Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for FO returned 1027 results.
Ethnic: Polish
House Initiation / Polish Custom:
Put a cat in a house before you move into it and there will always be good luck.
Submitter comment:
A neighbor came over to borrow our cat for one of their relatives who had just bought a new house. These relatives of ournaighbors had just recently come over from Poland. I don't know the people's names and the neighbor doesn't live around here any more.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F532] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.
Message on the bottom of card:
[Please copy this item on the yellow card below so it will ALSO be filed under F686]
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; Myself
Keyword(s): CAT ; ETHNIC ; fortune ; Good ; House ; Housewarming ; LUCK ; OMEN ; POLAND ; POLISH ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition: Pregnancy
IF A HARE PASSES IN FRONT OF A PREGNANT WOMAN, HER CHILD WILL BE BORN
WITH A HARELIP UNLESS SHE MAKES A TEAR IN HER SLIP.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added and information updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; informant's home
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; CURSE ; Deformity ; Hare ; Offspring ; PREGNANCY ; Rabbit ; SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): IMITATIVE MAGIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 01-22-1970
Custom: Animal
Hunter's and Woodsman's Belief:
Although there is an open season on them all year a Good Sportsmen or Hunter will never shoot a porcupine. This is because if a person was ever lost in the woods without any food or a gun a porcupine can be easily killed with a stick or a club and the meat is very nutritious.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P752] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Club ; FOOD ; Gun ; Hunt ; LOST ; Porcupine ; Survival ; Woods
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Belief: Animal
IF YOU TAKE A HAIR OUT OF A HORSE'S TAIL AND PUT IT IN A
GLASS OF WATER, IT WILL TURN INTO A WORM.
Submitter comment:
HEARD FROM HER MOTHER.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; HAIR ; HORSE ; MAGIC ; SUPERSTITION ; TRANSFORMATION ; WATER ; Worm
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Animal Life BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 03-07-1969
Belief: Animal
Belief in Magic:
If you place a horsehair in vinegar it will turn into a worm.
Submitter comment:
This was told to the informant by her grandmother many years ago.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P600] crossed out. Replaced wtih current classifications.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; WORK ; CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; HAIR ; HORSE ; MAGIC ; SUPERSTITION ; TRANSFORMATION ; VINEGAR ; Worm
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Animal Life BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Belief: Animal
How to catch a Monkey:
The way to catch a monkey is to take a cocnut and druill a hole with a one inch diameter into it. Hollow out the coconut and fill it with nuts, and place it in a tree. A monkey will come and stick his hand in the hold to grab the nuts because of his greed. In fact, even when the monkey is caught, the coconut will have to be cracked from around the monkey's hand.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B600] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Bait ; CATCH ; Coconut ; FOOD ; Monkey ; NUTS ; Primate ; Trap ; TRICK
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Belief: Animal
The Pig's Look:
In Haiti, if walking down the street at midnight, one spy's a pig; he looks and runs the other way, for if the eyes of the pig meet yours simultaneously, you will immediately be transformed into a pig.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; ETHNIC ; Haiti ; Haitian ; MAGIC ; Pig ; TRANSFORMATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition: Animals
If a household lizard falls into the soup and the soup is accidently eaten, the person will develop scales on his body.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P800] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; Consume ; CURSE ; Eat ; FOOD ; Lizard ; PET ; REPTILE ; Soup ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Belief: Animal
How Snakes Eat Eggs:
The snake, which has no teeth with which to chew, will swallow an egg whole, climb a tree, and then fall out of it to break the egg.
Submitter comment:
Informant was told this by the family's cleaning woman who firmly believed it to be true.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
Keyword(s): Consume ; Egg ; FOOD ; Hunt ; Prey ; Serpent ; Snake ; Tree
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief BELIEF -- Animal |
Superstition: Animals
There is said to exist an animal which is snake-like in form and which crawls up a cows leg and drinks all her milk. This it has its name the milk-snake.
Submitter comment:
A Sly Poacher
and Item Card are written in the top left hand and right hand corners of the card, respectively. A Sly Poacher is crossed out.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P440] has been crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Cow ; Drink: consumption ; FOOD ; Milk ; PUN ; Serpent ; Snake ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Ethnic:Polish Superstition
Superstitions:
A Polish pregnant woman must not eat twin pears, apples, or other fruits for fear of bearing attached twins.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
The card has been stamped as KEYPUNCHED, but the word has been crossed out.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; Conjoined ; CURSE ; Eat ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; FRUIT ; Newborn ; POLAND ; POLISH ; PREGNANCY ; SUPERSTITION ; TABU ; TWINS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Verse
The Wind:
When the wind is in the East,
'Tis good for neither man nor feast;
When the wind is in the North,
The skillful fisher goes not forth;
When the wind is in the South,
It blows the bait in the fishes' mouth;
When the wind is in the West,
Then 'tis at its very best.
Submitter comment:
Discovered in a paper placement, printed in Rhode Island. Paper then discovered at Audio's Pizzaria in Detroit.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Dup. of WPP
Where learned: Rhode Island
Keyword(s): Bait ; DIRECTION ; East ; FISH ; Fisherman ; FOOD ; Formula ; North ; Ocean ; PREDICTION ; RHYME ; Sailor ; SEA ; Sky ; SONG ; South ; Sport ; VERSE ; WARNING ; West ; Wind
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb C880.890 |
Entry filtered.
Proverb
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.
Keyword(s): Ability ; Fool ; JACK ; Labor ; Master ; Skill ; TRADE ; WISDOM ; WORK
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |
Proverb
The early bird catches the worm
Submitter comment:
Informant doesn't remember where she first heard it.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V600] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Keyword(s): BIRD ; Early ; Forethought ; Worm
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
The early bird catches the worm
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V300] crossed out. Repalced with current classification.
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ;
Keyword(s): BIRD ; CATCH ; Early ; FOOD ; Forethought ; Worm
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
Early Bird:
The early bird catches the worm
Submitter comment:
Heard this in grade school
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Added the BN [V200] to the top right corner of the card
Keyword(s): BIRD ; CATCH ; Early ; FOOD ; Forethought ; Worm
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Proverb
Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
Keyword(s): ANGELS ; Danger ; Fools ; IGNORANCE ; WISDOM
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
An open foe may prove a curse but a pretended friend is worse.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Located in pile marked Duplicates adn Other Rejects
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): CURSE ; ENEMY ; Fake ; Foe ; Friend ; HYPOCRISY ; pretend
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Proverb
Only the ignorant man becomes angry. The wise man understands.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Where learned: NEW YORK ; Springs of Indian Wisdom ; Herder Book Center
Keyword(s): ANGER ; Fool ; IGNORANCE ; TEMPER ; Understand ; WISDOM ; Wise
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |