Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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WAINAMOINEN
WAINAMOINEN IS A GREAT LEGENDARY FINNISH NATIONAL HERO. HE IS WELL
KNOWN AMONG MANY FINNS IN MINNESOTA AND THERE ARE MANY SONGS,
LEGENDS AND BELIEFS ABOUT HIM. HE IS OFTEN GIVEN CREDIT
FOR UNITING THE FINNISH PEOPLE AGAINST THEIR ENEMIES, THE
RUSSIANS, ETC.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MINNESOTA ; STURGEON LAKE
Keyword(s): FINLAND ; Finnish ; Hero ; Legend ; Wainmoinen
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Secular hero |
Date learned: 03-28-1970
CHOCOLATE CAKE
WELL, I ALWAYS HAVE BAKED A CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR YOUR DAD ON HIS BIRTHDAY, WITH
SPECIAL INGREDIENTS LIKE FRESH CHOCOLATE AND BUTTERMILK. I MADE IT
FROM SCRATCH. MY MOTHER USED TO DO THAT FOR MY FATHER ON HIS BIRTHDAY
TOO.
Data entry tech comment:
Informant is collector's mother.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights
Date learned: 11-15-1972
FALLING STARS
IF YOU SEE A FALLING STAR, IT MEANS SOMEONE HAS JUST DIED.
Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HIS PARENTS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Observation |
Date learned: 05-10-1965
TO A QUICK QUESTION GIVE A SLOW ANSWER.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS BECAUSE USUALLY A QUICK QUESTION HAS MORE
TO MEET THE EAR.
Where learned: ALLEN PARK ; STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 04-01-1971
THOSE WHO SPEND THEIR TIME LOOKING FOR FAULTS IN OTHERS
SELDOM SEE THE FAULTS IN THEMSELVES.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; STUDENT UNION ; TROY ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 03-29-1971
IF YOU CUT YOUR HAIR ON YOUR BIRTHDAY, IT WILL BE A BAD YEAR.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN
Keyword(s): TABU
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
SUPERSTITION - CHILD
STEP ON A CRACK (IN THE SIDEWALK) YOU BREAK YOUR
MOTHER'S BACK.
Submitter comment: LEARNED AS A CHILD IN DETROIT
Where learned: STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 04-04-1967
SUPERSTITION (COLLECTORS TITLE)
DON'T CARRY SALT WITH YOU FROM PLACE TO PLACEQ IT'S A SURE
SIGN OF DISASTER OR BAD LUCK.
Submitter comment: RELATED TO HER BY HER FATHER.
Where learned: STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck P882.17 |
Date learned: 04-04-1967
A CHILD'S BLESSING
GOD BLESS THE FATHER OF THIS HOUSE AND ITS MOTHER TOO/
AND ALL THE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT ROUND THE TABLE GO/ AND ALL YOUR
RELATIVES THAT LIVE FAR AND NEAR/ WISH THEM A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Where learned: MARYLAND ; TOLD IN ; TURNERS STATION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival C840.642 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Greetings, wishes, prayers, cards BELIEF -- Prayer |
VACILE SAYS THAT THE GREEK PEOPLE ARE
BELIEVERS IN THE EVIL EYE. IF SOMEONE
LOOKS AT YOU IN THAT FASHION
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET SICK OR DIE.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Curse |
THE MAD BUTCHER OF KINGSBERRY RUN
KINGSBERRY RUN IS A ROAD RUNNING THROUGH THE FLATS OF CLEVELAND
(INDUSTRIAL AREA). MANY UNSOLVED MURDERS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED THERE
WHERE THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN SLICED UP. THE MURDERER HAS BEEN
CALLED THE MAD BUTCHER. THIS INCIDENT HAS BECOME A LEGEND AMONG
THE PEOPLE OF CLEVELAND.
Submitter comment:
THE INFORMANT HEARD OF THIS LEGEND WHILE LIVING IN CLEVELAND WHERE
HE SPENT THE FIRST 18 YEARS OF HIS LIFE.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; STUDENT UNION ; TOLD IN
Keyword(s): MUTILATED MURDERS ; OHIO
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate |
Date learned: 03-02-1970
EVIL EYE
IF YOU BRAG ABOUT A CHILD, OR YOUR WIFE, OR ABOUT ANYTHING, THE
EVIL EYE WILL TAKE IT AWAY. TO AVOID THIS, WHENEVER BRAGGING
YOU SHOULD END THE ADULATION WITH A CRITICAL COMMENT.
Submitter comment:
AS AN EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF SAYING, "MY SON IS SO PERFECT. HE
ALWAYS GETS GOOD MARKS IN SCHOOL." A CAUTIOUS PERSON WOULD SAY,
"MY SON IS SO PERFECT. HE ALWAYS GETS GOOD MARKS IN SCHOOL, BUT
HE NEVER CLEANS HIS ROOM."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WEST BLOOMFIELD
Keyword(s): ADVICE ; COMPENSATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Curse |
Date learned: 09-12-1990
In 1967, a composite picture of our sorority sisters fell off
the lounge wall. The crash awakened the girls and they ran from
their bedrooms to the lounge. They found that the crack in the
glass only cut across one face on the picture. It was later found
that this sorority sister's fiance was killed in a car accident at
the exact time that the picture had fallen. His car clock stopped
running upon impact which was the same time that the girls had
been awakened by the picture crashing to the floor.
Submitter comment:
I pledged this sorority in 1969 and was told this by my
sorority sisters. The glass had been replaced and the picture
still hung on the wall. The sorority sister whose face was marred
by the crack had transferred to a different university following
her fiance's death.
Where learned: WEST VIRGINIA ; West Liberty State College ; West Liberty
| Subject headings: | Observation Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
IT IS BAD LUCK TO HAVE A BLACK CAT CROSS YOUR PATH (ANYWHERE,
NOT JUST IN FRONT). IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT THE CAT IS THERE
AND YOU TURN AND SEE IT BEHIND YOU AND IT CROSSES, YOU
MUST GO BACK AND WALK OVER WHERE YOU WERE. IF YOU DON'T SEE
IT, YOU ARE O.K.
Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT SAID HIS FAMILY AND EVERYONE HE KNEW BELIEVED
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; PRESTONSBURG
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Bad luck Animals |
Superstition
Protection Against Vampires:
Garlic is a charm to be used against vampires.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P400] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Where learned: ENGLAND ; WORCESTER
Keyword(s): Garlic ; Lore ; MYTH ; Protection ; Protective ; SPICE ; SUPERSTITION ; Vampire
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire |
Ways to Kill a Vampire
Preventing a vampire from returning to his casket before sunrise by hiding or burning his casket or separating it from its "native soil" will kill him.
Data entry tech comment:
Collector stamped a home address stamp onto the card in the place of "collector data."
Original Stamp: Mrs. W.E. Givens, Jr.
They then crossed out the Prefix and first initials [Mrs. W.E.] and scrawled over the suffix [Jr.]. Indecipherable writing over suffix, but may be Rev. or Esq.
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs number [P408] is crossed out and replaced with P427.
Where learned: ENGLAND ; WORCESTER
Keyword(s): Casket ; FIRE ; Undead ; Vampire ; Vanquish
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire |
PLACE
AMONG THE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, A NICKNAME
FOR ANN ARBOR, WHERE THE SCHOOL IS SITUATED, IS "A" RAISED
TO THE POWER OF 2 (ESPECIALLY USED ON LETTERS).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Place |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
RIDDLE
Q: WHAT HAS TWO ARMS AND NO HANDS?
A: A CHAIR.
Data entry tech comment: ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN THE 5 X 8 CARD FILES.
Where learned: RUSSELL INDUSTRIAL CENTER
Keyword(s): FURNITURE (A) ; PARTS OF THE BODY (Q) ; PRIVATIONAL OPPOSITIONAL
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 12-03-1967
RIDDLE
Q: WHAT GOES THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT DOES NOT PASS ON EITHER SIDE
OF THE DOOR?
A: A KEYHOLE.
Data entry tech comment: ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN THE 5 X 8 CARD FILES.
Where learned: RUSSELL INDUSTRIAL CENTER
Keyword(s): ANTITHETICAL OPPOSITIONAL ; HARDWARE (A) ; HARDWARE (Q)
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 12-03-1967
RIDDLE IN VERSE
I RIPPLE AND DRIP,/ I'M GREEN OR I'M BLUE/ I'M WILD OR I'M TAME/
BUT I AM NEEDED BY YOU.
A: WATER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; NATURAL PHENOMENA (A) ; STATES OF BEING (Q) COLOR
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle |
Date learned: 10-00-1967