Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for 4277 returned 3614 results.
As I went over London Bridge
I met my sister Ann
I pulled off her head and licked her blood
And left her body stand.
(speaking of a bottle of wine)
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C8 RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Sending red roses to someone implies a serious relationship -- yellow roses are for friendship.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOL
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage BELIEF -- Plant |
A game that I (and a lot of other children) played revolved around trying to avoid stepping on a crack when walking on the sidewalk. This rhyme was recited -- "Step on a crack, Break your mother's back."
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Houston, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C5 BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
As a child, my friends and I would play a game to decide who we would marry. It involved counting all the buttons on our own clothing, one time, while reciting this rhyme:
"Rich man,
Poor man,
Beggar man,
Thief,
Doctor,
Lawyer,
Indian chief."
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant first learned this as a child, probably in Houston, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
| Subject headings: | Observation Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse BELIEF -- Marriage |
In front of Baker Hall (a boy's dorm) at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, there is a marker with the name John Walker Vinson engraved upon it. Legend has it that Vinson was a member of a national fraternity at Austin College in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, he was shot and killed during a brawl with another national fraternity. For that reason, there are no national fraternities (with the exception of Alpha Phi Omega--a service fraternity) on that campus.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Houston, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Jump Rope Rhyme
I'm enrolled in College Hill School,
S-C-H-O-O-L spells school for me,
Question mark, period, comma, out.
On out, the jump-roper jumps out and starts the grades by running in, jumping once, and running out (for first grade) on up to junior high. When reaching junior high and high school (in the game), the rhyme is repeated substituting the names of the junior high and high schools. However, for grades nine through twelve, the jumper has to run in backwards (the motion of the rope is reversed by the turners).
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Houston, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Rope-Jumping Rhyme
Cinderella -- dressed in yellow,
Went upstairs to kiss her fellow,
Kissed a snake -- By mistake,
How many doctors did it take?
One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . .
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Houston, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C750- |
At Austin College in Sherman, Texas, when someone is accepted into medical school they are thrown (fully-clothed) into one of the fountains on campus.
Submitter comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Sherman, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON ; Austin College
James Callow Keyword(s): Initiation
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
When I was in junior high, there was a "belief" that was followed religiously and carelessness elicited much ridicule: one did not wear green on Thursday because that meant he/she was queer. Red clothing on Friday signified that a girl was pregnant.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Houston, Texas.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
Keyword(s): COLOR
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Typical Elements of a Festive Pattern BELIEF -- P5 |
If your ear itches, someone is talking about you.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; TEXAS ; NASHVILLE ; HOUSTON
| Subject headings: | Spirit / Mind / Body BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
Working Class Hero
John Henry is distinguished by his skill in his job, with a tragedy resulting from his being overcome by a machine. He was the black hero of the tunnel construction gang. According to tradition he died while competing with his steel hammer against a steam chill at Big Bend Tunnel in West Virginia.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- B43 |
Bunbuku Chagama
There lived an old man and an old woman in the small village of Japan. One day, the old man caught a racoon and hung it from the ceiling to make racoon soup. But the grandmother who was very sympathetic and warm-hearted took the rope off the racoon and helped it. A few days after, the racoon visited her and walked a tight rope taking the form of a kettle and danced very well to entertain her. It is said that he wanted to return her kindness.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Informant probably first learned this in Hiroshima City, Japan.
Where learned: JAPAN ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; HIROSHIMA CITY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale |
Blood on the Saddle
There was blood on the saddle, and blood all around
And a great big puddle of blood on the ground.
The cowboy lay in it all covered with gore
And he won't go a riding no broncos no more.
Oh pity the cowboy all bloody and red,
For his bronco fell on him and mashed in his head.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Sorrow Unhappiness |
Legend
At the beginning of Meiji era when a means of transportation was not progressed his grandfather went shopping to buy two pieces of fried bean curd by walking six miles. On his way home he heard someone's voice behind him and he stopped to see who it was. But whenever he stopped the voice stopped and he finally reached his home. He thought it strange but hit upon important thing; that is, there is a mountain inhabited by foxes on his way home. To make sure, he left a piece of fried bean curd outside and after a while he looked at the place where he put it. As he expected it had disappeared.
Many people especially Shintoist thought of fox as messengers of God and deified it in the shrine. They offered fried bean curd to the shrine as it was supposed to be the most favorite food for foxes, In most cases in the agricultural area people made shrines in the mountains near each village.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant probably first learned this in Japan.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal |