Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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POLISH PROVERB
DIABET NIE SYSI. (POLISH)
THE DEVIL DOES NOT SLEEP. (TRANSLATION)
Submitter comment: MY FATHER KNOWS THIS PROVERB FROM POLAND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): SUPERNATURAL
James Callow Keyword(s): AWAKE?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 11-17-1967
Never do laundry on New Year's Day or you will wash someone out
of the family. My mother did it once, two loads of colored clothes
and one load of white clothes. Two of the darker family members died
and the lightest also passed.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Measure of time Year BELIEF -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 00-00-1982
When pregnant if the child is carried high it's a boy and if
carried low it's a girl.
James Callow comment:
Of the five items in Puckett, Ohio, only no. 719 (from a
student nurse of English, Irish, Scottish heritage) equates a male
baby with high carriage; the four items in no. 720 all say that a
fetus carried low will turn out to be a boy.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Spirit / Mind / Body BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 00-00-1988
LORD LORD, YOU ARE SO GOOD TO ME. OH MY LORD YOU ARE SO GOOD
TO ME. LORD YOU DONE WHAT THE WORLD COULD NOT DO.
Submitter comment:
WILLIE DOTSON WAS BORN IN BROWNSVILLE, TENNESSEE IN 1910. THIS
SONG WAS SUNG TO HER MOTHER AND WAS PASSED DOWN TO HER.
WILLIE DOTSON WAS CRYING WHEN SHE SANG THIS SONG TO ME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Religious |
Date learned: 11-00-1987
LUCK
IF YOU SEE A WHIRLWIND COMING TOWARDS YOUR HOUSE, IT IS A SIGN OF TROUBLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home ; 28244 Grixdale
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Wind Whirlwind Hurricane Cyclone Tornado BELIEF -- Weather sign or control P890.7 |
Date learned: 01-12-1970
CUCUMBER BELIEF
CUT A CUCUMBER AND RUB THE SMALL END AGAINST THE LARGE END. THE BITTERNESS GOES INTO THE SMALL END, WHICH YOU HAVE TO THROW AWAY BECAUSE IT GETS A FROTH ON IT. THIS ONLY HAS TO BE DONE TO THE ONES PICKED AT THE FIRST OF THE SEASON BECAUSE THESE ARE USUALLY GREEN AND PICKED TOO EARLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; 16564 Littlefield
| Subject headings: | 686 686.1 Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-00-1970
MAKE A WISH
MAKE A WISH AND BLOW ON A DANDELION THAT HAS GONE TO SEED AND THE SEED WILL CARRY THE WISH TO THE FOUR WINDS.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT ; WEED
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: CHILDHOOD
CORN BELIEF
CORN IS FOR THE ANIMALS, NOT FOR PEOPLE.
Submitter comment:
A BELGIAN FRIEND TOLD MY HUSBAND AND I THIS, AND
HE WILL NOT EAT CORN.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant is collector's husband.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): PLANT ; VEGETABLE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00-00-1964
CARROT BELIEF
CARROTS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR EYES.
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 Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 10-04-1969
NEVER KILL A DADDY LONG LEG SPIDER OR IT WILL RAIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 00-00-1965 ; 10-00-1987
IF A PITCHER PASSES A HORSEDRAWN CART WITH THREE
EMPTY BARRELS ON THE WAY TO THE GAME HE'LL PITCH
A SHUTOUT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; UNION
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Entertainment Diversion BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
S-C-H-O-O-L
S-C-H-O-O-L SPELLS SCHOOL.
1ST GRADE--JUMP ONCE
2ND GRADE--JUMP TWICE
3RD GRADE--JUMP THREE TIMES
4TH GRADE-- JUMP FOUR TIMES
5TH GRADE--5 JUMPS ONE FOOT
6TH GRADE--6 JUMPS ROTATING
7TH GRADE-- 7 JUMPS ROATAING AND TOUCHING GROUND WITH 1 HAND.
8TH GRADE--I'M A LITTLE DUTCH GIRL
DRESSED IN BLUE.
THESE ARE THE THINGS I LIKE TO DO.
SALUTE TO THE CAPTAIN
BOE TO THE QUEEN.
AND TURN MY BACK ON THE MEAN OLD KING.
9TH GRADE--CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE IN 1492.
THE WAVES GOT HIGHER AND HIGHER AND OVER
THE BOUNDRY MAIN.
THESE ARE THE SHIPS THAT D- REMAIN
1-2-3...
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON
Keyword(s): ACTION-RHYME ; CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE ; Jump
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 02-00-1971
Entry filtered.
THE HAND OF GOD IS NEARER THAN THE DOOR
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 11-18-1970
BLACK TABOO
IF YOU EAT BLACK GRAPES OR BLACK FIGS THEN SOME SORT OF BAD LUCK
WILL COME TO YOU, SUCH AS BAD NEWS, OR YOU WILL DO SOMETHING
THAT YOU WILL REGRET LATER. HOWEVER RED, WHITE , GREEN, AND BLUE
GRAPES AND FIGS ARE FINE TO EAT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; KALAMAZOO
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 02-18-1971
PIMPLES
IF YOU GO TO THE BATHROOM WITH FOOD IN YOUR MOUTH
YOU WILL GET PIMPLES ON YOUR TONGUE.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS TOLD TO THE INFORMANT BY HIS PARENTS
WHEN HE WAS NINE YEARS OLD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; COLLECTORS HOME ; HARPER WOODS
Keyword(s): CAUSE ; FUNCTION ; URINATION, DEFECATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
BELIEF: SUPERSTITION
SNEEZING TWICE IN THE NIGHT FOR THREE SUCCESSIVE NIGHTS WAS A SIGN
OF DEATH IN THE HOUSE.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ALLEN PARK
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; DEATH ; SNEEZE ; Succession ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 10-27-1971
RIDDLE
Q: WHAT KIND OF COAT IS MADE WITHOUT BUTTONS AND PUT ON WET?
A: A COAT OF PAINT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HARDWARE (A) ; STATE OF BEING (Q) ; WEARABLE (Q) NOTIONS
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 11-09-1967
IF YOU SEE A WHITE SPIDER, TEAR A PIECE OF BROWN PAPER BAG AND
KEEP IT AND IT WILL BRING YOU GOOD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Color BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 11-00-1987
Symbol
THE LILY IS A SIGN OF DEATH.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN P680; C346 crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK
Keyword(s): DEATH ; FLOWER ; Lily ; Portent ; SIGN ; Signifier
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 03-14-1970