Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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DEVIL'S CAVE
ONE OF THE SPANISH EXPLORERS CAME UP FROM
MEXICO AND CAME UP ON SOME INDIANS. IT
Where learned: CARMICHAEL TOWERS ; NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend |
Date learned: 08-08-1968
LEECH LAKE
THIS WAS LEECH LAKE IN MINNESOTA, AND IT'S
BOTTOMLESS, AND THERE WAS A DROWNING.
THERE WAS TWO BOYS AND THEIR FATHER IN A
MOTOR LAUNCH, AND THE BOAT OVERTURNED AND
ALL THREE SUPPOSEDLY DROWNED. AND NONE
WERE FOUND. AND LIKE SEVERAL MONTHS LATER A
CAP, IDENTICAL TO THE ONE OWNED BY ONE OF
THE BOYS WAS WASHED UP ON THE SHORE OF THE
HUDSON BAY. THE LAKE IS ABOUT FIVE AND
A HALF MILES WIDE AND SIXTEEN LONG, AND
THEY SUSPECT THAT THE HOLE FOR THE LINK
BETWEEN LAKES IS SOMEWHERE ON THE SIDE.
Where learned: CARMICHAEL TOWERS ; NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend |
Date learned: 08-00-1968
SAYING
YOU'VE HEARD THE OLD SAYING ABOUT A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE.
WELL, I GUESS THAT IT MEANS ABOUT THE SAME THING AS "AN OUNCE
OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE."
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 08-06-1968
IT IS SAID THAT ON THE DAY OF AUGUST 7th WHEN ATOMIC BOMB
WAS DROPPED IN HIROSHIMA, ALL SPIRITS OF THE DEAD BY BOMB
COME BACK TO THIS PLACE. IN ORDER FOR THESE SPIRITS TO
FIND THE WAY TO GO TO HEAVEN, PEOPLE FLOAT DEDICATORY
LANTERNS WITH EACH DEAD PERSON'S NAME ON IT ON THE WATER.
THIS CUSTOM IS ALSO HELD AT THE END OF THE BON SEASON FOR
THE ANCESTORS.
Where learned: JAPAN ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; HIROSHIMA CITY
Date learned: 09-20-1977
THE DEVIL AND THE MISER
A RICH, GREEDY, OLD MISER AGREED TO SELL
HIS SOUL TO THE DEVIL IF THE DEVIL WOULD
FILL HIS BOOT WITH GOLD. HE PUT A HOLE
IN THE FLOOR BY THE FIRE PLACE. SO THE
NEXT MORNING HIS WHOLE BASEMENT WAS FULL
OF GOLD. THE MAN DIED EARLY AND WENT
TO HELL.
Where learned: NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED ; VANDERBILT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Devil Demon |
Date learned: 08-10-1968
CHEEKWOOD IS THE OLD FAMILY HOME OF THE CHEEK
FAMILY, WHO MADE COFFEE. WHEN TEDDY ROOSEVELT
CAME TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, HE STAYED AT
THE MAXWELL HOUSE HOTEL, WHERE THE CHEEKS HAD
THEIR COFFEE BEING SERVED. HE HAD SOME AND
SAID IT WAS "GOOD TO THE LAST DROP." CHEEKS,
BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, CALLED THEIR COFFEE
"MAXWELL HOUSE."
Where learned: CLASSROOM ; NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend Food Drink -- Non-alcoholic fruit beverage Coffee |
WHEN MY MOTHER, LAURA BASSETT BOOKER, WAS A CHILD IN
CONWAY, ARKANSAS, HER PARENTS EMPLOYED AS A GENERAL
HANDYMAN AND YARD WORKER, AN OLD NEGRO MAN, WHO WAS A
"SILVER WITCH" OR "SILVERDOUSER." IF SILVER MONEY WAS
HIDDEN IN THE GROUND, HE COULD FIND IT BY USING A
FORKED BRANCH WITH A CLEFT END INTO WHICH A SMALL PIECE
OF SILVER, SUCH AS A DIME, WOULD BE INSERTED.
SKEPTICAL OF HIS POWERS, MY MOTHER AND HER BROTHER CLINE
DECIDED TO TEST HIM BY HIDING MONEY IN A TREE. THE
"SILVER WITCH" WAS LED BY HIS DIVINING ROD TO BENEATH
THE TREE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE MONEY. WHEN THE
CHILDREN REVEALED THEIR TRICK, THE OLD MAN BECAME VERY
ANGRY AND REFUSED TO TRY TO FIND ANY MORE MONEY FOR THEM.
Where learned: DORM ; NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED ; Arkansas ; CONWAY
| Subject headings: | Prophet / Seer / Soothsayer PROSE NARRATIVE -- Witch Shaman |
Date learned: 05-12-1969
THERE WAS THIS DEAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
WHO HAD THIS DOG WHO KEPT ANNOYING HER AS SHE WAS
GETTING READY TO GIVE A DINNER PARTY. SO TO QUIET
HIM SOME, SHE GAVE HIM SOME OF THE CASSEROLE FOR
THAT NIGHT'S PARTY. THE GUESTS ARRIVED AND THE
DINNER ALMOST FINISHED BEING EATEN, WHEN THE
DEAN'S MAID CAME IN AND WHISPERED TO HER THAT
THE DOG HAD DIED.
WELL, THE DEAN TOLD HER GUESTS AND RUSHED THEM
DOWN TO THE HOSPITAL TO HAVE THEIR STOMACHS
PUMPED.
THE DOG, SHE LATER FOUND OUT, HAD BEEN RUN OVER.
Where learned: TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL ; NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale PROSE NARRATIVE -- Woman |
Date learned: 04-20-1969
BELIEF: SNAKES
BELIEF THAT THE EASTERN COACHWHIP SNAKE STANDS
ON ITS HEAD AND BEATS YOU TO DEATH. FALSE.
Where learned: NATURE STUDY CLASS ; NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale |
NOT GIVEN
COLD AS A WEDGE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison |
GROUND HOG DAY: FEBRUARY 2nd
IF THE GROUND HOG DOESN'T SEE HIS SHADOW, WARM WEATHER IS
COMING.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Weather sign or control CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- February 2 Candlemas Groundhog Day BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 06-23-1973
IF YOUR NOSE IS ITCHING, THEN COMPANY IS COMING SOON.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Nose BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Itching nose |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF THE SUN IS SHINING WHILE IT IS RAINING, THE DEVIL IS
BEATING HIS WIFE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): SATAN
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO INSTANTLY TURN GRAY WHEN THEY WITNESSED A
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY, SUCH AS MURDER. THEY STAY GRAY ALL THEIR LIVES.
MY DADDY ONCE TOLD ME ABOUT A MAN WHO TURNED GRAY, BUT I CAN'T
REMEMBER THE STORY.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
IF A WOMAN EATS CARROTS, HER BABY WILL HAVE EXCELLENT VISION.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Use of Object Plant |
Expression
"To fly off the handle" means to lose your temper.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ;
Keyword(s): Expression ; Fly ; Handle ; Language ; Lose ; Saying ; TEMPER
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Expression
Paint the town red, or, go out on the town.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ;
Keyword(s): COLOR ; Entertainment ; Expression ; Language ; Out ; Paint ; Red ; Saying ; Term ; Town
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Entertainment: Song
Song:
I gave my love a cherry that had no stone.
I gave my love a chicken that had no bone.
I gave my love a ring that had no end.
I gave my love a baby with no crying.
How can there be a cherry that has no stone?
How can there be a chicken that has no bone?
How can there be a ring that has no end?
How can there be a baby with no crying?
A cherry when it's bloomin', has no stone.
A chicken when it's pippin', it has no bone.
A ring when it's rollin', it has no end.
A baby when it's sleeping, has no crying.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): BABY ; Blooming ; Bone ; Cherry ; Chicken ; CRYING ; Entertainment ; Folksong ; MUSIC ; Pippin ; RHYME ; RING ; Rolling ; Sleeping ; SONG ; STONE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Love |
Entry filtered.
Entertainment: Song
Jump-Rope Game:
'Double Dutch'
As two people throw two ropes simultaneously in opposite directions, a third person tries to jump both ropes. There is no rhyme to accompany the skipping. It's hard enough to concentrate on the jumping.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Double ; DUTCH ; Entertainment ; GAME ; Jump ; Jump Rope ; Rope ; SONG
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement |