Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for 7765 returned 13 results.
Children's Version of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw it (saw it) you would even say it glows
(like a light bulb).
All of the other reindeer (reindeer) used to laugh and call
him names (like Pinocchio).
They never let poor Rudolph (Rudolph) join in any
reindeer games (like Monopoly).
Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say (ho ho ho),
Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my
sleigh tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him (loved him)
and they shouted out with glee (Whoopie)
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (reindeer),
you'll go down in history (like Columbus).
Submitter comment:
This song was sung to the regular tune of "Rudolph the Red
Nosed Reindeer"; the sections in parentheses are sung as an after
thought, or even by a different group of children. There are many
deviations in this song where the words are added into the song.
For the game where she sung Monopoly I learned to sing like
Parcheesi, and for the person in history, I learned like George
Washington.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Good humor Jest Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children |
Date learned: 00-00-1981
Children's Creation Story
God was a great chef and one day he decided to make a human
being. After he rolled out the dough, he took a cookie cutter and
cut out the image of man modeled after himself. He put it into
the oven to bake but He overcooked it. It was all burnt and
black. He did not want to throw it away because He had created it
so He set it aside to cool. He made another one and this time He
undercooked it and it was white and pasty but he didn't want to
throw it away because he had created it, so He set it aside to
cool. The third one that he made He watched it and it cooked to a
golden brown. He took it from the oven and laid it next to the
others to cool. He looked at the three one was white, one was
black, and one was golden brown. God had created each in his
image and all were good.
Submitter comment:
Jennifer's grandmother, Linda Miller, told her this story when
she was a little girl. Her grandmother told her it was a
religious folktale of how the different ethnic groups came about.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Creation and Order of Human Life |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
"Say Say O' Playmate
Say say o' playmate come out and play with me. / You and your
dolly three, climb up my apple tree. / Slide down my rainbow, into
my cellar door, / and we'll be jolly friends for ever more, more,
more, more, more.
So sorry playmate, I cannot play with you. / My dolly has
the flu, she spit up on her toe. / Ain't got no rainbow, ain't
got no cellar door. / But we'll be jolly friends for ever more,
more, more, more, more.
Submitter comment:
The first paragraph is the part the first child would sing
to the other child. Then the second child would reply to the
first paragraph with the answer. This was a hand clapping game
for children to play and also was used sometimes as a jump rope
chant.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
Keyword(s): O Little Playmate
Date learned: 00-00-1978
Holding your breath by a cemetery
Whenever you pass a cemetery, you must hold your breath the
whole time. If you do not hold your breath for the whole time you
are beside the cemetery, you will inhale the evil spirits present
in the air.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 00-00-1979
Family ritual after the birth of a child
The first time our family is together after of birth of a baby
in the family we always have the same dinner and ritualistic
behaviors. First of all, my family always serves green beans,
chicken, rice, and a cake for the baby although the baby may or
may not be present at that particular gathering. We all sing
happy birthday to the child, and then talk about all of the other
children's days when the family gathered together for them.
After the dinner, the women go to the kitchen to wash the dishes
and clean up after the meal so they can talk, while the men all
sit in the living room smoking their cigars.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth Food Drink -- N542 N542.9 |
Date learned: 00-00-1985
Crop prediction
Knee high by the fourth of July. If the corn stalks are at
knee height, then the crop will be abundant. If the crop is below
this point the crop will be rather sparse.
Submitter comment:
Jennifer's father is a farmer and so is her grandfather. Many
generations of farmers have worked the land she lives on. Her
family has acquired many superstitions and sayings about farming
in general.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- July 4 Independence Day BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00-00-1976
Goodbye riddle
When two people are leaving each other, one person says, "See
you later alligator." The second person responds with, "After a
while crocodile.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1978
"Standing on the Corner"
This is a children's hand clapping game. The song is sung,"
Standing on the corner, chewing a piece of gum,
Along came a boy saying give me some.
I said, "no, dirty boy does your momma know you're out,
With your hands in your pocket and your shirt tail out.
Einy beeny a baline, a ba hebalini-me and my brother George.
A peach, a plum, have a stick of chewing gum,
This is what he said,"Ilias dilias, assis, assis, tell me this.
Cafeteria, ra, ra, ra."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1983
Autograph verse
I C U in the ocean,
I C U in the sea,
I C U in the bathtub,
Oops! pardon me.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Translations, plays on words, symbol writing |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
Autograph verse
(Any name may be inserted here) had a little lamb,
And now the lamb is dead.
Now she takes it to school,
Between two loaves of bread.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
Keyword(s): Sandwich
James Callow Keyword(s): parody of "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
Autograph verse
Roses are red, violets are black.
You would look better, with a knife in your back.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
Keyword(s): CURSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
Autograph verse
(Insert first name), (Insert first name again),
In the tub, her mother forgot to put in the plug.
Oh my gosh! Oh my soul! There she goes, down the hole.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
7-up
There are seven players involved in this game of 7-up. Each
person is assigned a certain method of bouncing a ball. Three of
the players cover their eyes while the other players throw balls
at them lightly. The object of the game is to determine who threw
which ball. You may distinguish the players by each one's unique
bounce, but if all the balls are thrown at you at the same time,
it is difficult to discern which person threw each ball. When one
of the players is identified, he must sit out until the rest of
the ball throwers are known. Then the last person to be
identified is not "it." This means he gets to be assigned a new
pattern of bouncing the ball and group of individuals who
previously had covered their eyes are assigned ball patterns also.
The individual who had just thrown the balls are now "it."
Submitter comment:
There is also another version of this game which was usually
played during indoor recess. Seven students from the class were
selected to stand against the chalkboard. The remaining students
laid their heads on their desks covering their eyes. One person
with head down would count to 30 and then say, "Heads up 7-up."
While this person is counting to 30, the seven people at the
chalkboard would run around the room and tag one person on the
head. The person tagged would then raise their hand, indicating
they had been already chosen. After the seven individuals at the
chalkboard had tagged one person, they were to run back to the
chalkboard as quickly as possible. If the person counting reaches
the number thirty before the people are done tagging the others,
they are automatically out. The person who catches them gets to
go to the chalkboard the next game. Each of the seven people who
have been tagged, get to guess once who tagged them. If they got
it right then they replaced that person at the board. If the
individual guessed incorrectly then the person at the board
remained at their position. In this version one can cheat by
peeking through their fingers.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sandusky
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement |
Date learned: 00-00-1959