Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for FO returned 1027 results.
GESTURE
WHEN SOMEONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT HIS BAD LUCK OR MISFORTUNE,
OFTEN ONE WILL RUN HIS INDEX FINGER AND THUMB TOGETHER LIGHTLY
AND REMARK, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? IT'S THE WORLD'S SMALLEST
VIOLIN PLAYING HEARTS & FLOWERS FOR YOU."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): MISFORTUNE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 03-00-1971
THE FACE
HIS FACE LOOKS LIKE THE SOUTH END (SIDE) OF A HORSE GOING NORTH.
Submitter comment:
YOU CAN USE THIS RETORT ANYTIME SOMEONE IS BRAGGING OR PUTTING
SOMEONE ELSE DOWN AND YOU WANT HIM TO KNOW HE HAS NOTHING TO TALK
ABOUT.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL COMPARISON ; EUPHEMISM FOR RUMP OF HORSE ; INSULT UGLINESS
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 02-25-1971
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
TALE OF KISSING ONES ELBOW
IF YOU KISS YOUR ELBOW, YOU'LL TURN INTO THE
OPPOSITE SEX.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): IMPOSSIBLE TASK
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Word Letter SPEECH -- Magical |
Date learned: 01-26-1972
NOW, IF I LAID THREE EGGS HERE AND FIVE EGGS OVER THERE, HOW MANY
WOULD I HAVE? WELL, TO TELL THE TRUTH, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN
DO IT.
Where learned: UNKNOWN
Keyword(s): FOOD
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
FIRST PERSON: I HAVE THREE DONUTS FOR A QUARTER AND ONE DONUT
FOR A DOLLAR. SECOND PERSON: WELL, I'M NOT TOO HUNGRY, I'LL
ONLY TAKE ONE.
Submitter comment: THIS RIDDLE REQUIRES THE ACTING OUT BY TWO PEOPLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; EAST TOWN THEATRE
Keyword(s): FOOD
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 10-10-1971
RIDDLE
WHAT IS MORE USEFUL AFTER IT HAS BROKEN?
-- AN EGG.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTORS HOME
Keyword(s): FOOD
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-0000
RIDDLE
IT SPINS AROUND BUT IS NOT SPINNING A WHEEL; IT CAN WALK A
ROPE BUT IS NOT A MONKEY.
-- A SPIDER.
Submitter comment: HEARD THIS IN DORMITORY
Where learned: HOME ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): ROPE FOR WEB
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 11-27-1967
RIDDLE
WHY DID TWENTY-FIVE PEOPLE WALK OUT OF THE BEST
RESTURANT IN NEW YORK?
-- BECAUSE THEY WERE FINISHED EATING.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): FOOD
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 10-10-1971
Language
Tongue Twister:
Betty Botta bought some butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit o' better butter will but make my batter better." So she bought a bit o' butter, better than the bitter butter, made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botta bought a bit o' better butter.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Something similar (but shorter) already typed as prose.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Baking ; Batter ; Butter ; COOKING ; Dearborn Heights ; GAME ; Language ; MICHIGAN ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Redford ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Custom
The family of the deceased attends mass for six consecutive weeks. Each week the family brings fruit, candy, or fruit for the entire parish. At the end of the six week period an entire mass is said in memory of the deceased . The family brings wine, three large raisin breads, fruit, and boiled wheat for the parish. This is done to celebrate the first stage of the deceased's ascention into Heaven. The ritual is repeated at six months to celebrate the second stage. After a person has been dead for a period of one year, the ritual is repeated for the last time. This stage signifies that the deceased has ascended into Heaven.
Submitter comment:
Despite revisions in the Orthodox mass, this custom has been preserved. It is considered an important and beautiful ritual. This custom is so old that no one knows how it exactly originated.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Self
Keyword(s): BURIAL ; CUSTOM ; DEATH ; FOOD ; Funeral ; RELIGION ; SYMBOLISM
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Story
The recruit would go around the base in a constant search looking for a piece of paper. He would go through elaborate to attract attention [sic]. He would turn over rocks, pick up other pieces of paper or what have you. After each act he would exclaim "no, that's not it!" Finally he got the attention of the camp doctors who then had him confined. Finally the doctors deemed him unfit for service and gave him a medical discharge. Then the guy said he finally found the right piece of paper.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Bogg Number [B600] crossed out and replaced with B646
Keyword(s): Discharge ; FEIGNED INSANITY TO GET OUT OF MILITARY SERVICE. ; Fool ; INSANITY ; INSANITY ; Mental Disorder ; MILITARY ; Parable ; Recruit ; Sanity ; Wise Fool
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic |
A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs entered by TRD
Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself
Keyword(s): Catholic ; CATHOLICISM ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious |
A woman was in church praying to the Blessed Mother. Suddenly she heard a voice say, "My name is Jesus." The woman did not answer, but only prayed harder. Again the voice sounded. The woman turned around, looked, and continued praying. Again in happened. The woman was then very angry and said "Keep Quiet! Can't you see I am talking to your mother?"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs entered by TRD
Where learned: SCHOOL ; Myself
Keyword(s): Catholic ; Catholocism ; Family Relationships ; HUMOR ; MOTHER ; RELIGION ; RELIGIOUS ; Religious Humor ; Respect for Elders ; VIRGIN MARY
| Subject headings: |
Ghost Belief
A ghost won't enter your house if a camel's bones are buried beneath the doorstep.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original letter of the Boggs Number [B429] has been crossed out and replaced with a P.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BONES ; Camel ; GHOST ; House ; Protection ; PROTECTION AGAINST EVIL FORCES ; SUPERNATURAL
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
The Clever Chef
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
There once was a king who demanded that his chef prepare him a different type of meat for each principle meal. when the chef ran out of meats it would mean his death.
Quite naturally, the king soon ran out of chefs and volunteers for the job were few and far between. in fact, things got so bad that the king had to draft his subjects into the job. One of these peasants got drafted and day after day he prepared a different type of meat. However, as time went by, he began to run out of choices. Finally the day arrived when he had none. In desperation, he went to the palace barn at milking time and collected the cow manure as it was being expelled. That night he served it to the king. Upon tasting it, the king called for the chef in order that he might compliment him on the most delicious meat of all. When asked where it came from, the chef replied "it is that which hasn't fallen, your majesty."
Submitter comment:
This is translated from Polish and I feel it has lost its humor in translation.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
A grammatical correction was made to the Collector's spelling: Changing it's to its.
Original Boggs Number [B665] has been crossed out and B646 is written next to it.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Class ; COOKING ; Deception ; FECES ; Fool ; IGNORANCE ; King ; Peasant ; ROYALTY ; Scat ; SCATOLOGICAL ; Scatological Humor ; Social Class ; Trickery ; Wit
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Romantic Realistic |
When Mrs. Bergen poured me a cup of hot tea, she said "Look at all the money that I gave you." The "money" refers to all the air bubbles which accumulate in your cup and gather at the center, which look like silver change is one stretches his imagination.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [N446 f578.4] crossed out. Nothing Replaces them.
Submission card located in a pile marked To Be Classified.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; Shiawassee Apartments ; Farmington Place
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN MONEY ; Fortune Telling ; MONEY ; SUPERSTITION ; TEA
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Use of Object BELIEF -- Use of Object Food PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Entry filtered.
Ethnic: German
Prosperity Belief:
It is an old German belief that if you eat herring and shake coins in a tin box, you will not go hungry and will always have money.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P740, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Herring ; LUCK ; MONEY ; PROSPERITY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fish BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |