The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

RIDDLE

Q: WHAT KEY IS THE HARDEST TO TURN?
A: A DONKEY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; PLAYGROUND

Keyword(s): ANIMAL (A) ; HARDWARE (Q) ; METAPHORICAL NONOPPOSITIONAL

Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR

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Proverbial Saying

Curiosity killed the cat.

(usually answered with:)

Satisfaction brought it back.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs Added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Not a Proverb?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; PLAYGROUND

Keyword(s): CAT ; CURIOSITY ; Killed ; PROVERB ; Resurrection ; Satisfaction ; Saying

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Nobody Loves Me

Nobody loves me, everybody hates me.
Think I'll eat some worms.
Big ones, little ones, ishy, gishy, goo ones,
Ones that squiggle and squirm.

First one's greasy -- goes down easy
Second one sticks to your tongue.
Third one's custard, fourth one's mustard
Fifth one tries to run.

First you cut the heads off
Then you suck the juice out
Then you throw the skins away.
No one knows how (name) can live on worms three times a day.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO ; PLAYGROUND

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Froggy Song

Here's a lively song of a froggy by the pond:
Crick-crick-crickety-crick berrong--

Submitter comment:

Informant learned in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, while working on a playground.

Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; PLAYGROUND ; JOHNSTOWN

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Game

Verse while jumping rope:
I had a little teddy bear
His name was Tiny Tim
I put him into bathtub
To teach him how to swim.
He drank up all the water
And he ate up all the soap
Last night he was sick
With a bubble in his throat.
In came the doctor
In came the nurse
In came the lady with the big fat purse.
I don't want the doctor
I don't want the nurse
I want the lady with the big fat purse!
(Then count from 1-100)

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; PLAYGROUND

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