CORNER CHURCH.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAYS THIS IS A FAVORITE POEM RIDDLE OF HIS MOTHER'S.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; SAINT FRANCIS CLUB
Keyword(s): ELLIPSIS ; INDIRECTION EUPHEMISM ; MISTREATMENT OF ANIMALS, PUNISHMENT FOR ; POETIC VUSTICE ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 03-20-1972
CHILDHOOD DITTY
OOEY GOOEY WAS A WORM,
A MIGHTY WORM WAS HE.
HE SAT UPON A RAILROAD TRACK,
THE TRAIN HE DID NOT SEE.
OOOEY GOOOEY}
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Keyword(s): INDIRECTION EUPHEMISM ; INTERNAL RHYME ; MOCK EPIC ; RHYME: ABCBB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1968
POEM
MY TEACHER LOVES ME, SHE THINKS I AM DEAR,
SHE'S KEPT ME FOR THE 4TH STRAIGHT YEAR}
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM FOR FLUNKING ; IRONY ; RHYME: AA ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 11-16-1965
THERE WAS A YOUNG GIRL FROM BOSTON MASS
WHO STOOD IN WATER UP TO HER ANKLES
IT DOESN'T RHYME NOW BUT IT WILL WHEN
THE TIDE COMES IN.
Where learned: DETROIT ; RATHSKELLER BAR
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; HUMOR ; INDIRECTION ; RHYME: AA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 11-18-1968
CHILDREN'S RHYME
BIRDIE, BIRDIE IN THE SKY / DROPPED SOME WHITEWASH IN MY EYE.
AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT COWS DON'T FLY?
Data entry tech comment: LINES HAVE BEEN DIVIDED BY THE KEYPUNCHER.
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): RHETORICAL QUESTION HUMOR WISH METER EUPHEMISM ; RHYME: AAA
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
MISS LUCY HAD A TUGBOAT. THE TUGBOAT HAD A BELL.
THE TUGBOAT WENT TO HEAVEN AND MISS LUCY WENT TO HELLO,
OPERATOR, I'LL TELL YOU NO MORE LIES. MISS LUCY TOLD ME
ALL OF THIS THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE DIED.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM: HELLO FOR HELL
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: CA00001960S