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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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IF YOU DON'T WANT A CERTAIN PERSON
TO EVER COME TO YOUR HOUSE AGAIN THROW
SALT BEHIND HIM AS HE LEAVES. THE TRICK
IS NOT TO LET HIM SEE YOU DOING IT BECAUSE
IF HE DOES THE SALT WONT WORK.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT STATED THIS WAS PASSED ON TO HER
BY HER GREAT GRANDMOTHER WHO WAS FROM GEORGIA.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; SAN DIEGO
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00-00-1985
IF YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH
THE DEAD WRITE A LETTER, PUT IT
IN A BOWL OF WATER AND PUT IT UNDER
YOUR BED; IF YOU DO THIS THE DEAD
PERSON YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH
WILL COME AND READ THE LETTER.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT STATED HER GRANDMOTHER
TOLD HER HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH
THE DEAD.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; SAN DIEGO
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 00-00-1985
TO TENDERIZE MEAT PUT IT IN A
POT OF HOT WATER AND ADD RUSTY
NAILS; LET BOIL FOR TEN MINUTES.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT STATED SHE NEVER TRIED IT.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; SAN DIEGO
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Meat |
Date learned: 00-00-1985
TO MY SURPRISE THE SUBURBS OF SAN DIEGO
DO NOT HAVE ANY CURBS. WHEN
I ASKED MY AUNT WHY THEY DIDN'T SHE
REPLIED LAUGHINGLY, "THOSE ARE GUTTERS."
Submitter comment:
IN SAN DIEGO THEIR CURBS ARE FLAT
TO ALLOW PROPER DRAINAGE WHEN IT RAINS.
THUS THE REASON FOR CALLING THEM GUTTERS.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; SAN DIEGO
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Common Word |
Date learned: 12-00-1979
EXPLANATION OF EVENT
SWALLOWS RETURN TO SAN JUAN, CAPISTRANO MISSION IN
CALIFORNIA
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; RADIO PROGRAM
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Bird CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Spring |
Date learned: 03-19-1969
AT BERKELEY UNIVERSITY, THE STUDENTS CAN BE HEARD
CALLING "PEDRO" AROUND EXAM TIME. THE REASON:
"PEDRO IS A MYTHICAL CHARACTER WHO ONCE IN THE
REMOTE PAST EITHER STOLE ALL THE EXAMS FROM THE
PROFESSORS OR DID SOMETHING ELSE WHICH PREVENTED
EXAMS FROM BEING GIVEN. THE STUDENTS ARE CALLING
FOR PEDRO TO COME AGAIN."
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BERKELEY
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Date learned: 10-00-1965
MANY YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A PRESIDENT OF A UNIVERSITY
(OR SOMETIMES IT IS A DEAN OR A PROFESSOR) WHO HAD A
LITTLE DOG NAMED PEDRO. JUST BEFORE FINALS, THE LITTLE
DOG DISAPPEARED. THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY UPSET AND
APPEALED TO THE STUDENTS TO HELP FIND THE DOG. HE
SAID IF PEDRO WAS FOUND, EXAMS WOULD BE CANCELLED AS
A REWARD. SO NATURALLY, THE STUDENTS WENT AROUND
SHOUTING, 'PEDRO! PEDRO!' THEY STILL DO IT BEFORE
EXAMS HOPING THAT SOMEHOW THE EXAMS WILL BE CANCELLED.
(AT BERKELY COLLEGE, CALIF.)
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BERKELEY COLLEGE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Date learned: 10-00-1965
"PEDRO WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT IN SANSKRIT AND WAS DOING
HIS THESIS ON A PARTICULAR WORK IN SANSKRIT; MORE
PARTICULARLY, HE WAS DOING IT ON A PARTICULAR
SENTENCE IN THIS WORK, EVEN MORE PARTICULARLY, HE WAS
WRITING ON A PARTICULAR PAST PARTICIPLE IN THIS
SENTENCE AND HOW THIS PAST PARTICIPLE IS CONJUGATED.
HIS THESIS WAS REJECTED, HOWEVER, FOR BEING TOO
GENERAL, SO NOW PEDRO LIVES IN THE CAMPANILE ABOVE
THE BELLS AND STUDENTS CALL FOR HIM DURING FINALS
BECAUSE HE IS MAD AT THE ADMINISTRATION AND IS ONLY
TOO GLAD TO HELP THE STUDENTS."
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; BERKELEY
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Date learned: 10-00-1965
IN CALIFORNIA, PEOPLE CUT THEIR ROSES JUST AFTER
THE ROSE BOWL FOOTBALL GAME, SO THAT THEY WILL
BLOOM ALL YEAR LONG.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; DOWNEY
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 11-15-1968
PROVERB
IT IS NOT ALL GOLD, THAT GLITTERS.
Submitter comment: IN A LETTER OF CHARLES DORIAN DATED SEPTEMBER 15, 1850.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; COSUMNES RIVER
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
RIDDLE
A MAN IS IN HIS ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND HE LOOKS OUT THE
WINDOW, TURNS AROUND AND SAYS "OH MY GOD, MY WIFE HAS
JUST BEEN KILLED." WHERE UPON THE ATTORNEY TAKES OUT A
GUN AND KILLS THE CLIENT. WHY DID THE ATORNEY KILL THE
CLIENT? TELLER IS ASKED QUESTIONS WHICH CAN BE ANSWERED
YES OR NO UNTIL THE STORY UNFOLDS.
-- THE ATTORNEY WAS JEALOUS OF THE CLIENT'S WIFE. THE
ATTORNEY WAS A WOMAN.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; HOME ; LOS ANGELES ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): WOMEN LAW ATTORNEY
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Banging
In order for a Pee Wee or young would-be gang member to be a
a full fledged gang member he must go through a gauntlet of
initiated gang members where the young person is beat the
entire length of the gauntlet and in extreme circumstances a limb,
either an arm or a leg is broken in order to prove their
worthiness and machoism to be in the gang.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; Merced
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
In order for a pee-wee or a young would-be gang member to be a
full-fledged gang member he must go through a gauntlet of
initiated gang members where the young person is beat the entire
length of the gauntlet and in extreme circumstances a limb, either
an arm or leg is broken in order to prove their worthiness and
machoism to be in the gang.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; Merced
Keyword(s): RITUAL
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Initiation rite Hazing |
This is a military rite where the commander of a unit upon his
departure from that unit is given a sword by his most trusted non-
commissioned officers for the leadership and command
responsibility he exhibited while he was in command of that
particular unit during a dinner or gathering in that commander's
honor.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; Merced
Keyword(s): RITUAL
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 |
The Kwanza Celebration is a festival for African - Americans
that takes the place of Christmas, where festivities are performed
for seven days and each day reflects on African - American culture
Each evening one of seven candles are lit and that principle for
the day is discussed. The last day comprises a large meal and
small exchange of gifts.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; Merced
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 25 Christmas Also see F642, below. |
There is a tradition among Air Force pilots that they perform
a flyby to celebrate a kill during aerial combat. Upon shooting
down a plane where the enemy breaks off the engagement, the pilot
returns to base where he buzzes the airfield and produces a sonic
boom before he lands the plane.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; Merced
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 |
BEDTIME RHYME
GOOD NIGHT,
SLEEP TIGHT,
DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE.
Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; MISSION VIEJO
| Subject headings: | 730 Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Date learned: 00-00-1964