IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THE CREATOR WAS MAKING THE WORLD, HE CALLED
MAN ASIDE AND BESTOWED UPON HIM 20 YEARS OF NORMAL SEX LIFE.
MAN WAS HORRIFIED} ONLY 20 YEARS OF NORMAL SEX LIFE? BUT THE
CREATOR WOULDN'T BUDGE. THAT WAS ALL HE WOULD GIVE HIM. THEN
HE CALLED THE MONKEY AND GAVE HIM 20 YEARS. BUT I DON'T NEED 20
YEARS, 10 IS ENOUGH, PROTESTED THE MONKEY. MAN SPOKE UP AND SAID,
CAN I HAVE HIS OTHER 10 YEARS? THE MONKEY GRACIOUSLY AGREED.
NEXT HE CALLED THE LION AND GAVE HIM 20 YEARS, BUT HE, TOO, NEEDED
ONLY 10 AND MAN AGAIN ASKED, CAN I HAVE THE OTHER 10? AND THE LION
ROARED, OF COURSE. ALONG CAME THE DONKEY AND HE WAS GIVEN 20 YEARS
BUT LIKE THE OTHERS, 10 WERE ENOUGH. SO MAN ASKED FOR THE SPARE 10
YEARS AND GOT THEM. ALL OF WHICH EXPLAINS WHY MAN HAS 20 YEARS
OF NORMAL SEX LIFE, 10 YEARS OF MONKEYING AROUND, 10 YEARS OF LION
ABOUT IT, AND 10 YEARS OF MAKING AN ASS OF HIMSELF.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; RECEIVED IN MAIL

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN: LION AND LYING ; SLANG FOR MAKING HIMSELF LOOK FOOLISH (AN ASS OF HIMSELF). ; SLANG: MONKEYING AROUND FOR DALLIANCE.

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Creation and Order of Human Life

Date learned: 00-00-1963

View just this record

PROVERB

IF THE GOAT WOULD NOT JUMP,
HE WOULD NOT BREAK HIS LEG. (TRANS)

Submitter comment: ZEIBY KOZKU NIE SKAKOTO TOBY
NOSZKI NIE ZTOMALA

Where learned: HOME

James Callow Keyword(s): AMBITION DARING FOOLHARDINESS

Subject headings:

BELIEF -- Mammal
PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

View just this record

BOOM BOOM

IF IT THUNDER IN ALL FOOLS DAY
IT BRINGS GOOD CROPS OF GRASS AND HAY.

Data entry tech comment: ITEM KEYPUNCHED AS IS

Where learned: AUDIAS PIZZARIA

Keyword(s): AGRICULTURE ; APRIL FOOL'S DAY ; BELIEF ; RHYME

Subject headings:

Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb C880.890
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- April 1 April Fools
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- April 1 (April Fool's Day)
BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder

Date learned: 10-03-1969

View just this record

Yo is a White Sam.

Submitter comment: A White Sam is a stupid person or one that does the
unnecessary. The story goes that White Sam
wanted to ride to town 8 miles away but he didn't have a
saddle and the occasion demanded that he be dressed in his
finest. White Sam walked 14 miles to West End
(7 miles there and 7 back) to borrow a saddle, then rode to
town in high style.

Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas

Keyword(s): Yo = you

James Callow Keyword(s): Fool Numskull

Subject headings:

SPEECH -- Formula
PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 03-00-1991

View just this record

HOMELY TALE

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, OUR COW WOULDN'T LET A MAN
MILK IT. SO, MY GRANDFATHER SPENCE DRESSED UP IN A
SUNBONNET AND A MOTHER HUBBARD DRESS WHICH WAS A
LONG DRESS THAT TOUCHES THE FLOOR. BUT AS SOON AS
HE SAT TO MILK IT, THE COW KICKED THE BUCKET AND OFF
WENT THE COW. YOU COULDN'T FOOL THAT COW.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): DISGUISE FAILS TO FOOL COW ; TRANSVESTISM

Subject headings:

PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 07-21-1968

View just this record

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

Where learned: NAVY ; Myself

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

View just this record

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

View just this record

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

View just this record

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

View just this record

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

View just this record

Proverb

There's no fool like an old fool.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Keyword(s): AGE ; Fool ; Old ; Senility ; Wise ; YOUTH

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

Proverb

There's no fool like an old fool.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

KW:PPP

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): AGE ; Fool ; Old ; Senility ; WISDOM ; YOUTH

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

PROVERB

IT IS BETTER TO KEEP THY MOUTH SHUT AND HAVE OTHERS THINK THAT YOU
ARE AN IMBECILE THAN TO OPEN IT AND ERASE ALL DOUBT.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER TEACHER AT SCHOOL.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

Keyword(s): Fool ; HUMOR ; Mouth ; PROVERB ; WISDOM

James Callow Keyword(s): PROVERB

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 09-18-1972

View just this record

Proverb

No fool like an old fool

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): AGE ; Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Fool ; Maxim ; Old ; PROVERB ; VERSE

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

Proverb

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Submitter comment:

From - Uncertain

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Fool ; Maxim ; MONEY ; PROVERB ; VERSE

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

Proverb

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Submitter comment:

People who get money suddenly usually spend it fast and foolishly and end up with nothing.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Fool ; Maxim ; MONEY ; PROVERB ; VERSE

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

Proverb

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; Fool ; Maxim ; People ; PROVERB ; TIME ; VERSE

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

View just this record

Proverb

Proverbial Phrase:

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Submitter comment:

Used as advice to small children or to other people ignorant of the proper use of money. Informant used this when spealing to his children and learned it from his own parents. It can be used as a retort.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V600] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): Aothegm ; Aphorism ; Fool ; Frugal ; Maxim ; MONEY ; PROVERB ; VERSE

Subject headings:

PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

View just this record