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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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LONG LEGS

HAVE YOU EVER EVER IN YOUR LONG-LEGGED LIFE,
SEEN A LONG-LEGGED SAILOR, WITH A LONG-LEGGED WIFE?
NO, I'VE NEVER NEVER IN MY LONG-LEGGED LIFE
SEEN A SAILOR WITH A LONG-LEGGED WIFE.

Submitter comment:

(SCHOOL JUMPING ROPE SONG)

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; PLAIN-JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 08-05-1964

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JUMP ROPE SONG

MABEL, MABEL SET THE TABLE
BUT DON'T FORGET THE RED HOT PEPPERS.

Submitter comment:

THE CHILDREN THEN TURN THE ROPE AS FAST AS THEY CAN UNTIL THE PERSON WHO IS JUMPING MAKES A MISTAKE.

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; SPEED-JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 01-22-1968

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Cinderella

CINDERELLA DRESSED IN YELLOW
WENT DOWNTOWN TO SEE HER FELLOW.
ON THE WAY HER PANTS THEY BUSTED
AND MANY BOYS BECAME DISGUSTED.

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 08-05-1964

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Rope-Jumping Rhyme

CINDERELLA, DRESSED IN YELLOW,
WENT DOWNTOWN TO MEET HER FELLOW;
ON HER WAY HER GIRDLE BUSTED,
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE DISGUSTED.
(10, 20, 30, etc.)

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 10-05-1968

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O DOCTOR!

DOCTOR, DOCTOR, CAN YOU TELL,
WHAT WILL MAKE MY MOTHER WELL?
SHE IS SICK AND ABOUT TO DIE,
AND THAT WILL MAKE MY DADDY CRY!
 

Submitter comment:

NEIGHBORHOOD ROPE SKIPPING RHYME

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): ACTION RHYME ; CHARACTER ; PLAIN JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 08-05-1964

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DOWN IN THE MEADOW

DOWN IN THE MEADOW
WHERE THE GREEN GRASS GROWS,
THERE SAT PATSY
AS PRETTY AS A ROSE.
ALONG CAME TOMMY
AND KISSED HER ON THE CHEEK.
HOW MANY TIMES DID HE KISS HER?
ONE, TWO, THREE.

(NEIGHBORHOOD ROPE JUMPING RHYME)

Where learned: informant's home

Keyword(s): ENDURANCE JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 08-05-1964

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Kissed in the Valley

DOWN IN THE VALLEY WHERE THE GREEN GRASS GROWS,
THERE SAT (      )* AS SWEET AS A ROSE,
ALONG CAME (     )** AND KISSED HER ON THE NOSE,
HOW MANY KISSES DID SHE RECEIVE?

(JUMPS IN "RED HOT PEPPER" FASHION UNTIL A MISS.)

* ONE'S OWN NAME
** NAME OF A BOY

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname and place of residence.
 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HUNTINGTON WOODS ; informant's home

Keyword(s): ENDURANCE JUMP ; SPEED-JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 11-10-1968

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CUSTOM

ON THE DAY AFTER EASTER, THE FIRST GIRL A BOY SAW, HE WOULD SPRINKLE
HER WITH WATER. HOWEVER BOYS ARE BOYS WHEREVER YOU GO AND THEY
USUALLY USED A WHOLE BUCKET OF WATER ON EVERY GIRL THEY MET. THEIR
GIRL FRIENDS THEY SPRINKLED WITH PERFUME OR COLOGNE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated and Motifs Added / 02-28-2011 / TRD
Informant and collector share same surname.

Where learned: TAYLOR ; Michigan Consolidated Gas Company ; informant's home

Keyword(s): Boy ; Cologne ; COURTSHIP ; CUSTOM ; DYNGUS DAY ; Female ; Flirt ; Flirtation ; Girl ; holiday ; Male ; Perfume ; RITUAL ; Scent ; WATER

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Monday Dyngus

Date learned: 11-27-1967

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NEW YEAR'S DAY

IF YOU EAT CHICKEN ON NEW YEAR'S YOU WILL SCRATCH YOUR WAY THROUGH
THE YEAR. IF YOU EAT PORK YOU WILL BE PIGGY AND GRAB EVERYTHING.

Submitter comment:

THE INFORMANT BELIEVES THIS AND CHICKEN IS NEVER SERVED ON NEW
YEAR'S IN HER HOUSE.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname and place of residence.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS ; informant's home

Subject headings: 870
Favorites
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Fixed DateFor specific dates, use the following system: F640.0101
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20
Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals
BELIEF -- Bird

Date learned: 01-23-1971

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WHISTLING

GIRLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WHISTLE BECAUSE THE BLESSED MOTHER
WOULD TURN HER HEAD AND CRY.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS BY HER MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.
SHE PRACTICED THIS WHEN YOUNG, BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE
TRUTH OF IT NOW. (1920s).

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; informant's home

Keyword(s): Blessed Mother ; BLESSED VIRGIN ; Cry ; Female ; Feminine ; Girls ; Holy Mother ; Ladylike ; Whistle

James Callow Keyword(s): VANITY

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Religious hero
BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion
SPEECH -- Extra Corporal Means of Communication

Date learned: 10-02-1971

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TO DANCE IS SIN

MY MOTHER SAYS," IF YOU TANCE HERE YOU TANCE IN HELL."

Data entry tech comment:

Probably collected in Detroit, Michigan.

Where learned: informant's home

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Singing Dancing Marching
BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 10-01-1968

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Superstition: Pregnancy

IF A HARE PASSES IN FRONT OF A PREGNANT WOMAN, HER CHILD WILL BE BORN
WITH A HARELIP UNLESS SHE MAKES A TEAR IN HER SLIP.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added and information updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; informant's home

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; CURSE ; Deformity ; Hare ; Offspring ; PREGNANCY ; Rabbit ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): IMITATIVE MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue
BELIEF -- Mammal
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 01-22-1970

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Proverbial Saying

To keep your wife at home: keep her barefoot or keep her pregnant.

Submitter comment:

This saying was especially popular during World War II.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD
Informant and collector share the same surname and residence.

James Callow comment:

Duplicate

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS ; informant's home

Keyword(s): Aphorism ; Apothegm ; MARRIAGE ; Maxim ; PROVERB ; VERSE ; Wife

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

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JOHNNY'S LICKINS

JOHNNY OVER THE OCEAN,
JOHNNY OVER THE SEA,
JOHNNY BROKE A BOTTLE AND BLAMED IT ON ME.
I TOLD MA,
MA TOLD PA,
JOHNNY GOT A LICKIN' AND A HA-HA-HA
HOW MANY LICKINS DID JOHNNY GET?

(JUMPS AT DOUBLE SPEED--RED HOT PEPPERS--UNTIL A MISS)

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname and residence.

 

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HUNTINGTON WOODS ; informant's home

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE JUMP ; Speed Jump

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 11-10-1968

View just this record

EASTER MONDAY

THE DAY AFTER EASTER WAS CALLED "DYNGUS DAY" OR "SWITCHING DAY."
THE MONDAY AFTER EASTER THE BOYS WOULD SWITCH THE GIRLS OR IN OTHER
WORDS THEY WOULD HIT THEM ON THE LEGS WITH A SWITCH OR A PIECE OF
STICK. IF THE BOY CAUGHT YOU AND SWITCHED YOU, YOU HAD TO GIVE HIM
SOME CANDY OR AN APPLE OR HERE IN AMERICA SOME MONEY. THE NEXT
DAY, TUESDAY, IT WAS THE GIRL'S TURN TO SWITCH THE BOYS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

Keyword(s): DYNGUS DAY ; EASTER GIFTS ; FOOD CUSTOM ; HEALTH ; REVENGE ; RITUAL WHIPPING

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Monday Dyngus
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Tuesday Revenge Day

Date learned: 03-11-1970

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SPRING CUSTOM

THE TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN EASTER EGGS ARE A BROWNISH-RED COLOR. THIS
IS DONE BY BOILING THE EGGS WITH ONION PEELS UNTIL THE WATER TURNS
THIS BROWNISH-RED COLOR.

Submitter comment:

THIS METHOD OF COLORING EGGS IS STILL DONE TODAY. THE INFORMANT
COLORS EGGS THIS WAY EVERY YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home ; 1282 N. RADEMACHER

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter eggs

Date learned: 10-01-1971

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FOOD SUPERSTITIONS REGARDING PREGNANCY

IF WHILE A WOMAN IS PREGNANT, AND SHE HAS A CRAVING FOR A
CERTAIN FOOD, AND SHE THEN TOUCHES HERSELF, THE BABY WILL HAVE
A BIRTH MARK ON THAT SPOT THAT THE WOMAN TOUCHED.

Data entry tech comment:

There are several others like this in the archive.
Informant's homeland=Italy?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home ; from informant's homeland

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC?

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Food
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 03-07-1971

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LIGHTNING BELIEF

LIGHTNING WON'T STRIKE TWICE IN THE SAME PLACE.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share same surname.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

Subject headings: 686 686.1.2
BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder
BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon

Date learned: 03-00-1971

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YUGOSLAVIAN EASTER CUSTOM

ON EASTER MONDAY, CROATIAN CHILDREN WOULD GO FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE
CARRYING AN ORANGE, AND THEIR NEIGHBORS WOULD STICK DIMES OR NICKELS
INTO THE ORANGE FOR GOOD HEALTH.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share the same surname and residence.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

Keyword(s): BEGGING ; EASTER GIFTS ; FOOD CUSTOM ; HEALTH

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Monday Dyngus
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: (VARIOUS DATES)

View just this record

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER

AT CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER THE TABLE IS TO BE SET WITH AN ODD NUMBER
OF DISHES.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT'S FAMILY PRACTICES THIS CUSTOM ON EACH CHRISTMAS EVE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve Christmas

Date learned: 02-06-1971

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