Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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LIFE IS LIKE A MOUNTAIN RAILROAD,
WITH AN ENGINEER THAT'S BRAVE.
WE MUST MAKE THE RUN SUCCESSFUL,
FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE.
Submitter comment: RECITED
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; METER: TROCHAIC-IAMBIC ; RHYME: FEMININE, IMPERFECT, ABCA ; SIMILE ADVICE PREPARATION FOR DEATH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
LADY BUG, LADY BUG,
FLY AWAY HOME;
YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE,
AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL BURN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): OBSERVATION ; QUATRAIN, MONOLOGUE ; REPETITION FIRE ; RHYME: MASCULINE, IMPERFECT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
I LOVE COFFEE,
I LOVE TEA,
I LOVE THE BOYS,
AND THE BOYS LOVE ME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BOAST SEX ; ITERATION INITIAL ; RHYME: MASCULINE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
BILL HAD A BILLBOARD
HE ALSO HAD A BOARD BILL
BILL SOLD HIS BILLBOARD TO PAY FOR HIS BOARD BILL
THEREFORE, BILL'S BILLBOARD NO LONGER BORED BILL.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT STATES THE RHYME HAS BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR A LONG
TIME AND WAS RELATED TO HIM BY HIS FATHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ADVERTISING NONSENSE ; HUMOR PUN INCREMENTAL REPETITION ; RHYME: ABBB ; TONGUETWISTER ; WORD PLAY, ITERATION (FINAL) ALLITERATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
MY MOTHER WAS TAUGHT THIS POEM WHEN SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN IT: A WISE OLD O; SAT IN AN OAK,
James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ADVICE, EXAMPLE ; CHIASMUS ; METER: ANAPESTIC DIMETER ; RHETORICAL QUESTION ; RHYME: MASCULINE, INTERNAL, AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
ALL DRESSED UP AND NOWHERE TO GO.
OH GEE, OH GOSH, I WISH I HAD A BEAU.
Submitter comment: SHE HEARD THIS FROM HER MOTHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): COUPLET ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AA ; WISH SLANG
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
RIDDLE
Q: WHY DOES UNCLE SAM WEAR RED, WHITE, AND BLUE SUSPENDERS?
A: TO HOLD UP THE UNITED STATES.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): ACTION ; CLOTHES (Q) COLOR ; PARTICULAR AREAS (A) ; PERSONS (Q)
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
THERE WAS A GIRL YOU COULD TICKLE,
BY POKING HER RIBS WITH A PICKLE.
AT A CHURCH FAIR ONE DAY,
THEY MADE THE BOYS PAY,
BY CHARGING A NICKEL A TICKLE.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER UNCLE, WHO WAS A MINISTER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; HUMOR CHILDREN MONEY ; METER: TROCHAIC ; METONYMY ; RHYME: FEMININE, INTERNAL, AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music |
THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD A LITTLE CURL,
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HER FOREHEAD.
WHEN SHE WAS GOOD, SHE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD;
WHEN SHE WAS BAD, SHE WAS HORRID.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S FATHER SAID THIS TO HER OFTEN WHEN SHE WAS
YOUNGER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FUNCTION BEHAVIOR ; METER: ANAPESTIC ; MONOLOGUE CONTRAST ; RHYME: FEMININE, IMPERFECT, INTERNAL
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music |
THERE WAS A YOUNG FELLOW NAMED WIER,
WHO HADN'T AN ATOM OF FEAR.
HE INDULGED A DESIRE,
TO TOUCH A LIVE WIRE.
(MOST ANY LAST LINE WILL DO HERE.)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FUNCTION AND GENRE ; HUMOR LIMERICK ; INDIRECTION ; METER: IAMBIC ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABBA ; STRUCTURE, PATTERN AND FORM ; SUBJECT SOUND RHYME: ; TONE AND POINT OF VIEW
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
THE BOY STOOD ON THE BURNING DECK,
EATIN' GOOBERS BY THE PECK.
THEN THEY FOUND THE STEAM WAS HOT,
HE PUT THE GOOBERS IN THE POT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): GOOBERS=PEANUTS ; HUMOR, FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; METER: IAMBIC ; QUATRAIN MONOLOGUE ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB ; SLANG PARODY EATING
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
OOEY GOOEY WAS A WORM,
OOEY GOOEY LIKED TO SQUIRM,
OOEY GOOEY CROSSED THE RAILROAD TRACK.
O-O-EY, G-O-O-EY!
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): HUMOR, FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; METER: IAMBIC ; MONOLOGUE UNDERSTATEMENT ; RAILROAD DEATH ; RHYME: IMPERFECT, MASCULINE, AABC
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
MY DEAR, DO YOU KNOW,
HOW A LONG TIME AGO,
TWO POOR LITTLE CHILDREN,
WHOSE NAMES I DON'T KNOW,
WERE STOLEN AWAY
ON A FINE SUMMER'S DAY,
AND LEFT IN THE WOODS,
AS I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY.
AND WHEN IT WAS NIGHT,
SO SAD WAS THEIR PLIGHT,
THE SUN IT WENT DOWN,
AND THE MOON GAVE NO LIGHT;
THEY SOBBED AND THEY SIGHED,
AND THEY BITTERLY CRIED,
AND THE POOR LITTLE THINGS,
THEY LAY DOWN AND DIED.
AND WHEN THEY WERE DEAD,
THE ROBINS, SO RED,
BOUGHT STRAWBERRY LEAVES, (BROUGHT?)
AND OVER THEM SPREAD.
AND ALL THE DAY LONG
THEY SANG THEM THIS SONG:
"POOR BABES IN THE WOODS,
POOR BABES IN THE WOODS,
AND DON'T YOU REMEMBER,
THE BABES IN THE WOODS."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): DEATH ; FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; METER: ANAPESTIC ; MONOLOGUE REPETITIION ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABA CCDC
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
(BOY'S NAME) AND (GIRL'S NAME) SITTING IN A TREE,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G. (SPELLING)
FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MARRIAGE,
THEN COMES (NAME) WITH THE BABY CARRIAGE.
Submitter comment: I REMEMBER THIS FROM GRADESCHOOL.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANTI-CLIMAX HUMOR SYMBOL ; FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ; METER: TROCHAIC ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB ; SEX, REFRAIN ; SPELLING RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
ITALIAN PROVERB
WHEN A MAN MARRIES HE MOVES AWAY FROM HIS FATHER.
Submitter comment:
(MEANING THAT IT IS RIGHT AND PROPER THAT HE DO SO AND THERE
BE A DEFINITE SEPARATION BETWEEN THEM.)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; DAUGHTERS HOME
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 10-26-1969
UPPER PENINSULA, MICHIGAN
THE ROCKS ON THE UPPER PENINSULA ARE CONSIDERED SACRED AND
HAUNTED. THE INDIANS BELIEVED THIS BECAUSE NOTHING LIVES THERE
AND THE VEGETATION IS SPARSE. THE INDIANS ALSO FEARED THIS PLACE
BECAUSE LIGHTNING STRUCK THE ROCKS SO OFTEN.
Submitter comment: MIKE LEARNED THIS FROM HIS RELATIVES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lightning Thunder BELIEF -- Sign or prediction through Natural atmospheric phenomenon |
Date learned: 10-07-1967
FAR OUT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; NORTH QUAD 105
Keyword(s): SLANG
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 11-06-1971
KEEWEENAU PENINSULA
AN INDIAN LEGEND EXISTS THAT STATES THAT THE GREAT BEAVER CUT THE
CHANNEL BETWEEN THE MAINLAND AND THE ISLAND THAT EXISTED THERE.
Submitter comment: MIKE LEARNED THIS WHILE ON VACATION THERE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Abnormal in size PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formation |
Date learned: 10-07-1967
LEGEND
THERE IS A GRAVEYARD IN MIDLAND, MICHIGAN, THAT HAS A STRANGE
VISITOR EVERY TEN YEARS. HE IS A TALL, LEAN, HOODED FIGURE WITH
LONG NOSE, SUNKEN EYES, AND BONY FINGERS. EVERY TIME HE VISITS,
HE MURDERS TWO KIDS, WHO HAPPEN TO WANDER THROUGH THE CEMETERY
AT THE SAME TIME.
HIS APPEARANCE HAS BEEN REGULAR FOR THIRTY YEARS, I.E., HE HAS
COME THREE TIMES, THE MOST RECENT BEING A FEW MONTHS BACK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. 686 Seconds / Twice / Two PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Cemetery |
Date learned: 12-02-1967
LEGEND
THERE IS A LEGEND AT KISSING ROCK ON THE GROUNDS OF WEST POINT
THAT IF A FELLOW TAKES HIS HAT OFF AND THE GIRL HE IS WITH REFUSES
TO KISS HIM, THE ROCK WILL FALL AND KILL HER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Marriage |
Date learned: 12-05-1967