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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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SMELTS

AN ITALIAN CUSTOM IS TO EAT SMELTS ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
THEY SYMBOLIZE THE FISHERMEN (APOSTLES) AND THE COMING OF CHRIST

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Single dishes
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals
Food Drink -- Meat Fish and other animal life related to water

Date learned: 11-03-1972

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ITALIAN BURIAL CUSTOM

AN ITALIAN BURIAL CUSTOM IS TO PLACE SEVEN CENTS(/1 NICKLE AND 2
PENNIES) AND A BOOK OF MATCHES IN THE COFFIN. A LADY ALSO RECEIVES
AN APRON BUT THE INFORMANT COULD NOT REMEMBER WHAT A MAN GETS.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): COINS

Subject headings: 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial

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IF YOU LAY DOWN WITH DOGS YOU'LL GET UP WITH FLEAS.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; COMPANY ASSOCIATIONS

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 11-18-1972

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GREETING GAME

HELLO CHEST! (PAT ON CHEST ) GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK (PAT ON BACK )
HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN YEARS (PULL EAR), BUT STILL I NOSE YA!"
(PULL NOSE)

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN (NOSE AND KNOWS)

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 11-26-1972

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RING THE BELL

RING THE BELL(PULL LOCK OF HAIR), KNOCK AT THE DOOR (TAP FOREHEAD)
PEEP IN (LOOK IN EARS), LIFT THE LATCH (TILT NOSE), WALK IN
(OPEN MOUTH), GO DOWN IN THE CELLAR AND EAT APPLES(TICKLE THROAT)

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): METAPHOR

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 11-26-1972

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IF YOUR LEFT FOOT ITCHES YOU'LL SOON GO ON A SAD TRIP.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): RIGHT LEFT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Feet, toes, toenails
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet

Date learned: 11-18-1972

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IF YOUR RIGHT HAND ITCHES YOU WILL SOON SHAKE HANDS WITH A STRANGER.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): RIGHT LEFT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching hands and feet
SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 11-18-1972

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IF YOUR LEFT EYE JUMPS IT MEANS YOU WILL BE MAD BEFORE THE DAY IS
OVER.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): ANGER ; RIGHT LEFT

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions

Date learned: 11-18-1972

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MARKING THE SPOT

JACK AND JOE WERE FISHING AND FOUND THIS PLACE WHERE FISHING WAS
GOOD. JOE SAID YOU BETTER NOT FORGET THIS PLACE. MARK IT SO WE CAN
COME HERE AGAIN. JACK TOOK A PENCIL AND WROTE AN "F" ALONG SIDE
THE BOAT. WHEN THEY GOT HOME JOE ASKED JACK IF HE MARKED THE PLACE
GOOD. JACK SAID YES I PUT AN "F" ON THAT SIDE OF THE BOAT FOR FISH
SO WE'LL KNOW WHERE THE FISHING IS GOOD. JOE HIT JACK IN THE HEAD
AND SAID, "YOU DUMMY, WE WON'T HAVE THAT BOAT AGAIN."

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman

Date learned: 11-25-1972

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TO TAKE OUT AND PUT BACK NEVER EMPTIES THE POT.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT WARNS TO BEWARE OF THOSE WHO ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A
HANDOUT.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): BEGGING CHARITY BEGGARS

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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THE FEET OF A STRANGER ARE SMALL

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT WILL TELL THIS TO A THIRD PARTY WHO STICKS HIS MOUTH
INTO AN ARGUMENT THAT DOES NOT AFFECT HIM.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): BUTTING IN MEDDLE ; INTERRUPTS ; METONYMY

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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THE SKUNKS

MAMA SKUNK WAS WORRIED BECAUSE SHE COULD NEVER KEEP TRACK OF HER TWO
KIDS. THEY WERE NAMED "IN" AND "OUT" AND WHEN "IN" WAS IN, "OUT" WAS
OUT. AND IF "IN" WAS OUT, "OUT" WAS IN. ONE DAY SHE CALLED "OUT"
AND TOLD HIM TO BRING "IN" IN. HE DID. "GOOD!" SAID MAMA SKUNK.
"HOW DID YOU FIND HIM IN SO SHORT A TIME?" "IT WAS EASY SAID
OUT, "INSTINCT!"

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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HOW DOES THE BIG MOUNTAIN CALL HIS SON? (HE YELLS, "HEY CLIFF")

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN ON FIRST NAME

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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WHAT DID THE RIGHT EYE SAY TO THE LEFT EYE? (THERE'S SOMETHING
BETWEEN US THAT SMELLS.)

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): NOSE ; PUN ON SMELLS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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"NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP, A DOLLAR DOWN AND A DOLLAR A WEEK."

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOR

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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MANY YOUNG MOTHERS BELIEVE THAT PET CATS WILL STIFLE THE BREATH OF
THEIR BABIES IF THEY HAVE THE CHANCE.

Submitter comment: MANY OF THE INFORMANT'S PATIENTS HAVE ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): SUFFOCATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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Entry filtered.

TWO HANDKERCHIEFS

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

A LADY WITH A COLD WENT TO A DINNER PARTY AND TOOK WITH HER TWO
HANDKERCHIEFS. ONE SHE TUCKED IN HER BOSOM. AT THE PARTY SHE
STARTED LOOKING LEFT AND RIGHT IN HER BOSOM. SHE SUDDENLY NOTICED
PEOPLE LOOKING AT HER. EMBARRASSED, SHE SAID, "I KNOW I HAD TWO
WHEN I CAME."

Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): BREASTS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Stupid man or woman

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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IT IS ONE THING TO BE SMART AND KNOW IT AND ANOTHER TO BE SMART AND
LET EVERYBODY ELSE KNOW IT.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): BRAGGING EGOTISM

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 00-00-1972

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IF SOMEONE DIES HE SHOULD BE BURIED BEFORE THE FIRST RAIN OR ELSE
HIS SPIRIT WILL WALK.

Submitter comment: AN OLD CHEROKEE INDIAN BELIEF WHICH IS ACTUALLY BELIEVED BY THE
INFORMANT. HER MOTHER PASSED THE BELIEF DOWN TO HER.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): INDIAN (CHEROKEE)

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 00001972 SUMMER

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TANGLETALK

MARDON ME PADAM IS THIS PIE OCCUPEWED? YES, MAY I SOW YOU TO A SHEAT
IN THE CHACK OF THE BURCH?, MY THIS IS A CHEAUTIFUL BURCH. YES MANY
THINKLE PEEP SO. (PARDON ME MADAM. IS THIS PEW OCCUPIED? YES.
MAY I SHOW YOU TO A SEAT IN THE BACK OF THE CHURCH? MY! THIS IS A
BEAUTIFUL CHURCH. YES, MANY PEOPLE THINK SO.)

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): MONOLOGUE

Subject headings: Favorites
SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 00001972 SUMMER

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