Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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"IF HORSESHOES ARE PLACED UPSIDEDOWN."
Submitter comment: BAD LUCK
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.12 |
Date learned: 11-10-1972
"IF TWO PEOPLE WALK ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF A POST, BOTH OF THEM WILL
HAVE BAD LUCK."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.1 BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.2 |
Date learned: 11-10-1972
"STEP ON A CRACK,
BREAK YOUR MOTHER'S BACK."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 11-10-1972
WHEN I WAS SMALL, AND THAT'S WHEN WE USED TO HAVE $2.00 BILLS, THEY
USED TO ALWAYS TELL YOU NOT TO TAKE IT IN CHANGE, OR IT WOULD BRING
YOU BAD LUCK."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.1 BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.2 |
"IF YOU FIND A PENNY LYING ON THE GROUND, PICK IT UP, IT'S GOOD LUCK"
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck P881.15 BELIEF -- Good luck P881.2 |
Date learned: 11-10-1972
"IF YOU OPEN AN UMBRELLA IN THE HOUSE, IT WILL BRING RAIN."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Date learned: 11-10-1972
"PICKING UP A PIN IS ALSO GOOD LUCK."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck P881.18 |
Date learned: 11-01-1972
GANG TALK
"MY MOTHER EXPLAINED TO ME A LITTLE OF THE LANGUAGE MY DAD USED TO
USE WITH HIS BUDDIES WHEN THEY WERE SMALL. APPARENTLY IT WAS A TYPE
OF PIG LATIN IN WHICH 1. THE FIRST LETTER WAS DROPPED. 2. THE REST
OF THE WORD WAS SPOKEN, THEN 3. THE FIRST LETTER WITH A LONG "A" WAS
ADDED TO THE END. THEY WOULD CHANGE EVERY WORD IN THE CONVERSATION
IN THIS MANNER, AND WOULD TALK FAST TO CONFUSE THE 'UNEDUCATED '
LISTENER."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"I REMEMBER THAT BEFORE WE WENT TO SLEEP, WE USED TO PLAY SHADOW
GAMES WITH YOUR HANDS IN FRONT OF A LIGHT, FORMING FIGURES ON THE
WALL."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Sleeping |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"ALSO THEY USED TO WEAR COPPER AROUND THEIR WRISTS ALSO."
Submitter comment: CONCERNING CURING A COLD.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS USED TO WEAR GARLIC AROUND THEIR NECKS ON A
STRING, TO HELP A COLD."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"THEY ALWAYS USED TO SAY THAT IF THERE WAS ENOUGH BLUE IN THE SKY TO
MAKE YOUR MOTHER A PETTICOAT OUT OF, THE STORM WOULD END SOON."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Matter |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
(WHEN I WAS SMALL) "WE USED TO ALSO BE TOLD THAT IF YOU KEPT A
BOTTLE OF MILK OUT IN A STORM, IT WOULD GO SOUR."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Drink from animal product Milk BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"IF A BIRD SOMEHOW GETS INTO THE HOUSE, IT'S A SURE SIGN THAT THERE
WILL BE A DEATH IN THE FAMILY."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"MY MOTHER USED TO SAY, THAT IF YOUR RHEUMATISM ACHED, A STORM WAS
COMING."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"BOB HANKS USED TO NEVER PUT HIS HAT ON A BED. HE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT
WOULD BRING HIM BAD LUCK."
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.1 |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
"I ALWAYS USED TO HEAR THAT IF YOU BURNED A CANDLE DURING A STORM,
LIGHTNING WON'T STRIKE."
Submitter comment: THE CANDLE COULD BE ALONE, OR A VOTIVE TYPE CANDLE.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder |
Date learned: 11-15-1972
POLISH SAYING
W STARYM PIECU DJABET PALI
LITERALLY AN OLD STOVE THE DEVIL BURNS
IN OTHER WORDS STILL WATER RUNS DEEP
Data entry tech comment: ORIGINAL 5 X 8 CARD CONTAINS POLISH TEXT
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 11-24-1971
HOW MANGO-STEEN (A THAI FRUIT) WAS NAMED
"A 'FALANG' (WESTERNER) ASKED A THAI SALESWOMAN AT A THAI
FRUITMARKET WHAT THE NAME OF A FRUIT WAS. BECAUSE HE ONLY KNEW
MANGO (ANOTHER KIND OF FRUIT), HE ASKED IF THIS FRUIT WAS A MANGO
SINCE HE HAD NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN ONE. SHE REPLIED, 'NO. IT'S
CALLED "MUNG-KOOT."' HE MISUNDERSTOOD AND ASKED AGAIN IF IT WAS
A MANGO TO WHICH SHE REPLIED AS BEFORE. AFTER MANY EXCHANGES
AND FRUSTRATION, THE WOMAN REPLIED THAT IT'S CALLED 'MANGO-SOAN-
TEEN' WHICH MEANS 'MANGO-AT-THE-BOTTOM-OF-THE-FOOT.' THE NAME IS
STILL USED TODAY BUT IS SHORTENED TO 'MANGO-STEEN.'"
Submitter comment:
THE THAIS REFER TO THE FOOT AS THE LOWEST PART OF THE BODY. TO
USE IT WHEN REFERRING TO SOMETHING, AND ESPECIALLY SOMEONE, IS
CONSIDERED VERY IMPOLITE.
THIS IS A POPULAR STORY IN THAILAND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale |
Date learned: 02-00-1984
"COVER-THE-EYE-AND-HIDE" OR "HIDE-AND-SEEK"
"THIS IS A GAME PLAYED IN THAILAND. THE PERSON WHO IS 'IT' MUST
COUNT AND THEN LOOK FOR THOSE WHO ARE HIDING. WHEN THAT ONE SEES
SOMEONE, HE OR SHE WILL CALL OUT THEIR NAME AND THEY'RE 'IT'
UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE CALLS OUT THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WAS
ORIGINALLY 'IT.' THE ONE WHO CALLED OUT THEN RUNS AND TOUCHES
THAT PERSON AND HE OR SHE IS 'IT' AGAIN."
Submitter comment:
THE THAI LANGUAGE FOR THIS GAME IS "PID-AB" WHICH MEANS "COVER
THE EYES AND HIDE."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching |
Date learned: 01-00-1984