Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for CONTAGIOUS returned 39 results.
SUPERSTITION
SHEAVES OF GRAIN TIED WITH RIBBON ARE LEFT IN CORNERS OF THE ROOM AT
CHRISTMAS TIME FOR A GOOD HARVEST IN THE NEXT SEASON, IN POLAND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Predictions CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Straw |
CHRISTMAS BELIEF
YOUNG GIRLS SHOULD WASH THEIR FACES WITH SILVER DOLLARS ON CHRISTMAS
EVE SO THEY WILL HAVE BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXIONS.
Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; WASHING
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions |
Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY THE COLLECTOR
CHRISTMAS BELIEF
EVERY CHRISTMAS MORNING A PAN OF WATER IS PLACED UNDER THE SINK. A
CHRISTMAS TREE BRANCH, A PENNY, A NICKEL, A DIME, A QUARTER AND A
FIFTY CENT PIECE IS PLACED IN THE WATER. THIS WATER IS THEN USED TO
WASH IN. WHEN YOU WASH IN THE WATER YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND
MONEY FOR HEALTH.
Submitter comment:
DOROTHY BANAS RELATED THE CUSTOM BUT WHEN QUESTIONED ON THE REASON
FOR THE CUSTOM SHE WAS UNABLE TO REPLY. EMIL MAZUR IMMEDIATELY
INSERTED HIS BELIEF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; TROY ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions |
Date learned: 10-24-1970
CHRISTMAS PRACTICE
IF YOU WASH YOURSELF WITH A FIFTY CENT PIECE ON CHRISTMAS MORNING,
YOU'LL NEVER WANT FOR MONEY.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT DID THIS AS A CHILD, NOT ANYMORE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions |
Date learned: 02-22-1970
TRADITION
AT MIDNIGHT(CHRISTMAS) GET A PAIL OF WATER FROM THE WELL. IN THE
MORNING WE FOUND MONEY AND OURS TO KEEP. WASHED OUR HANDS AND FACE
WITH THAT WATER AND WE WOULD BE HEALTHY ALL YEAR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; WASHING
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Predictions |
Date learned: 11-22-1968
CUSTOM ; BELIEF
ON THE NIGHT BEFORE EASTER, YOU TAKE MONEY (CHANGE) AND PUT IT INTO A
DISH OF WATER. NEXT MORNING, EVERYBODY WASHES THEIR HANDS IN IT.
DOING THIS BRINGS WEALTH TO THE HOUSEHOLD.
Submitter comment:
TRADITION WAS FOLLOWED IN HIS FAMILY. IT COMES FROM THE SLAVIC CHURCH
TRADITION AND WAS INTRODUCED BY HIS MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC AND CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | 663 Holy Saturday Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 01-00-1979
CUSTOM ; BELIEF
WE USED TO TAKE AN EASTER EGG TO THE EASTER SERVICE, AND THE PRIEST
WOULD BLESS IT. LATER, AT HOME, EVERYONE EATS A PART OF THE EGG.
DOING THIS BRINGS HEALTH TO EVERYONE.
Submitter comment:
COMES FROM SLAVIC CHURCH TRADITION (VIA MOTHER) AND IS FOLLOWED IN
HIS HOME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC AND CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Date learned: 01-00-1979
SUPERSTITION
IF BIRDS GET SOME OF YOUR HAIR YOU'LL GO CRAZY.
Submitter comment:
THE REASONING BEHIND THIS BELIEF WAS THE FACT THAT ONE'S HAIR
IS A PART OF ONE'S HEAD, THEREFORE, POSSESSION BY BIRDS WOULD
GIVE ONE THE MENTALITY OF BIRDS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OAK PARK ; FRIENDS HOME
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS
Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Physically handicapped Deformed BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
SUPERSTITION
IF YOU PUT A MAN'S HAT ON YOUR BED YOU WILL BECOME PREGNANT.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Head BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
OUR FAMILY DOCTOR HAS A LARGE BIRTH MARK ON THE SIDE OF HIS FACE.
IT WAS SAID THAT WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS PREGNANT WITH HIM THERE
WAS A FIRE AND HIS MOTHER RAISED HER HAND TO HER FACE. THIS
CAUSED THE BIRTH MARK ON HIS FACE IN THE SAME PLACE WHERE THE
MOTHER HAD TOUCHED HER FACE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): MARKS BROUGHT ABOUT BY FEAR.
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 01-00-1968
SIAMESE TWINS
SIAMESE TWINS WHO WERE JOINED AT THE ARM WERE SEPARATED AND LIVED
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WHEN LATER IN LIFE ONE DIED
IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT THE OTHER DIED SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON
HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.
Submitter comment: TOLD TO ME AS A TRUE STORY WHICH BEV HAD READ ABOUT SOME YEARS (AGO).
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
James Callow Keyword(s): SIMULTANEOUS DEATH OF TWINS
Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed |
SUPERSTITION
IF YOU PUT A PERSONAL ITEM TAKEN FROM SOMEONE YOU LOVE
AND PUT IT UNDER YOUR PILLOW AT NIGHT, THEN DREAM ABOUT
THAT PERSON HE/SHE WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU.
Submitter comment:
I TRIED THIS WHEN I WAS THIRTEEN AND IT DIDN'T WORK.
I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD FROM A FRIEND'S MOTHER WHO
WAS FROM NEW ORLEANS AND SHE BELIEVED IN WITHCRAFT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color BELIEF -- Dreams BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 04-00-1983
AFRO-AMERICAN BELIEFS
TO TALK WITH THE DEAD WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT, WRITE THE NAME
OF THE PERSON YOU WISH TO CONVERSE WITH, COVER A GLASS
OF WATER WITH THE NAME WRITTEN ON A SHEET OF PAPER, AND
STAND BEFORE A MIRROR WITH LIGHTED CANDLE. THE FIGURE OF
THE PERSON WILL APPEAR IN THE MIRROR. MM
IF A PERSON SWEEPS ACROSS YOUR FEET WITH THE BROOM YOU
MUST SPIT UPON IT OR YOU WILL GO TO JAIL. MM
PICKING A MARRIAGE PARTNER:
A WOMAN WHOSE SECOND TOE IS LONGER THAN THE FIRST IS A
POOR CHOICE FOR A WIFE IN THAT SHE WILL MAKE HER
HUSBAND MISERABLE BY DOMINATION OR HER ATTEMPTS AT DOING
SO. MM
ANOTHER IS THAT A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED
TO PREPARE FOOD BECAUSE SHE IS UNCLEAN. MM
IF A MAN'S WIFE
CLIMBS ACROSS HIM TO GET OUT OF BED HE WILL BEAR THE
LABOR PAINS.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; TRANSFER
Date learned: 07-00-1967
IF YOU HAVE A DOG AND YOU WANT HIM NEVER TO GET LOST, YOU TAKE
SOME HAIR FROM HIS TAIL AND YOU BURY THEM UNDER THE FIRST STEP
OF THE STAIRS OF YOUR HOUSE.
Where learned: GUADELOUPE
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC ; HOMEUPATHIC MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
If you sleep with a picture under your pillow, you will
dream about the person in the picture.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time Sleeping BELIEF -- Dreams |
Date learned: 00-00-1966
AMONG BLACKS IT IS COMMONLY SAID THAT IF A PREGNANT MOTHER WANTS
HER UNBORN BABY TO HAVE "GOOD HAIR" MEANING STRAIGHT HAIR, SHE
SHOULD COMB OR RUB SOMEONE'S HAIR THAT IS STRAIGHT.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 06-23-1972
IN ORDER TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING IN A BOOK, SLEEP WITH IT
UNDER YOUR HEAD.
Where learned: ALABAMA, ASSUMED ; MONTGOMERY
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
NEVER PLANT A WILLOW TREE. YOU'LL WEEP AS LONG AS IT DOES.
Where learned: PARIS ; TENNESSEE
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of time BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: 06-20-1970
A BABY'S HAIR TEXTURE CAN BE MADE DIFFERENT FROM ITS
MOTHER'S OR FATHER'S HAIR BY THE PREGNANT MOTHER
RUBBING HER HAND OVER THE HEAD OF A PERSON HAVING
THE DESIRED COLOR AND TEXTURE.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI
Keyword(s): BABY ; BELIEF ; CHILD ; COLOR ; Father ; HAIR ; MOTHER ; PREDICTION ; PREGNANCY ; Texture
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 09-00-1973