Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for GORE returned 37 results.
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMP
SHE FILLED IT WITH BENZINE.
SHE WENT TO LIGHT HER LITTLE LAMP,
AND HASN'T SINCE BENZINE (BEEN SEEN).
Where learned: RESIDENCE
Keyword(s): IAMBIC METER WORD PLAY ; PARODY NURSERY RHYME ; PUN ACCIDENTS GORE ; SURPRISE ENDING, NUTSHELL NARRATIVE QUATRAIN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
FOLK POETRY
DID YOU EVER SEE A HEARSE GO BY? IT MEANS YOU MAY BE THE NEXT TO DIE. THEY WRAP YOU UP IN A BIG WHITE SHEET, AND THROW YOU DOWN ABOUT SIX FEET DEEP. THE WORMS CRA; IN, THE WORMS CRA; OUT,
James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.346 BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
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CHILDREN'S NARRATIVE SONG
NOBODY LIKES ME, EVERYBODY HATES ME, GUESS I'LL GO EAT WORMS. FAT,
LITTLE, SKINNY ONES, TINY-WINY, THIN ONES, FUZZY-WUZZY-WUZZY WORMS.
BITE THEIR HEADS OFF. SUCK THEIR JUICE OUT. THROW THEIR SKINS
AWAY. NOBODY KNOWS HOW MANY WORMS I EAT THREE TIMES A DAY!!
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE ; PARANOIA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC
DID YOU EVER THINK, WHEN THE HEARSE ROLLS BY,
THAT MAYBE YOU'LL BE THE NEXT TO DIE?
THE WORMS CRAWL IN AND THE WORMS CRAWL OUT
AND THE WORMS GO CRAWLING ALL ABOUT.
Submitter comment:
MY GREAT AUNT LOOKS ON THIS AS BEING RATHER GRUESOME NOW BUT ADMITS
THAT SHE ENJOYED SAYING IT WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER.
Where learned: OHIO ; CINCINNATI
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.346 |
Date learned: 00-02-1974
MARY AND THE LIVER
MARY'S MOTHER SENT HER TO THE STORE TO BUY SOME LIVER, BUT MARY
STOPPED AND PLAYED ALONG THE WAY AND LOST THE MONEY. AS SHE WAS
GOING HOME MARY SAW A DOG SO SHE HIT IT IN THE HEAD WITH A BRICK
AND KILLED IT. SHE CUT OUT ITS LIVER AND BROUGHT IT HOME. MARY'S
MOTHER COOKED THE LIVER NOT KNOWING THAT IT WAS THE LIVER OF A DOG.
BUT MARY KNEW. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN MARY'S MOTHER WENT TO WAKE HER
UP' MARY WAS GONE AND THERE WAS A DOG IN MARY'S BED.
Submitter comment:
THIS STORY IS SOMETIMES TOLD AS A JUMP STORY. MARY GETS THE LIVER
FROM A BODY IN THE GRAVEYARD AND THE OWNER OF THE LIVER HAUNTS MARY
UNTIL HE FINALLY SAYS, "I HAVE GOT YOU:"
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 11-05-1973
SPOOKY LEGEND
THE STORY CONCERNS A BLIND GIRL AND HER DOG. THE GIRL WAS HOME ALONE
ONE NIGHT WITH HER DOG. IT WAS ABOUT 10 P.M. AND OUTSIDE THE WIND WAS
BLOWING FIERCELY. THUNDER COULD BE HEARD IN THE DISTANCE. THE GIRL
IS LISTENING TO HER RADIO WHEN SUDDENLY A NEWS BULLETIN INTERRUPTS
THE PROGRAM. THE ANNOUNCER TELLS OF A STRANGE MONSTER SIGHTED IN THE
AREA. HE WARNS THE LISTENERS TO BE PARTICULARY CAUTIOUS. SUDDENLY
THE GIRL HEARS HER DOG BARKING FEROCIOUSLY COMING FROM THE DIRECTION
OF THE BATHROOM. HE STOPS BARKING AS INSTANTLY AS HE STARTED. THE
GIRL MAKES HER WAY TO THE BATHROOM, WHERE FOR SOME UNEXPLAINABLE
REASON, SHE STICKS HER HANDS INTO THE BATHROOM SINK. THERE SHE FEELS
THE DOG'S HEAD LAYING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SINK.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PORT HURON ; 2930 Palmer Court
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Abnormal in size PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lightning Thunder PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale |
Date learned: 10-30-1972
WORMS
NOBODY LIKES ME EVERYBODY HATES ME GUESS I'LL GO EAT WORMS,
BIG, FAT, JUICY ONES, LITTLE BITTY SCRAWNY ONES, SEE HOW THEY
WRIGGLE AND SQUIRM. BITE THEIR HEADS OFF SUCK THEIR JUICES
THROW THE SKINS AWAY. NOBODY KNOWS HOW MAN CAN THRIVE ON
WORMS
THREE TIMES A DAY.
Submitter comment: THIS IS SAID IN A POUTY, SING-SONG FASHION.
James Callow comment:
PUNCTUATION ADDED
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE: WORMS AS FOOD
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1972
SONG
DON'T YOU LAUGH WHEN A HEARSE GOES BY FOR YOU MAY BE THE NEXT
TO DIE.
THEY WRAP YOU UP IN A BIG WHITE SHEET AND THROW YOU DOWN ABOUT SIXTY
FEET. WORMS CRAWL IN AND WORMS CRAWL OUT AND ANTS PLAY PINOCLE
IN YOUR SNOUT.
SO DONT YOU LAUGH WHEN A HEARSE GOES BY FOR YOU MAY BE THE
NEXT TO DIE
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children |
Date learned: 06-00-1972
MURDER PROSE
DOWN SOUTH IN LOUISIANA, THERE WERE THESE TWO CHICKS SPENDING THE
NIGHT
TOGETHER. YOU SEE, ONE OF THE GIRLS' PARENTS RE GONE FOR THE WE
WEEKEND AND SO THE GIRLS WERE STAYING TOGETHER SO THE ONE WOULDN'T BE
ALONE. ANYWAY, IT WAS GETTING LATE AND THEY WERE GETTING READY FOR
BED, WHEN THE GIRL WHO LIVED IN THE HOUSE HEARD SOMETHING DOWNSTAIRS
DOWNSTAIRS IN
THE KITCHEN. SO, SHE WENT DOWN TO SEE WHAT IT WAS. WELL, A LITTLE
WHILE LATER, THE GIRL UPSTAIRS HEARS THIS HORRIBLE SCREAM. SHE GOT
REALLY SCARED BY THIS, SO SCARED SHE DIDN'T EVEN GO DOWNSTAIRS
TO SEE WHAT
HAD HAPPENED. ALL SHE DID WAS GO INTO THE CLOSET AND HIDE. THIS
CLOSET WAS REAL SMALL WITH NO LIGHT. SHE KEPT ON HEARING THESE
STRANGE
NOISES LIKE A SCRAPING SOUND AND THEN A THUD. THIS WENT ON A GOOD
PART OF THE NIGHT. THESE NOISES SCARED HER SO MUCH THAT SHE FINALLY
FAINTED. THE NEXT MORNING THE GIRL WAS AWOKEN BY THE OTHER GIRLS'
PARENTS WHO HAD COME HOME FROM THEIR TRIP. THE PARENTS SAID, "WHAT HA
"WHAT HAPPENED
HERE LAST NIGHT?" SHE TOLD THEM HER STORY ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED
. THEN THE GIRLS' PARENTS TOOK THE OTHER GIRL TO THE TOP OF THE
STAIRS
AND THERE WAS THE OTHER GIRL HALF WAY UP THE STAIRS, DEAD, WITH
HER LEGS CUT OFF. SHE WAS THE ONE CAUSING THE STRANGE NOISES.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE HORROR
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being |
Date learned: 09-22-1972
GIRLS DORM PROSE
NOW THIS IS IN A GIRLS DORM SOMEWHERE DOWN SOUTH AND THIS GIRL WAS
CONSTANTLY
SCARED. SO ALL THE GIRLS IN THE DORM WOULD PLAY TRICKS ON
HER
THEY WOULD SCARE H WHILE SHE WAS TALKING TO HER BOYFRIEND OR
JUMP OUT OF THE BUSHES WHEN SHE WAS WALKING AT NIGHT. SO AS SHE
CONSTANTLY BECAME MORE PARANOID, THE GIRLS WOULD SCARE HER MORE AND
MORE. SO ONE NIGHT THEY WERE STUDYING LATE IN THE CHEMISTRY LAB. IN
THE LAB THERE WAS A SKELETON. SO THIS GIRL WAS OUT ON A DATE AND WAS
COMING HOME LATE AND WAS COMING INTO THE LAB AFTER THE DATE. SO,
AFTER HER DATE SHE WENT TO THE LAB. THE OTHER GIRLS WANTED TO SEE
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY HUNG THE SKELETON IN THE DOORWAY IN A WAY
IN WHICH IT WOULD FALL ON HER. WHEN THEY FELT ENOUGH TIME HAD PASSED
BY, THEY WENT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. WHEN THEY GOT THERE, THEY SAW
THEIR FRIEND SITTING ON THE FLOOR, HER HAIR HAD TURNED WHITE, HER
FACE WAS DISFIGURED AND SHE WAS CHEWING ON ONE OF THE SKELETON'S
BONES.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; RENO HALL
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Physically handicapped Deformed |
Date learned: 09-25-1972
A STORY USED TO CIRCULATE AROUND THE AUTO PLANT ABOUT WHAT WAS DONE
BY SOME ANGERED FACTORY EMPLOYEE TO AN OVERBEARING FOREMAN. EVERYONE
HATED THE FOREMAN WHO WAS ALWAYS ON THE BACKS OF THE WORKERS TO WORK
HARDER AND FASTER, AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY MEN LOSING THEIR
JOBS. ONE DAY THE FOREMAN WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE PAINT ROOM WHERE HE
HAD BEEN SPRAYED BY MANY COATS OF ENAMEL AND THEN BAKED ALIVE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): GORE ; MURDER ; RETALIATION
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale |
Date learned: 10-00-1975
THE WORMS CRAWL IN
YOU SHOULD NEVER LAUGH AS THE HEARSE GOES BY
'CAUSE YOU MIGHT BE THE NEXT TO DIE.
THEY'LL PUT YOU IN A WOODEN BOX
AND COVER YOU UP WITH DIRT AND ROCKS.
ALL GOES FINE FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK
AND THEN THE COFFIN BEGINS TO LEAK.
THE WORMS CRAWL IN, THE WORMS CRAWL OUT,
THE WORMS PLAY PEANUCKLE ON YOUR SNOUT.
YOUR INSIDES TURN A SLIMY GREEN
AND PUSS FLOWS OUT JUST LIKE WHIPPED CREAM.
THE WORMS CRAWL IN, THE WORMS CRAWL OUT,
THE WORMS PLAY PEANUCKLE ON YOUR SNOUT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRADE SCHOOL ; SAGINAW
Keyword(s): DECAY OF BODY AFTER DEATH ; GORE, GOTHIC HORROR ; PINOCHLE, A CARD GAME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Death Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children BELIEF -- Insect |
Date learned: 00-00-1958
SURPRISE SONG
SONG:
GREAT BIG GOBS OF GREASY, GRIMY GOPHER GUTS
IMITATION MONKEY MEAT, LITTLE PIGGIES HAIRY FEET,
ME WITHOUT A SPOON.
Submitter comment:
THE LAST LINE IS MEANT TO SURPRISE AND SHOCK THE
LISTENER, THAT ONE WOULD THINK TO EAT THE THINGS MENTIONED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS
Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery |
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SONG
MY BONNIE HAS TUBERCULOSIS,
MY BONNIE HAS ONLY ONE LUNG.
SHE SPITS UP A BLOODY CORRUPTION,
AND ROLLS IT AROUND ON HER TONGUE.
Submitter comment:
( SONG TO TUNE OF " MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE
OCEAN. " )
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Daily Life |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
GOOD NIGHT
GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT.
DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE.
IF THEY DO, PUT THEM IN A STEW
AND GET UP AND EAT THEM AT HALF PAST TWO.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO
Keyword(s): FOOD ; GORE ; INSECTS ; INTERNAL RHYME ( TWO PAIRS) ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
SCRATCHED ; SCRATCHING AT THE DOOR (KEYPUNCHER'S TITLE)
SEVERAL DECADES AGO A NUMBER OF CO-EDS WERE HATCHETED TO DEATH AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. IT WAS THEN DECREED THAT NO CO-ED WAS TO
GO OUT ALONE AFTER DARK. ONE EVENING A CO-ED FOUND IT NECESSARY TO GO
TO THE LIBRARY TO FIND A BOOK WHICH SHE NEEDED FOR AN EXAM ON THE
NEXT DAY. HER ROOMMATE WAS ILL, THE CO-ED WENT OUT ALONE. LATER IN
THE EVENING THE ILL CO-ED HEARD SCRATCHING AT HER DOOR. FRIGHTENED
SHE PUSHED A DRESSER AGAINST THE DOOR AND WAITED. NOTHING FURTHER
WAS HEARD, AND SHE FELL ASLEEP. WHEN SHE AWOKE IN THE MORNING, HER
ROOMMATE HADN'T RETURNED. THE GIRL PUSHED THE DRESSER FROM THE DOOR
AND PULLED IT OPEN. HER ROOMMATE HAD RETURNED. SHE LAY AT THE DOOR,
HAND OUT-STRETCHED, WITH A HATCHET PLANTED IN HER BACK.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD TALE FROM A FRIEND WHO ATTENDS M.S.U.
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): CAMPUS HORROR STORY ; DEATH UNIVERSITY ; GORE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 10-23-1965