Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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Custom
Cemetery Practices:
When the informant was a child, he said that one made a day out of a trip to the cemetary. People carried their own sprinkling cans, their own shears for cutting the grass around the gravesite, their own garden tools to plant their own flowers. Most of the time you would take a lunch with you and eat it under the trees at the cemetery.
Submitter comment:
Grammatical corrections made to typed submission.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Ancestors ; BURIAL ; CEMETERY ; DEATH ; FOOD ; Funeral ; GARDEN ; Lunch ; Maintenance ; RESPECT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Custom: Death
Photographs of Corpse:
Informant showed collector several snapshots of his grandfather, who had passed away some 15 years previous, laid out in his coffin in the funeral home.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Coffin ; Corpse ; Dead ; Funeral ; Mourning ; Photograph ; Soul
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Custom
Common Law Custom:
Informant never does family laundry on Sunday, because it is a day of rest and is frowned upon byu herself and other members of the family. Laundry hanging outside on a line is considered disgraceful.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F539] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; NEW YORK ; LeRoy
Keyword(s): Chores ; CUSTOM ; Domestic ; LAUNDRY ; Sunday
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Week Day Hour |
Entertainment: Game
Childhood Game:
When they were kids, they had a game called "Step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back." They would run along the sidewalk but not step on the pavement cracks or they would "break their mother's back" and lose.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C870] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Entertainment, Tabu, Game, Childhood ; RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.520 |
Entertainment: Games
Hide and Seek Call:
When playing hide and seek, and the person who is it cannot find everyone, he calls out "Ally Ally in Free" and all those who are still hidden come out of their places to hide again for the next game.
Submitter comment:
The informant learned it from the other kids in the neighborhood
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Bn [C524, S70] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): CHILD ; CHILDREN ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; GAMES ; Play
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.520 |
Superstition
If a pregnant woman is frightened by fire, the baby will have a red or purple birthmark.
Submitter comment:
Belief: Means of Cursing
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Reference
Original BN [P740] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CHILD ; COLOR ; CURSE ; FEAR ; FIRE ; jinx ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; Purple ; Red ; SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): Reference
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth |
Superstition
Belief:
If you're frightened during pregnancy after the 7th month the child will be born with a birth mark such as a strawberry or in the shape of a thing that produced the fright.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Reference
Original BN [P880] crossed out. Replaced with Current Classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; CHILD ; CURSE ; FEAR ; jinx ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; Scare ; SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): Reference
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth |
Superstition
Superstition:
Pregnant women should not look at strawberries because then their children will develop red blotches on themselves (which look like strawberries).
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Reference
Original BN [P740] crossed out. replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; Birthmark ; CURSE ; jinx ; Mark ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY ; STRAWBERRY ; SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): Reference
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth |
Entertainment: Game
Jump Rope Song:
Changing Bedrooms Number 1/ Changing Bedrooms Number 2/ Changing Bedrooms Number 3/ Changing Bedrooms Number 4/ Changing Bedrooms Number 5/ etc. etc.
Two people are jumping at opposite sides of the rope. They must switch places on every number.
Submitter comment:
Informant learned it from her friends.
Data entry tech comment:
motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C570] crossed out/replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): CHILD ; Entertainment ; GAMES ; Jump Rope ; Play ; RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Entertainment: Game
Jump Rope Song:
Cinderella, dressed in yella,
went upstairs to kiss a fella
how many kisses did she receive?
(Hot pepper count until she misses)
Submitter comment:
The informant learned it from the neighborhood kids.
Data entry tech comment:
motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C570] crossed out/ replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Entertainment ; GAMES ; Jump Rope ; Play
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750 .560 |
Entertainment: Game
Jump Rope Song:
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs / Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers / Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the light / Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say goodnight.
Submitter comment:
The informant learned it from her friends.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN crossed out / Replaced with C750.560
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): CHILD ; Diversion ; Entertainment ; GAME ; Jump Rope ; Play
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Entertainment: Game
Jump Rope Song:
Not last night, but the night before, 24 robbers came knocking at my door. I went out (jump out of rope) to let them in (jump back in) and here's what they said to me:
"Spanish Dancer do the kicks, kicks, kicks, kicks, (jump with legs far apart)
Spanish Dancer do the splits, splits, splits, splits, (jump up with legs extended)
Spanish Dancer turn around, round, round, (turn rope)
Spanish Dancer Touch the ground, ground, ground. (touch the ground)
Submitter comment:
The informant learned it from the neighborhood kids
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C570] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): CHILDREN ; Entertainment ; GAMES ; Jump Rope ; Play ; RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Superstition: Pregnancy
Prediction Belief:
If a pregnant woman looks at an ugly animal, her child may be ugly.
Submitter comment:
Prediction / Belief
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Reference
Original BN [P800] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; BIRTH ; CHILD ; CURSE ; jinx ; Offspring ; Old Wives Tale ; PREGNANCY ; SUPERSTITION
James Callow Keyword(s): Reference
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth |
Superstition: Pregnancy
Cats:
Cats shouldn't be allowed in the same room as a sleeping baby because the smell of milk on a baby's breath will cause the cat to suffocate the baby when the cat attempts to suck the milk out of the baby through the baby's mouth.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P400] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; ASPHYXIATION ; BABY ; CAT ; CHILD ; DEATH ; FEAR ; Feline ; FOOD ; Kill ; Milk ; Newborn ; Offspring ; Suffocate ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition: Pregnancy
Cat Belief:
Never place a baby unattended in the same room as a cat, because the cat will leap up onto the child and take hold of the child's tongue and strangle the child.
Submitter comment:
Informant said she saw a cat do this and was able to save the child before the child expired.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P740] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; KALAMAZOO
Keyword(s): ASPHYXIATION ; BABY ; CAT ; CHILD ; FEAR ; Feline ; infant ; Newborn ; STRANGULATION ; SUFFOCATION ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition
Cats:
It isn't good to keep a cat in the house while sleeping, for it would soon become fascinated in watching your Adam's Apple moving up and down, would try to catch it and eat it.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P750. P400] crossed out / replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Adam's Apple ; CAT ; Consumption ; Devour ; FEAR ; Feline ; SLEEP ; SUPERSTITION ; SUPERSTITION ; Throat
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition
Black Cat:
If a black cat crosses your path to the left you'll have bad luck. If he crosses to the right you'll have good luck.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B440, P880] crossed out / Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; WINSTON SALEM ; NORTH CAROLINA
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Black ; CAT ; Feline ; LEFT ; LUCK ; OMEN ; RIGHT ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Language
Tongue Twister:
How many sheets can a sheet slitter slit if he slits six sheets every time he sits?
Data entry tech comment:
added by TRD
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Language ; TONGUE TWISTER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Ethnic: Egyptian
Belief about Gods:
Cats were considered to be Gods in ancient Egypt.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [B200, P230.440] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; CAT ; Egypt ; Egyptian ; ETHNIC ; GODS ; Worship
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |
Superstition: Animals
Cat Superstitions:
If a human touches kittens before their eyes are open the mother cat will let them starve.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P752] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Abandon ; ANIMALS ; BELIEF ; Cats ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal |