The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SAYING

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUT A
QUESTION THA'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME IS "WHICH CAME
FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?"

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Keyword(s): RIDDLE

Date learned: 08-06-1968

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(PROVERB)

SOME GUY WHO WAS A GREAT TRACK STAR IN GREEK TIMES
STARTED TO BRAG HOW GREAT HE WAS. COME THE DAY OF THE
ATHENS-SPARTA MARATHON, AND HE WAS UP FOR IT. HIS
TRADE MARK BESIDES WINNING, WAS HIS CLOTHES, BECAUSE
HE WAS POOR. HE SAVED UP AND FOR THE BIG RACE HE
BOUGHT SHEEP WAX TO POLISH UP HIS CLOTHES SO THEY
LOOKED EXPENSIVE. THE RACE BEGINS. HE RAN AS HARD
AND AS LONG AS HE COULD. ALAS AND ALACK HE WAS
BEATEN.
MORAL: DON'T GLOSS YOUR BRITHCES AFORE YOU RUN IN
THEM.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT

Keyword(s): DON'T CROSS YOUR BRIDGES BEFORE YOU COME TO THEM.

Date learned: 10-20-1970

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(PROVERB)

SOME GUY WHO WAS A GREAT TRACK STAR IN GREEK TIMES
STARTED TO BRAG HOW GREAT HE WAS. COME THE DAY OF THE
ATHENS-SPARTA MARATHON, AND HE WAS UP FOR IT. HIS
TRADE MARK BESIDES WINNING, WAS HIS CLOTHES, BECAUSE
HE WAS POOR. HE SAVED UP AND FOR THE BIG RACE HE
BOUGHT SHEEP WAX TO POLISH UP HIS CLOTHES SO THEY
LOOKED EXPENSIVE. THE RACE BEGINS. HE RAN AS HARD
AND AS LONG AS HE COULD. ALAS AND ALACK HE WAS
BEATEN.
MORAL: DON'T GLOSS YOUR BRITHCES AFORE YOU RUN IN
THEM.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT

Keyword(s): DON'T CROSS YOUR BRIDGES BEFORE YOU COME TO THEM.

Date learned: 10-20-1970

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Custom

Good Friday and Planting Custom:

Potatoe [sic] seeds should be planted, if at all possible, on Good Friday.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [F663] has been crossed out and replaced with F535

Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; LeRoy

Keyword(s): AGRICULTURE ; CUSTOM ; FARMING ; Good Friday ; HARVEST ; PLANT VEGETABLE ; POTATO ; Religious Holiday ; VEGETABLE

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Entertainment: Catch Tale

Catch Tale Designed to Make Listener Ridiculous and/or Surprised:

Speaker: "I can make a match burn twice."

Listener: "How?"

Speaker: "Watch."

Speaker lights match and then blows it out, whereupon he quickly touches the skin of the listener with the still hot match, thus making it "burn" twice.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [B667] crossed out. F536 written next to it.

Where learned: Myself

Keyword(s): Catch Riddle ; CATCH TALE ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; MATCH ; MATCHES ; RIDDLE

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Entertainment: Catch Tale

TELL VICTIM YOU CAN MAKE A MATCH BURN TWICE. LIGHT MATCH, AND BLOW
OUT. THEN STICK THE TIP INTO THE VICTIM'S HAND.

Data entry tech comment:

Edited on 11-30-2010/ added Motifs,Keywords,BN. -TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CATCH ; Catch Riddle ; CATCH TALE ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; MATCH ; MATCHES ; MOCK EPIC FIRE

Date learned: 11-16-1968

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Superstition

Superstition:

Anything tried on Friday the 13th will fail.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880.6] crossed out and replaced with P574.5

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; HOME

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CURSE ; DATE ; Day ; Friday ; jinx ; SUPERSTITION ; TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA ; Weekday

James Callow Keyword(s): TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA

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Maxim

Sun and Rain:

Happy is the bride the sun shines on;

Lucky is the corpse that rain falls on.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880, P45] crossed out/ replaced with current classifications.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Bride ; BURIAL ; Corpse ; DEATH ; Funeral ; MARRIAGE ; Maxim ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING

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Ethnic:Belgium

Wedding:

In Belgium, at weddings, it was a belief and general practice that the more important or wealthy the bride, the later she would arrive at the church. There were instances where the bride would be as much as 1/2 hour late. The priests were well aware of this practice and would not grow impatient during the waiting period.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P545, F578] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH

Keyword(s): Belgium ; Bride ; CEREMONY ; ETHNIC ; Late ; MARRIAGE ; PRIEST ; Tardy ; WEDDING

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Custom

Ribbons:

The ribbons from presents received at a bridal shower are tied together and used as a boquet at the wedding rehearsal.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Bridal ; Bride ; CUSTOM ; GAMES ; Rehearsal ; Ribbons ; Shower ; WEDDING

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Custom

Wedding Custom:

Before the bride leaves the reception the band plays a slow song and the bride removes her veil and places it on the head of her maid-of-honor.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Bride ; CUSTOM ; Fashion ; Maid-of-Honor ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; Reception ; Veil ; WEDDING

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Custom

Wedding Custom:

Before the bride leaves the reception the band plays a slow song and the bride removes her veil and places it on the head of her maid-of-honor.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Bride ; CUSTOM ; Fashion ; Maid-of-Honor ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; Reception ; Veil ; WEDDING

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Ethnic: Russian

Wedding Custom:

When the bride is preparing for her wedding (getting dressed and ready to leave for church) a violin player and an accordian player play a special tune.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Written on bottom left of the card: [ Ethnic? Russian Orthodox, says collector.]

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Accordion ; Bride ; CUSTOM ; DRESS ; Fashion ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; violin ; WEDDING

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Entertainment: Game

London Bridge:

London Bridges falling down, falling down. London Bridges falling down, my fair lady. Take the key and lock her up, lock her up. Take the key and lock her up, my fair lady. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Everyone says the verse, two people hold each other's hands and walk around at Monday and when Sunday comes they put someone between them, swinging their arms back and forth and throwing the person away.

Data entry tech comment:

Entered by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [C730.360, C523] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Submission card located in a pile marked C750 Jump Rope Rhyme

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself

Keyword(s): Bridges ; CHILDREN ; GAMES ; Jump Rope ; London ; Playground ; Rhymes

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Superstition: Animals

Cats:

If there is a cat you want to get rid of, put some beans in a sack and tie it on the cat's tail, hit him on the backside and he will run himself to death.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Beans ; CAT ; DEATH ; Eliminate ; Pest ; Rid ; SUPERSTITION

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Superstition

12 came around for study of Friday the 13th

Data entry tech comment:

[unknown if pencil mark is meant to cross out the entry or if it is a simple accidental mark of the pencil.]

Entered by TRD

James Callow comment:

Pencil mark through entry

Keyword(s): DATE ; Friday ; NUMBER ; Numeral ; Twelve ; Weekday ; Weekend

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Proverb

Ask me no Questions:

Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.

Submitter comment:

Heard this in High School.

Data entry tech comment:

Added by TRD

James Callow comment:

The A in Ask  is underlined in red.

Dup. of WPP

Keyword(s): Ask ; Lie ; Maxim ; PROVERB ; QUESTION ; RIDDLE

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Proverb

Don't cross the bridge before you come to it

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.

Keyword(s): ANTICIPATION ; Bridge ; Choices ; DIRECTION

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Retort

You're not proud, you're thoroughly convinced.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Two cards merged: identical submissions, different informants. Both informants are listed here.

James Callow comment:

Sense?  Circumstance? Both cards the same except for informant?

Keyword(s): COMEBACK ; INSULT ; PRIDE ; Proud ; RETORT ; SARCASM ; TAUNT ; Wisecrack

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