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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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JUMP ROPE CHANT

A, B, C, ETC. DOES HE LOVE YOU? WITH EACH JUMP THE GROUP
WOULD CHANT A LETTER OF THE ALPHABET UNTIL THE JUMPER STOPPED ON ONE
OF THE LETTERS. THEN THE JUMPER WOULD HAVE TO NAME A BOY WHOSE NAME
BEGAN WITH THAT LETTER. THE JUMPER WOULD THEN BEGIN TO JUMP AGAIN
AS THE GROUP CHANTS, DOES HE LOVE YOU? ETC.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): ENDURANCE ; Jump

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 02-22-1970

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RIDDLE

HOW LONG IS A CHINA MAN?
-- SO LONG IS HIS BROTHER.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS TOLD TO KAREN BY HER FATHER.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): ORIENT NATIONALITY

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-18-1967

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RUSSIAN RIDDLE

WHAT MOVES BUT LEAVES NO TRAIL, AND CHOPS BUT LEAVES
NO CHIPS?
-- A MAN IN A ROW BOAT.

Where learned: HOME ; RUSSIA ; TOLD AT ; MOSCOW

Keyword(s): NAUTICAL BOATING

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1905

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RIDDLE

WHAT CAN A PERSON WEAR THAT IS NEVER OUT OF STYLE?
-- A SMILE.

Where learned: HOME ; MINNESOTA ; TOLD AT ; MINNEAPOLIS

Keyword(s): TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSATIVE VERB "TO SMILE."

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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RIDDLE

A MAN IS IN HIS ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND HE LOOKS OUT THE
WINDOW, TURNS AROUND AND SAYS "OH MY GOD, MY WIFE HAS
JUST BEEN KILLED." WHERE UPON THE ATTORNEY TAKES OUT A
GUN AND KILLS THE CLIENT. WHY DID THE ATORNEY KILL THE
CLIENT? TELLER IS ASKED QUESTIONS WHICH CAN BE ANSWERED
YES OR NO UNTIL THE STORY UNFOLDS.
-- THE ATTORNEY WAS JEALOUS OF THE CLIENT'S WIFE. THE
ATTORNEY WAS A WOMAN.

Where learned: CALIFORNIA ; HOME ; LOS ANGELES ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): WOMEN LAW ATTORNEY

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

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RIDDLE

HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING?
-- TWICE AS LONG AS IT IS FROM THE MIDDLE TO THE END.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS IN KINDE, MICHIGAN.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): DISTANCE MEASURMENT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 09-10-1967

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RIDDLE

WHAT IS BLACK AND HAS PIMPLES ON TOP?
-- A SEWER TOP

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; FARMINGTON ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): SEWER

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 03-00-1971

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RIDDLE

WHAT GOES ALL AROUND THE WORLD YET STAYS IN ONE CORNER?
-- A POSTAGE STAMP.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): STAMP

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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RIDDLE

WHAT SMELLS MOST IN A FLOWER SHOP?
-- YOUR NOSE.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): TRANSATIVE AND INTRANSATIVE VERB "TO SMELL."

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-10-1971

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RIDDLE

WHAT IS THERE IN YOUR HOUSE THAT OUGHT TO BE LOOKED INTO?
-- A MIRROR!

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): INVESTIGATE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-17-1968

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RIDDLE

WHAT KIND OF GLASS CAN'T YOU DRINK OUT OF?
-- AN EYEGLASS.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): GLASSES SPECTACLES

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 10-10-1971

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RIDDLE

WHAT HAS FOUR LEGS, A TAIL, AND EARS?
-- A DOG. WHO TOLD YOU?

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL CANINE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-0000

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WAGON

WHAT GOES TO THE WATER AND HAS A TONGUE,
BUT DOESN'T DRINK?
-- A WAGON

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED IN CHILDHOOD

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): PRIVATIONAL CONTRADICTIVE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 03-06-1971

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RIDDLE

WHAT HAS TEETH BUT CAN'T BITE?
-- A COMB

Submitter comment: I HEARD THIS IN THE DORMITORY AT U OF D.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): PRIVATIONAL CONTRADICTIVE

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 11-27-1967

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RIDDLE

WHAT IS THE HIGHEST PUBLIC BUILDING IN YOUR CITY?
-- THE LIBRARY HAS THE MOST STORIES.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): STORY STOREY

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 04-00-1968

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RIDDLE

IF THERE WERE A ROW OF MEN AND WOMEN STANDING ALONG
A WALL AND ANOTHER MAN WAS ASKED TO PICK OUT ADAM AND
EVE, HOW COULD HE? BY THE WAY, ALL THESE MEN AND
WOMEN ARE NAKED.
-- ADAM AND EVE WOULD BE THE TWO PEOPLE WITHOUT BELLY
BUTTONS.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): NAVEL

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 12-23-1971

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DICK AND JANE RIDDLE

DICK AND JANE WERE LYING ON THE FLOOR DEAD. ON THE FLOOR THERE
WAS BROKEN GLASS AND WATER. HOW DID THEY DIE?
-- THEY WERE GOLDFISH AND THEIR AQUARIUM BROKE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD THIS RIDDLE FROM ONE OF HER FRIENDS AT U OF D.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): FISH WATER AQUARIUM

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 02-17-1971

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RIDDLE

SOMEONE CAME INTO THE ROOM AND FOUND JOHN AND MARY DEAD
ON THE FLOOR WITH WATER AROUND THEM. HOW DID THEY DIE?
-- JOHN AND MARY WERE GOLDFISH AND THEIR BOWL GOT KNOCKED
OFF THE TABLE AND BROKE WHICH KILLED THEM.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): FISH

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 02-22-1972

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ONE WAY PASSAGE

JOHN AND MARY SAILED TO EUROPE. ON THE WAY OVER JOHN
THREW MARY OVERBOARD. NO ONE SAW HIM DO IT. EVERYONE
THOUGHT MARY FELL. UPON HIS RETURN JOHN WAS ARRESTED
FOR THE MURDER OF MARY. WHO KNEW THAT JOHN KILLED MARY?
(THE TELLER OF INFORMANT IS THEN ASKED QUESTIONS THAT
CAN BE ANSWERED "YES" OR "NO" UNTIL THE STORY UNFOLDS.
-- THE TICKET SELLER KNEW. HE SOLD JOHN ONE ROUND-TRIP
TICKET AND ONE ONE-WAY.

Submitter comment: FIRST HEARD THIS AROUND 1952 AND WAS PASSED ON AND HEARD
FREQUENTLY SINCE.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 00-00-1952

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RIDDLE

THERE WAS A MAN WHO WAS FOUND HUNG TO DEATH IN AN EMPTY
ROOM WITH A PUDDLE OF WATER UNDER HIM. WHAT HAPPENED?
-- ORIGINALLY, THE MAN WAS LEFT STANDING ON A BLOCK OF
ICE WITH A ROPE TIED LOOSELY AROUND HIS NECK. AS THE ICE
MELTED FURTHER DOWN, THE MAN WAS HUNG.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: 02-22-1971

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