Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for 5893 returned 133 results.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE A GAP BETWEEN THEIR TEETH LIE A LOT. THIS IS
WHERE THE PHRASE "YOU'RE LYING BETWEEN YOUR TEETH" COMES
FROM.
Submitter comment:
SPACE BETWEEN TEETH
"YOU'RE LYING THROUGH YOUR TEETH."
SHE HAS A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal SPEECH -- Folk etymology PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |
Date learned: 10-11-1984
IF A BLACK CAT CROSSES YOUR PATH, TAKE FOUR STEPS
BACKWARD AND TURN AROUND; THIS GETS RID OF THE BAD LUCK THE
CAT PASSED ON TO YOU.
Submitter comment: TRANSFER
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
James Callow Keyword(s): REVERSE DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | 686 Fourths / Quarters BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Conversions Animals |
YOU SHOULD ONLY CUT YOUR HAIR WHEN THERE'S A FULL MOON
BECAUSE THEN YOUR HAIR WILL GROW BACK THICKER AND LONGER.
Submitter comment:
WHEN MY INFORMANT WAS YOUNGER, HER MOTHER ONLY CUT HER HAIR
WHEN THERE WAS A FULL MOON BECAUSE SHE WANTED HER TO HAVE
LONG, THICK HAIR. TODAY, MY INFORMANT HAS LONG HAIR.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Moon |
AFTER YOU COMB YOUR HAIR, YOU DON'T THROW THE HAIR THAT'S
REMAINING IN THE COMB AWAY. YOU BURN THE HAIR, THEN FLUSH IT
DOWN THE TOILET. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS, BIRDS WILL FIND YOUR
HAIR AND USE IT TO MAKE THEIR NESTS AND YOU'LL HAVE
HEADACHES FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
Submitter comment:
CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
EXPLICIT INTERDICTION
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
IF YOU SEE A NEW MOON THROUGH A PANE OF GLASS,
HARD LUCK WILL FOLLOW FAST.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT REMEMBERS HEARING THIS AS A CHILD FROM HIS MOTHER
(1915-1925). HE BELIEVES THAT THE SAYING STEMS FROM HIS
MOTHER AND FATHER'S SCOTTISH HERITAGE.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
IF YOU DROP A KNIFE, A MAN IS COMING.
IF YOU DROP A FORK, A WOMAN IS COMING.
IF YOU DROP A SPOON, A CHILD IS COMING.
IF YOU DROP A DISHRAG, SOME SLOP IS COMING.
Submitter comment:
HEARD WHEN YOUNG IN THE EARLY 1900S. INFORMANT'S DAUGHTER
ALSO REMEMBERS HEARING THIS WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG IN THE LATE 30S.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief C860.860 |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
BIRTHS AND BAPTISM
WHEN A BABY WAS BORN IN THE HOME, THE MOTHER COULD
NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE, WITH OR WITHOUT THE CHILD, UNTIL
IT WAS TIME FOR THE CHILD TO BE BAPTIZED. THEN THE
MOTHER AND THE CHILD WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE CHURCH
TOGETHER, IN THE DAYTIME, TO BE BAPTIZED.
Submitter comment:
THE ABOVE WAS BELIEVED AND PRACTICED BY THE INFORMANT'S
PARENTS. (1910-1920).
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Baptism Naming rite |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
RELIGIOUS CUSTOM
DO NOT GO BAREFOOT ON SUNDAY UNTIL AFTER SIX O'CLOCK.
Submitter comment:
WHEN INFORMANT WAS A CHILD, SHE FOLLOWED THIS PRACTICE
BECAUSE HER MOTHER TOLD HER TO DO SO. ALL DURING
THE WEEK THE CHILDREN WOULD BE ALLOWED TO GO
BAREFOOT, BUT ON SUNDAY UNTIL SIX, IT WAS
FORBIDDEN. IT WAS IMPLIED THAT TO DO SO, WOULD
BE A SIN.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Week Day Hour |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
IT IS FATAL TO WALK OVER A FRESH GRAVE, AND BAD LUCK
TO WALK OVER ANY GRAVE.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM HER MOTHER (1920S) WHO
ACTUALLY BELIEVED IT. INFORMANT DOES NOT BELIEVE
IT, BUT USUALLY AVOIDS WALKING OVER GRAVES.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
THE CASKET IS NEVER LOWERED INTO THE GRAVE WHILE THE
MOURNERS ARE PRESENT.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT HAS OBSERVED THIS PRACTICE AT FUNERALS SINCE
THE 1950S. UPON INQUIRING, INFORMANT WAS TOLD BY
FAMILY THAT THE CASKET WAS LOWERED AFTER EVERYONE IN
MOURNING PARTY HAS LEFT THE CEMETERY. THIS PRACTICE
IS SUPPOSED TO SPARE THE MOURNERS THE "TERRIBLE"
THOUGHT OF THEIR LOVED ONE BEING PLACED UNDERGROUND.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
BEFORE THE BASKET IS CLOSED TO TRANSPORT THE CORPSE
TO CHURCH, MEMBERS OF THE DECEASED'S FAMILY AND
FRIENDS KISS THE CORPSE AS A FINAL SIGN OF AFFECTION.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT HAS SEEN THIS DONE AND HAS PARTICIPATED
IN IT AT FUNERALS (ANCESTRY BACKGROUND-HUNGARIAN,
CROATION, SLAVIC) IN THE 1960S AND 70S.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
NEVER TAKE FLOWERS FROM THE FUNERAL BASKETS LEFT AROUND
THE GRAVE, OR THE DEAD PERSON WILL HAUNT YOU.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT HEARD THIS WHEN YOUNG FROM HER MOTHER
(1920S) WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVED IT. INFORMANT DOES
NOT BELIEVE IT.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
ALWAYS HAVE YOUR SUGAR BOWL FULL AND YOU WILL NEVER BE POOR.
Submitter comment:
MY AUNT HAS ALWAYS BELIEVED THIS TO BE TRUE. WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER,
AN UNCLE OF HERS TOLD HER THIS. WHENEVER SHE VISITS US, SHE ALWAYS
FILLS OUR SUGAR BOWLS. SHE IS NOW 78 YEARS OLD AND HAS NEVER BEEN
POOR. SOMEHOW SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO HAVE EXPENSIVE
ITEMS AND BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD.
FULLNESS
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
Date learned: 11-24-1977
PROVERB
A CROWING HEN ALWAYS COMES TO SOME BAD END.
Submitter comment: THIS PROVERB WAS NOT EXPLAINED TO ME.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
BELIEF
NEVER THANK PEOPLE FOR ANY FLOWERS THAT THEY MAY GIVE YOU
OR THE FLOWERS WILL NEVER GROW.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT HEARD THIS WHEN A YOUNG GIRL, 1915,
BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE IT NOW.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 10-02-1971
BRASS BUTTON BLUE COAT, CAN'T CATCH A NANNY GOAT
Submitter comment:
THIS TERM WAS USED BY CHILDREN AT PLAY IN PITTSBURG PA IN THE YEAR
1925
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; PITTSBURGH ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 10-04-1972
HER TEETH ARE LIKE THE STARS, THEY COME OUT AT NIGHT
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; PITTSBURGH ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): INSULT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-05-1972
Entry filtered.
THE MYSTERY
NEAR PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, THERE WAS AN OLD STRIP MINE THAT
HAD BEEN BURIED OVER AND LEFT BY A MINING COMPANY. TWO LITTLE
KIDS WANDERED NEAR THIS OLD STRIP MINE AND DISAPPEARED. A SEARCH
PARTY SET OUT TO FIND THE TWO KIDS AND HEADED TOWARD THIS ONE
PARTICULAR STRIP MINE WHERE THE KIDS WERE LAST SEEN. NEAR THIS
OLD STRIP MINE WAS AN OLD BARN. WHEN THE SEARCH PARTY ARRIVED AT
THE MINE, THERE WAS NO TRACE OF THE TWO KIDS OR THE OLD BARN.
THEY ALL JUST DISAPPEARED.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 11-07-1968
Ethnic: Yugoslavian
Wedding:
In Yugoslavia, the bride must bring 40 different items with her to prove that she is versatile and can do all these things. If she fails to do this she can't get married.
Submitter comment:
Recounted from Mrs. Benestelli's mother, a neighbor, who just returned home from Yugoslavia.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F572] crossed out and replaced with current classification.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; NEIGHBORS HOME ; PITTSBURGH
Keyword(s): Chores ; CUSTOMS ; Domestic ; MARRIAGE ; TEST ; WEDDING
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |