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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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MISTER PUMPKIN EATER

IF YOU ARE NOT IN BED AT THE TIME YOU ARE TOLD, A GIGANTIC
PUMPKIN HEAD WILL COME IN YOUR ROOM AND EAT YOU

Submitter comment: I USED TO TELL MY SISTER THIS WHEN I BABYSAT AND SHE
WOULDN'T GO TO BED. YOU CAN IMPROVE ON IT BY ADDING SCARY
SOUNDS AND GESTURES. I'M NOT SURE WHERE I LEARNED IT, BUT SINCE
THEN WE TELL IT TO CHILDREN WE BABYSIT FOR.

Where learned: HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): CARNIVEROUS PLANT ; FUNCTION: TO SCARE CHILD INTO GOING TO

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Supernatural Being
BELIEF -- Plant

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NEVER BOUNCE A BALL IN THE HOUSE. EACH TIME YOU DO A CHICKEN DIES.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID THAT SHE ORIGINALLY HEARD THIS FROM HER MOTHER WHEN
SHE WAS A CHILD. IN ROMANIA, CHILDREN WILL NEVER BOUNCE A BALL IN
THE HOUSE FOR FEAR THEY WILL KILL THEIR PRIZE CHICKEN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bird
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

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POLISH SUPERSTITION

IF YOU GO TO A DANCE DURING LENT, YOU WILL DANCE WITH THE DEVIL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime
BELIEF -- Devil Demon
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal P477.8

Date learned: 10-25-1969

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PROVERBIAL METAPHOR

ACT ENTHUSIASTIC (SIC) AND YOU'LL BE ENTHUSIASTIC.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER MOTHER AND SAYS IT MEANS THAT EVEN
THOUGH YOU'RE NOT ENTHUSED ABOUT SOMETHING ACT AS THOUGH YOU ARE
AND EVENTUALLY YOU WILL BE ENTHUSED. INFORMANT BELIEVES THIS TO BE
TRUE.

Data entry tech comment: KEYPUNCHER BELIEVES THIS TO BE TRUE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE ; ATTITUDE ; FUNCTION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 09-20-1972

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HIGH GOALS

AIM AT THE SKY AND YOU WILL HIT THE TOP OF THE TREE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): COSMOS ; PLANTS

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE ; FUNCTION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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PROVERB

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY.

James Callow comment: IT'S INTERESTING THAT STEVENSON LISTS THIS UNDER "JACK"
RATHER THAN "WORK" -- F. M. PAULSEN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FUNCTION

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; NAME: JACK FOR MALE OR PERSON ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 03-29-1968

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PROVERBIAL APOTHEGM

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK AND PLENTY OF IT.

Data entry tech comment: PARODY

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ECONOMICS ; PUN ON JACK AS SLANG FOR MONEY.

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: ; FUNCTION ; OBSERVATION ; PARODY ; PUN: JACK FOR MONEY

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK. JACK MEANS MONEY.

Submitter comment: MAUREEN'S INFORMANTS WERE BOTH HER FATHER EDWARD, OF IRISH AND
FRENCH DESCENT, AND HER MOTHER, PATRICIA, OF IRISH AND BOHEMIAN
DESCENT.

Data entry tech comment: VARIANT

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ECONOMICS

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; OBSERVATION ; PARODY ; PUN

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 11-08-1972

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PROVERB

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JOHNNY A DULL BOY.

Data entry tech comment: VARIANT

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; FUNCTION ; JACK ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 00-00-1964

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SAVING ADVICE

ALWAYS SPEND LESS THAN YOU EARN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Keyword(s): ECONOMICS ; FUNCTION

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE ; FUNCTION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 00-00-1968

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SMOKING

ANYONE CAN QUIT SMOKING, BUT IT TAKES A MAN TO FACE CANCER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CUSTOM

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; FUNCTION ; IRONY

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 00-00-1969

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POLISH PROVERB

AS THE WORK IS DONE, SO ONE IS PAYED. (PAID.)
JAKA PRACA, TAKA PTACA. (POLISH)

Submitter comment: I KNOW THIS FROM HOME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; ECONOMICS

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; OBSERVATION ; TRANSLATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb C880.700
PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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PROVERB

AS YOU ACT TOWARD OTHERS, SO THEY ACT TOWARD YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): ATTITUDE ; FUNCTION ; OBSERVATTON

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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PROVERB

AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PLANTS

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; HOMEOPHONE: SOW SO ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor
PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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PROVERB

BE A GOOD LISTENER. TALK LESS.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAYS THIS IN ITALIAN. SHE LEARNED IT IN ITALY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; POSITIVE INJUNCTION

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; ADVICE: POSITIVE ; CONVERSATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 08-11-1964

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PROVERB

COURTSHIP IS BLISS;
MATRIMONY IS BLISTER

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAID HER FATHER USED THIS SAYING WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE
IN 1904.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PONTIAC

Keyword(s): DEFINITION ; SEMANTICS

James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTION ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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PROVERB

DENY SELF FOR SELF'S SAKE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE ; FUNCTION

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 10-01-1967

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PROVERB

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

A DOG NEVER BARKS WHEN IT SHITS.

Submitter comment:

IN OUR FAMILY WHICH WAS UNUSUALLY LARGE IT WAS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT
TO MAINTAIN SILENCE AT THE DINNER TABLE. MY POLISH GRANDMOTHER WAS
SUCCESSFUL WITH A PHRASE I DID NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND. YEARS LATER MY
MOTHER TRANSLATED FOR ME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; FUNCTION ; SCATALOGICAL

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; DEFECATION ; FUNCTION ; OBSERVATION ; OBSERVATION ; OBSERVATION ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal
PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 00-00-1940

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Entry filtered.

SAYING

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND PEOPLE WOULD GIVE THINGS AND TAKE THEM
BACK, THE CHILDREN WOULD SAY,
DON'T BE AN INDIAN GIVER.

Submitter comment:

I LEARNED THIS SAYING IN ABOUT 1950, IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

James Callow Keyword(s): DEROGATORY TERM ; FUNCTION ; RACISM

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula
PROVERB -- Blason Populaire
PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase

Date learned: 05-12-1965

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SPRING CHILLS

DON'T CAST YOUR FLOUT TILL MAY IS OOT.

Submitter comment: THIS PROVERB WAS LEARNED BY THE INFORMANT FROM HER MOTHER, MRS.
HARRIET MALLINSON IN HER HOME IN GARY, INDIANA. (CIRCA 1925) HER
MOTHER IN TURN LEARNED IT FROM HER MOTHER, A MRS. SCOT, AS A CHILD
IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. CK[ ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; FUNCTION
FLOUT=CLOD PLANTING

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Keyword(s): WEATHER PROVERB

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; FUNCTION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- May
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- June
BELIEF -- Plant husbandry Farming
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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