Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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IF YOU HOLD A DANDELION UNDER YOUR CHIN AND THERE
IS A REFLECTION OFF YOUR CHIN, YOU LIKE BUTTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FLOWER ; YELLOW
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 11-13-1968
HAWAIIAN CUSTOM
WHILE LIVING IN HAWAII, I LEARNED OF A CHARMING CUSTOM.
IT IS THE CUSTOM IN HAWAII FOR PEOPLE LEAVING THE
ISLANDS TO THROW A LEI OVERBOARD (OF COURSE THEY
MUST BE ON A SHIP). IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PERSON
WILL RETURN SOMEDAY IF HIS LEI IS CARRIED BY THE
CURRENT BACK TO SHORE, BUT IF THE LEI IS CARRIED OUT
TO SEA HE IS DOOMED NEVER TO RETURN. THIS CUSTOM
DATES BACK TO THE TIMES WHEN THE HAWAIIAN WARRIORS
WOULD LEAVE THEIR PARTICULAR ISLAND TO VENTURE TO
ANOTHER ISLAND IN THEIR PRIMITIVE OUTRIGGERS. THE
WARRIORS WOULD ALL THROW A LEI OVERBOARD WITH THE
BELIEF THAT THE GODS WOULD PROTECT THEM IF THEIR LEI
RETURNED TO SHORE BUT THEY WOULD NEVER RETURN IF THEIR
LEI WENT OUT TO SEA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): LEI=GARLAND MADE OF FLOWERS, USUALLY WORN AROUND THE NECK.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Use of Object Plant |
Date learned: 03-30-1968
DEAD MAN'S HOLLER
IN VIRGINIA THEY HAVE VALLEYS. IN CALIFORNIA THEY
HAVE CANYONS. IN THE KENTUCKY MOUNTAINS WE MOSTLY
HAVE HOLLERS. DEAD MAN'S HOLLER OVER NEAR LAUDEN IS A
LONESOME GHOSTLY PLACE. THE STORY I WAS TOLD IS THAT
A UNION SOLDIER CAME THROUGH GUARDING A CONFEDERATE
PRISONER DURING THE CIVIL WAR. THE PRISONER FOUND A
CHANCE TO KILL HIS CAPTOR. HE DID AND THEN BURIED
THE UNION SOLDIER IN A SHALLOW GRAVE AND HUNG HIS
BOOTS ON THE LIMB OF A TREE. EVER SINCE THAT DAY
THAT PLACE HAS BEEN CALLED DEAD MAN'S HOLLER.
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; WILLIAMSBURG
James Callow Keyword(s): HOLLOW
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name |
Date learned: 05-01-1969
IF APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS, WHAT DO MAY FLOWERS BRING?
(PILGRIMS)
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; CHATTANOOGA
James Callow Keyword(s): MAYFLOWER
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
HAUNTED POST OFFICE
IN 1916 A PAINTER WAS WORKING IN A DETROIT POST OFFICE.
HE HAD SPILLED SOME PAINT ON HIMSELF. HE WAS WORKING
NEAR THE FUSE BOX WHEN IT SHORTED, SPARKS FLEW OUT
AND IGNITED THE PAINT. HE WAS BURNED TO DEATH IN A
FEW MINUTES. A YEAR LATER, TO THE DAY, PEOPLE HEARD
SCREAMS IN THE BUILDING AND RAN IN AND FOUND A MAN
BURNED TO DEATH. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF A FIRE IN OR
AROUND THE BUILDING. THREE YEARS LATER, TO THE DAY,
THAT POST OFFICE BURNED TO THE GROUND.
FIREMEN REPORTED HEARING SCREAMS FROM INSIDE, BUT NO
ONE WAS EVER FOUND. A PARKING LOT WAS EVENTUALY BUILT
ON THE SITE. PEOPLE STILL REPORT HEARING SCREAMS FROM
THE AREA DSN ALSO REPORT SEEING FIRES ON THE LOT.
THE SCREAMS AND FIRE REPORTS ALWAYS COME ON THE
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORIGINAL DEATH, OCTOBER 31ST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HALLOWEEN
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 03-30-1968
HAUNTED POST OFFICE
IN 1916 A PAINTER WAS WORKING IN A DETROIT POST OFFICE.
HE HAD SPILLED SOME PAINT ON HIMSELF. HE WAS WORKING
NEAR THE FUSE BOX WHEN IT SHORTED, SPARKS FLEW OUT
AND IGNITED THE PAINT. HE WAS BURNED TO DEATH IN A
FEW MINUTES. A YEAR LATER, TO THE DAY, PEOPLE HEARD
SCREAMS IN THE BUILDING AND RAN IN AND FOUND A MAN
BURNED TO DEATH. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF A FIRE IN OR
AROUND THE BUILDING. THREE YEARS LATER, TO THE DAY,
THAT POST OFFICE BURNED TO THE GROUND.
FIREMEN REPORTED HEARING SCREAMS FROM INSIDE, BUT NO
ONE WAS EVER FOUND. A PARKING LOT WAS EVENTUALY BUILT
ON THE SITE. PEOPLE STILL REPORT HEARING SCREAMS FROM
THE AREA DSN ALSO REPORT SEEING FIRES ON THE LOT.
THE SCREAMS AND FIRE REPORTS ALWAYS COME ON THE
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORIGINAL DEATH, OCTOBER 31ST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HALLOWEEN ALL SOULS DAY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 03-30-1968
YELLOW FINGER
ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A CASTLE THAT WAS GUARDED BY
A HUGE YELLOW FINGER, WHO WOULDN'T LET ANYONE PASS
THE KING FROM A RIVALING CASTLE SENT ONE OF HIS BRAVEST
KNIGHTS TO GET BY THE FINGER, BUT THE FINGER KILLED HIM.
SO THE KING SENT A DUKE, BUT HE, TOO, WAS KILLED. THEN
THE KING SENT ONE OF HIS PAGES. HE JUST WALKED RIGHT
THROUGH.
MORAL: LET YOUR PAGES DO THE WALKING THROUGH THE YELLOW
FINGER.
Submitter comment:
IT SEEMS TO ME THERE WAS SLIGHTLY MORE BUILD-UP ON THIS
STORY, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 6677 Formula Tale |
Date learned: 11-18-1968
YELLOW FINGERS
ONCE THERE WAS A KING WHO WANTED TO GET A MESSAGE THROUGH
TO A NEIGHBORING KINGDOM. BUT IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH,
THE MESSANGER WOULD HAVE TO PASS THE MONSTROUS YELLOW
FINGERS. FIRST A KNIGHT WAS SENT, BUT THE YELLOW FINGERS
PINCHED HIM TO DEATH. THEN A SQUIRE TRIED, BUT MET WITH
THE SAME FATE. FINALLY, A PAGE WAS SENT AND MADE IT
THROUGH.
THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS: LET YOUR PAGES DO THE WALKING
THROUGH THE YELLOW FINGERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 6677 Formula Tale |
Date learned: 10-15-1969
WEATHER PROVERB
WHEN DANDILIONS BLOW OUT FULL EARLY IN THE MORNING,
EXPECT FAIR WEATHER THAT DAY
Submitter comment:
BATKINS, B.A. _NEW ENGLAND FOLKLORE_
CROWN PUBLISHERS: NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Keyword(s): FLOWER
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Weather Proverb |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
HAWAIIAN GESTURE
IN HAWAII THEIR TRADITIONAL GREETING IS "ALOHA" TO NEW ARRIVALS.
THIS CONSISTS OF PUTTING A LEI OF FLOWERS AROUND THEIR NECK
AND GIVING THEM A KISS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS
Keyword(s): GARLAND OF FLOWERS
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Body parts involved S602.2 SPEECH -- Greetings Salutations |
Date learned: 04-05-1971
RIDDLE
QUESTION: WHAT DID THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT SAY TO THE GREEN
TRAFFIC LIGHT?
ANSWER: I WONDER WHERE THE YELLOW WENT?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): LIGHT (Q) ; YELLOW (A)
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
RIDDLE
QUESTION: WHAT DID THE RED LIGHT SAY TO THE GREEN LIGHT?
ANSWER: WHERE DID THE YELLOW GO?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): LIGHT (Q) ; YELLOW (A)
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 08-00-1964
Scare Stories
44
1) Teenage Couple driving in the country, run out of gas.
2) Hear drip, drip, drip - its blood.
28
1) Next door neighbors in love.
2) Girl wore a yellow ribbon around her neck that she wouldn't take off.
3) She untied it, her head fell off.
1
1) Two children home alon eon Halloween see a ghost.
2) Turns out to be their uncle in costume
Data entry tech comment:
No information listed on card. Omitted: Collector data, informant date.
Unknown meaning of numbers preceeding each story.
Bogg Number added by TRD
James Callow comment:
18400 Praire
Corner of Pickford and Praire
Where learned: UNKNOWN
Keyword(s): Car ; Costume ; Drip ; Fable ; HALLOWEEN ; Ribbon ; Scary ; Stories ; SYMBOLISM ; Urban Legends ; Yellow Ribbon
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Prose Narrative |
Yellow Ribbon
This is a story about John and Jane. They lived next door to each other, went to school together, and loved each other very much. John was a normal happy boy and Jane was a happy girl who always wore a yellow ribbon . Jane kept answering "perhaps some day I'll tell you."
Time went by, and John and Jane were engaged. Jane told John she would tell him about the ribbon on their wedding day. On their wedding day, they forgot about the yellow ribbon. Next day, however, John asked why she wore it again. She replied that they were happily married so what difference does it make?
Time went by and it was their golden anniversary and John asked about the ribbon again. Jane asked him to wait a little longer since he has waited so long already. Finally, Jane became very ill and was dying. John asked again to please tell him why she wore the yellow ribbon.
"All right," said Jane. "You can untie it." So John untied the yellow ribbon and Jane's head fell off.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Numbers [B600 B642] are crossed outand B667.1 is substituted.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself
Keyword(s): Anniversary ; BEHEADING ; BODY ; CURIOSITY ; Curious ; DEATH ; DECAPITATION ; DYING ; HEAD ; LOVE ; MARRIAGE ; Neighbors ; SECRET ; Yellow Ribbon
| Subject headings: | 6677 Formula Tale |
Custom
Greetings:
Offering salt and bread and flowers is a way of greeting a person who has arrived from a long trip. This custom is one which was performed commonly in S.E. Poland and in Ukraine many years ago (prior to WWI) at that time it was used to greet any traveler regardless of his social position. Now recently it is used only in greeting people like priests, bishops, government officials, etc.
Submitter comment:
Although informant mentioned that this custom is carried out in Europe, I myself have observed this several months ago when people in a Ukrainian church greeted a bishop which had just been released from prison by the Russians.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS
Keyword(s): CUSTOM ; FLOWERS ; GREETING ; POLAND ; Salt, Bread ; Social Class ; Ukraine
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Entry filtered.
Ethnic: Belium
Funeral:
In Belgium, during funeral processions, the children would carry boquets or wreaths of flowers which they had picked.
Submitter comment:
Recorded on tape
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): Belgium ; BURIAL ; CHILDREN ; CUSTOM ; DEATH ; ETHNIC ; FLOWERS ; Funeral ; RESPECT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Belief: Weather
Weather Proverb:
April Showers bring May flowers
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V800] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classification.
Dup. of WPP
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): April ; FLOWERS ; May ; Month ; NATURE ; PREDICTING WEATHER ; PREDICTION ; Rain ; RHYME ; Sky ; TIME ; WEATHER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Belief: Weather
April Showers bring May flowers.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V600] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.
Dup. of WPP
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): April ; FLOWERS ; May ; Month ; NATURE ; PREDICTING WEATHER ; PREDICTION ; Rain ; RHYME ; Sky ; TIME ; WEATHER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Belief: Weather
April Showers bring May flowers.
Submitter comment:
Weather Proverb
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
The A in APRIL is underlined.
KW:WP
Dup. of WPP
Keyword(s): April ; FLOWERS ; May ; Month ; NATURE ; PREDICTING WEATHER ; PREDICTION ; Rain ; RHYME ; Sky ; TIME ; WEATHER
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- V880 V880.800 |