Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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FIFTEENTH BIRTHDAY-MEXICO
IN MEXICO, INSTEAD OF A SWEET SIXTEEN BIRTHDAY PARTY,
THERE IS A FIFTEENTH BIRTHDAY PARTY. THE GIRLS PLAY
GAMES AND THE PARTY IS VERY SIMILAR TO AN AMERICAN
BIRTHDAY PARTY, BUT NO BOYS ARE INVITED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 10-20-1971
IN THE DORMS, IT IS TRADITIONAL TO GET THROWN IN THE
SHOWERS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; ILLINOIS ; GLENVIEW ; ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 11-15-1970
PARODY
ROSES ARE REDDISH
VIOLETS ARE BLUISH
IF JESUS CHRIST WASN'T BORN,
WE WOULD ALL BE JEWISH!
Submitter comment: LIKE THAT ONE, DR. CALLOW?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
POLISH PROVERB
WHEN THEY'RE CATCHING THE BIRD,
THEY SING TO HIM.
BUT WHEN THEY CATCH HIM,
THEN THEY PLUCK HIM.
JAK PTASZKA LAPAJA,
TO MU SPIEWAJA.
A JAK GO ZLAPAJA,
TO GO SKUBAJA.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT USED TO SAY THIS PROVERB TO HER DAUGHTERS WHEN THEY WERE
BEING COURTED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Date learned: 02-07-1971
FIXED DATE BELIEF
PUT A DIME IN YOUR BIRTHDAY CAKE AND THE PERSON WHO GETS
IT WILL HAVE GOOD LUCK (AND GET TO KEEP THE DIME).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 09-28-1970
ORIENTAL CUSTOM
ORIENTALS CELEBRATE THEIR BIRTHDAYS ON THE TET
FEAST DAY; EVERYBODY AGES ON THE SAME DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 11-25-1969
NUMBER JOKE OR MATH JOKE FORMULA
DO THIS: 1. PICK A NUMBER, ANY NUMBER;
2. MULTIPLY THAT NUMBER BY FOUR; 3. TO THAT ANSWER,
ADD TEN; 4. DIVIDE THAT ANSWER BY TWO; 5. SUBTRACT
FIVE FROM THAT ANSWER; 6. DIVIDE THAT ANSWER BY TWO;
7. SUBTRACT THE NUMBER YOU STARTED WITH FROM THAT ANSWER.
YOUR ANSWER SHOULD BE ZERO.
E.G. USE THE NUMBER FOUR. 4, 4X4=16, 16+10=26,
26/2=13, 13-5=8, 8/2=4, 4-4=0
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
HER MOTHER PUTS NEW PENNIES INTO THE BATTER IN MAKING A
BIRTHDAY CAKE. THOSE WHO RECEIVE PENNIES IN THEIR PIECE
OF CAKE WILL HAVE GOOD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
THE PERSON WHOSE BIRTHDAY IT IS GETS TO PICK THE MENU,
THE DRINKS AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE NIGHT. THE
BIRTHDAY GIFTS ARE GIVEN DURING THE MEAL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 10-22-1968
ON YOUR BIRTHDAY, WHEN YOU BLOW OUT THE CANDLES ON
THE BIRTHDAY CAKE, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE A WISH;
IF YOU DO NOT TELL ANYBODY YOUR WISH, IT WILL COME TRUE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 10-22-1968
BIRTHDAY MEAL
IT IS THE CHINESE CUSTOM TO EAT NOODLES ON ONE'S
BIRTHDAY. THE LONG NOODLES SIGNIFY A LONG LIFE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 11-00-1968
KILL A SPIDER AND IT WILL RAIN.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT RECALLS THIS FROM CHILDHOOD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SHELBY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect |
Date learned: 10-17-1970
MEXICAN BIRTHDAY
AT A MEXICAN BIRTHDAY PARTY, ONE CAN ALWAYS FIND A
PINATA. THIS IS AN ANIMAL-SHAPED CONTAINER THAT IS
FILLED WITH CANDY AND COINS. IT IS USUALLY MADE OF
BRIGHTLY COLORED PAPER. THE MAIN FIGURES USED ARE
THE BULL AND HORSE. A PINATA CAN EITHER BE MADE IN
THE HOME OR ONE CAN BUY IT IN A LOCAL STORE. IT IS
HUNG FROM THE CEILING AND EACH CHILD AT THE PARTY
RECEIVES A TURN TO TRY TO BREAK THE PINATA. THE CHILD IS
BLINDFOLDED AND USES A STICK FOR HIS FEAT. ONCE THE
PINATA IS OPENED THE CANDY AND COINS FALL TO THE FLOOR
AND THE CHILDREN GET ON THEIR KNEES, TRYING TO GET
AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 10-10-1971
EVERYTIME THERE IS A BIRTHDAY IN THEIR FAMILY, THEY
PUT EACH PRESENT OVER THE PERSON'S HEAD WHOSE BIRTHDAY
IT IS SAYING, "HEAVY, HEAVY HANG OVER YOUR HEAD, WHAT
ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT?" THE PERSON THEN GUESSES
ASKING, "EAT IT, DRINK IT, PLAY WITH IT, WEAR IT?"
AFTER GUESSING THEY OPEN THE PRESENT. IT DOESN'T
REALLY MATTER IF THEIR GUESSES WERE APPROPRIATE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
THAI CUSTOM
DO NOT SAY THE NAMES OF THE DEAD BECAUSE IT WILL
STOP THOSE THAT ARE STILL ALIVE FROM BEING
CHANGED TO ANOTHER STATE OR FORM OF BEING.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS IN THAILAND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 03-01-1971
NEVER EAT BREAD WHEN A FUNERAL PASSES BY, BECAUSE
YOUR TEETH WILL FALL OUT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 10-23-1970
PROVERB
WHERE IT'S THIN, THERE IT BREAKS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 10-18-1968
IRISH CUSTOM
IN OLD IRISH FAMILIES, AFTER ANYBODY DIES, THE FAMILY
THROWS A PARTY IN COMMEMORATION OF HIM.
Submitter comment:
JOHN TOLD ME THAT HIS GUESS IS THAT THEY DO THIS IN
ORDER TO SHOW THAT THEY REALIZE THAT BAD THINGS WILL
HAPPEN AND THAT MANY GOOD THINGS WILL OCCUR AND LIFE
WILL GO ON.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 11-14-1968
ANALYTICAL RIDDLE
ONE DAY A GROUP OF 12 KNIGHTS ON THEIR WAY TO A CASTLE
PASSED AN ORCHARD WITH AN APPLE TREE WHICH HAD 12 APPLES
HANGING ON IT. EACH ONE TOOK AN APPLE, AFTER THEY LEFT
THE ORCHARD, 11 APPLES WERE LEFT HANGING ON THE TREE, HOW
COULD THIS BE?
ANSWER: EACH ONE WAS THE NAME OF THE KNIGHT WHO TOOK THE
ONLY APPLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRANKLIN VILLAGE
| Subject headings: | Favorites RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 06-00-1974
IRISH WAKE
IN THE OLD DAYS, AFTER SOMEONE DIED, THE PEOPLE USED
TO WAIT AND WATCH FOR THREE DAYS TO SEE IF THE PERSON
WOULD WAKE UP FROM A FIT.
Submitter comment:
NOTE: SOMETIME CELEBRATING WAS INVOLVED IN THE HOPE
THAT THE PERSON WOULD WAKE UP. JIM TOLD ME THIS CUSTOM
AFTER HE HEARD JOHN GRIFFIN'S VERSION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 11-22-1968