Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT IS SKEPTICAL AS TO THIS BELIEF.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 00001950S LATE
RETORT
WHAT DID YOU DO, DISCOVER AMERICA?
Submitter comment: (SAID) TO SOMEONE WHO BRAGS, SAYS COLLECTOR.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; BINGHAMTON
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 04-18-1971
IF THE HUSBAND OF AN OLD ITALIAN WOMAN DIES, THE WOMAN
WILL WEAR BLACK CLOTHING FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT AND MYSELF HAVE SEEN MANY EXAMPLES OF THIS
SUTOM.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00001960S
IN GRADE SCHOOL, IT WAS CUSTOMARY TO PUT THE INITIALS
J.M.J., FOR JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH, ON ALL ASSIGNMENTS
AND TESTS. THIS WAS FOR HELP AND GUIDANCE IN DOING
SCHOOLWORK.
Submitter comment:
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS PRACTICE WILL ACTUALLY HELP
A STUDENT.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
BELIEF
A BELIEF HELD BY SOME PEOPLE IS THAT IF TWO OR MORE FRIENDS EACH MAKE
A CUT ON THEIR BODIES, PREFERABLY THEIR ARMS OR WRISTS, AND MIX
THEIR BLOOD ON THESE CUTS, THEY WILL BECOME RELATED AS BLOOD
BROTHERS.
Submitter comment:
I WAS ASKED TO PERFORM THIS ACT WITH SOME FRIENDS DURING CHILDHOOD.
I THINK THIS ACT IS BASED ON AN INDIAN WARRIOR CUSTOM WHEREBY TWO OR
MORE WARRIORS BECOME BLOOD BROTHERS IN THE INTERESTS OF MUTUAL
DEFENSE, PROTECTION, AND UNITY.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
BELIEF
SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IT IS UNLUCKY TO GO SWIMMING BEFORE THE
FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, WHICH IS JUNE 24.
INFORMANT STILL BELIEVES IN THIS STATEMENT. IN CHILDHOOD, I
ALWAYS HAD TO OBEY THIS BELIEF, AND COULDN'T GO SWIMMING BEFORE
JUNE 24.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- June 24 St. John's Day / Midsummer Day BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
BELIEF
STEPPING ON A SPIDER WILL BRING RAIN.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS STATEMENT.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
James Callow Keyword(s): DISBELIEF ; HARMING NATURE
Date learned: 02-19-1972
SOME PEOPLE CARRY OUT THE PRACTICE OF PLACING A COIN
IN A LOAF OF HOME-MADE BREAD. THE PERSON IN THE
FAMILY WHO GETS THE COIN IN A SLICE OF BREAD WILL
HAVE GOOD LUCK. THE BREAD IS USUALLY MADE BY THE
GRANDMOTHER, IF LIVING.
Submitter comment:
EUROPEAN PRACTICE WHICH I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH
FAITH IN.
MY SUITEMATE HAS SEEN HIS GRANDMOTHER DO IT.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Cereal BELIEF -- Good luck Money BELIEF -- Good luck Food and drink |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
CUSTOM
PLACES OF BUSINESS USUALLY SAVE THE FIRST DOLLAR THEY HAVE MADE AS
A BUSINESS. THIS IS FOR GOOD LUCK.
Submitter comment:
I HAVE SEEN THIS PRACTICE DONE IN MANY STORES, AND BY OWNERS WHOM
I PERSONALLY KNOW.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; POUGHKEEPSIE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business BELIEF -- Sign Color |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
ONE A MAN IS CHAWED BY A SHARK HE'S SHARK JOINTED FOR THE
REST OF HIS LIFE.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; WILLIAMSBURG
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Fish |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
IF I PLACED A SAFETY PIN ON A STEEL RAILROAD TRACK AND LET
A TRAIN RUN OVER IT, THE SAFETY PIN WOULD TURN INTO A
PAIR OF BRIGHT BRAND NEW SCISSORS.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; SIGNET BOOK ; THE NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY ; PAGE 81
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 00-00-1945
WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING BAD AS A CHILD, THE OTHER
CHILDREN RUB THE FOREFINGER OF THE RIGHT HAND
AGAINST THE FOREFINGER OF THE LEFT HAND AND SAY
"SHAME, SHAME ON (NAME)."
Submitter comment: INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS AND SAW THIS IN 1956 IN NEW YORK.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula SPEECH -- Shame |
Date learned: 00-00-1956
THERE IS A WAY TO REMEMBER HOW MANY DAYS THERE ARE
IN A PARTICULAR MONTH. THE RHYME IS AS FOLLOWS:
THIRTY DAYS HAS SEPTEMBER,
APRIL, JUNE, AND NOVEMBER,
ALL THE REST HAVE THIRTY-ONE,
SAVE FEBRUARY WITH TWENTY-EIGHT,
ADD ONE MORE WHEN LEAP YEAR COME.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF A PERSON, WHO CROSSES HIS ARMS OR HANDS IN THE FORM
OF A CROSS, WHEN A VAMPIRE COMES, HE WILL DRIVE IT
AWAY.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF A PERSON WEARS A CROSS IT KEEPS THE DEVIL AND
VAMPIRES AWAY FROM HIM.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
LENTEN CUSTOM
ON HOLY SATURDAY, THERE IS A POLISH FAMILY TRADITION
WHERE THEY THANK GOD FOR HIS BLESSINGS BY BRINGING
A BASKET WITH HAM (A PIECE), A RING OF KIELBASA,
BEETS, HARD BOILED EGGS, SALT AND PEPPER, BREAD AND
A BUTTER LAMB, AND CHOCOLATE EGGS TO THE CHURCH AND
THE PRIEST BLESSES THE BASKETS. IT SYMBOLIZES THAT
YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE FOOD TO EAT ALL YEAR AND THE
BASKET IS NOT EATEN UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT MASS.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | 663 Holy Saturday Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IT IS AN ITALIAN CUSTOM FOR THE WOMEN OF THE FAMILY
TO GET TOGETHER AT THE COUPLE'S HOME ON THE
THURSDAY BEFORE THE WEDDING AND MAKE THE BED OF THE
BRIDE AND GROOM AND SOMETIMES PUT MONEY UNDER THE
MATTRESS FOR GOOD LUCK FOR THE COUPLE.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage Before wedding |
Date learned: 11-28-1970
THERE IS AN ITALIAN CUSTOM, THAT IF A MEMBER OF
A FAMILY DIES, THEN THE MEMBERS OF THE IMMEDIATE
FAMILY WEAR BLACK AS A SIGN OF MOURNING FOR 3 TO
6 MONTHS.
Submitter comment: I WAS TOLD THIS BY MY PARENTS ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
COMMON LAW
IF SOMETHING IS FOUND AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF THE
OWNER, ON OR NEAR THE THING, OR OBJECT, THERE IS A
LAW THAT SAYS, "FINDERS KEEPERS, LOSERS WEEPERS."
Submitter comment:
I WAS TOLD THIS ABOUT 12-14 YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS
IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN NEW YORK.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; PORT CHESTER
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Common law |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF I WALKED UNDER A LEANING LADDER, I WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE
BAD LUCK.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; SIGNET BOOK ; THE NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck Ladder (angles, pyramid, etc.) |
Date learned: 00-00-1945