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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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OMEN

IF A BIRD FLIES INTO A HOUSE THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW, IT MEANS A
VERY BAD OMEN HAS BEEN GIVEN AND SOMEONE LIVING IN THE HOUSE WILL
DIE WITHIN THE YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Bird
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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NAME

HEAD: } THIS IS THE NAME GIVEN BY THE SEAGOING SERVICES FOR A }
BATHROOM.
ROOM. IT IS IN SUCH COMMON USE, THAT MANY MILITARY MEN USE THIS
TERM EVEN WHEN OFF DUTY IN A CIVILIAN SITUATION.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Trade & commerce

Date learned: 09-27-1972

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RIDDLE

WHAT IS IT THAT SITS UPON A SHELF, AND LIVES AS LONG AS IT EATS
ITSELF. A: A CANDLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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LUCK/OMEN

IF SEVEN PEOPLE EAT A SEVEN COURSE MEAL TOGETHER, THEN THEY WILL
HAVE GOOD LUCK B/UT IF THIRTEEN PEOPLE EAT TOGER AT ALL, ONE OF TH
THE THIRTEEN WILL DIE WITHIN THE YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: 686 Specific number by specific number being described
686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.2
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.2

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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LUCK

IT IS BAD LUCK FOR A WOMAN TO SWEEP OUT ANY PART OF HER HOUSE
WHILE SHE HAS ANY COMPANY VISITING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Bad luck
BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.21

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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RIDDLE

THIRTY-TWO WHITE CALVES STANDING IN A STALL, ALONG
COMES A RED
COW AD LICKS THEM ALL. A: N TEETH AND TONGUE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL (Q) ; BODY PARTS (A)

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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LUCK

IF YOU SEE A PIN ON THE GROUND AND DON'T PICK IT UP, YOU WILL LOSE A
FRIEND AND END UP CRYING BEFORE THE DAY IS OUT. BUT IF YOU PICK IT
UP YOU WILL HAVE GOOD LUCK THE REST OF THE DAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour
BELIEF -- Good luck P881.18

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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WISHING

IF YOU MAKE A WISH AS SOON AS YOU SEE A ROBIN , THEN IT WILL COME
TRUE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Bird
BELIEF -- Prayer

Date learned: 09-26-1972

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CHILDREN'S SONG

MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME PEACHES
MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME PEARS
MY BOYFRIEND GAVE ME FIFTY CENTS
AND KICKED ME DOWN THE STAIRS.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT TOLD ME THAT MANY OF HER FRIENDS AND HER SISTERS USED
TO SING THIS WITH HER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG. SHE ALSO TOLD ME THAT
THIS CAN ALSO BE USED WITH A CLAPPING BEAT OF WHATEVER THE SINGER
THINKS WILL GO WITH THE SONG.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): FRUIT AS GIFTS ; INITIAL ITERATION MEDIAL ITERATION ; RHYME: ABCB

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children

Date learned: 09-25-1972

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RIDDLE

Q: WHAT HAS MANY EYES BUT CANNOT SEE?
A: A POTATOE.

Data entry tech comment: 4 DUPLICATES IN U OF D FOLKLORE 5 X 8 CARD FILES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LETTER ; DETROIT ; TOLD IN

Keyword(s): EATABLES AND DRINKS (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q) ; PRIVATIONAL

James Callow Keyword(s): VEGETABLE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

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MY MOTHER, YOUR MOTHER

MY MOTHER YOUR MOTHER LIVES ACROSS THE STREET
1819 BROADWAY STREET
EVERYNIGHT THEY HAVE A FIGHT AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAY
ACKRA BACKRA SODA CRACKER, ACKRA, BACKRA BOO
ACKRA BACKRA SODA CRACKER OUT GOES YOU}

Submitter comment: I WOULD USE THIS JUMP ROPE RHYME WHEN I TOLLD JUMP ROPE IN THE
1950'S9

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD IN ; NEIGHBORHOOD

Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; PLAIN-JUMP ; SPEED-JUMP

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: NOT RECORDED

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IF SOMEONE DIES HE SHOULD BE BURIED BEFORE THE FIRST RAIN OR ELSE
HIS SPIRIT WILL WALK.

Submitter comment: AN OLD CHEROKEE INDIAN BELIEF WHICH IS ACTUALLY BELIEVED BY THE
INFORMANT. HER MOTHER PASSED THE BELIEF DOWN TO HER.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PITTSBURGH ; TOLD IN

James Callow Keyword(s): INDIAN (CHEROKEE)

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 00001972 SUMMER

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TONGUE TWISTER

"ROLLER BUGGY BABY BUMPERS."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 02-02-1972

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HABIT IS EVERYTHING-----EVEN IN LOVE.

Where learned: HOME ; DORM ROOM ; Massachusetts ; TOLD IN ; SPRINGFIELD

Keyword(s): ASSONANCE

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 03-23-1971

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TALE OF KISSING ELBOW

IF YOU KISS YOUR ELBOW, YOU'LL TURN INTO THE OPPOSITE SEX.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORM ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Upper body, arms, neck

Date learned: 01-26-1972

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A CHILD'S BLESSING

GOD BLESS THE FATHER OF THIS HOUSE AND ITS MOTHER TOO/
AND ALL THE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT ROUND THE TABLE GO/ AND ALL YOUR
RELATIVES THAT LIVE FAR AND NEAR/ WISH THEM A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A
HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Where learned: MARYLAND ; TOLD IN ; TURNERS STATION

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival C840.642
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Greetings, wishes, prayers, cards
BELIEF -- Prayer

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HE IS WISE BEYOND HIS YEARS

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS REMARK IN SCHOOL IN THE YEAR 1927

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase

Date learned: 09-23-1972

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EVERY BLADE OF GRASS HAS ITS SHARE OF DEW

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS FROM HER FATHER IN 1928 OR 1929

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 09-22-1972

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TELEPHONE SAYING

WHEN YOU ANSWER THE PHONE SAY: "CITY MORGUE - YOU SLAY 'EM
WE LAY 'EM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 02-20-1972

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HEAVEN, GOD SPEAKING, SAID ROBIN ANSWERING TELEPHONE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORM ; TOLD IN

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

Date learned: 02-04-1972

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