Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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PROVERB
IF JACK'S IN LOVE WITH JILL HE IS NO JUDGE OF HER BEAUTY.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): BIASED OPINIONS ; NAMES ; OBSERVATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 11-01-1968
INDIAN SIGNS
EVERYONE GATHERS AROUND THE TABLE AND EACH PERSON IS
GIVEN HIS OWN INDIAN SIGN. THEN EVERYONE MAKES A
NOISE LIKE AN INDIAN (BY GOING WHOO WOO AND HITTING
THEIR LIPS WITH THE PALM OF THEIR HANDS.) THE FIRST
PERSON GIVES HIS OWN SIGN AND SOMEBODY'S ELSE'S.
THEN THE NEXT PERSON GIVES HIS SIGN AND SOMEBODY
ELSE'S. THE PERSON WHOSE SIGN IS GIVEN BY THE FIRST
PERSON MUST PICK IT UP RIGHT AWAY OR HE IS ELIMINATED
AND MUST SUFFER WHATEVER CONSEQUENCES ARE PRESCRIBED.
Submitter comment:
AGAIN, NO ONE KNOWS WHEN OR BY WHOM THIS GAME WAS
STARTED.
Where learned: DETROIT ; GOLDEN 20S ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Memory |
Date learned: 00001961 FALL
CATEGORIES
THIS IS A GAME. THE PARTICIPANTS GATHER AROUND THE
TABLE AND CLAP THEIR HANDS TWICE, THEN SLAP THE
TABLE TWICE, AND THEN SLAP THEIR HANDS TWICE AND
CONTINUE THIS IN RHYTHM. THE PERSON WHO STARTS
DESIGNATES A CERTAIN CATEGORY FROM WHICH THE NAMES MUST
COME, E.G., CIGARETTES, NAMES OF CARS, NAMES OF
LIQUORS, ETC. AND ON THE CLAP OF THE HAND THE PERSON
TO THE LEFT MUST NAME SOME MEMBER OF THE CATEGORY.
HE MUST NAME THE THING IN RHYTHM TO THE CLAP OF THE HAND
AND THE FOLLOWING PERSON MUST GIVE HIS MEMBER OF THE
CATEGORY AT THE NEXT CLAP OF THE HAND, ETC., UNTIL
SOMEONE EITHER CANNOT GIVE AN ADEQUATE NAME OR GIVES
IT OUT OF TIME WITH THE RHYTHM. THE LOSER MUST CHUG
HIS BEER, OR SIT OUT OF THE GAME, OR BUY THE NEXT
ROUND, OR DO WHATEVER THE CONSEQUENCES, WHICH HAVE
BEEN AGREED UPON.
Submitter comment:
I LEARNED THIS GAME BY PLAYING IT AND NO ONE SEEMS
TO KNOW WHO STARTED IT OR WHEN IT WAS STARTED.
Where learned: DETROIT ; GOLDEN 20S ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Mental Activity |
Date learned: 00001961 FALL
CAPTAIN AHAB
FOR THIS GAME, THE PERSONS WHO DO NOT KNOW CAPTAIN
AHAB ARE BLINDFOLDED AND TAKEN INTO ANOTHER ROOM.
ONE BY ONE, THEY ARE TAKEN INTO THE MAIN ROOM.
STILL BLINDFOLDED, THEY ARE SEATED OPPOSITE
CAPTAIN AHAB. CAPTAIN AHAB IS ONE OF THE GUYS AT
THE PARTY WHO MERELY TAKES HIS ARM OUT OF THE SPORT
JACKET, AND SITS WITH ONE LEG UNDER HIM. THUS, THE
PERSON IS TOLD THAT CAPTAIN--A WAR VICTIM--HAS ONE
GOOD ARM, BUT LOST THE OTHER ONE AND ONE GOOD LEG
BUT THE OTHER WAS SHOT OFF AT THE KNEE. THE PERSON
FEELS THE GOOD ARM AND THE BAD ONE; THE GOOD LEG AND
THE BAD ONE. HE IS ALLOWED TO FEEL ONE EAR BUT NOT
THE OTHER, BECAUSE IT IS STILL SENSITIVE FROM THE
PAIN. ALL THIS TIME THERE IS A THIRD PERSON INTRO-
DUCING CAPTAIN AHAB AND HOLDING THE NEWCOMER'S HAND
TO GUIDE TO CAPTAIN AHAB'S DESIGNATED POINTS. FINALLY,
THE PERSON TOUCHES CAPT. AHAB'S GOOD EYE AND IS ABOUT
TO TOUCH HIS BAD EYE, GUIDED BY THE THIRD PERSON
WHO JAMS IT INTO A JAR OF VASELINE.
Submitter comment:
I HAVE SEEN THIS GAME MANY TIMES, BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO
KNOW WHO STARTED IT.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Bodily Activity BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
OVERHEAD RELAY
THERE ARE TWO LINES WITH TEN CHILDREN IN EACH.
THEY PASS THE BALL OVER THE HEAD. PERSON AT
THE END RUNS TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. THE FIRST
LEADER TO GET BACK AT HIS PLACE FIRST, WINS THE
GAME.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement |
Date learned: 01-31-1971
AUTOMOBILE GAME
WHEN TRAVELING, CHILDREN CAN PASS THE TIME BY PLAYING
A GAME WHICH INVOLVES COUNTING COWS. TWO CAN PLAY,
EACH CHILD TAKING ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHENEVER THE
CAR PASSES COWS, THE CHILD WHOSE SIDE THEY ARE ON
COUNTS THEM OR ESTIMATES THEIR NUMBER. EACH KEEPS
TRACK OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COWS FOR HIS SIDE. IF THE
CAR PASSES A CEMETERY, THE CHILD WHOSE SIDE IT'S ON
LOSES ALL HIW COWS. THE WINNER IS THE ONE WHO REACHES
A PREDESIGNATED NUMBER OF COWS FIRST, OR ELSE THE ONE
WHO HAS THE MOST COWS WHEN THE TRIP ENDS.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C531 |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
HIDE AND SEEK
ONE CHILD WILL CLOSE HIS EYES AND COUNT TO ONE HUNDRED.
THE GROUP OF CHILDREN PLAYING THE GAME WILL HIDE IN
DIFFERENT PLACES. AFTER HE HAS FINISHED COUNTING,
HE HAS TO SEARCH FOR THEM.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
STOOP TAG
PHILLIPENE CHILDREN'S GAME
NO. OF PLAYERS: 5 OR MORE
FORMATION: PLAYERS SCATTER OVER THE PLAYING AREA.
WITH ONE PERSON BEING "IT."; HE CHASES THE OTHERS,
TRYING TO TAG ONE OF THEM. A PLAYER MAY ESCAPE
BEING TAGGED BY STOOPING OR SQUATTING. HOWEVER,
EACH PLAYER MAY STOOP ONLY THREE TIMES. AFTER THAT
HE MAY ESCAPE BEING TAGGED ONLY BY RUNNING. ANY
PLAYER TAGGED BECOMES "IT."
IN A LARGE GROUP THERE SHOULD BE SEVERAL TAGGERS.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 10-11-1972
HUCKLE-BUCKLE BEANSTALK
THIS IS A GAME INVOLVING SEVERAL PLAYERS. ONE PERSON HIDES
AN OBJECT (ANYTHING, RELATIVELY SMALL) WHILE THE OTHER
PLAYERS HAVE TO FIND IT. SOMETIMES A LIMITED TIME WAS
GIVEN TO THE "HIDER" BY HAVING THE PLAYERS COUNT. THE
PLAYERS, ALSO, KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR. WHEN A
PLAYER THINKS HE HAS FOUND THE OBJECT, INSTEAD OF YELLING
"I FOUND IT," THE PLAYER WOULD HAVE TO RUN TO A DESIGNATED
AREA OR "GOAL" AND YELL "HUCKLE-BUCKLE BEANSTALK!" WITHOUT
GIVING AWAY THE IDENTITY OF THE LOCATION. THE "HIDER"
WOULD THEN VERIFY THE FINDERS' LOCATION OF THE OBJECT
AND THE NEW FINDER WOULD THEN BECOME THE "HIDER."
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Pastime |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF YOU CUT BOTH ENDS OF A CUCUMBER AND RUB THEM OVER THE
ENTIRE CUCUMBER, IT WILL CHANGE FROM BITTER TO SWEET.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S MOTHER BELIEVES THIS AND ALWAYS DOES IT,
ALTHOUGH INFORMANT CAN'T TELL ANY DIFFERENCE IN THE TASTE.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Plant food Vegetable |
Date learned: 11-22-1968
EPIPHANY
AFTER MIDNIGHT, WHEN IT WAS THE EPIPHANY, THE WOMAN
OF THE HOUSE WOULD GO OUT INTO THE BACKYARD AND
LIGHT 2 OR 3 TORCHES AND PRAY TO GOD. ACCORDING
TO THE CUSTOM, THIS PREVENTED THE HOUSE FROM BURNING
DOWN FOR ONE ENTIRE YEAR. (IT COULD CATCH FIRE, BUT IT
WAS CERTAIN TO BE FOUND AND PUT OUT VERY SOON).
Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED IT FROM SOME FRIEND.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN ; DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 6 Twelfth Day Epiphany |
Date learned: 00001967 AUTUMN
POLISH EASTER CUSTOM
ON EASTER MONDAY, THE BOYS GET WILLOW SPRIGS AND WHIP
THE GIRLS IN ORDER TO KNOCK THE LAZINESS OUT OF THEM.
THE GIRLS MAKE A BIG SHOW OF ESCAPING ON "WHIPPING
MONDAY" ALONG WITH THE SQUEALING AND CHASING.
SOMETIMES WATER OR COLOGNE IS USED AS A REPLACEMENT.
BUT TUESDAY IS THE GIRLS DAY TO WHIP THE BOYS.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Monday Dyngus CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Tuesday Revenge Day |
BLESSING OF EASTER BASKETS AND EATING OF THE
CONTENTS AT THE FIRST MEAL ON EASTER SUNDAY.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Date learned: 10-22-1968
POLISH: ON EASTER SATURDAY, (HOLY SATURDAY) THE FOOD
FOR EASTER DAY IS BLESSED BY A PRIEST. THE FOOD
IS PLACED IN A BASKET. FOOD MAY BE BLESSED ON
SUNDAY MORNING BY THE MALE HEAD OF THE FAMILY.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | 663 Holy Saturday CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
POLISH: FOOD TO BE EATEN AS THE FIRST MEAL ON EASTER
SUNDAY IS TAKEN ON HOLY SATURDAY TO BE BLESSED. THE
FOOD TO BE BLESSED CONSISTS OF EGGS, BUTTER, MEAT, ETC.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | 663 Holy Saturday CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Date learned: 01-22-1970
ON HOLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON, POLISH CATHOLICS HAVE A
BASKET BLESSED IN CHURCH WITH THE FOOD THEY WILL EAT
ON EASTER SUNDAY MORNING. IT CONSISTS OF POLISH
SAUSAGE--KIELBASA--HARD BOILED EGGS, SALT, HAM, WINE,
BREAD, AND BUTTER.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | 663 Holy Saturday CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday Food Drink -- Typical menus for the various meals For meal hours, see F574.84. Special or festive meals |
Date learned: 02-00-1970
CHINESE FESTIVAL
DURING THE CHINESE MOON FESTIVAL, CHUNG CHIU, AT
MIDNIGHT, PERONS TRY TO 'CATCH THE MOON' BY GETTING
THE FULL MOON'S REFLECTION IN A BASIN OF WATER.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Year CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Movable Date BELIEF -- Moon |
Date learned: 11-01-1967
A CHRISTMAS TREE BULB (ORNAMENT) WAS GIVEN TO EACH
OF MY GRANDMOTHER'S CHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE
MARRIED--IT HAD HUNG ON THE TREE SINCE THE
CHILD HAD BEEN BORN.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Christmas tree CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Gifts, gift giving at Christmas |
Date learned: 11-29-1967
EX-LAX
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A PLEDGE OF A FRATERNITY AND A PLEDGE
OF A SORORITY ARE TAKEN OUT TO DINNER AND ARE FED EX-LAX
WITH THEIR MEAL. THEY ARE THEN KIDNAPPED AND HANDCUFFED
AND DROPPED OFF IN THE WOODS. THEN IT IS JUST A MATTER OF
TIME BEFORE PROBLEMS ARISE.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): LAXATIVE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IT IS A LEBANESE CUSTOM THAT THE GIRL PUTS DOUGH ABOVE
THE COUPLE'S DOOR AS A SIGN THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS
BE FOOD ON THEIR TABLE.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage Day after wedding |
Date learned: 11-18-1968