Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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BUBBLE GUM, BUBBLE GUM, IN A DISH,
HOW MANY PEICES DO YOU WISH? 1, 2, 3,
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MARYGROVE COLLEGE ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
RIDDLE ORIGINATED IN GERMANY
Q: WHAT GOES ALL OVER THE PASTURE IN THE DAYTIME AND SITS IN THE
CUPBOARD AT NIGHT?
A: MILK.
Submitter comment: TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; EATABLES AND DRINKS (A) ; METAPHORICAL
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 09-30-1968
A SHORT BIOGRAPHY
I,LL TELL YOU A STORY
OF OLD HUNKY DORY
NOW MY STORY,S BEGUN.
I,LL TELL YOU ANOTHER
OF OLD HUNKY,S BROTHER
AND NOW MY STORY IS DONE.
Submitter comment: CHILDHOOD
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; NARRATIVE VERSE ; NUTSHELL NARRATIVE ; RHYME: AABCCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE.
WHEN YOU ARE OLD AND CANNOT SEE,
PUT ON YOUR SPECS AND THINK OF ME.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE LADY NEXT DOOR WHO WAS ABOUT
SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD WHEN SHE WROTE IT.
Where learned: DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): SPECTACLES GLASSES SLANG
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Remember me |
Date learned: 12-24-1954
FIGURE OF SPEECH SAYING
HE STORMED UP A CAT.
Submitter comment: MEANING HE RAISED A FUSS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): AMINAL MATAPHOR
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |
Date learned: 10-08-1967
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY FROM LYNN
WHO WAS EXCEEDINGLY THIN.
THAT ONE DAY IN THE SHADE,
WHILE SIPPING LEMONADE,
SHE SLIPPED THROUGH THE STRAW AND FELL IN.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
MONEY IN A NEW PURSE
MY MOTHER ALWAYS INSERTS A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY WHENEVER SHE
GIVES A NEW PURSE OR WALLET AS A GIFT. SHE SAYS NEVER TO GIVE A
NEW PURSE OR WALLET AS A GIFT WITHOUT SOME MONEY IN IT. REASON:
GOOD LUCK, POSSIBLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GIFT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: NOT INCLUDED
SUPERSTITION
DEATH OCCURS IN THREES.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT STATES THAT SHE ADHERES TO THIS BELIEF BECAUSE SHE HAS
WITNESSED, SEVERAL TIMES, THE DEATH OF AN INDIVIDUAL FOLLOWED
BY THE DEATH OF TWO OTHERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CLASSROOM
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 02-12-1979
THERE ONCE WAS A STORE OWNER, WHO WAS ASKED BY AN
ITALIAN IMMIGRANT IF HE HAD A "WATER GO THROUGH,
SPAGHETTI STOP. AFTER MUCH EXPLAINING THE STORE
OWNER REALIZED WHAT THE MAN WANTED WAS A STRAINER
FOR NOODLES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 11-00-1983
TANGLE TALK
GOOD BYE MORON: I SAT MYSELF DOWN, PENCIL IN HAND, TO
TYPEWRITE YOU A LETTER. PARDON THE INK. I DO NOT LIVE
WHERRE I LIVED BEFORE, BECAUSE I MOVED TO WHERE I DO NOW.
I AM SORRY WE ARE SO FAR TOGETHER, I WISH WE WERE CLOSER
APART. WE ARE HAVING MORE WEATHER THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR.
MY AUNT NELLIE DIES AND IS DOING FINE. HOPE YOU ARE THE SAME.
I STARTED TO FLORIDA TO SEE YOU AND I SAW A SIGN THAT SAID,
"THIS TAKES YOU TO MIAMI", SO I GOT ON THE SIGN AND SAT THERE FOR
THREE HOURS, AND THE DARN THING DIDN'T MOVE. I AM MAILING
YOU A COAT BE EXPRESS, I CUT OFF THE BUTTONS TO MAKE IT
LIGHTER. THEY ARE IN THE POCKETS. IF YOU DON'T GET THIS LETTER
LET ME KNOW AND I WILL MAIL IT TO YOU. OUR NEIGHBOR'S BABY
SWALLOWED SOME PINS BUT THEY FED IT A PIN CUSHION SO
EVERYTHING IS O.K. NOW. I WOULD SEND YOU THE SIX DOLLARS
I OWE YOU BUT I DIDN'T THINK OF IT UNTIL I SEALED THE
ENVELOPE. ENCLOSED YOU WILL FIND A PICTURE, BUT FOR FEAR
OF LOSING IT, I TOOK IT OUT. HELLO,_____________
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; COMPUTER CENTER
Keyword(s): MAIL
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-11-1971
TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE POT.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): POT?
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 09-15-1967
LEGEND
THERE IS A STREET ON DETROIT'S EAST SIDE, NEAR THE VICINITY
OF CONNORS AND GRATIOT THAT IS KNOWN AS " KNOCK- KNOCK " STREET.
ONE NIGHT, AS A YOUNG COUPLE SAT TALKING IN A CAR, A GROUP OF
CHILDREN PLAYED BALL. THE BALL ROLLED BENEATH THE CAR AND
ONE OF THE CHILDREN CRAWLED UNDER THE CAR TO RETRIEVE IT.
UNAWARE OF THIS, THE DRIVER BEGAN TO DRIVE AWAY, AND AS HE DID
SO DRAGGED THE CHILD FOR SEVERAL YARDS. TO THIS DAY THE THUMP-THUMP
OF HIS BODY CAN BE HEARD WHEN TRAVELING ON THIS STREET.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT REMEMBERS THIS AS BEING TOLD TO HIM AS A TRUE
STORY BY OTHERS WHO HAVE TRAVELED THIS STREET AND HEARD THE
NOISES.
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): GHOST
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name |
Date learned: 04-12-1965
PHONE RETORTS
CITY MORGUE,
WHICH STIFF DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO?
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Phonology Phonetics |
Date learned: CA00001976
WISHIHG
STAR LIGHT
STAR BRIGHT
FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT
I WISH I MAY
I WISH I MIGHT
I WISH MY WISH COME TRUE TONIGHT.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: CA00001964
GRAFFITTI
STOP THE RAILROAD OF BOB AVAKAIN
FREE THE DEFENDENTS OF MOA TSUNG
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT SAW THIS ON THE CLAIRMONT OVERPASS ON
NORTH BOUND LODGE; ALSO FOUND ON THE 12TH STREET EXIT FROM I-75
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Art Craft Architecture Art, Craft, Architecture |
HIDING GAME
FLASH LIGHT TAG- PLAYED AT NIGHT WITH THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ONE PERSON WAS "IT" COUNTING TO A HUNDRED, AT THE TAG TREE.
ALL OTHER PLAYERS HID. WHEN "IT" REACHED A HUNDRED HE YELLED OUT,
READY OR NOT HERE I COME
WITH THE USE OF THE FLASHLIGHT HE SEARCHED FOR THE HIDING PLAYERS.
THE FIRST ONE SPOTTED AND IDENTIFIED BEFORE REACHING THE TAG TREE
WAS CONSIDERED "IT" FOR THE NEXT GAME. IF "IT"
IDENTIFIED SOMEONE INCORRECTLY THAT PLAYER WAS CONSIDERED SAFE
AND ALLOWED TO GO TO THE TAG TREE. A PLAYER WAS CONSIDERED SAFE
SIMPLY BY REACHING THE TAG TREE UNDETECTED BY THE PERSON "IT"
AND YELLING OUT LOUD "SAFE."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching |
Date learned: CA00001968
DEATH BELIEF
IF YOU TAKE A FLOWER FROM A GRAVE THEN YOU WILL PLANT ONE OF YOUR
LOVED ONES SOON.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: CA00001929
DEATH BELIEF
YOU TIE A KNOT IN THE BED SHEET WHEN YOU HEAR AN OWL.
IF YOU DON'T IT MEANS SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: CA00001929
OH WHEN I DIE DON'T BURY ME AT ALL
BUT PICKLE MY BONES IN ALCOHOL
A BOTTLE OF BOOZE AT MY HEAD AND FEET,
SO WHEN I WAKE I'LL BE SURE TO KEEP.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival C840.546 |
WEDDING CUSTOM - POLISH
AN APRON IS TIED ON THE BRIDE. ALL THE MEN AT THE RECEPTION
PAY TO DANCE WITH HER BY PUTTING THE MONEY IN THE POCKET OF THE
APRON.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |