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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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Your search for GRAND RAPIDS returned 116 results.

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HOLY COMMUNION

YOU SHOULD NEVER GO TO HOLY COMMUNION IF YOU FEEL SICK OR IF
YOU THINK YOU COULD BE SICK.
SHE REMEMBERS ONE OF HER STUDENTS RECEIVING
COMMUNION AT MASS, THEN LEAVING CHURCH BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO VOMIT.
SHE FOLLOWED HIM OUT TO THE BATHROOM AND FOUND HIM VOMITING UP THE
HOST. INSTANTLY THERE APPEARED THOUSANDS OF TINY MAGGOTS WHO ATE
UP THE VOMIT AND THEN ALL DISAPPEARED. SHE EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD
BEEN SENT THERE MIRACULOUSLY SO THAT THE HOST WOULD NOT BE DEFILED BY
HAVING BEEN ON THE FLOOR.

Submitter comment:

THE "SHE" REFERS TO MY FIFTH GRADE TEACHER.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS ; 5th grade teacher

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL INSECT LARVA

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious hero
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Insect
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: NOT GIVEN (FIFTH GRADE)

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HOLY COMMUNION

YOU SHOULD NEVER GO TO HOLY COMMUNION IF YOU FEEL SICK OR IF
YOU THINK YOU WILL BE. SHE REMEMBERS ONE OF HER STUDENTS RECEIVING
COMMUNION AT MASS, THEN LEAVING CHURCH BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO VOMIT
SHE FOLLOWED HIM OUT, AND FOUND HIM BEING SICK. INSTANTLY
APPEARED THOUSANDS OF MAGGOTS, WHO ATE UP ALL THE VOMIT
AND THEN DISAPPEARED.
SHE BELIEVES THAT THIS WAS A MIRACLE TO KEEP THE HOST FROM BEING
DEFILED

Submitter comment:

THE SHE, REFERS TO THE INFORMANTS 5TH GRADE TEACHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL INSECT LARVA

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious hero
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Insect
BELIEF -- Church

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TAKE AN APPLE, GRAB HOLD OF THE STEM, AND BEGIN TURNING
IT IN ONE DIRECTION, SAYING ONE LETTER OF THE ALPHABET
WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE TURN OF THE STEM. WHENEVER THE
STEM BREAKS OFF, THE LETTER THAT YOU ARE ON IS THE
INITIAL OF THE FIRST NAME OF SOMEONE (BOY'S NAME FOR
A GIRL AND A GIRL'S NAME FOR A BOY) WHO LIKES YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS ; GRADE SCHOOL

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Use of object for determining true love P861.1

Date learned: 00-00-1958

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TO CURE WARTS: FOR WARTS ON THE THUMB, USE A RAW POTATO; RUB
IT ON THE WART AND THUMB AND THEN BURY THE POTATO.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; EAST GRAND RAPIDS

James Callow Keyword(s): PLUGGING TRANSFER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 09-29-1971

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ELEPHANT JOKE

WHY DO ELEPHANTS WEAR RED TENNIS SHOES?
SO THEY CAN HIDE IN THE STRAWBERRY PATCH

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): COLOR ; FRUIT

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

Date learned: UNKNOWN

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CHRISTMAS CUSTOM

IN HOLLAND THE DUTCH CHILDREN PUT OUT THEIR WOODEN SHOES ON
CHRISTMAS EVE FOR ST. NICHOLAS TO FILL. IF THE CHILD WAS GOOD,
HE WOULD AWAKEN IN THE MORNING TO FIND HIS SHOES FILLED WITH
ALL SORTS OF GOODIES. IF THE CHILD HAD BEEN BAD, HE WOULD FIND A
SWITCH IN HIS SHOE INSTEAD OF GOODIES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 24 Christmas Eve
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Stockings and shoes

Date learned: NOT RECORDED

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PREDICTION OF DEATH

IF DOGS HOWL AT THE MOON AT NIGHT, IT MEANS THERE WILL SOON BE A
DEATH IN THE FAMILY THAT OWNS THE DOG.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS BY HIS FATHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: Observation

Date learned: 03-29-1972

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PROVERB

GOD IS GOOD AND SAID HE WOULD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; RHYME

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

Date learned: 04-06-1971

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SHAMROCK MAGIC

A PERSON WEARING A FOUR-LEAFED SHAMROCK CAN UNDERSTAND BARKING DOGS.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT SAID IT WAS AN OLD IRISH CUSTOM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mammal
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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HAWAIIAN FESTIVAL

EVERY JULY, HAWAIIANS CELEBRATE "KAMEHAMEH DAY" WITH PARADES AND
OTHER CELEBRATIONS. HE WAS THE LAST KING OF HAWAII.

Data entry tech comment: KAMEHAMEHA IS THE PROPER SPELLING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- June 21 solstice to September 22

Date learned: 04-08-1971

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Belief: Animal

Agricultural Belief:

A Bull Frog croaks and freezes 3 times before winter.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P870] crossed out. Replaced with current classification

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): AGRICULTURE ; AMPHIBIAN ; ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; DEATH ; Fall ; Freeze ; FROG ; Frozen ; Rebirth ; SEASONS ; SUPERSTITION ; WINTER

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

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Belief: Weather

Sailor Proverb:

Red sunset at night - is a sailor's delight.

Red sunset in the morning - sailor's take warning.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [P880] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

DUP. of WPP

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): COLOR ; NATURE ; Ocean ; Predicting ; PREDICTING WEATHER ; Sailor ; Sky ; WARNING ; WEATHER

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

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Belief: Weather

Rain Before Seven:

Rain before seven, shine by eleven.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Dup of WPP

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): PREDICTING WEATHER ; PREDICTION ; Rain ; RHYME ; TIME ; WEATHER

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

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Proverb

Irish Proverb:

A rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): Moss ; Movement ; Rolling ; Stagnant ; Stagnation ; STALE ; STONE

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

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Retort

You make a better door than you do a window.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

James Callow comment:

[When said? When someone gets in the way?]

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Keyword(s): COMEBACK ; Door ; INSULT ; Obstruction ; RETORT ; SARCASM ; View ; Window ; Wisecrack

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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COUNTING OUT

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO, THREE POTATO, FOUR
FIVE POTATO, SIX POTATO, SEVEN POTATO, OR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

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

Date learned: 00-00-1953

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CUSTOM-DAILY LIFE

IN JAMAICA A MAN MAY HAVE AS MANY CHILDREN AS HE WANTS WITHOUT
BEING MARRIED. THE ONLY CATCH IS THAT HE MUST SUPPORT THESE
CHILDREN. IF HE FAILS TO DO SO, HE IS PUT IN PRISON AND MUST
WORK THERE. THE MONEY HE MAKES THERE ALL GOES TO THE CHILDREN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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RUSSIAN GESTURE

WHEN A RUSSIAN ENTERS ANY PUBLIC BUILDING, HE IS REQUIRED TO TAKE
OFF HIS COAT AND EXCHANGE IT FOR A NUMBERED TAG.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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CEMETERY

WHENEVER YOU PASS A CEMETERY, YOU SHOULD HOLD YOUR BREATH IN FROM
THE TIME YOU REACH THE BEGINNING OF THE CEMETERY UNTIL THE TIME
YOU GET TO THE END OF THE CEMETERY. THIS IS IN RESPECT FOR THE
DEAD WHO ARE BURIED THERE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank

Date learned: 00-00-1958

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WITCHES

DOWN IN JAMAICA, THERE IS A LARGE PLANTATION HOUSE WHICH IS FALLING
APART AND NOT ONE JAMAICAN WILL GET NEAR IT. IF THEY DO, THEY ARE
CURSED AND WILL DIE A VIOLENT DEATH. THE LADY WHO OWNED IT WAS
CALLED THE WHITE WITCH OF ROSE HALL. SHE HAD THREE JAMAICANS FOR
HER HUSBANDS. SHE HAD EACH ONE KILLED AND BURIED UNDER A PALM
TREE.

Submitter comment: I SAW THE HALL AND THE THREE GRAVES AND OUR GUIDE WAS NOT A
JAMAICAN, BUT RATHER A SPANIARD. NOT ONE JAMAICAN WOULD GET NEAR
IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Witch Shaman

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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