Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for SUPERSTITION returned 465 results.
When two people are walking together if they split the pole one
person must go back and walk around the pole three times, or have bad
luck all day.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): SUPERSTITION
Date learned: 00001960S
I was told that if you killed an ant, especially a black ant,
it would cause rain to come.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Bug superstitions
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 01-00-1978
Sweeping one's foot is cause for never being married.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Broom superstitions
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Feet, toes, toenails BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Marriage |
Superstition: Animals
Eating the chicken gizzard will make you beautiful.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Beautiful ; BIRD ; Chicken ; Eat ; FOOD ; FOWL ; Gizzard ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Custom |
Superstition: Wedding
IF YOU PUT A WEDDING CAKE UNDER YOUR PILLOW, YOU WILL GET
MARRIED SOON.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD - 02-22-2011
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Cake ; MARRIAGE ; Pillow ; SLEEP ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage Dream about future husband |
Date learned: 04-01-1970
PROVERB
JUNE BRIDES MAKE GLAD WIVES.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): MARRIAGE SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 07-05-1972
A CONVERSION TO SEEING A BLACK CAT CROSS THE ROAD
WHILE DRIVING IS TO MAKE AN "X" ON THE WINDSHIELD.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; CORNERSVILLE
Keyword(s): Black ; CAT ; Cross ; DRIVING ; Road ; SUPERSTITION ; X
James Callow Keyword(s): AUTOMOBILE
Date learned: 00001972-00001973 (ASSUMED)
THREE DON'T DRINK OUT OF THE SAME CUP.
Submitter comment:
(INFORMANT USED TO LIVE BY IT WHEN HE WAS A CHILD,
HE WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING THREE TIMES IN A ROW)
Where learned: RATHSKELLER
Keyword(s): SUPERSTITION AIDS
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 09-19-1968
Superstition
Dead Man's Curve
Data entry tech comment:
Possible variations of collector's last name: Dine, Dini, Deni.
Motifs entered by TRD.
Where learned: Self
Keyword(s): Curve ; DEATH ; Road ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Belief
If you drop salt on the floor, shake salt over your left shoulder or there will be a catastrophe of fire or disappointment.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Various Boggs number classifications written down and crossed out:
P686
P860 = Use of Object
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CATASTROPHE ; DISAPPOINTMENT ; FIRE ; Salt ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Conversions P883.17 |
Belief
If you drop salt on the floor, shake salt over your left shoulder or there will be a catastrophe of fire or disappointment.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Various Boggs number classifications written down and crossed out:
P686
P860 = Use of Object
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CATASTROPHE ; DISAPPOINTMENT ; FIRE ; Salt ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: |
Belief
When driving past a cemetery place on efinger on the roof of the car and put another finger on your mouth and say "shhhh". This is so you will not wake up the dead.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): AUTOMOBILE ; BELIEF ; CEMETERY ; GESTURE ; GRAVEYARD ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Gesture |
When Mrs. Bergen poured me a cup of hot tea, she said "Look at all the money that I gave you." The "money" refers to all the air bubbles which accumulate in your cup and gather at the center, which look like silver change is one stretches his imagination.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [N446 f578.4] crossed out. Nothing Replaces them.
Submission card located in a pile marked To Be Classified.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; Shiawassee Apartments ; Farmington Place
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN MONEY ; Fortune Telling ; MONEY ; SUPERSTITION ; TEA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Use of Object BELIEF -- Use of Object Food PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Belief: Children's Song
Step on a Crack-break mother's back
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] is crossed out. C860.740 replaces it.
The words Bad Luck are written across the top of the submission card, and subsequently crossed out.
Where learned: Myself
Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Belief: Children's Song
DON'T STEP ON A CRACK OR YOU'LL BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
Submitter comment:
IS AN OLD CHILDHOOD SAYING THAT THIS INFORMANT REMINDED ME OF.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE
Date learned: 03-30-1968
Belief: Children's Song
STEP ON A LINE,
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.
STEP ON A CRACK,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
STEP ON A HOLE,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S SUGAR BOWL.
Submitter comment:
CHILDREN SING THIS SONG WHILE WALKING TO SCHOOL.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Where learned: UNKNOWN
Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Domestic ; GAME ; Hole ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; Sugar ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 01-21-1968
Belief: Children's Song
STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK THE DEVIL'S BACK.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): AA ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; DEVIL ; GAME ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief BELIEF -- Devil Demon |
Date learned: 11-19-1969
Belief: Children's Song
(1) DON'T STEP ON A CRACK OR YOU'LL BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK.
(2) IF YOU STEP ON A LINE YOUR MOTHER DRINKS WINE.
Submitter comment:
MY BLACK NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOORS TOLD ME THESE TALES WHEN I WAS A KID.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE
Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE ; Wine
James Callow Keyword(s): NEGRO
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 00001960S
Belief: Children's Song
STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK. STEP ON A LINE
BREAK YOUR FATHER'S SPINE.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT USED TO SING THIS WHEN SHE PLAYED HOPSCOTCH ON
THE SIDEWALK.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): GAME SONG
Belief: Children's Song
WHEN WALKING DOWN THE STREET SOME CHILDREN WILL CAREFULLY WATCH
WHERE THEY STEP AND SAY, "IF YOU STEP ON A CRACK YOUR MOTHER'S
GOT A BROKEN BACK, AND IF YOU STEP ON A LINE YOUR FATHER DRINKS
WINE.
Submitter comment:
I USED TO PLAY THIS GAME.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated on 12-01-2010 / Motifs and Keywords added by TRD
Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; Back ; BELIEF ; CHILDHOOD ; CHILDREN ; Crack ; Father ; GAME ; Line ; MOTHER ; RHYME ; SONG ; Spine ; SUPERSTITION ; VERSE ; Wine
James Callow Keyword(s): COUNTING
Date learned: 00001958-00001966