Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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STEPPING ON SOMEONE'S TOMBSTONES IS BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment: CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE LEARNED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Bad luck Crucial moment of life |
Date learned: 10-02-1967
WE ALWAYS USED TO KILL SNAKES DOWN HOME AND HANG THEM
ON THE FENCE. WELL, THEY ALWAYS TOLD US IF YOU HANG
A SNAKE ON THE FENCE, IT WILL RAIN. I DON'T KNOW
WHY, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD US.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; SOUTHFIELD ; HOLLISTER
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Date learned: 05-19-1965
ONE DAY WHEN BILL WAS OUT PLAYING, HE SAW AN OLD HOUSE.
THIS OLD HOUSE LOOKED VERY INTERESTING TO HIS FRIENDS
AND HIM. AS THEY APPROACHED THE HOUSE THEY COULD HEAR
STRANGE MUSIC, THE MUSIC SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING
FROM AN ORGAN. WHEN THEY LOOKED THROUGH THE WINDOW
THEY SAW A PLASTIC NOOSE HANGING FROM THE CEILING.
THERE WAS ALSO A DEAD CAT LYING ON THE FLOOR. EVERY-
THING IN THE HOUSE WAS DIRTY AND CROOKED. BILL SAID
HE HAD HEARD MANY RUMORS ABOUT THIS HOUSE BUT HE WOULD
NEVER HAVE BELIEVED IT IF HE HAD NOT SEEN IT WITH HIS
OWN EYES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal P477.13 |
Date learned: 09-00-1968
A PREGNANT WOMAN DOES NOT VISIT A FUNERAL HOME
BECAUSE IF SHE DOES, HER CHILD WILL BE PALE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 10-25-1970
BELIEF ABOUT BAPTISM
YOU DO NOT EVER HAVE A PREGNANT WOMAN AS THE GODMOTHER
OF YOUR CHILD, BECAUSE IF YOU DO, THAT CHILD WILL
NEVER BE HEALTHY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Baptism Naming rite BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 10-25-1970
BELIEF ABOUT BAPTISM
IF YOU REFUSE TO BE A GODPARENT, YOU WILL HAVE BAD LUCK
UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN A GODPARENT SEVEN TIMES. YOU MUST
HOWEVER, ASK (UNDERLINED) TO BE THE GODPARENT OF THOSE
SEVEN CHILDREN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several BELIEF -- Baptism Naming rite BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.4 BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.5 |
Date learned: 10-25-1970
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS 94 AND SHE SHRUNK. SHE WAS VERY
RELIGIOUS--SHE HAD ELEVEN CHILDREN. SHE WAS FRENCH AND SPOKE
BROKEN ENGLISH. SHE RUBBED HER WEDDING RING ON MY WART
ON MY HAND AND SAID "I'LL PRAY FOR YOU." AND THE WART
WENT AWAY.
Submitter comment:
GRANDMOTHER'S NAME--MIMI CHAMPAGNE.
ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN DETROIT (MICHIGAN) WHEN JIM WAS
YOUNG.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Curer |
Date learned: 05-10-1965
TO REMOVE A WART--RUB A DRY NAVY BEAN ON THE WART AND THEN THROW
THE BEAN OVER YOUR SHOULDER.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT'S MOTHER TOLD HER THIS BELIEF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 08-00-1964
TO GET RID OF WARTS, YOU RUB THEM WITH A CHICKEN BONE AND BURY
THE BONE IN THE BACKYARD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 05-00-1965
TO CURE WARTS RUB THEM WITH POTATO PEELINGS FROM POTATOES
THAT HAVE EYES. THEN BURY THE PEELS IN THE YARD UNDER
A TREE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 05-00-1965
TO REMOVE WARTS, CUT A POTATO IN HALF, RUB IT ON THE WARTS,
AND THEN BURY IT. IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS THE WART WILL GO
AWAY. EVERY DAY USE HALF A POTATO AND EACH TIME YOU USE
A POTATO BURY IT.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER MOTHER, JENNY TORRANCE,
IN DETROIT (MICHIGAN) IN THE 1890S.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFER PLUGGING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00001890S
MY MOTHER WILL TELL YOU TO GO AND GET 3 (OR MAYBE 7) STONES.
EACH ONE SHE RUBS OVER YOUR WARTS. AND IN SO MANY DAYS THEY
WILL GO AWAY. AND THEY ACTUALLY GO AWAY.
WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8 I HAD A SEED WART AND MOTHER COULDN'T
CHARM IT OFF. HER POWER WOULDN'T WORK IN THE IMMEDIATE
FAMILY. SO I WENT TO A LADY WHO TOOK A BLACK THREAD AND
MADE A LOOP WITH IT AND PUT IT AROUND THE WART AND DREW
IT TIGHT. SHE TOLD ME TO LEAVE IT ALONE AND IT WOULD GO
AWAY. AND IT WAS GONE IN A WEEK OR TWO.
Submitter comment: HAPPENED IN SEYMOUR, INDIANA, WHERE HE LIVED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; INDIANA ; SOUTHFIELD ; SEYMOUR
James Callow Keyword(s): MEASURING
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several Favorites BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 05-19-1965
TO CURE A WART, RUB THE WART ON THE HAND OF A DEAD PERSON
WHO IS LAID OUT IN A FUNERAL PARLOR.
Submitter comment: THIS IS SAID TO HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED ON THE INFORMANT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFER
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 10-25-1970
YOU DO NOT TAKE OFF A FRIENDSHIP RING, BECAUSE IF YOU DO,
YOU WILL BREAK-UP WITH THE BOY (OR GIRL) FRIEND THAT
GAVE THE RING TO YOU.
Submitter comment: SHE TOLD ME THAT HER MOTHER HAD THE SAME BELIEF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage P545.015 |
Date learned: 10-23-1970
THERE IS AN EVIL EYE STONE TO WARD OFF EVIL CURSES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Curse |
Date learned: 01-19-1968
IT IS A TURKISH CUSTOM TO "READ" COFFEE GROUNDS.
ONE MUST FIRST DRINK A SPECIAL BLEND OF COFFEE,
THEN TURN THE CUP OVER ON A SAUCER AND LET THE
GROUNDS FALL OUT. WHEN THEY ARE DRY, A TRAINED
PERSON READS THIS. KELI SAID HER MOTHER HAD THIS
DONE AND IT REALLY WORKS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Use of Object Plant |
Date learned: 02-26-1971
TAKE THE WISHBONE FROM A TURKEY OR A CHICKEN. LET
IT DRY OUT. THEN HAVE ONE PERSON HOLD ONE SIDE;
ANOTHER PERSON HOLD THE OTHER. EACH MAKE A WISH
AND THEN PULL. THE WISH WILL COME TRUE FOR THE
PERSON WHO GETS THE BIGGEST PART.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT LEARNED THIS WHEN HE WAS VERY YOUNG
ABOUT 1910 IN DETROIT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Use of Object Animals |
Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00-00-1910
TWIST THE STEM OF AN APPLE WHILE SAYING THE ALPHABET.
WHICHEVER LETTER YOU ARE ON WHEN THE STEM COMES OUT
IS THE FIRST LETTER OF THE LAST NAME OF THE MAN YOU
WILL MARRY. YOU CAN ALSO PEEL THE APPLE IN ONE
CONTINUOUS PEEL THEN THROW THE PEEL OVER YOUR
SHOULDER. IT WILL LAND IN THE FIRST LETTER OF HIS
NAME.
Submitter comment:
I LEARNED THESE THINGS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL
ABOUT 1950, BUT I CANNOT REMEMBER WHO I LEARNED THEM
FROM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | 862 Use of object for determining future spouse |
Date learned: 05-12-1965 ; 00-00-1950
WHEN A CHILD IS ONE YEAR OLD, IT IS A POLISH-AMERICAN
CUSTOM TO PLACE A SILVER DOLLAR, A WHISKEY GLASS
AND A PILE OF BLACK DIRT ON THE FLOOR.. THE BABY IS
THEN ALLOWED TO CRAWL TOWARD ONE. THE "CHOICE" HE THEN
MAKES TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE HE WILL LEAD. THE
MONEY MEANS THAT HE WILL BE WEALTHY, THE WHISKEY
GLASS MEANS THAT HE WILL BE A DRUNK, AND THE DIRT
MEANS THAT HE WILL HAVE AN EARLY DEATH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Use of object for determining future of young |
Date learned: 10-25-1970
THE MYSTERIOUS BLACK DOG
ONE DAY, OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY, A STRANGE LITTLE
BLACK SHEPHERD DOG WALKED INTO DAISY'S FAMILY'S HOME.
HE MINDED THE TABLE, PROTECTED ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS,
AND JUMPED ON STRANGERS WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE HOUSE.
THREE WEEKS LATER HE DISAPPEARED. DAISY SAID, "HE
CAME WITH THE WIND AND LEFT WITH THE WIND."
NOW DAISY WAS NAMED AFTER HER AUNT WHO LIVED FOUR
HOUSES FROM THEM AT THE TIME. HER AUNT'S HUSBAND,
WHO WAS DAISY'S UNCLE, DIED. SHE HONESTLY SAID
THAT THIS SMALL STRANGE BLACK DOG WAS THE GHOST OF
HER UNCLE WHO HAD DIED NOT TOO MANY DAYS BEFORE
THE LITTLE DOG WALKED INTO THEIR HOUSE.
Submitter comment: ORIGIN: CHILDHOOD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 07-23-1964