Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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BATS
BATS ATTACK PEOPLE, AND PREY ON THE HUMAN BLOOD. TO COUNTERACT
THIS ATTACK ONE SHOULD WEAR A CROSS AROUND ONE'S NECK. THIS
WILL ALSO KEEP AWAY VAMPIRES.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Attack ; Bats ; Cross ; Legend ; Repel ; SUPERNATURAL ; SUPERSTITION ; SYMBOL ; Vampire
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire BELIEF -- Animal |
Date learned: 02-10-1972
SUPERSTITION
IF YOUR LUCK GOES BAD, WALK AROUND THE HOUSE AND LOOK FOR A HEX SIGN
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT SAYS THIS IS OF GERMAN ORIGIN, AND THINKS THE HEX
SIGN IS A CIRCLE WITH A CROSS INSIDE OF IT.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE
Keyword(s): ; Hex ; LUCK ; SIGN ; SUPERSTITION ; SYMBOL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Circle and other round forms BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance BELIEF -- Conversions |
Date learned: 02-00-1979
HOW GOD MADE "FLUTTER-BYS"
WELL, THE LORD HAD JUST FINISHED MAKING THE WORLD AND HE SAT BACK
IN HIS BIG OL' ROCKER TO LOOK IT OVER. "NOT A BAD JOB, IF I SAY SO
MYSELF." HE LIT UP A BIG, FINE CIGAR AND WAS FEELING PRETTY GOOD
ABOUT IT UNTIL HE NOTICED THAT THE WORLD LOOKED KIND OF BARE. THE
FACT OF THE MATTER WAS THERE WASN'T A THING TO THE WORLD EXCEPT LAND,
TREES AND A LOTS OF WATER. THERE WAS EVEN MORE WATER THAN LAND.
"WONDER HOW I DID THAT," THE LORD SAID. "SEEMS TO ME I'D PLANNED FOR
THERE TO BE MORE LANDTHAN WATER." WELL, HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND
TURNED HIS MIND TO MAKE THE WORLD LOOK A BIT PRETTIER. "GIMME MY
PRUNING SHEARS," HE CALLED OUT AND ONE OF THE CUTE, LITTLE ANGELS RAN
AND GOT THEM. THEN THE GREAT LORD ALMIGHTY LEANED OUT OF HIS ROCKING
CHAIR, TRIMMED THE TREES, AND THREW THE TRIMMINGS ALL OVER THE EMPTY
GROUND. THAT'S WHAT MADE THE GRASS, BUSHES, AND ALL THE FLOWERS.
"NOW THAT DON'T LOOK TOO BAD," HE SAID AND LEANED BACK. "YESSIRY
I'VE DONE MADE A AWFUL PRETTY WORLD." AND SO SAYING, HE WENT TO BED
TO REST UP FROM ALL THAT WORK. THE NEXT MORNING THE LORD HADN'T EVEN
HAD ONE EYE OPEN YET, WHEN HE HEARD THE FLOWERS WHISPERING AMONG
THEMSELVES, "IT'S LONELY DOWN HERE"; THE OTHER FLOWER SAID, "WE
WERE PUT HERE TO KEEP THE GROUND COMPANY AND MAKE EVERYTHING LOOK
PRETTY, BUT IT SURE IS MIGHTY LONELY." THE LORD SHOOK HIS HEAD IN
DISGUST. "HAVE MERCY, FATHER. YOU GET THROUGH MAKING ONE THANG AND
AND THE NEXT THANG YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA MAKE SOMETHING TO GO WITH THE
FIRST. GIMME THEM LITTLE SHEARS, ONE OF YOU ANGELS, PLEASE." AN
ANGEL BROUGHT HIM THE TEENICHY PAIR OF SHEARS AND HE BENT OVER TO THE
EARTH AND STARTED SNIPPING LITTLE PIECES OFF OF EVERYTHING - THE SKY,
THE GROUND, THE TREES, THE ANIMALS, THE BUSHES, THE FLOWERS;
EVERYTHING HE PUT HIS SHEARS ON, GOT SNIPPED. "THE VERY IDEA OF
GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WORLD AND IT AIN'T EVEN A DAY OLD.
THAT'S GRATITUDE." THE LORD HAD A FEELING HE WAS GOING TO BE GETTING
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WORLD FROM THEN ON. HE WAS SO MAD THAT HE DID
NOT CARE WHAT HE SNIPPED - SNIP, SNIP, ALL MORNING LONG. WELL, WHEN
THE FOLKS LOOKED UP AND SAW THE TINY CLIPPINGS FLUTTERING AROUND.
THEY CALLED THEM FLUTTER-BYS. THE BLUE FLUTTER-BYS HAD BEEN SNIPPED
FROM THE SKY; THE YELLOW FLUTTER-BYS HAD BEEN CLIPPINGS FROM THE SUN;
AND THERE WERE THE LORD'S WHITE FLUTTER-BYS THAT WERE CLIPPINGS FROM
THE STARS. EVERY COLOR FLUTTER-BY YOU COULD THINK OF WAS FLUTTERING
AROUND.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS ANOTHER LONG NARRATIVE WITH A STRONG BLACK IMAGE, AS REFERRED
TO IN MY COLLECTION'S SEQUENCE NUMBER 731772-1; I GET THE
IMPRESSION THAT THIS IS A BLACK GOD.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Butterfly ; CREATION ; ETYMOLOGY ; God ; NAME ; Origin ; PERSONIFICATION ; Tale
James Callow Keyword(s): PERSONIFICATION
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Creation and Order of Animal Life SPEECH -- Proper Name |
Date learned: 00-00-1954
MONEY COUNTING
IT'S A SURE SIGN OF A QUICK DOWNFALL TO COME IF
YOU COUNT YOUR WINNINGS (MONEY) WHILE A GAME OF CARDS IS
STILL IN PROGRESS.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): GAMBLING ; MONEY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 11-17-1969
WHISTLING
GIRLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WHISTLE BECAUSE THE BLESSED MOTHER
WOULD TURN HER HEAD AND CRY.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS BY HER MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.
SHE PRACTICED THIS WHEN YOUNG, BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE
TRUTH OF IT NOW. (1920s).
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; informant's home
Keyword(s): Blessed Mother ; BLESSED VIRGIN ; Cry ; Female ; Feminine ; Girls ; Holy Mother ; Ladylike ; Whistle
James Callow Keyword(s): VANITY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion SPEECH -- Extra Corporal Means of Communication |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
GOLF BELIEF
IF YOU HAVE HAD THREE BAD HOLES, PUT A FENCE ON YOUR SCORECARD
FOR GOOD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): NUMBER
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 03-03-1971
BASEBALL BELIEF
PITCHERS NEVER CROSS THE FIRST OR THIRD BASE LINE BECAUSE IT
MEANS BAD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): NUMBER ; POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 686 686.1 BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 03-04-1971
BASEBALL SUPERSTITION
IT IS BELIEVED TO BE BAD LUCK IN BASEBALL TO STRIKE OUT THE FIRST
BATTER AGAINST YOU.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT ONLY HEARD OF THIS, DID NOT PLAY BY IT HIMSELF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): NUMBER
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- P888 P888.2 |
Date learned: 09-30-1971
BASEBALL SUPERSTITION
FOR GOOD LUCK IN BASEBALL, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE THIRD BASEMAN
MUST BE THE LAST PERSON TO TOUCH THE BALL BEFORE THE PITCHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): NUMBER
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 09-30-1971
SPORTS SUPERSTITION
WHEN DOING BAD IN BOWLING OR GOLF, DRAW A FENCE ON THE SCORE
CARD AND YOU HAVE BETTER LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
James Callow Keyword(s): FENCE = ZIG-ZAG LINE ON SCOREBOX
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Good luck P881.2 |
Date learned: 04-18-1971
UNIVERSITY BELIEF
BEFORE A FRESHMAN CAN STEP ON THE BIG M IN THE CENTRE OF THE
DIAG, HE MUST HAVE TAKEN HIS FIRST EXAM, OR ELSE HE WILL FLUNK
OUT OF SCHOOL WITHIN THE YEAR.
Data entry tech comment:
THE "BIG M" AND THE DIAG ARE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
James Callow Keyword(s): SLANG--DIAG FOR DIAGONAL? ; WALKING PROHIBITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- School |
Date learned: 00001967 (FALL)