Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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IF PEARLS ARE NOT YOUR BIRTHSTONE DO NOT BUY THEM. PEARLS MEAN TEARS
AND THEY WILL BRING YOU BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment: I NEVER KNEW PEARLS MEAN TEARS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1980 ; 00-00-1950
Irish Blessing
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields and
Until we meet again...
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Leave Taking?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Back ; BLESSING ; Culture ; ETHNIC ; Field ; God ; Irish ; Rain ; Road ; TRAVEL ; Wind
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
BELIEF
MAKE A VISIT IN A CHURCH YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE AND
WHILE YOU ARE THERE, MAKE A WISH. IT WILL COME TRUE.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. BELIEF -- Church |
Date learned: 02-01-1970
A WOMAN SHOULD ALWAYS DRINK BEER DURING PREGNANCY.
IT MAKES THE BABY GOOD LOOKING.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT REVEALED THAT HE HEARD THIS FROM HIS FATHER WHO OWNED A BA
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): PREDICTION
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth Food Drink -- Alcoholic beverage Fermented BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 11-26-1971
NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR. ; NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
THERE WAS A BELIEF THAT A MOTHER WOULD DIE IF THE EVIL SPIRIT
CAME UPON HER BEFORE SHE WAS ABLE TO BE CHURCHED. MY GRANDFATHER
RECALLED THAT AFTER MY UNCLE JOSEPH WAS BORN THE EVIL SPIRIT
TRIED TO HARM MY GRANDMOTHER. ONE NIGHT, MY GRANDFATHER WAS
AWAKENED BY THE SOUND OF TAPPING AND SOMEONE CALLING FOR MY
GRANDMOTHER. MY GRANDMOTHER DID NOT HEAR IT SO MY GRANDFATHER
WENT TO THE DOOR BUT NO ONE WAS THERE. THE TAPPING AND
CALLING FOR MY GRANDMOTHER OCCURED THREE TIMES. THE THIRD TIME
WHEN HE WENT TO THE DOOR HE CALLED OUT: WHOEVER YOU ARE
SHOW YOUR FACE IF IF YOU ARE GOOD AND BEGONE IF YOU ARE EVIL.
AGAIN, THERE WAS NO ONE AND IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
Where learned: HOME ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
Keyword(s): CHURCHING OF WOMAN ; DEMON SUMMONS WOMAN
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Number |
Date learned: 01-15-1970
EXTRA CORPORAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION/ TO BE HEARD
ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, THE NOVICES (THOSE WAITING TO PROFESS THEIR
RELIGIOUS VOWS) WOULD WALK THROUGH THE CORRIDORS OF THE CONVENT
SINGING CHRISTMAS HYMNS. OTHERWISE, THE SISTERS WERE AWAKENED AND
PUT TO BED BY A BELL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; SAINT RITA CONVENT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 25 Christmas Also see F642, below. SPEECH -- To Be Heard |
Date learned: 03-01-1970
WHEN I WAS A KID I WENT DOWN THE ROAD
OVER A FRIEND'S HOUSE, WHEN I STARTED
BACK HOME I LOOKED IN BACK OF ME
AND THERE WAS A LITTLE RED BOUNCING BALL
FOLLOWING ME. I STARTED RUNNING HOME AND
THE BALL MOVED FASTER AND I RAN INTO MY
ROOM AT HOME AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND
THE RED BALL WAS STILL THERE. IT FINALLY
WENT AWAY AND I NEVER SAW IT AGAIN.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00001970S
YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER THE BIRTH OF YOUR
FIRST CHILD FIRST BECAUSE IT WAS THE
FIRST TIME YOU EVER HAVE EXPERIENCED
A THING LIKE THAT. THERE IS A CLOSER
BOND BETWEEN MOTHER AND FIRST CHILD
THAN BETWEEN THE OTHER CHILDREN.
Submitter comment:
YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW I MUST HAVE FELT
BECAUSE I WAS THE 4TH CHILD.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. BELIEF -- Birth |
Date learned: 00001980S
THE BUG-A-LA-BOO
THE BUG-A-LA-BOO HAD 90 FITS AS HE CAME
FROM UNDER THE BED, HE RIPPED AND SCORNED
AND SHIT ON THE FLOOR AS HE WIPED HIS
TAIL ON THE DOOR KNOB DOOR, HE WENT OUT
SIDE AND CLIMBED A TREE AND IF I HAD'NT
BEEN LOOKING HE WOULD HAVE SHIT ON ME.
Submitter comment:
NO ONE KNOWS WHAT A BUG-A-LA BOO IS -
JUST A FICTITIOUS CHARACTER CREATED BY
THE MASTER MIND OF MY UNCLE.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 00001970S
SPRING RITUALS
ONE SHOULD TAKE A BATH EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT
TO START THE WEEK/SPRING OFF FRESH.
ONE SHOULD TAKE CASTOR OIL AT THE END OF
WINTER TO CLEAN OUT THE SYSTEM FOR SPRING.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time Spring BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 00001980S
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
BABIES DONT LAUGH, THEY'RE ONLY HAVING GAS PAINS.
WHEN A BABY IS FIRST BORN HE/SHE CANT SEE - THEY START
TO SEE WHEN THEY BECOME A CERTAIN AGE.
Submitter comment:
TOLD TO ME BY MY MOTHER WHO GOT THAT FROM HER MOTHER,
MY MOTHER NEVER BELIEVED THAT BECAUSE SHE TOLD MY
GRANDMOTHER THAT ALL OF HER BABIES COULD
SEE WHEN THEY WERE FIRST BORN.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00001980S
WHY DID THE BLACK MAN WEAR A TUXEDO TO HIS VASECTOMY?
ANSWER. IF I'M GONNA BE IMPOTENT I MIGHT AS WELL LOOK
IMPOTENT.
Submitter comment:
I GOT THIS JOKE FROM THE MOVIE "SOUL MAN." IT WAS TOLD
BY TWO WHITE GUYS IN FRONT OF A BLACK GUY TO MAKE HIM
FEEL BAD.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): IMPOTENT- USED INSTEAD OF THE WORD IMPORTANT TO MAKE ; THE BLACK MAN'S SPEECH SEEM BAD.
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- BLAC |
Date learned: 10-00-1987
SPIRITUAL PRESENCE
I WAS LAYING IN MY MOTHER'S BED SOME TIME AFTER MY FATHER
DIED AND HER ROOM WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM HIS. I WASN'T
QUITE ASLEEP YET WHEN I SAW A TRANSPARENT PERSON ABOUT THE
SIZE AND SHAPE OF MY FATHER COME OUT OF THAT ROOM. I WAS
NOT SCARED BECAUSE IN LIFE MY FATHER WAS A VERY KIND MAN
THAT WOULD NOT HURT ME AND HE WOULD BE THE SAME IN DEATH.
I WENT TO SLEEP FEELING VERY COMFORTED.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 00-00-1986
YOU ARE SO OLD THAT YOU REMEMBER WHEN GOD'S MOTHER WAS
PREGNANT WITH HIM.
Submitter comment: MADE THIS UP WHEN PLAYING THE DOZENS WITH MY SISTER.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
YOU ARE SO OLD THAT THERE ARE RECORDS OF YOU PLAYING
BALL WITH GOD WHEN HE WAS A BOY.
Submitter comment: MADE UP JOKE TO PLAY THE DOZENS WITH MY SISTER.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): INSULT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1980
WORMS
A TALL GLASS OF WATER IS PLACED IN FRONT OF THE PERSON TO BE CURED.
THEN A PIECE OF REGULAR SEWING THREAD IS USED TO MEASURE THE PERSON
FROM HEAD TO TOE THREE TIMES.
THEN THE PERSON SUSPENDS HIS HANDS IN THE SHAPE OF A CROSS
AND IS MEASURED FROM FINGERTIP TO FINGERTIP WITH THE SAME THREAD
THREE TIMES.
THEN THE LENGTH OF THREAD IS FOLDED IN HALF,
THEN FOLDED ONCE AGAIN IN HALF AND SO ON
UNTIL THE THREAD'S FORM HAS A LENGTH OF ABOUT 6 INCHES.
THE THREAD IS THEN HELD LENGTHWISE ABOVE THE GLASS OF WATER
AND SLOWLY CUT IN LITTLE PIECES
ABOUT AN INCH LONG.
AS THE THREAD FALLS INTO WATER SOME THREAD WILL STAY AT TOP
OR REST IN THE MIDDLE OR FALL TO THE BOTTOM.
DEPENDING ON WHERE THE THREAD RESTS, THE PERSON
PERFORMING THE CURE CAN TELL WHERE THE WORMS ARE IN THE BODY.
THIS CEREMONY IS CARRIED OUT FOR 3 DAYS IN A ROW.
AND ON THE THIRD DAY THE PERSON IS CURED
AND FEELING MUCH BETTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 09-21-1969
LAKE SUPERIOR
WHEN A PERSON WOULD DROWN IN LAKE SUPERIOR, THEY WOULD NEVER BE
ABLE TO FIND THE BODY BECAUSE IT WOULD NEVER COME UP. SO LAKE
SUPERIOR WAS SAID NEVER TO GIVE UP ITS DEAD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): DROWNING
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Still water Large body. Ocean, sea.... |
Date learned: 11-08-1968
COIN CUSTOM
IF YOU PUT A PENNY IN EACH OF YOUR DRESSER DRAWERS
AND KEEP THEM THERE YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE MONEY
WHILE YOU LIVE IN THAT HOUSE.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAYS HIS MOTHER TOLD HIM THIS AND SWEARS IT IS TRUE.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of quality Medium of exchange BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |