Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for HUMOR returned 352 results.
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN FROM THE CITY,
WHO SAW A NICE BLACK AND WHITE KITTY
SAYING, "MICE LITTLE CAT,"
HE GAVE IT A PAT.
THEY BURIED HIS CLOTHES OUT OF PITY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; EUPHEMISM: CAT FOR SKUNK ; FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR ; INDIRECTION ; RHYME: AABBA ; SMELLY CLOTHERS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A BELLE OF OLD NATCHEZ,
WHOSE GARMENTS WERE ALL SHREDS AND PATCHES.
WHEN COMMENT AROSE
ON THE STATE OF HER CLOTHES,
SHE DRAWLED, "WHEN AH ITCHES, AH SCRATCHES."
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): DIACLECT PRONUNCIATION ; FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR ; RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN OF SPOKANE
WHOSE VERSES WOULD NEVER SCAN.
WHEN TOLD THIS WAS SO,
HE SAID "YES, I KNOW,
BUT I ALWAYS TRY TO GET AS MANY WORDS IN THE LAST
LINE AS I CAN."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ALEXANDRINE FOR HUMOR ; POET ; PROSODY ; RHYME DICTATES PRONUNCIATION OF PLACE NAME ; RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
VERSE
KISS ME CUTE,
KISS ME CUNNING,
KISS ME QUICK
MY DADDY'S COMING.
Where learned: LIBRARY
Keyword(s): COMMAND ; FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR ; IMPERFECT RHYME ; INITIAL ITERATION ; MEDIAL ITERATION ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
THE FROG
THE FROG IS A FUNNY ANIMAL
WHEN HE WALK HE RUN ALMOST,
WHEN HE HOP HE JUMP ALMOST,
WHEN HE SIT HE STAND ALMOST,
HE HAS NO TAIL HARDLY.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; FINAL ITERATION ; HUMOR ; INITIAL ITERATION ; RHYME: ABBBC
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.440 |
Date learned: 09-12-1965
THE FROG
WHAT A FUNNY LITTLE BIRD THE FROG ARE
HE AIN'T GOT NO HEAD HARDLY
AND HE AIN'T GOT NO TAIL EITHER.
WHEN HE HOP HE FLY ON WHAT HE AIN'T GOT ALMOST.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; HUMOR ; RHYME: ABCD
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.440 |
Date learned: 09-12-1965
VERSE
WHEN YOU GO FISHING,
TAKE A LINE.
WHEN YOU GO KISSING,
TAKE YOUR TIME.
Where learned: LIBRARY
Keyword(s): ADVICE ; HUMOR ; IMPERFECT RHYMES ; INITIAL ITERATION ; RHYME: ABAB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 09-22-1967
FOLK VERSE
IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO BE PLEASANT
WHEN LIFE FLOATS ALONG LIKE A SONG,
BUT THE GIRL WORTH WHILE
IS THE GIRL THAT CAN SMILE,
WHEN HER TWO FRONT TEETH ARE GONE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
Keyword(s): HUMOR ; IMPERFECT RHYME - SONG GONE ; RHYME: ABCCB ; RHYME: ABCCD
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 00001950S
I WISH
I WISH YOU JOY, I WISH YOU MIGHTY
I WISH HIS PAJAMAS CLOSE TO YOUR NIGHTIE
NOW DON'T GET MAD, DON'T GET RED
I MEAN ON THE CLOTHESLINE AND NOT IN BED.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Keyword(s): CLOTHES ; HUMOR ; PRETENDED OBSCENE ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 09-12-1965
HICCUP
TO CURE A CASE OF THE HICCUPS, DRINK A GLASS OF BEER THROUGH A PIECE
OF CLOTH, WITHOUT STOPPING FOR BREATH.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT SAID HIS "OLD MAN" USED TO DO THIS WHEN THE INFORMANT
WAS A BOY.
HIS MOTHER HOWEVER FROWNED UPON THIS PRACTICE
BECAUSE HIS FATHER WOULD NEVER STOP AT JUST ONE GLASS.
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
HICCUP
DRINK A GLASS OF BEER WITH A STICK BETWEEN YOUR TEETH.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT SAW HIS FATHER DO IT.
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): HUMOR
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 03-13-1965
RIDDLE
LITTLE WILLIE LIT A ROCKET
WHICH WAS IN HIS DADDY'S POCKET
THE NEXT DAY HE TOLD HIS COUSIN DAN
DADDY IS A TRAVELING MAN .
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; HUMOR ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
NONSENSE RHYME
THE OTHER NIGHT UPON THE STAIR,
I SAW A MAN WHO WASN'T THERE.
HE WASN'T THERE AGAIN TODAY.
GEE WHIZ, I WISH HE'D GO AWAY.
Where learned: ROYAL OAK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 10-00-1967
CHILDHOOD RHYME
HERE COMES THE BRIDE,
ALL DRESSED IN WHITE.
SHE STEPPED ON A TURTLE,
AND DOWN CAME HER GIRDLE.
Submitter comment: TOLD AT INFORMANT,S HOME 885 COVINGTON DR., DETROIT
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR MOCKERY ; IMPERFECT RHYME ; PARODY ; RHYME: ABCC
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 03-01-1970
VERSE
LITTLE JOHNNY TOOK A DRINK,
BUT HE SHALL DRINK NO MORE,
FOR WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS H2O
WAS H2SO4.
Submitter comment: TOLD AT INFORMANT,S HOME
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): CHEMICAL TERMS ; DIGITAL HUMOR ; EUPHEMISM ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 01-20-1970
A VERSE
SALMONE WAS A DANCER.
SHE DANCED BEFORE THE KING.
AND WHEN SHE DANCED SHE WIGGLED
EVERY LITTLE THING.
THE KING SAID, "HEY, STOP THAT
"YOU CAN,T DO THAT IN HERE"
SALOME SAID, "BALONEY"
AND KICKED THE CHANDELIER.
Submitter comment: THIS IS AN OLD TRADITIONAL GRADE SCHOOL VERSE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BIBLICAL HUMOR ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 11-22-1967
THERE WAS A YOUNG GIRL FROM BOSTON MASS
WHO STOOD IN WATER UP TO HER ANKLES
IT DOESN'T RHYME NOW BUT IT WILL WHEN
THE TIDE COMES IN.
Where learned: DETROIT ; RATHSKELLER BAR
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; HUMOR ; INDIRECTION ; RHYME: AA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: 11-18-1968
LIMERICK
A SENIOR AT LUNCH AT PURDUE/DISCOVERED A MOUSE IN HIS STEW.
SAID THE WAITER, "DON'T SHOUT/AND DISPLAY IT ABOUT.
OR THE PROFS WILL BE WANTING ONE TOO."
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): 4 LINE STANZA HUMOR LIMERICK FOOD ; RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY THE COLLECTOR
CHILDREN'S RHYME
BIRDIE, BIRDIE IN THE SKY / DROPPED SOME WHITEWASH IN MY EYE.
AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT COWS DON'T FLY?
Data entry tech comment: LINES HAVE BEEN DIVIDED BY THE KEYPUNCHER.
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): RHETORICAL QUESTION HUMOR WISH METER EUPHEMISM ; RHYME: AAA
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
FISHY
I WISH I WAS A FISHY IN THE BROOK/I WISH I WAS A FISHY IN THE BROOK/
FOR I'D SWIM IN MY NUDIE/ WITHOUT A BATHING SUITIE/ OH, I WISH I WAS
A FISHY IN THE BROOK }
Where learned: MICHIGAN
Keyword(s): ENVELOPE STRUCTURE ; FEMININE RHYME IMPERFECT RHYME ; HUMOROUS RHYME ; REPETITION FIRST PERSON ; RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |