Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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The Making of a Whistle
Get a small twig. Split it. Hollow out a section of both halves. Place a blade of grass between the two halves and tie them together. Then blow real hard.
Whistle making time would come at the moment when whistle wood was "just right."
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Toy |
Recipe: Apple Butter
Apples are cooked in an iron pot and a jug of cider poured over them. Stir slowly and rhythmically. When fragrant steam rises and the apples begin to bubble add sugar and spices. As the apple butter thickens, it takes on a rich brownish-red color and becomes harder to stir. It is ready to pour into containers to keep through the winter.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Manner of preparation Preservation |
Food Naming
Slice up big chunks of bread in milk with sugar and cinnamon. This is called "Poles."
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Pastry Sweet Dessert |
Old Fashioned Molasses Candy
Mix 2 cups molasses with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Boil until brittle. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon butter, and 1 teaspoon soda and quickly remove to a buttered plate. As soon as it cools, and before it hardens, pull until light.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Pastry Sweet Dessert |
Saying
Don't kill a toad frog because your cow will give bloody milk.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Drink from animal product Milk |
Old Cockney men have slang sayings involving rhyming pairs.
Example--"Up the apples and pears" meaning up the stairs.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Verbals
Naughty gal--Shady lady
Headache--Brain pain
A slick chick--Classy lassy
A horror show--Fright sight
Coward--Yellow fellow
Two brats--Double trouble
Skinny horse--Bony pony
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Entry filtered.
On a date, the first person to spot a car with one headlight says "pididdle." He or she then gets the choice of slapping or kissing the other.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Aching for a breaking
Cruising for a bruising
Explanation--headed for trouble; into something you shouldn't be.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
The first person to spot a Volkswagen "beetle" says "slugbug."
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Words
Simples--(medicinal herbs)
To the pioneer wife the value of a simple might well be her child's life. She had no other medicine.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Folk Name for Plant |
Old-Fashioned Puzzle
From six take nine,
From nine take ten,
From forty take fifty,
And six will remain.
From SIX take IX: left S
From IX take X: left I
From XL take L: left X
[equals] SIX
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Riddle
How much dirt in a hole 6 feet deep and 4 feet wide?
Answer--None--no dirt in a hole.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Tongue Twister
Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
"hope you"--when one farmer came to help a fellow farmer with the crops.
"beholdin to you"--expression for gratitude
"going to meeting"--going to church
"I'll declare"--expression of surprise or disbelief
"self-acting flour"--self-rising flour
"juice harp"--mouth harp
"french harp"--harmonica
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Common Word |
cornbread--cornpone
pancakes--flapjacks
sour belly--fatty side of bacon, used for cooking with vegetables
molasses--'lasses
mules--family always named favorite mules that led and passed that name to each pair that would be the leaders (Henry & Beck)
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector share the same surname.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Common Word |
Proverb
Black within and red without
Four corners round about
--A chimney--
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Riddle
I've seen you where you never were
And where you ne're will be
And yet you in that very same place
May still be seen by me
--Reflection in a mirror--
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Engineer's Song
We are, we are, we are, we are, we are the engineers,
We can (5 times) . . . drink all of 40 beers,
Get drunk (5 times) . . . with all of us,
for we don't give a damn for any a man
who don't give a damn for us.
Submitter comment:
Refrain to the Engineer's Song
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Social reunion |