Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for FO returned 1027 results.
Do not eat fish and watermelon together, do not drink corn
liquor and eat bananas, do not eat fish and milk together.
James Callow comment:
"If you eat bananas after drinking beer or whiskey, it will
kill you (... student, Negro, Cleveland, 1959)"; "if you eat
bananas after drinking whiskey, you will die in agony" (...
barber, Negro, Cleveland, 1956)" -- Puckett, Ohio, nos. 27489,
27490.
Where learned: Camben ; Arkansas
James Callow Keyword(s): Incompatible foods
| Subject headings: | Favorites Food Drink -- Kind of Food and Its Preparation BELIEF -- Fish BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00-00-1945
Chin Tickler
I remember this little game my grandmother played on my face
and head. She would knock on my head and say, "head knocker", then
touch my eyes and say, "eye peepers," then pinch my nose and say,
"nose blower," then place her finger on my mouth and say, "mouth
chopper" and tickle under my chin and say, "chin tickler."
Submitter comment:
The two of us would continue the little game, laughing until
one of us would finally give in due to stomach pain from laughter.
I did the same with my children.
Where learned: Grandmother
James Callow Keyword(s): Names for body parts
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Date learned: 00001950S
Fish on Friday
One day of the week was considered to be a day of fast and
abstinence (similar to Lent) where you would give up meat. It
originated in the early Christian church. People that lived near
the sea ate fish because it was plentiful and meat was very
expensive.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FOOD
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Week Day Hour Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Don't eat "chittlings" (chitterlings) in the summer. This
would give you an upset stomach because too much pork in the
summer was not good for your health. "Chittlings are the
intestines of hogs.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
James Callow comment:
For eating pork only during months with an "R" in them, see
Puckett, Ohio, no. 6680.
Where learned: GEORGIA
Keyword(s): Chitlings ; FOOD ; Pork ; REGIONAL ; Seasonal ; Summer
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Meat Bred animal |
My sister and I went to a youth rally when we were in high
school. At the rally we were taught that to grow psychologically
a person needs eight hugs a day plus many other facts that I now
cannot recall. When we came home our parents asked us at the
dinner table what we had learned; we told them about the eight hugs
needed to grow. My dad told us that he could do better than that,
so he has given us twelve hugs plus three for good luck. My
parents live up north and we often communicate by phone or by
letter; on the phone we count to twelve, then to three to give our
hugs to each other. In written communication, we write 12+3 to
give our hugs. This is a tradition that our whole family now
practices to give each other hugs and emotional support.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE
Keyword(s): Family folklore
| Subject headings: | 686 Seconds / Twice / Two 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple 686 Eighths / Eight Favorites BELIEF -- Good luck SPEECH -- Gesture SPEECH -- To Be Seen |
Entry filtered.
POLISH
POLISH EASTER CUSTOMS INCLUDE THE CONSECRATING OF
FOLK PASTRY, THE DECORATING AND GIVING OF THE
EASTER EGGS, AND THE CREMONIAL EATING OF CERTAIN
BLESSED FOODS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FOLK PASTRY=OPLATKI?
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Elements |
Date learned: 12-01-1967
Food: Recipe
Bread and Butter Pickles
1 gallon firm cucumbers (sliced thin crosswise)
2 green peppers (seeded and sliced)
8 small white onions
Prepare 1 quart of crushed ice. Place these in layers with 1/2 cup of salt. Cover in weighted lid and place in refrigerator for 3 hours. Drain after 3 hours, add to syrup made of:
5 cups white vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground mustard seed
1 tsp celery seed
Stir mixture while heating - dissolve sugar. Add vegetables - heat slowly. Scald , DO NOT BOIL.
Place pickles in sterilized jars at once and seal.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Cucumber ; FOOD ; Pickles ; RECIPE ; VINEGAR
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Manner of preparation Preservation |
Food: Recipe
Spiced Watermelon Rind:
9 cups (3lbs) cubed white watermelon rind. (remove all green skin)
4 cups water (1 glln)
2 tbsp salt
5 cups sugar
2 cups cider vineegar
1 cup cold water
1 sliced lemon
1 tbsp whole cloves
1 tbsp whole all spice
1 tbsp coarsley chopped cinnamon
Cover watermelon rind with 4 cups water. Add salt and let stand minute. Drain. Cover with more cold water in sacepan. Cook, covered, over low heat until tender, about 2 hours. Drain. Meanwhile, combine sugar, vinegar and remaining 1 cup cold water. Tie spices and lemon slices in a cheesecloth bag. Drop into vinegar mixture. Boil 5 minutes. Then add watermelon rind and cook until rind is transparent - about 45/60 minutes. Remove bag of spices. Pack rind and syrup into jars and seal. For crisper rind, add 2 tbsp powdered alum to water in which rind is first cooked.
Keyword(s): Canning ; FOOD ; Jar ; Meal ; RECIPE ; Rind ; Spiced ; Watermelon
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Manner of preparation Preservation |
Food: Recipe
Cottage Cheese:
Let the milk clabber then strain through a cheesecloth. heat the solid (left in cheesecloth0 in a skillet with a little bit of butter until its warm to hand. Make into a large patty and slice. This can then be baked in a warm oven.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Cheese ; COOK ; Cottage ; FOOD ; RECIPE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Animal product Cheese |
Custom
Pounding a preacher is a Methodist custom of welcoming a new preacher by having a fellowship supper and at the end surprising him with the homemade gifts each person has brought.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Covered ; CUSTOM ; Dish ; Fellowship ; FOOD ; Gathering ; GIFTS ; Homemade ; Potluck ; Pounding ; Preacher ; RITUAL ; Supper ; SURPRISE ; tradition
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church |
Custom
Fellowship Supper is a custom that Methodists have of a covered dish supper.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Community ; Covered ; CUSTOM ; Dish ; Fellowship ; FOOD ; Gathering ; Methodist ; Potluck ; RELIGION ; RITUAL ; Supper
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church |
Superstition: Animals
Eating the chicken gizzard will make you beautiful.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Beautiful ; BIRD ; Chicken ; Eat ; FOOD ; FOWL ; Gizzard ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Custom |
THOSE IN THE THEATER, WHEN THEY WANT TO WISH AN
ACTOR OR AN ACTRESS GOOD LUCK, SAY: "BREAK A LEG."
Submitter comment:
THOSE CONNECTED WITH THE THEATER FEEL IT IS BAD
LUCK TO WISH SOMEONE GOOD LUCK BEFORE THEY GO ON
STAGE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | DRAMA -- Secular BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 11-24-1968
WHEN SOMEONE MENTIONS SOMETHING THAT HE HAS HAD
GOOD LUCK WITH IN HIS LIFE, HE PROMPTLY KNOCKS
ON WOOD AND/OR SAYS, "KNOCK ON WOOD" IN ORDER
TO KEEP HIS LUCK FROM CHANGING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
WHEN TWO PEOPLE WOULD SAY THE SAME THING AT THE SAME
TIME, THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY "OWE ME A COKE" WOULD
RECEIVE SOME SORT OF GOOD LUCK.
(SUPPOSEDLY IN THE FORM OF A FREE COKE (COCA-COLA,
A SOFT DRINK).
Submitter comment:
THE WAY I LEARNED IT, THE PERSON SAYING "OWE ME A
COKE" WOULD HAVE TO SLUG THE OTHER GUY ON THE
SHOULDER IN ORDER TO VALIDATE THE CUSTOM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
THIS WAS COLLECTED APRIL 11, 1967 FROM MY SISTER. SHE
HEARD IT FROM HER CLASSMATES; SHE IS IN JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL.
WHEN TWO PEOPLE TALK AT THE SAME TIME, ONE MUST SAY
"NEEDLES AND PINS" IN ORDER TO PREVENT BAD LUCK.
Where learned: JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; WYANDOTTE
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Conversions Activities SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 04-11-1967
"LUCKY AT CARDS, UNLUCKY AT LOVE."
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
James Callow Keyword(s): FORMULA SPEECH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement BELIEF -- Conversions Games Pastimes Sports SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 08-00-1967
A PREGNANT WOMAN MUST NOT SIT WITH HER LEGS TUCKED
UNDERNEATH HER, BECAUSE THIS COULD CAUSE THE UNBORN
CHILD TO BE KILLED. I THINK THIS IS AN ITALIAN
BELIEF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ALSO BAD FOR THE CIRCULATION.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 10-10-1969
MARRY A UGLY WOMAN AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY FOR THE REST
OF YOUR LIFE.
Submitter comment: FROM FAMILY
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): NO NEED FOR JEALOUSY?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage |
Date learned: 11-07-1967