Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMP
SHE FILLED IT WITH BENZINE.
SHE WENT TO LIGHT HER LITTLE LAMP,
AND HASN'T SINCE BENZINE (BEEN SEEN).
Where learned: RESIDENCE
Keyword(s): IAMBIC METER WORD PLAY ; PARODY NURSERY RHYME ; PUN ACCIDENTS GORE ; SURPRISE ENDING, NUTSHELL NARRATIVE QUATRAIN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
LEGEND
A YOUNG GIRL DESPERATELY WANTED TO GO TO A PARTY BUT SHE DIDN'T HAVE
A DATE. SHE THEN EXCLAIMED THAT SHE WOULD GO TO THE PARTY
WITH ANYBODY,
EVEN THE DEVIL HIMSELF. THEN A FRIEND ASKED HER TO THE PARTY
AND SHE HAD A MARVELOUS TIME. AS SHE WAS SAYING GOODBYE SHE GLANCED
DOWN AND SAW HOOVES INSTEAD OF FEET AND SHE REALIZED THAT SHE TRULY
WAS OUT WITH THE DEVIL.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S MOTHER TOLD HER THIS TO WARN HER NOT TO CALL UPON
SATANIC PO/WERS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Devil Demon |
Date learned: 09-18-1972
NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP,
THE LECTURE'S DRY, THE SUBJECT DEEP,
IF HE SHOULD QUIT BEFORE I WAKE,
GIVE ME A POKE, FOR GOODNESS SAKE.
Where learned: RESIDENCE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
NOW I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY OF JOHNNY MC GUIRE,
HE RAN DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS PANTS ON FIRE,
HE RAN TO THE DOCTOR'S AND FAINTED IN FRIGHT,
WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD HIM HIS END WAS IN SIGHT.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): PUN END=BUTTOCKS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Home Remedy for Pneumonia
Take cow manure, boil it, strain it in a sieve, put sugar in
it. Drink and pneumonia will clear up. Boiling cow manure will
also keep evil spirits away.
James Callow comment:
"Tea made from the steeping of cow manure is a cure for
pneumonia" (Negro, East Cleveland, 1964); "... shyster tea"
(Negro, Cleveland, 1958) -- Puckett, Ohio, no. 10782.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; Fort Pillow
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
IT IS BAD LUCK TO PUT A HAT ON THE BED.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): Bed ; BELIEF ; CLOTHING ; Fashion ; Hat ; LUCK ; Placement ; PREDICTION ; SUPERSTITION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Good luck Clothing (dress, hat, shoes, suit, etc.) BELIEF -- Bad luck Furniture (bed, table, chair, etc.) |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
When you are finished brushing or combing your hair you should
immediately remove it from the brush or comb and either burn or
flush it down the toilet. This prevents any one who wants to do
harm to you by taking your hair to a Voodoo person and having that
person cast a spell on you or have you fixed with a spell so that
you will come down with some untraceable illness.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; Aberdeen
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Curse |
SHAME, SHAME, DOUBLE SHAME,
EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME.
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS CHANTED WHENEVER A TEACHER SCOLDED A STUDENT
IN FRONT OF THE CLASS.
Where learned: DORMITORY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
SPARKLE, STARKLE, LITTLE TWINK,
WHO THE TELL YOU ARE I HINK.
I'M NOT IMBRICATED,
I'M NOT AS DRUNK AS SOME TINKLE PEEP I AM.
I'VE ONLY HAD TEA MARTOONIES,
ANYWAY I'VE ALL DAY SOBER TO SUNDAY UP IN.
I FOOL SO FEELISH, I DON'T KNOW WHO IS ME YET,
BUT THE DRUNKER I STAND HERE,
THE LONGER I GET.
Submitter comment: LEARNED IN GRADE SCHOOL.
Where learned: OHIO
Keyword(s): CONTRADICTIONS MONOLOGUE HUMOR ; EUPHEMISM PARODY DRINKING ; NONSENSE WORDS METER TROCHEE ; TANGLETALK
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1948
BREAKING A MIRROR MEANS SEVEN YEARS BAD LUCK.
| Subject headings: | 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several BELIEF -- Bad luck Mirror |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
AUTOGRAPH BOOK
I LOVE YOU LITTLE
I LOVE YOU BIG.
I LOVE YOU LIKE
A LITTLE PIG.
Where learned: LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; RHYME: ABCB
James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Humorous allusion to love |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
PAUL REVERE'S DASH
TWAS THE 18TH OF APRIL IN '75,
HARDLY A MAN IS YET ALIVE
WHO REMEMBERS THAT FAMOUS DAY AND YEAR,
OF THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE.
UP THE ALLEY AND DOWN THE STREET,
A TWENTY-YARD DASH FOR THE TOILET SEAT.
Submitter comment:
SHE FIRST HEARD IT IN A SEVENTH-GRADE CLASS FROM ANOTHER
PUPIL AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN SCHOOL IN 1961.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN SCHOOL ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANTICLIMAX ; PARODY ; PARODY OF POEM: MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
IT IS GOOD LUCK TO GET MARRIED AS THE BIG HAND OF THE
CLOCK GOES UP AND BAD LUCK TO GET MARRIED AS THE
HANDS GO DOWN.
Data entry tech comment: LIKE AT 12:00 NOON RATHER THAN 12:15
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage Time or day of ceremony BELIEF -- Good luck Activities BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
THE MONKEY AND THE BEAR
THE MONKEY LOOKED AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR.
SHE KICKED THE BEAR NEXT TO HER AND SAID,
"LOOK AT THAT HORROR! LOOK AT THOSE FOLDS
AND WRINKLES! I WOULD CHOKE IF I RESEMBLED THAT
IMAGE AT ALL!"
THE BEAR SAID, "RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS YOU! I
KNOW OTHER UGLY MONKEY FRIENDS LIKE YOU. I CAN
COUNT THEM ALL ON MY FINGERS..."
THE MONKEY INTERRUPTED, "DON'T TROUBLE YOURSELF
TO COUNT THEM. TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE
MIRROR INSTEAD!"
Submitter comment:
THIS WAS LEARNED IN RUSSIA AND IS IN RHYME IN
THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Farmington Hills
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale |
Date learned: 10-27-1983
TO MEAN EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT, EXTEND ERECT THUMB
AND CLENCHED FOUR FINGERS.
Where learned: ONTARIO ; CANADA, ASSUMED ; OAKVILLE
Keyword(s): THUMBS UP
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- All right O.K. |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
WHAT'S THAT ON THE ROAD--A HEAD?
James Callow comment:
SAID, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN GOING OVER A BUMPTY ROAD,
CC[ THE COLLECTOR INFORMS ME.--J.T.C.
CK[ PUN AHEAD
Where learned: ONTARIO ; CANADA, ASSUMED ; OAKVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): PUN AHEAD
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
EENY MEENY MAKARAKE
CHER A DOMINACKE
CHICK A CHOL A LOLLIPOPE
AM TAM TISH.
Where learned: VOLUNTEERED
Keyword(s): NONSENSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
ENGINE, ENGINE, NUMBER NINE,
RAN ALONG THE RAILROAD LINE.
TOOT, TOOT, YOU'RE OUT
ENGINE, ENGINE, NUMBER NINE.
Where learned: VOLUNTEERED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
DOWN IN THE VALLEY WHERE THE GREEN GRASS GROWS
THERE SAT ANNIE AS SWEET AS A ROSE
ALONG CAME A BEE AND SAT ON HER NOSE.
Keyword(s): PLAIN-JUMP
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
ROPE-JUMPING RHYME
JOHNNY OVER THE OCEAN,
JOHNNY OVER THE SEA.
JOHNNY BROKE A DISH AND BLAMED IT ON ME.
I TOLD MA.
MA TOLD PA.
JOHNNY GOT A LICKIN' AND HA, HA, HA!
(JUMP ROPE RHYME)
Data entry tech comment:
Informant and collector are the same person.
Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; PLAIN-JUMP
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: NOT RECORDED