Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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LEGEND OF THE MAD MAN.
IN MY CHILDHOOD, I SPENT TWO WEEKS AT THE BOYS SUMMER CLUB CAMP
FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS. EVERY STAY WAS OCCASIONED BY THE
RUMOR THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO WALK IN CAMP ALONE AT NIGHT.
THIS WAS SAID BECAUSE A MAN HAD ESCAPED FROM A NEARBY MENTAL
INSTITUTION OR JAIL, (IT VARIED) AND DIDN
James Callow comment: INCOMPLETE ITEM
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate BELIEF -- Physically handicapped Deformed |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
NEW WALLET
IF YOU GIVE A PURSE OR WALLET TO SOMEONE, PUT A PENNY
IN IT TO ASSURE THE RECEIVER NEVER GOES BROKE.
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
FRUIT BELIEF
IF YOU SWALLOW A GRAPEFRUIT OR ORANGE SEEDS, IT WILL GROW IN YOUR
STOMACH.
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
DOGWOOD BELIEF
THE RED MARKS ON EACH OF THE FOUR PETALS OF THE DOGWOOD FLOWER
ARE CALLED BLOODSPOTS BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT THE PASSION MARKS
OF CHRIST.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Plant SPEECH -- Folk etymology SPEECH -- Folk Name for Plant |
Date learned: 11-12-1969
BLEEDING HEART
IF YOU TAKE APART A BLEEDING HEART BLOSSOM IN FULL BLOOM
YOU WILL GET 2 RABBITS, 2 CLIPPERS, 2 EARRINGS, AND A BOTTLE.
Submitter comment:
PARTS OF THE FLOWER RESEMBLE THESE THINGS
SAYS COLLECTOR
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. 686 Seconds / Twice / Two BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
STAR BELIEF
MAKE A WISH ON THE FIRST STAR THAT YOU SEE AT NIGHT.
SAYING, 'STAR BRIGHT, STAR LIGHT, THE FIRST STAR THAT I SEE TONIGHT
I WISH IT MAY, I WISH IT MIGHT, I WISH MY WISH COMES TRUE TONIGHT.
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 BELIEF -- Star BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Use of Object P860.642 |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
RIDDLE
Q: A RIDDLE, A RIDDLE, AS I SUPPOSE, / A HUNDRED EYES, AND NEVER
A NOSE.
A: POTATO.
Submitter comment: I WAS ASKED THIS RIDDLE AS A YOUNGSTER AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY.
Keyword(s): EATABLES AND DRINKS (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q) ; PRIVATIONAL
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle |
Date learned: 00-00-1946
RIDDLE
Q: WHAT HAS ONE EYE BUT CANNOT SEE?
A: A NEEDLE.
Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; NOTION ITEMS (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q)
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
FISH
FISH IS BRAIN FOOD.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Fish |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
CRICKET
IF YOU KILL A CRICKET, IT WILL COME IN THE NIGHT AND EAT HOLES IN
YOUR CLOTHES.
Submitter comment:
I CAN REMEMBER AS A CHILD, BELIEVING THIS TO THE POINT WHERE I
STAYED UP GUARDING MY CLOSET ALL NIGHT FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF A
PREVIOUSLY KILLED CRICKET.
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Insect |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
A SPECK OF DIRT ON THE YOLK OF EGGS SHOWS THAT A MALE CHICK WILL
BE HATCHED FROM IT.
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Bird |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
BELIEF
MR. SOBCZOK SAID HE LIVED NEXT TO THIS LADY AND SHE BELIEVED
THAT FISH AND FROGS FELL FROM THE CLOUDS AFTER A HEAVY RAIN.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Creation and Order of Animal Life |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
WHEN THE SACRED HEART HOME FOR THE AGED WAS TO BE RELOCATED TO A NEW
SITE AND BUILDING THREE YEARS AGO IN TOLEDO, OHIO, THE SISTERS WENT
TO LOOK AT THE LAND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR THE NEW
BUILDING.
THEY FOUND THE LAND OUT IN THE COUNTRY, MADE SOME INQUIRIES AS TO
WHO OWNED THE LAND AND WOULD HE BE WILLING TO SELL AND FOR HOW MUCH
MONEY. THEY FOUND THAT IT WOULD BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE
LAND, AT LEAST FROM OTHER PERSONS' OBSERVATIONS. THE DAY BEFORE
THEY WERE TO SEE THE OWNER ABOUT THE LAND, TWO OF THE SISTERS WENT
OUT AND SECRETLY BURIED A STATUE OF ST. JOSEPH ON THE FIELD THAT
THEY WANTED AND THEN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF SISTERS LAID SIEGE TO
ST. JOSEPH WITH PRAYERS. WHEN THEY SAW THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY
THE NEXT DAY, HE WAS MOST GENEROUS WITH THEM AND THEY RECEIVED THE
LAND, THOUGH HE WAS NOT EVEN A CATHOLIC.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS STORY BY ONE OF THE SISTERS WHO DID THE
BURYING OF THE STATUE.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- B439 BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 09-20-1972
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
WHILE WORKING AT THE LITTLE SISTERS HOME IN TOLEDO, OHIO DURING THE
SUMMER OF 1971, I WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING:
DURING A THREE WEEK DRY SPELL, THE SISTER WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO GO OUT
EVERY DAY AND BEG FOR THE COMMUNITY PLACED A STATUE OF ST. JOSEPH
(THE PATRON OF THE ORDER) IN A BUCKET OF WATER UP TO THE STATUE'S
NECK, AND THEN ASKED THE OTHER SISTERS TO JOIN WITH HER IN PRAYING
TO ST. JOSEPH FOR SOME RAIN. THE NEXT DAY WHILE OUT DRIVING THEIR
PICK-UP TRUCK ON HER BEGGING ROUNDS, SISTER ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT
DURING A TERRIBLE THUNDER STORM WHEN SHE SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD WITH
THE TRUCK. HER IMMEDIATE COMMENT WAS THAT SHE HAD HAD A FEELING
THE DAY BEFORE THAT SHE SHOULD ONLY HAVE PLACED ST. JOSEPH IN UP TO
HIS KNEES AND NOT UP TO HIS NECK.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S OBSERVATIONS ARE THAT THE LITTLE SISTERS HAVE A SIMPLE
BUT PROFOUND FAITH, ONE THAT MIGHT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE MAGIC TO MORE
SOPHISTICATED PEOPLE
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
James Callow comment:
DOES COLLECTOR MEAN UNSOPHISTICATED PEOPLE?
SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THE TALE OF "BUYING THE WIND."
THE MOTIF IS ONE OF OVERDOING SOMETHING.
Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- B439 BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 09-20-1972
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
DURING THE 1930'S IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A HOUSE OF THE LITTLE SISTERS
RAN OUT OF COAL FOR THEIR FURNACE AND COULD NOT GET ANY MORE FROM THE
COAL COMPANY BECAUSE OF PAST BILLS THAT WERE STILL OWED. SO ONE OF
THE SISTERS PLACED A STATUE OF ST. JOSEPH IN THE COAL BIN AND THE
WHOLE COMMUNITY PRAYED FOR ST. JOSEPH TO HELP THEM. THE NEXT DAY,
WHILE A COAL TRUCK WAS MAKING A DELIVERY TO THE BUILDING NEXT TO THE
LITTLE SISTERS, THE DRIVER BY MISTAKE EMPTIED THE COAL INTO THEIR
BASEMENT, BURYING THE STATUE OF ST. JOSEPH.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS STORY BY ONE OF THE LITTLE SISTERS AT
THEIR TOLEDO, OHIO HOME.
Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- B439 BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 09-20-1972
IF YOU EVER SIT ON A TABLE, YOU'LL ALWAYS BE AN OLD MAID.
Submitter comment:
THIS OLD SAYING WAS CLEARLY TO KEEP ME OFF THE FURNITURE
AND ENCOURAGE ME TO BE MORE LADYLIKE.
James Callow Keyword(s): SPINSTER
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Good luck P881.2 |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF THE HEM OF YOUR SKIRT HANGS HIGHER IN THE BACK,
YOU WILL HAVE A DATE TONIGHT.
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Use of Object Dress, buttons, jewelry |
WHEN A SPOON FELL ON THE FLOOR, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT
A LADY WOULD VISIT. WHEN A KNIFE FELL, A MAN WAS
EXPECTED TO VISIT. IF A FORK FELL EVERYONE SAID,
"COMPANY'S COMING."
Submitter comment:
THIS MY MOTHER REMEMBERED SINCE SHE WAS FIVE YEARS
OLD (1926).
| Subject headings: | Observation Food Drink -- Service Table furnishing and decoration Implement to handle food BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00-00-1926
HER GRANDMOTHER IN KENTUCKY USED TO TELL HER THIS:
IF YOU START A DRESS ON FRIDAY, IT MUST BE DONE
BY THE NEXT FRIDAY OR ELSE THE WEARER WON'T
OUTLIVE THE DRESS.
Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO ; KENTUCKY
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 09-07-1965
MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO BELIEVE THAT IF THERE WAS A
FLY IN THE HOUSE, IT WOULD MEAN DEATH TO SOMEONE IN
THE FAMILY.
Submitter comment: SHE WAS VERY SUPERSTITIOUS.
James Callow Keyword(s): INSECT
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 09-07-1965