Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for OF returned 531 results.
EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE. THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE
FIRST FIVE NOTES ON THE LINES OF A MUSICAL SCALE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
James Callow Keyword(s): {THAT IS THE INITIAL LETTER OF THESE WORDS}.
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM |
Date learned: 10-02-1969
RETORT
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU IF YOU HAVE A MATCH, YOU CHEERILY ANSWER BACK:
"YEAH, DAFFY DUCK AND SPIRO AGNEW." OR "SURE -- ME AND SUPERMAN."
Submitter comment: I OBTAINED THIS ONE WITHOUT EVEN ASKING FOR IT.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; TOLD AT
James Callow Keyword(s): BRAG BOAST ; CARTOON CHARACTER DAFFY DUCK ANIMAL ; VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: SPIRO AGNEW
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
THE FACE
HIS FACE LOOKS LIKE THE SOUTH END (SIDE) OF A HORSE GOING NORTH.
Submitter comment:
YOU CAN USE THIS RETORT ANYTIME SOMEONE IS BRAGGING OR PUTTING
SOMEONE ELSE DOWN AND YOU WANT HIM TO KNOW HE HAS NOTHING TO TALK
ABOUT.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL COMPARISON ; EUPHEMISM FOR RUMP OF HORSE ; INSULT UGLINESS
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 02-25-1971
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
CASINO WORKERS USE GESTURES: FINGERTIPS TOUCHING
TABLE MEANS "THERE'S A CHISLER HERE;" A FINGER BEHIND
THE EAR IS A DISTRESS CALL FOR THE HEAD MAN; CROSSED
INDEX AND THIRD FINGER MEANS "PLEASE TAKE OVER;"
PALM AND FINGERS EXTENDED DOWNWARD MEANS "THEY ARE
CLEANED OUT."
Where learned: BOOK
Keyword(s): SLANG: CLEANED OUT: OUT OF MONEY.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business SPEECH -- Underworld SPEECH -- Instructions Directions |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
RIDDLE
MR GREEN IS A BUTCHER. HE IS SIX FEET TALL AND WEARS A
SIZE TEN SHOE. WHAT DOES HE WEIGH?
-- MEAT
Keyword(s): TRANSATIVE AND INTRANSATIVE MEANING OF VERB "TO WEIGH."
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 11-00-1965
RIDDLE
WHAT DO ALL SHIPS WEIGH, REGARDLESS OF SIZE?
-- ANCHORS
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME
Keyword(s): TRANSATIVE AND INTRANSATIVE MEANING OF VERB "WEIGH."
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-0000
Story
The recruit would go around the base in a constant search looking for a piece of paper. He would go through elaborate to attract attention [sic]. He would turn over rocks, pick up other pieces of paper or what have you. After each act he would exclaim "no, that's not it!" Finally he got the attention of the camp doctors who then had him confined. Finally the doctors deemed him unfit for service and gave him a medical discharge. Then the guy said he finally found the right piece of paper.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Bogg Number [B600] crossed out and replaced with B646
Keyword(s): Discharge ; FEIGNED INSANITY TO GET OUT OF MILITARY SERVICE. ; Fool ; INSANITY ; INSANITY ; Mental Disorder ; MILITARY ; Parable ; Recruit ; Sanity ; Wise Fool
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic |
Entry filtered.
Play on Words
Play on Words:
Paradox: Casey and Kildare...
(Pair of doc's)
Submitter comment:
Val Zelnick. Heard long ago in grade-school. It is a way of remembering the word and its meaning, besides being a play on words.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [S300] crossed out. Nothing is written to replace it.
Submission card located in a pile marked To Be Classified.
Where learned: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Keyword(s): Doctors ; MNEMONIC ; Mnemonic Device ; PARADOX ; SATIRE OF DOCTORS ; Wit ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech |
Entry filtered.
Custom/Belief
Belief, Custom - Planting:
On the feast day of St. Andrew everyone plants cucumbers to ensure a good planting season for the year.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P535, F643] crossed out and replaced with F535
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Cucumbers ; CUSTOM ; HARVEST ; Offering ; PLANT VEGETABLE ; RELIGIOUS ; St. Andrew ; VEGETABLE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 |
Ethnic: Scottish
Never cut your fingernails on Sunday.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
The word Legend has been crossed out from the top of the card.
Original BN [P400, P644, P43, P880] have been crossed out/replaced with current classifications
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
Keyword(s): DAYS OF THE WEEK ; ETHNIC ; GROOMING ; Scotland ; SCOTTISH ; Superstition, Belief
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time F574.5 (SUNDAY) BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Belief: Children
Wednesday's Child:
Wednesday's Child is full of woe.
Submitter comment:
(A person born on Wednesday is believed to be ill-fated through-out life.)
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BIRTH ; Born ; CHILDREN ; DAYS OF THE WEEK ; DESTINY ; Destiny, Fate ; Wednesday ; WOE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
Ethnic Joke: Hollander
Hollander Joke:
When the Hollanders bury their dead, they bury them standing up with the top half sticking out of the grave. These are used as the tombstones.
Submitter comment:
This joke was told to me by a boy from Flanders.
Hollander jokes are typical in Belgium.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Written in the bottom left of the card: Does this imply that the Hollanders are cheap? A response in different handwriting (probably the collector's): YES!!
Where learned: BELGIUM
Keyword(s): BURIAL ; DEATH ; ETHNIC ; Funeral ; GRAVEYARD ; Headstones ; Holland ; Hollander ; Offensive ; Tasteless
James Callow Keyword(s): Hollander
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery |
Play on Words
Thrones:
IN darkest Africa one time, there were some wicked men who terrorized the natives of the various tribes by exploiting them for their valuables. In fact, these men would go to the chief's hut and steal his throne, because they were usually adorned with gold and diamonds and all sorts of other precious stones.
Well, the word got around to one particular chief that thesemen were coming to his village. Not wanting his throne stolen, he had it hidden up in the attic of his grass hut. When the wicked men arrived, they only found a plain wooden chair as a throne. Thinking that this was not a worthwhile village profitably, they decided to leave. All of a sudden, without warning, the ceiling gave out, and the chief's magnificent throne fell to the ground in front of everybody. discovering this prize, the men packed it up and left the king with no throne.
The moral of this story: People who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones.
Submitter comment:
I heard this a few years ago, but I don't remember when. the informant has also slipped my mind. / I don't remember where or whom I heard this from.
Data entry tech comment:
Motif added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [S570] crossed out/replaced with current classification
Written underneath the BN: [Shaggy Dog - Pun Type]
Where learned: UNKNOWN
Keyword(s): DETECTION OF THIEF ; Fable ; JOKE ; PUN ; SHAGGY DOG STORY ; Throne ; WORD PLAY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |