Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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Superstition: Pregnancy
Cat Belief:
Never place a baby unattended in the same room as a cat, because the cat will leap up onto the child and take hold of the child's tongue and strangle the child.
Submitter comment:
Informant said she saw a cat do this and was able to save the child before the child expired.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P740] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; KALAMAZOO
Keyword(s): ASPHYXIATION ; BABY ; CAT ; CHILD ; FEAR ; Feline ; infant ; Newborn ; STRANGULATION ; SUFFOCATION ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition
Cats:
It isn't good to keep a cat in the house while sleeping, for it would soon become fascinated in watching your Adam's Apple moving up and down, would try to catch it and eat it.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P750. P400] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Adam's Apple ; CAT ; Consumption ; Devour ; FEAR ; Feline ; SLEEP ; SUPERSTITION ; SUPERSTITION ; Throat
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition: Pregnancy
Cats:
Never let a Tom Cat sleep in the same bedroom with a child, it will take the child's breath away and smother it, killing the child.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P549] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: OHIO ; LUCAS COUNTY
Keyword(s): ASPHYXIATION ; BABY ; CAT ; CHILD ; FEAR ; Feline ; SUFFOCATION ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition
Black Cat:
If a black cat crosses your path to the left you'll have bad luck. If he crosses to the right you'll have good luck.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B440, P880] crossed out / Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; WINSTON SALEM ; NORTH CAROLINA
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Black ; CAT ; Feline ; LEFT ; LUCK ; OMEN ; RIGHT ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Ethnic: Roman
Rome is the city of cats, stones and priests becasue all three of these are very plentiful. The cats can be found everywhere and are respected by the people and are feed [sic] by them. Cats are never killed and always cared for because it is said that the Roman spirit is reincarnated in them.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P752, B440] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Keyword(s): CAT ; DEATH ; ETHNIC ; Feline ; Priests ; REINCARNATION ; Roman ; Rome ; Soul ; STONES
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Proverb
Draft beer not students.
Submitter comment:
Sit-ins.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
[Common saying at sit-ins and picket lines.]
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
KW:5ZM
Keyword(s): ALCOHOL ; BEER ; Beverages ; COLLEGE ; DRINK ; DRINKING ; Picket Line ; Protest ; Sit-In ; Students
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Proverb
Spare the rod, spoil the child
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V300, V600] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.
KW:EZX
Keyword(s): CHILD ; DISCIPLINE ; Parenthood ; PUNISHMENT ; Raising ; Rearing ; Rod ; Spoil
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ;
Keyword(s): CHILD ; DISCIPLINE ; Parenting ; PUNISHMENT ; Rod ; Spare ; Spoil
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V500] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Keyword(s): BEAUTY ; Ear ; Pig ; Purse ; Silk ; Sow ; UGLINESS
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
Old Proverb:
You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Submitter comment:
Informant's grandmother says this quite often.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V400] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BEAUTY ; Improvement ; Pig ; Purse ; Silk ; Sow ; UGLINESS
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Submitter comment:
Favorite Comment
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V600] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: OHIO ; Sylvania
Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Clean ; CLEANLINESS ; God ; Godliness ; Maxim ; PROVERB ; VERSE
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Proverb
Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Submitter comment:
Gathered from Memory
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
original BN [V600] Crossed out, Replaced with current classification.
Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Clean ; CLEANLINESS ; God ; Godliness ; Maxim ; PROVERB ; VERSE
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Entertainment: Game
Engine, engine, number 9
Going down Chicago's line,
If the train should jump the track,
Would you want your money back?
yes, no, maybe.....(repeat until a miss)
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): CHICAGO ; Engine ; Entertainment ; GAME ; Jump ; Jump Rope ; Line ; MONEY ; Nine ; NUMBER ; RHYME ; Track
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Ghost Tale
In Chapel Hill, TN, There is a ghost that roams next to the railroad. All you can see is his light as he flashes it up and down the tracks. It is supposedly a lineman who had fallen off the train many years before. When he fell he lost his head. Now he roams the track swinging the light looking for his head.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Beheaded ; DECAPITATION ; GHOST ; HEAD ; Lineman ; RAILROAD ; Story ; SUPERNATURAL ; Tale ; Urban Legend
Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Saying
Step on a crack you'll break your mother's back
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added By TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Back ; Crack ; Line ; MOTHER ; Saying ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
BELIEF
ONE MUST NEVER SWEEP TOWARD A DOOR.
YOU MUST SWEEP TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM TO PREVENT YOURSELF
FROM SWEEPING OUT MONEY AND GOOD FORTUNE OUT THE DOOR.
Submitter comment:
A BELIEF PASSED DOWN FROM GRANDFATHER.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; CLEANLINESS ; DIRECTION ; Domesticity ; fortune ; Housekeeping ; LUCK ; SUPERSTITION ; Sweep
James Callow Keyword(s): BROOM ; DIRECTION ; POSITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Home |
Date learned: 09-20-1967
SPORTS SUPERSTITION
WHEN DOING BAD IN BOWLING OR GOLF, DRAW A FENCE ON THE SCORE
CARD AND YOU HAVE BETTER LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
James Callow Keyword(s): FENCE = ZIG-ZAG LINE ON SCOREBOX
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Good luck P881.2 |
Date learned: 04-18-1971