Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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THE RAIN IN SPAIN FALLS
MAINLY ON THE PPLAPLAIN.
Submitter comment: HEARD IT IN TOLEDO SOMEWHERE; DOESN'T REMEMBER.
Data entry tech comment: ARPART OF A SONG FROM "MY FAIR LADY"
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb |
JAPANESE POETRY
THE "HAIKU" IS A TRADITIONAL FORM OF JAPANESE POETRY
BASED ON SIXTEEN SYLLABLES, GENERALLY CONCERNED
WITH NATURE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music |
EGG CRACKING CONTEST
WE HAVE A CUSTOM IN OUR FAMILY CALLED THE EGG-CRACKING CONTEST.
EVERY EASTER SUNDAY MY UNCLE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD HOLD THIS CONTEST.
THE CONTEST WOULD DETERMINE WHICH PERSON HAD THE HARDEST OR STRONGEST
HARD-BOILED EGG. (THIS CONTEST USED TO BE HELD AT MY GRANDFATHER'S
HOUSE BUT HE PASSED AWAY ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.) THE CONTEST STARTS
OUT WITH THE PLAYERS HITTING AND CRACKING
COLORED EGGS AT THE POINT OR SHARP
END OF THE EGG. THE WINNER OF A SKIRMISH IS THE PERSON WHOSE
EGG DOESN'T CRACK. THE LOSER MUST GIVE HIS CRACKED EGG TO THE
WINNER AND TRY AGAIN. THE COMPETITION TAKES PLACE IN THE LIVING
ROOM AND MANY CHALLENGES ARE MADE TO THE OWNER OF A WINNING EGG. THE
GAME CONTINUES UNTIL ONLY ONE EGG IS LEFT UNCRACKED. THIS EGG IS
THE WINNER. THE OWNER OF THIS EGG IS THE WINNER AND USUALLY GETS
THE PRIZE OF ONE DOLLAR. WHEN A "POINTS" WINNER IS DETERMINED,
THE GAME BEGINS OVER AGAIN. THIS TIME THE BOTTOM OR FLATTER PART OF
THE EGG IS USED. A "BUTTS" CHAMPION IS REWARDED WITH A DOLLAR
ALSO.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GAME
| Subject headings: | Favorites Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
STRENGTH
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.
Data entry tech comment: UNION GIVES STRENGTH. FROM AESOP'S THE BUNDLE OF STICKS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): PATRIOTISM
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: NONE GIVEN
AFTER EASTER SERVICES ALL GREET EACH OTHER WITH COLORED EGGS. EACH
PERSON TRIES TO BREAK THE OTHER'S EGG BY TAPPING THE TOP OF THE EGG.
THE PERSON WHO BREAKS THE EGG GETS TO KEEP BOTH EGGS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT SAID THAT THIS IS A POPULAR ROMANIAN EASTER CHILDREN'S
GAME ALTHOUGH ADULTS ARE KNOWN TO PLAY IT. INFORMANT SAID SHE
ACTUALLY LOOKS FORWARD TO PLAYING IT EACH EASTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home
Keyword(s): GAME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday |
Date learned: 10-20-1971
NEVER KISS AT THE GARDEN GATE,
LOVE IS BLIND BUT THE NEIGHBORS AIN'T.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
Entry filtered.
EASTER-EGG FIGHTS
ON EASTER, IT IS CUSTOMARY TO HAVE EASTER-EGG FIGHTS TO SEE WHO
HAS THE "CHAMPION" EGG. ONE PERSON HOLDS AN EGG WHILE ANOTHER TRIES
TO CRACK IT BY STRIKING THE EGG WITH ANOTHER EGG. THE WEAKER
EGG BREAKS, THUS MAKING THE STRONGER EGG THE WINNER.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GAME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
CHEER
OUR TEAM IS SO BIG,
YOUR TEAM IS SO SMALL,
(THEN EVERYONE STARTED STOMPING THEIR FEET.)
Submitter comment: CATHOLIC CENTRAL IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; GRAND RAPIDS ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival Custom Festival |
JUMP ROPE RHYME
BLUE BELLS COCKEL SHELLS,
EVE EVY OVER,
HERE COMES TEACHER WITH A BIG BLACK STICK,
YOU BETTER KNOW YOUR ARITHMATIC.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
GRAFFITI
I.P. DAILY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GRAFFITI
James Callow Keyword(s): SLANG FOR URINATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Art Craft Architecture Art, Craft, Architecture |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
JOHNNY REEFERSEED (NARCOTICS' LEGENDARY CHARACTER)
AN IMAGINARY CHARACTER WHO IS PICTURED AS A HEAVILY BEARDED GUY
SMOKING A MARIJUANA CIGARETTE. THE FREAKS (HIPPY-TYPE MARIJUANA
SMOKERS) LOOK UPON HIM AS THEIR KING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST DETROIT ; COLLECTED IN EAST DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Secular hero |
Date learned: 09-20-1969
MISTLETOE HANGS IN THE ROOM WHEREUPON SOME MEMBERS OF
THE GROUP COMES AND KISSES SOMEBODY STANDING UNDER
THE MISTLETOE.
Submitter comment:
SHE SAID THAT SHE LEARNED IT "PROBABLY AT A
CHRISTMAS PARTY OF SOME RELATIVES WHEN (SHE) WAS VERY
SMALL."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery |
Date learned: 02-08-1967
MISTLETOE HANGS IN THE ROOM WHEREUPON SOME MEMBERS OF
THE GROUP COMES AND KISSES SOMEBODY STANDING UNDER
THE MISTLETOE.
Submitter comment:
SHE SAID THAT SHE LEARNED IT "PROBABLY AT A
CHRISTMAS PARTY OF SOME RELATIVES WHEN (SHE) WAS VERY
SMALL."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Mistletoe and other greenery |
Date learned: 02-08-1967
A BED HAS TO BE FACING NORTH AND SOUTH
THE BED HAS TO BE FACING NORTH AND SOUTH IN ORDER FOR
THE SPIRITS TO CIRCULATE PROPERLY
AROUND THE SLEEPING PERSON.
Submitter comment:
SHE LEARNED IT FROM HER GREAT-AUNT WHOSE NAME
IS JOSEPHINE SWITZER AND WHO IS EIGHTY-THREE YEARS OLD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
PROVERBIAL METAPHOR
TURN YOUR FACE TO THE SUN, AND THE SHADOWS WILL FALL
BEHIND YOU.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COLLECTED AT UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
I was once told the term "splitting headache" originated
in ancient Greece. In those times the gods ruled over
the world. The leader of the gods was Zeus. One day he
was complaining of a severe headache, so he called
in the blacksmith god Hephastus to split his skull
and relieve the intense pressure. Hephastus did as he
was told, splitting Zeus's skull. Once this occurred
a full grown woman came out. She was dressed in full
armor and had a large shield and spear. This woman
was the goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom and combat.
This how we got the term splitting headache.
When I was told this story it was told to me in a humorous
way rather than a this-is-how-it-happened tone.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Alba
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Gods SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: 00001976 CA
Once when I was visiting a friend up north a full
moon was out. I was quite young, 6 years old, when
I was up there. I think I was in the questioning
stage of development, and I asked why the moon has
got those dark spots from. My friend said that those
are called craters and they got there a long time
ago. . . A woman was trying to put her baby to sleep
one night but he couldn't fall asleep because it
was too bright outside. So she went outside to see
why it was so bright. She discovered that the moon
had fallen from the sky and was now only a few feet
from her backyard. So what was the woman to do?
Her baby needed sleep! An idea finally hit her. She
went inside and grabbed her broom. She walked up
to the moon and began to poke and jab at it with the
broom handle causing it to go back towards the sky.
All night long she did this until it was back where
it came from. Upon looking up she saw all the darker
spots where she had hit the moon with her broom handle
causing little dimples. That's how craters got
on the moon.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Alba
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Moon BELIEF -- Moon |
Date learned: 00001976 CA
OMEN OF DEATH
IF A BAT FLIES IN THE HOUSE, IT MEANS DEATH.
Submitter comment:
MY MOTHER COLLECTED THIS FROM A WOMAN WITH WHOM SHE
WORKED. MRS. HAIRSTON LEARNED IT FROM HER MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 02-00-1967
FORMULA SPEECH
"IT'S SNOWING DOWN SOUTH."
Submitter comment:
THIS IS SAID WHENEVER YOU WANT TO TELL A WOMAN THAT HER SLIP IS
SHOWING, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY SO FOR
OTHERS MIGHT HEAR AND CAUSE THE WOMAN EMBARRASMENT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; VALENTES MENS FORMALWEAR
Keyword(s): CLOTHING
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-12-1971