Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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SIGNIFICANCE OF DIFFERENT FLOWERS:
ROSEMARYS--FOR REMEMBRANCE
LILY--PURITY
VIOLET--SHY
Submitter comment:
MY INFORMANT LEARNED THESE FROM HER MOTHER IN KENTUCKY IN HER YOUTH. SHE SAID THERE WERE MANY MORE BUT SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER THE REST.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant SPEECH -- To Be Seen |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
PLANT HUSBANDRY
IF A TREE DOESN'T BEAR FRUIT, FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE: GO OUT IN YOUR GARDEN ONE NIGHT (PREFERABLY WHEN THE FULL MOON IS OUT) AND CARRY A SHARP KNIFE. TAKE THE KNIFE AND STRIKE THE TREE THREE TIMES. AFTER EACH CHOP, REPEAT THE WORDS, "TREE BEAR FRUIT" WITH A STERN VOICE. THE NEXT YEAR ON THAT SAME DAY, THE TREE WILL BEGIN TO BEAR FRUIT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): THREAT?
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 09-20-1969
HAZELWOOD TREE LEGEND
THERE IS A LEGEND ABOUT THE HAZELWOOD TREE. WHEN MARY AND JOSEPH AND JESUS WERE FLEEING TO EGYPT THEY CAME TO A POPLAR TREE THAT WAS BIG AND TALL AND STRAIGHT. MARY ASKED THE POPLAR TREE TO COVER HER UP AND PROTECT HER FROM THE RAIN. THE POPLAR TREE WOULD NOT. MARY SAID,"MAY YOU NEVER HAVE YOUR LIMBS DOWN AND MAY YOUR LEAVES NEVER REST." THIS IS WHY THE POPLAR TREE IS ALWAYS TREMBLING WHETHER THERE IS ANY WIND OR NOT. THE NEXT TREE MARY CAME TO WAS THE HAZLEWOOD TREE. THEY DO NOT GROW VERY HIGH, ARE SQUATTY AND ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF BRANCHES ON THEM. MARY ASKED THE HAZELWOOD TREE TO COVER HER AND IT DID. SHE BLESSED THE TREE IN RETURN SAYING, "MAY YOU BE BLESSED FOR ETERNITY BECAUSE YOU HAD SHELTERED ME. MAY YOUR LEAVES BE A MEDICINE TO PEOPLE THAT NEED YOU. HEAL THEM OF THEIR DISEASES. AND MAY YOU BEAR FRUIT FOR MANKIND AND BEASTS." SINCE THEN THE HAZLEWOOD TREE HAS PRODUCED LOTS OF NUTS CALLED FILBERTS.
James Callow comment:
Poplar branches reach up, as if arms extended in prayer.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT ANIMAL
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious hero Food Drink -- Plant food Nut BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-04-1972
JOB'S TEARS
THIS CHARM MAKES THE LIVING INVISIBLE TO A GROUP OF EVIL SPIRITS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT IS INTERESTED IN GARDENING AND MENTIONED THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname and place of residence.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
Get Rid of Those Black Mushrooms
BOIL MUSHROOMS WITH A COIN AND IF THE COIN TURNS BLACK, THE MUSHROOMS ARE POISONOUS.
Submitter comment:
WE WERE STUDYING ABOUT MUSHROOMS IN MY EDUCATION CLASS, AND DR. THORDEN MADE THIS STATEMENT IN A JOKING WAY, SO I WROTE IT DOWN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; education class
James Callow Keyword(s): TOADSTOOLS ; UNSAFE PRACTICE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-22-1969
TREE BELIEF
TREES WHICH BEAR FRUIT, WILL BEAR BETTER FRUIT IF ONE DRIVES A NAIL INTO THEM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home
James Callow Keyword(s): IRON?
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-20-1970
SPINACH BELIEF
SPINACH IS THE "BROOM OF THE STOMACH" FOR IT CLEANSES AND PURIFIES THAT ORGAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
GROMMICE
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON OFFICIALLY ENDS ON CANDLEMAS DAY,
FEBRUARY 2, WHEN CANDLES ARE BLESSED IN THE POLISH
CHURCHES. THESE CANDLES, KNOWN IN POLISH AS
GROMMICE (FROM THE WORD FOR LIGHTNING: GROM)
ARE BELIEVED TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST STORMS, AS WELL AS
DISEASES AND OTHER MISFORTUNES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GROMNICE?
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- February 2 Candlemas Groundhog Day CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Lights and candles |
Date learned: 10-11-1972
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR LOVER AND YOU.
IF YOUR SWEETHEART SENDS YOU YELLOW ROSES, IT IS A SIGN THAT LOVE IS FADING.
IF YOUR SWEETHEART SENDS YOU RED ROSES, IT IS A SIGN OF HIS STRONG LOVE FOR YOU.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): COLORS ; PLANTS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Color SPEECH -- To Be Seen |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
PLANT GROWTH BELIEF
PUT BREWED COFFEE GROUNDS IN YOUR ROSES TO HELP THEM GROW.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; STUDENT UNION
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Non-alcoholic fruit beverage Coffee Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 04-06-1971
FLOWERS BELIEF
RED ROSE = LOVE
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 03031971 YEAR ASSUMED
FLOWER BELIEF
WHITE ROSE = PURE
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 03031971 YEAR ASSUMED
DANDELION BELIEF
AS CHILDREN IN MAMARONECK, NEW YORK, WE BELIEVED THAT IF YOU PICKED A DANDELION, YOU'D HAVE TO URINATE.
Submitter comment:
Learned in late 1940s.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector appear to be the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; NEW YORK ; MAMARONECK
Keyword(s): COLOR ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT WEED ; YELLOW COLOR ASSOCIATES WITH URINATION?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: 12-00-1971
VITAMIN BELIEF
IF YOU EAT YELLOW VEGETABLES LIKE CARROTS, SQUASH, WAX BEANS, YOUR EYES WILL BE STRONG AND YOU'LL HAVE GOOD VISION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; collector's home
James Callow Keyword(s): VITAMIN A CONTENT
Date learned: 03-31-1971
VEGETABLES BELIEF
EAT VEGETABLES AND YOU WILL SLEEP LESS BUT WILL FEEL BETTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; E313
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Consume ; CUSTOM ; Eat ; Old Wives Tale ; SLEEP ; SUPERSTITION ; VEGETABLE
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 11-02-1971
PLANT
CARROTS AREN'T GOOD FOR YOUR EYES; THEY JUST MAKE
EYELASHES GROW.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 15134 Westbrook
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 09-20-1969
PLANT LEGEND
THERE IS A TYPE OF TREE THAT LOOKS LIKE AN ORDINARY TREE IN THE DAYTIME, BUT AT NIGHT THE TREE GROWS MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRUIT. IF YOU PICKED SOME OF THIS FRUIT THE ROOTS OF THE TREE WOULD COME OUT OF THE GROUND AND DEVOUR YOU. THE TREE COULD ALSO MOVE DURING THE NIGHT BY WALKING ON ITS ROOTS. BUT IT HAD TO RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL PLACE AT DAYTIME OR DAWN; THESE TREES COULD BE IN GROUPS.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 16152 Fairfield
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
CARROTS
IF YOU EAT A LOT OF CARROTS IT WILL GIVE YOU CURLY HAIR.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-25-1969
PLANT BELIEF
TOMATOES ARE SEX APHRODISIACS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable Food Drink -- Special Form and PurposeObject of Bodily Consumption BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-19-1970