Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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If you hold a dandelion blossom under your chin and a yellow spot can be seen it means you like butter.
Data entry tech comment:
No Boggs number assigned. Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE ; Box 267
| Subject headings: |
There was a professor here that was sort of a sub teacher. He weighed about 90 lbs.--Howard Dawson. There was a course in statistics [that] was very hard. Everyone dreaded it. It was sort of a bugaboo on campus. There was another ole boy from Alabama who (300 lbs--Bud Bakin) had to take it. He met the professor in front of the library, looked down on him and said, "Dawson, if a little ole runt like you can take statistics and get away with it, I can take it, as big as I am." Dawson said, "Well, I'll tell you. Before I took it I was a bigger man than you."
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Peabody once owned a farm with Holstein cows. Rumor got around that Dr. Payne thought more of cows than faculty. Summer came and it got hot. Back then there were no air conditioners. As it got hotter, the fans began to disappear. Finally Payne was seen sneaking in at night stealing the fans to make his cows more comfortable.
Data entry tech comment:
Probably referring to Peabody College. Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Riddle Question
What's it called when a cow jumps over a barbed wire fence?
Answer: Udder despair
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Child's Game (Rock School)
One child is the teacher. She puts a rock in one hand. If the "students" guess which hand has the rock in it then that child gets to advance another step. When all steps are advanced she then becomes the teacher.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing |
Belle Meade Ghost
The barn of the Belle Meade house was haunted. There was an old sway back horse who lived there and when he died his ghost came back to the barn. "I think there was supposed to be an old man who haunted it too but I can't remember."
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal |
Jump Rope Verse
Down in the valley where the green grass grows
There sits _______ sweet as a rose
Along came _______ and kissed her on the cheek
How many kisses did she get
One,
Two,
Three,
etc.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; McCann Elementary School ; first grade girls
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime |
Jump Rope Verse
Cinderella, dressed in yella
Went to town to see her fella
How many petticoats did she wear?
One
Two
Three
Four
etc.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; McCann Elementary School ; first grade girls
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime |
New Years Day Food
In order to have good luck throughout the year, one must eat black eyed peas on New Years Day.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Chess Pie
Chess pie was named by a slave cook who when called upon to fix a pie at the last minute put the ingredients together, served the pie. The guests asked the name of the pie and she replied, "It's jest pie." The guests thought she said "Chess" so that name stuck.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Pastry Sweet Dessert |
Folk Language
An old term my father always said was "Balling-the-jack." I think it was originally a railroad term, anyway it means moving real fast.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Folk Language
When children are out playing that's called "ripping and staving." When someone is bruised and sore they are "all stove up."
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Common Word |
1) A sailor went to sea,sea, sea
to see what he could see, see, see
but all that he could see, see, see
was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea
2) A sailor went to chop-chop-chop
to see what he could chop-chop-chop
but all that he could chop-chop-chop
was the bottom of the deep blue chop-chop-chop
3) A sailor went to knee, knee, knee
to see what he could knee, knee, knee
but all that he could knee, knee, knee
was the bottom of the deep blue knee, knee, knee
4) A sailor went to ankle, ankle, ankle
to see what he could ankle, ankle, ankle
but all that he could ankle, ankle, ankle
was the bottom of the deep blue ankle, ankle, ankle
5) A sailor went to shoo bop e do
to see what he could shoo bop e do
but all that he could shoo bop e do
was the bottom of the deep blue shoo bop e do
6) A sailor went to see, chop, knee, ankle, shoo bop e do
to see what he could see, chop, knee, ankle, shoo bop e do
but all that he could see, chop, knee, ankle, shoo bop e do
was the bottom of the deep blue see, chop, knee, ankle shoo bop e do
When a different part of the body is mentioned, you touch that part.
see--a type of salute (3 times)
chop--chop on arm (3 times)
knee--chop on knee (3 times)
ankle--chop on ankle (3 times)
shoo bop e do--wind arm around wide (once)
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics |
Hide and Seek
Last night, night before, twenty-four men at my door. Let them in, knocked them down with a bowling pin.
Count to ten.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Hand Clapping Song
The space put two lips together
twilight forever
bring back my love to me
what is a mystery?
a little story
that tells of life
in a garlic go can
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics |
Hand Clapping Game
Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man
Roll 'em up and put 'em in the pan.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics |
Hand Clapping Game
My mother told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dollie
My auntie told her
I kissed her soldier
Now she won't buy me
A rubber dollie
(change of tempo)
Three-six-nine
The goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on a streetcar line
The line broke
The monkey got choked
And they all went to heaven in a little tug boat
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics |
Hand Clapping Game
Say say little playmate
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree
Slide down my rainbow
Into my sailor door
And we'll be happy friends
Forever more
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics |
Stop all that bad-luck crying.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
As I was standing on my tipperillos, looking through my whipperillos, I saw a rip-rap chase a yankumpipe through a takum-shere.
(Supposed to mean: As I was standing on my tiptoes, looking through my eyebrows, I saw a dog chase a rabbit though a brushpile.)
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |