Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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MAN ON HORSEBACK
IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOUR HOUSE, YOU ONLY ASK HIM ONCE TO EAT, BUT
IF HE'S ON HORSEBACK, YOU ASK HIM TWICE BECAUSE HE HAS TO GET DOWN
FROM HIS HORSE FIRST.
Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD TO INFORMANT AS A CHILD BY HIS ITALIAN BORN FATHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
IF THE DOG BAYS AT THE MOON, SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Use of Object Animals |
Date learned: 10-08-1965
I RETURNED HOME FROM A BRIDGE TOURNAMENT AT 3:00 A.M.
TO FIND ALL THE LIGHTS ON AT MY HOUSE. MY WIFE WAS UP
HAVING A CUP OF COFFEE. SHE LOOKED VERY UPSET. SHE
TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO SLEEP FOR THE LAST
FEW HOURS BECAUSE OF SOME STRANGE OCCURRANCES.
ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK, SHE WAS AWAKENED WHEN THE BED
SEEMED TO VIBRATE. SHE THEN HEARD A NOISE AT THE BEDROOM
WINDOW AS THOUGH SOMEONE WERE SCRAPING THE SCREEN. SHE
BECAME SO FRIGHTENED THAT SHE TURNED ON ALL THE LIGHTS
AND WAITED FOR MY RETURN. SOOTHING HER NERVES AS BEST
I COULD, I PERSUADED HER TO RETURN TO BED. SHORTLY
WE WERE BOTH ASLEEP.
AT SIX O'CLOCK THE NEXT MORNING WE WERE AWAKENED BY THE
PHONE. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW INFORMED ME THAT MY FATHER-
IN-LAW HAD JUST DIED OF A HEART ATTACK.
THE DECEASED HAD BEEN TO OUR HOME THE PREVIOUS DAY AND
HAD GIVEN MY WIFE SOME CUTTINGS FROM HIS GARDEN. THE
TWIGS WERE PLACED IN A JAR, WHICH MY WIFE LEFT ON THE
WINDOW SILL OUTSIDE OF OUR BEDROOM WINDOW. IN THE
MORNING WE FOUND THE JAR HAD FALLEN AND BROKEN.
MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAD BEEN IN GOOD HEALTH SO MY WIFE
HAD NO INDICATION THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED HER TO WORRY
SO MUCH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Dreams Foretelling a death BELIEF -- P870 |
"BLOCKHEAD"
IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU A BLOCKHEAD, BACK IN COLONIAL AMERICA,
PEOPLE WHO WORE WIGS
WORE WIGS KEPT THEM ON WOODEN BLOCKS (SHAPED THE SAME AS THEIR HEAD
IF THEY WERE RICH ENOUGH), AND CALLING SOMEONE A BLOCKHEAD IS
COMPARING HIS HEAD TO ONE OF THOSE BLOCKS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
BAD OMEN
IF A BIRD CRASHES INTO YOUR WINDOW AND DIES,
A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY
WILL DIE SOON.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
GOOD LUCK
IN CHINA THE HUSBAND GIVES A JADE RING RATHER THAN A DIAMOND RING.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO GIVE GOOD LUCK.ANOTHER GIFT GIVEN
IS THE HAPPINESS BUDHA
(ITS HANDS ARE UP). IF THE COUPLE RUBS HIS TUMMY, THEY'RE
SUPPOSED TO HAVE A LOT OF KIDS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): STATUE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Good luck P881.1 |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
GOOD LUCK
FLIPPING A COIN GIVES GOOD LUCK IF IT LANDS ON "HEADS"
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck P881.1 |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
"WALTZING MATILDA"
THE SONG "WALTZING MATILDA" IS ABOUT A WANDERER CARRYING HIS SACK ON
A STICK OVER HIS BACK. HE AFFECTIONALLY REFERS TO IT AS "MATILDA"
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ballad, Song, Verse SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
WASSELING
THEY DON'T HAVE HALLOWEEN IN ENGLAND. THEY HAVE WASSELING NEAR
CHRISTMAS.IT'S A DAY IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON SET ASIDE FOR KIDS TO
GO AND COLLECT CANDY, PRESENTS, ETC.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): BEGGING GIFT-GIVING ; WASSAIL WASSAILING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- October 31 Halloween CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Christmas Season See F645.2 for Advent Season. |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
THE SIX WHITE BOOMERS
IN AUSTRALIA, CHRISTMAS COMES DURING THE HOT SUMMER (IT'S
USUALLY ABOUT 120 DEGREES IN THE SHADE AND THERE'S NO SHADE IN
AUSTRALIA), SO SANTA CAN'T PULL HIS SLEIGH AROUND BECAUSE THERE'S NO
SNOW. SO HE GET'S A TEAM OF OLD-MAN KANGAROOS AND THEY'RE CALLED THE
SIX WHITE BOOMERS BECAUSE OF THE SOUND THEY MAKE AS THEY'RE PULLING
HIM AROUND. BOOM BOOM BOOM THAT'S WHY THEY CALL THEM THE SIX WHITE
BOOMERS.
Submitter comment: HANDS ARE SLAPPED ON ARMS OF CHAIR TO EMPHASIZE BOOMS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Santa Claus BELIEF -- Mammal SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 11-00-1974
TONGUE TWISTER
TRY SAYING "BLACK BUGS' BLOOD" TEN TIMES FAST,
YOU CAN'T, CAN YOU?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 12-00-1974
BAD OMEN
RED SKY AT NIGHT, SAILORS DELIGHT.
RED SKY AT MORN, SAILORS TAKE WARN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.460 BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon |
Date learned: 12-00-1974
VERSE
FORGET ME NOT, FORGET ME NEVER.
AND I SHALL BE, YOUR LOVE FOREVER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Forget me not |
Date learned: 12-00-1974
VERSE
ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLACK,
AND YOU'D LOOK BETTER WITH A KNIFE IN YOUR BACK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): INSULT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Roses are red and other such associations |
Date learned: 12-00-1974
VERSE
ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLUE,
AND HOO BOY WOULD I LIKE TO MAKE OUT WITH YOU.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Roses are red and other such associations |
Date learned: 12-00-1974
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BAR SONG
AT THE BAR, AT THE BAR,
WHERE I SMOKED MY FIRST CIGAR,
AS THE NICKLES AND THE DIMES ROLLED AWAY.
IT WAS THERE BY CHANCE,
THAT I LOST MY SUNDAY PANTS,
AT THE BAR, AT THE BAR ONE DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): APPARENTLY A MILITARY SONG
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 |
Date learned: 12-00-1974