Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for returned 41779 results.
ST. NICHOLAS' DAY
ON DEC. 6 A MAN WEARING A WHITE SHEET AND CARRYING A BIG CHAIN WOULD
VISIT ALL THE HOUSES AND ASK THE CHILDREN IF THEY HAD BEEN GOOD AND
IF THEY KNEW THEIR PRAYERS. IF NOT THEY WERE TOLD SANTA CLAUS
WOULDN'T VISIT THEM ON CHRISTMAS. IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE, EVERYONE
WAS GOOD FROM THEN TILL CHRISTMAS BECAUSE THEY WERE FRIGHTENED
OF HIM.
Submitter comment: PRACTICED IN STEELTON, PA. ABOUT 00001920
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ST. NICHOLAS' DAY
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 6 Feast of St. Nicholas |
Date learned: 01-12-1964
EACH APRIL THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SAINT FRANCIS CLUB MEETS ONE
LAST TIME BEFORE THE NEWLY-ELECTED BOARD TAKES OFFICE. THE SAINT
FRANCIS CLUB IS A UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT SOCIAL COOPERATIVE AND
STUDENT ORGANIZATION. FOR THE LAST MEETING OF THE OLD BOARD, ALL
FORMALITY IS DROPPED BECAUSE IT IS NOT REALLY MEANT TO BE A SERIOUS
MEETING. THE OFFICIAL REPORTS THAT ARE NORMALLY GIVEN ARE
DISCOURAGED, AND IT IS REALLY AN OCCASION FOR JOKING AND DRINKING AND
JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME IN THE TRADITONAL CLUB SPIRIT, WHILE THE
SECRETARY RECORDS THE MINUTES BACKWARDS (SO THAT THEY MUST BE READ
IN A MIRROR). THIS HAS BEEN AN ANNUAL TRADITION FOR SOME TIME NOW,
AND THE ENTIRE BOARD USUALLY SHOWS UP FOR THIS MEETING, AN OTHERWISE
RARE OCCURENCE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- April CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Date learned: 03-00-1979
Entry filtered.
ITALIAN WEDDING DANCE
THE ITALIANS DANCE THE TARANTELLA WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS
AT EVERY ITALIAN WEDDING.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Crucial moment of life Life cycle Crucial Moment in Life |
UNDER A NUT TREE
A PIG STUFFED HERSELF WITH NUTS AND THEN SLEPT
UNDER THE NUT TREE. WHEN SHE WOKE UP SHE STARTED
TO DIG WITH HER SNOUT. A RAVEN WAS SITTING IN
THE TREE AND SAID TO THE PIG, "YOU ARE HARMING
THE TREE WITH YOUR DIGGING! THE TREE MIGHT WHITHER."
THE PIG SAID, "LET IT WHITHER, I DON'T CARE. I
ONLY CARE ABOUT NUTS."
THE TREE THEN SAID, "YOU STUPID IDIOT! IF YOU
WOULD RAISE YOUR HEAD YOU WOULD SEE THAT THE NUTS
GROW ON ME!"
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
TRADITION
"TAKING PEOPLE OUT" IS A LONG TRADITION AT THE SAINT FRANCIS CLUB,
AN ALL-MALE SOCIAL COOPERATIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT. TAKING
SOMEONE OUT REFERS TO TAKING A MEMBER OUT INTO THE COURTYARD AND
DUMPING COLD WATER ON HIM. THIS IS DONE ONLY TO MEMBERS FOR SUCH
OCCASIONS AS BIRTHDAYS OR WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING STUPID AT
DINNER. IT IS ALWAYS DONE IN WARM WEATHER AND IN FUN. AT TIMES
ALMOST EVERYONE AT DINNER WILL GO OUT, SUCH AS THE FIRST NICE DAY
IN THE SPRING. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR BACK THIS GOES, BUT IT HAS BEEN
DONE FOR YEARS BEFORE I JOINED THE CLUB IN 1978.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting |
KNOCK ON WOOD AFTER BOASTING.
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Conversions P883.22 SPEECH -- Knocking on wood |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
THE WINDMILL
THERE ARE MANY FOLKLORIC DANCES IN LITHUANIA. EACH ONE HAS
ITS OWN KIND OF MEANING. TL[ THE WINDMILL
THIS IS A DANCE CONSISTING OF EIGHT COUPLES. BASICALLY, THE
MOTIONS OF THE DANCE ARE THOSE OF A WINDMILL.
AT FIRST, EACH COUPLE SEPARATELY IMITATES THE MOTIONS OF
SIFTING THE GRAIN INTO THE MACHINES. THE MIDDLE SYMBOLIZES HOW
THE FLOUR IS MADE, WITH THE DANCE ENDING IN THE COUPLES
GOING AROUND IN A VERY FAST CIRCLE, JUST LIKE THE WHEEL OF
THE WINDMILL.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Dramatic |
Date learned: 03-25-1972
THE WEAVER--AUDEJELE
THIS IS A DANCE DESIGNED ONLY FOR GIRLS TO DANCE.
IT CONSISTS OF 12 GIRLS AND 3 LARGE PIECES OF WOVEN LINEN.
THE GIRLS START OUT WITH THE MOTIONS OF A WEAVER PREPARING
TO WEAVE SOME LINEN. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DANCE, THE
GIRLS GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF A WEAVER, TILL IN THE END,
THEY PRODUCE THE PIECES OF LINEN. THEN THEY TWIRL AROUND
AND DANCE REAL FAST, AS IF PLAYING AND SHOWING OFF THEIR
WORK TO ONE ANOTHER.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Dramatic |
Date learned: 03-25-1972
I SO TIRED,
I SO WEARY,
PICK I UP
AND KISS I DEARIE.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED IT FROM HER MOTHER.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
Keyword(s): BABY TALK ; FUNCTION ; MONOLOGUE ; RHYME: FEMININE, ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music |
IF TWO PEOPLE SAY THE SAME WORDS OR SOME PHRASE
SIMULTANEOUSLY THEY SHOULD LINK THEIR LITTLE FINGERS
TOGETHER AND MAKE A WISH.
| Subject headings: | 602 Body Parts BELIEF -- Prayer SPEECH -- Formula SPEECH -- Wishes Wants Desires Predictions |
Date learned: 10-00-1968
WHEN THE TREES WERE BARE IT BECAME APPARANT THAT THE BRANCHES LOOKED
LIKE ANOTHERS, HENCE THE FOLLOWING SAYING. ANOTHERS IN THE TREE TOP
BUT WHO GOOSED THE MOOSE.
Where learned: Massachusetts
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 00-00-1964
I (POINT TO I) THINK (POINT TO YOUR HEAD) YOU (POINT TO ANOTHER PERSON) STINK (HOLD YOUR NOSE).
Submitter comment: THIS INVOLVES ALL GESTURES--NO SOUNDS OR WORDS.
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of quantity or weight SPEECH -- Derision Scorn |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
RESPECTFUL GESTURE
THE MAN ALLOWS A WOMAN TO PROCEED {PRECEDE} HIM THROUGH A
DOOR OR PASSAGE-WAY.
Submitter comment: MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS GOOD MANNERS.
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank SPEECH -- Respect |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
Entry filtered.
PROVERB
WISHES WON'T WASH DISHES.
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 09-24-1967
PROVERB
WHEN MONEY TALKS, NOBODY PAYS MUCH ATTENTION TO THE GRAMMAR.
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
TRUST NO MAN, THOUGH HE BE YOUR BROTHER
WHOSE HAIR IS ONE COLOR AND HIS BEARD ANOTHER.
Submitter comment:
IT WAS RATHER DIFFICULT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BELIEF,
SINCE HER 4 BROTHERS ALL HAD BEARDS OF DIFFERENT COLOR
THAN THEIR HAIR. IT WAS USED MORE AS A PERSONAL TAUNT.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Date learned: 01-22-1968
PROTECTION AGAINST VAMPIRES
JUMPING OVER A NATURALLY RUNNING WATER STREAM, WILL PREVENT
A VAMPIRE FROM FOLLOWING YOU, BECAUSE THEY ARE UNABLE TO CROSS IT.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
James Callow comment:
PLAY ON THE WORD "CROSS"?--F. M. PAULSEN
Where learned: ENGLAND ; WORCESTER
Keyword(s): SUPERNATURAL ; SUPERSTITION ; Undead ; Vampire
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire BELIEF -- Running water Small current. |
Date learned: 04-00-1972
BELIEF
PUTTING A FLAX SEED INTO ONE'S EYE WILL MAKE ANY OTHER
FOREIGN OBJECT GO OUT OF THE EYE.
Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BRUCE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN