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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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SUPERSTITION (MOST NATIONALITIES)

FARMERS WOULD NEVER PLANT THEIR CROPS EXCEPT WHEN THERE WAS A
NEW MOON.

Where learned: NOT INCLUDED

Keyword(s): PLANTING, MOON

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business
BELIEF -- Moon

Date learned: 09-25-1968

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CROPS

IF YOU WANT GOOD VEGETABLE CROPS, PLANT BEFORE THE SUN RISES. THIS
IS A POLISH CUSTOM

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): PLANTING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business
BELIEF -- Sun

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BELIEF (CUSTOM)

WHEN PLANTING CORN, PLACE A FISH IN EACH HOLE AND PLANT BY THE
LIGHT OF THE HALF MOON. YOU WILL, THEREFORE, REAP A BIGGER CROP.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): PLANTING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business
BELIEF -- Fish
BELIEF -- Moon

Date learned: 10-23-1968

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CHOP UP AN ASPIRIN AND PUT IT IN THE GROUND WITH THE SEED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ;

Keyword(s): PLANTING CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business

Date learned: 11-02-1971

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GROUND

A FARMER TESTS HIS GROUND FOR PLANTING POTATOES BY PULLING DOWN
HIS PANTS AND SITTING ON HIS FRESHLY PLOWED GROUND. IF THE GROUND
IS COLD, PLANTING IS NOT POSSIBLE. IF THE GROUND IS WARM, GOOD
RESULTS WILL FOLLOW.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): PLANTING CUSTOM

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F476
BELIEF -- Plant husbandry Farming

Date learned: 10-00-1971

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PLANTING BELIEF

WHEN YOU WANT TO PLANT A ROSE BUSH FROM ONE OF ITS STEMS, CUT THE
STEM WITH FIVE LEAVES SHOWING; THEN PLANT THE STEM WITH ONLY TWO OF
THE LEAVES ABOVE GROUND AND THE ROSE BUSH WILL TAKE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): NUMBER ; PLANTING CUSTOM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 04-04-1972

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PLANTING RULE

IT IS A CUSTOM IN THE VILLAGE OF WENGEN, SWITZERLAND THAT YOU NEVER
PLANT BEANS WHILE THE MOON IS GROWING (THE PHASE FROM A NEW
MOON TO A FULL MOON). IF THIS RULE IS VIOLATED, THE BEANS
"JUST DON'T GROW."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD ; COLLECTORS HOME

Keyword(s): PLANTING CUSTOM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant husbandry Farming

Date learned: 10-28-1970

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LIGHT TREE

WHAT TREE CAN YOU HOLD IN YOUR HAND?
A PALM TREE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT DOES NOT REMEMBER WHERE HE LEARNED THIS

Where learned: WASHINGTON DC

Keyword(s): BODY PART PLANT STRENGTH ; CONUNDRUM

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 09-12-1967

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RIDDLE

WHAT IS ORANGE AND WRITES?
A BALL POINT CARROT.

Where learned: DETROIT

Keyword(s): COLOR ; PLANT VEGETABLE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-26-1967

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RIDDLE

WHAT DO DUCKS DO WHEN THEY FLY UPSIDE DOWN?
THEY QUACK UP

Where learned: SAINT LEONARD SCHOOL ; DETROIT, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): AIRPLANE LINGO ; BIRDS PUN

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-18-1965

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HARDER TO BEND A TREE WHEN THE TRUNK IS BIG AND OLD

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY INFORMANT

Keyword(s): ELLIPSIS ; OLD AGE? ; PLANT METAPHOR

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 12-04-1965

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CASPERILLA TEA IN THE SPRING WILL THIN THE BLOOD.

Data entry tech comment: BURDOCK ROOT TEA
SASSAFRAS TEA
OTHER REFERENCES IN ARCHIVE RECOMMEND THE USE OF

Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): PLANT CURE ; PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE ; SARSAPARILLA TEA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 09-00-1968

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UNDERTAKER (COLLECTOR'S TITLE) ; ROSES ARE RED, AND OTHER SUCH ASSOCIATIONS (CLASSIFIER'S TITLE)

ROSES ARE RED/ VIOLETS ARE BLUE
MY FATHER IS AN UNDERTAKER/ AND HE'LL GET YOU.

Where learned: SCRAPBOOK

Keyword(s): PARODY ; PLANTS FLOWERS ; QUATRAIN DEATH ; RHYME: ABCB

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Roses are red and other such associations

Date learned: 06-00-1965

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IF MEN CAN FLY THE SKY LIKE BIRDS,
IF MEN CAN SWIM THE SEA LIKE FISH- -
WHY CAN'T MEN WALK THE EARTH LIKE MEN.

Data entry tech comment: COLLECTOR'S LINE DIVISIONS CHANGED BY KEYPUNCHER

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT, ASSUMED ; THEOLOGY

Keyword(s): AIRPLANES ; ALLITERATION. ; BOATS ; VERSE.

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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The Ant and the Grasshopper

All day long all through the warm days of summer, a green
grasshopper went happily about. Whenever the grasshopper was
thirsty, he would sip nectar from any plant he saw. One
afternoon, as the grasshopper was leaping from flower to flower,
he saw beneath him a little black ant struggling to carry a fat
leaf bigger than himself. "Little friend," said the grasshopper,
"What are you doing down there?" "Why, I am carrying this leaf
off to my nest. I must fill my nest with food to last through
winter." "Winter?" said the grasshopper. "Who cares about
winter? Why don't you climb up to this flower and enjoy its
sweet nectar? Winter will take care of itself." "That isn't the
way things work in this world," said the ant. "Winter will be
here soon. The flowers will be gone, and there will be nothing
to eat." "Well, suit yourself," said the grasshopper. And off
he went, singing happily and having no cares at all. The ant
returned to carry each leaf, but he did not mind. He knew he
would have enough to last the winter. Soon the cold weather
came. The ant was snug in his
nest with plenty of food to eat. The grasshopper? He had
nothing to eat and soon was no more. A WISE PERSON KNOWS THAT
SUMMER DOES NOT LAST FOREVER.

Submitter comment: My informant remembers reading this fable in Aesop.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing

Keyword(s): Nectar = A sweet liquid secreted by plants

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale
BELIEF -- Measure of time Winter

Date learned: 11-00-1991

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Electronic Data Systems

My father is a systems analyst that supports General Motors
Corporation. He has many opportunities to work with GM's computer
specialists, Electronic Data Systems. He said that sometimes the
EDS technicians are so unhappy and surly that he renamed "E.D.S.",
"Every Day Sucks."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): Explanation

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Folk etymology
SPEECH -- To Be Seen

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MISTLETOE

DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, MISTLETOE IS HUNG FROM
CHANDELIERS, ARCHWAYS, ETC. WHEN A PERSON STANDS
UNDER THIS MISTLETOE, THE FIRST PERSON OF THE
OPPOSITE SEX TO COME UP TO SUCH PERSON, IS TO KISS
HIM OR HER.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM PARENTS WHEN VERY YOUNG.

Where learned: OHIO ; CANTON

Keyword(s): PARASITE ; poison ; POISONOUS PLANT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery

Date learned: 11-27-1967

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MISTLETOE

DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, MISTLETOE IS HUNG FROM
CHANDELIERS, ARCHWAYS, ETC. WHEN A PERSON STANDS
UNDER THIS MISTLETOE, THE FIRST PERSON OF THE
OPPOSITE SEX TO COME UP TO SUCH PERSON, IS TO KISS
HIM OR HER.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM PARENTS WHEN VERY YOUNG.

Where learned: OHIO ; CANTON

Keyword(s): PARASITE ; poison ; POISONOUS PLANT

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery

Date learned: 11-27-1967

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PUT ST. JOHN'S WORK (WORT?) IN (A) PILLOW TO FORETELL ONE'S
FUTURE IN DREAMS.

Where learned: HOME ; VIRGINIA, ASSUMED ; NORTH GARDEN

Keyword(s): PLANT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Dreams
BELIEF -- Use of Object Plant

Date learned: 03-29-1969

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RIDDLE

WHAT IS FULL OF HOLES YET HOLDS WATER?
-- A SPONGE.

Where learned: HOME ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): PLANT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-00-1967

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