Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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THE FOX AND THE RAVEN
A RAVEN WAS FLYING AROUND AND FOUND A
HUNK OF CHEESE. SHE ATE THE CHEESE UNTIL
SHE WAS ALMOST SATISFIED. BUT SHE STILL HAD
A PIECE OF CHEESE IN HER MOUTH. A FOX
RAN BY AND SMELLED THE CHEESE. HE STOPPED
AND SAW THE RAVEN WITH THE CHEESE.
HE SAID TO THE RAVEN: "DEAR FRIEND, HOW
LOVELY YOU ARE! WHAT SPLENDID FEATHERS, WHAT
A LOVELY BEAK! YOU MUST HAVE A HEAVENLY
VOICE. SING ME A PRETTY SONG. DON'T BE SHY,
SING! YOU ARE THE QUEEN OF ALL BIRDS!
SOMEONE AS LOVELY AS YOU SHOULD SING!"
THE RAVEN WAS SO HAPPY, SHE CROWED WITH ALL
OF HER MIGHT. THE PIECE OF CHEESE FELL OUT
OF HER BEAK WHEN SHE OPENED IT AND THE CLEVER
FOX GOBBLED IT UP. THE RAVEN THEN FLEW AWAY,
STILL NOT QUITE SATISFIED
Submitter comment:
THIS TALE WAS LEARNED IN RUSSIA AND WAS IN
RHYME IN THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Farmington Hills
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale |
Date learned: 10-27-1983
THE FLY AND THE BEE
ONE SPRING MORNING IN AN ORCHARD, A BEE WAS SITTING
ON A FLOWER. A FLY SAW HER GATHERING THE NECTAR AND
SAID: "DON'T YOU TIRE OF WORKING EVERY DAY FROM
MORNING TO NIGHT? I WOULDN'T TRADE PLACES WITH YOU,
I COULDN'T TAKE IT FOR A DAY. MY LIFE IS HEAVENLY.
I FLY AROUND AMONGST THE GUESTS AT BALLS, WEDDINGS,
AND BIRTHDAYS. I'M ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE THERE. I EAT
FROM RICH MEN'S PLATES; I DRINK SWEET WINE FROM
CRYSTAL GLASSES; I TAKE WHATEVER I FANCY. I CAN
EVEN BE FOUND AT THE KING'S TABLE."
THE BEE REPLIED: "I KNOW ALL OF THAT BUT I HEAR THAT
NOBODY LIKES YOU. WHEN YOU SHOW UP IN A HOME, THEY
CHASE YOU OUT IN SHAME!"
THE FLY SAID: "CHASE ME OUT, SO WHAT? IF THEY CHASE
ME OUT ONE WINDOW, I SIMPLY FLY IN THE NEXT!"
Submitter comment:
MY GRANDMOTHER LEARNED THIS IN RUSSIA. IT IS A RUSSIA
A RHYME WHEN TOLD IN RUSSIAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; RUSSIA ; Farmington Hills
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale |
POLISH PRAYER
ZA TWE MAMO PRACE TROSKI BEDA PROSIE MATKI BOSKI BY CIE
OBDARZYLA ZDROWIEM JAK WOSNE VIECEJ POWIEM. TRANSLATION: FOR ALL
YOUR WORK AND WORRY, I BESEECH THE MOTHER OF GOD TO GIFT YOU
WITH HEALTH AND WHEN I GROW UP I'LL TELL YOU MORE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK
James Callow Keyword(s): FUNCTIONAL SHIFT: GIFT AS VERB ; PIOUS GOOD WISHES
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival C840.643 Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- March 21 equinox to June 20 |
Date learned: 11-07-1974
IN THE ALPHABET RIDDLE
Q: IN THE ALPHABET, AND FOR DRINKING,/ NOT IN DUMB BUT FIRST IN
THINKING.
A: TEA.
Submitter comment:
I FOUND THIS ACTIVITY BOOK IN THE ATTIC. FROM:
"LOTS OF THINGS TO DO"
(AKRON, OHIO, THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO., 1951)
THE PAGES ARE NOT NUMBERED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ACTIONS (Q) ; COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATED MATTER (Q)
James Callow Keyword(s): CATCH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Riddle True Riddle |
Date learned: 08-00-1964
Color Tag (Game)
The game is played by a group of more than four children, in a
large, outside area. One child is selected to be "It," and begins the
game by counting to ten. The other children run away, and
"It" attempts to catch them. If a child is about to be caught, he or
she can sit down and yell the name of a color. Any colors can be
used, but they cannot be repeated. "It" must either catch a child
before he or she sits down and says a color, or a color must be
repeated in order for "It" to become a player.
Submitter comment: I played this game as a small child with my school friends.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 00001975CA
BULLSHIT (DRINKING GAME)
EVERYONE HAS AN ANIMAL NAME.
SOMEONE STARTS OFF BY CALLING ONE OF THE NAMES. THE PERSON'S "NAME"
THAT'S CALLED ON HAS TO KEEP IN SEQUENCE. IF HE SCREWS UP, HE HAS
TO CHUG-A-LUG. EX: BULLSHIT, I SHIT, COW SHIT. THAT PERSON THAT
WAS THE COW WOULD HAVE TO REPEAT THE FIRST TWO PHRASES AND CALL
OUT ANOTHER ANIMAL.
Submitter comment: MY BROTHER PLAYED THIS GAME AT M.S.U.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Farmington Hills
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Mental Activity |
Date learned: 00-00-1977
BRIDAL SHOWER SUPERSTITION
FOR EVERY RIBBON THAT YOU CUT WITH SCISSORS ON A SHOWER GIFT, YOU
WILL HAVE A BABY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Farmington Hills
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Number Counting beliefs |
Date learned: CA0001978
PROVERB ABOUT AN ANT
NONE PREACHES BETTER THAN AN ANT AND SHE SAYS NOTHING
Submitter comment: TRADITIONAL SEMINARY JOKE
Where learned: CONNECTICUT ; STAMFORD ; SAINT GREGORYS SEMINARY
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; CLERGY ; IRONY ; SYMBOL
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 00-00-1957
Entry filtered.
A rhyme sung by African-American children
Lou Lou had an engine
The engine had a bell
Lou Lou went to heaven
The engine went to hello
Operator
Give me number nine
If you don't connect me
I beat your big
Behind
The refrigerator
There was a piece of glass
Lou Lou slipped upon it and
Cut her little
Ask
Me no more questions
I'll tell you no more lies
Lou Lou told me all of this
Just before she died.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
A rhyme used to pick the next player of a game.
She never went to college
She never went to school
But when she came back
She was an educated fool.
Submitter comment:
This game is used to pick the next person to be "it."
All players gather in a circle. One person is inside
the circle. This person covers their eyes with one hand and
points out a finger with the other hand as they spin around
in a circle. As the words to the above rhyme are sung a new
player is picked on the word "fool". Whoever the finger is
pointed at on the word "fool" takes the place of the person in
the center and becomes "it".
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
Entry filtered.
JUMP-ROPE RHYME
RIN TIN TIN SAT ON A PIN.
HOW MANY INCHES DID IT GO IN?
1, 2, 3, ETC.
(UNTIL PERSON JUMPING MISSES.)
Where learned: LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; ENDURANCE ; Jump
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse C750.56 |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
A game played by African-American children
Look who's here Punchi-nella Punchi-nella
Look who's here Punchi-nella at the zoo
What can you do Punchi-nella, Punchi-nella
What can you do Punchi-nella at the zoo?
We can do it too Punchi-nella, Punchi-nella
We can do it too Punchi-nella at the zoo.
Submitter comment:
This game is played in a circle and there are hand
claps that accompany the words to the song. One
player (Punchi-nella) is in the center of the circle.
When Punchi-nella is asked "what can you do?", the
player responds by doing his/her own unique dance
in the center of the circle. When the other players
respond, "we can do it too" they imitate the dance
that Punchi-nella performed in the center of the
circle.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00001960-61
A POLISH TRADITION ON THE CHRISTMAS VIGIL IS THE BREAKING OF WAFERS
AND WISHING GOOD LUCK ON EVERYBODY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F122 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 BELIEF -- Good luck SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 10-15-1972
JOKING GESTURE
IF YOU SQUEEZE A GIRL'S KNEE AND SHE LAUGHS, SHE HAS A
BOYFRIEND.
Submitter comment:
MY FATHER USED TO DO THIS TO ME WHEN I WAS LITTLE. IT WAS
A TEASING JOKE OF HIS THAT HE USED TO DO TO MY SISTERS,
OUR FRIENDS AND MYSELF.
Where learned: MISSOURI ; SAINT LOUIS
SUPERSTITION
IF YOU BURY A PERSON WITHOUT SHOES, THEY WILL COME BACK AND
HAUNT YOU.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial SPEECH -- Extra Corporal Means of Communication |
Date learned: 02-27-1971
On the stroke of twelve (on New Year's Eve) every door
in the house has to be opened to allow the spirit of
the old year to leave.
Submitter comment:
Her best friend's family did it when she was a little
girl, and she never forgot it.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR
Keyword(s): GHOST
Date learned: 00001930S
SURPRISE SONG
SONG:
GREAT BIG GOBS OF GREASY, GRIMY GOPHER GUTS
IMITATION MONKEY MEAT, LITTLE PIGGIES HAIRY FEET,
ME WITHOUT A SPOON.
Submitter comment:
THE LAST LINE IS MEANT TO SURPRISE AND SHOCK THE
LISTENER, THAT ONE WOULD THINK TO EAT THE THINGS MENTIONED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS
Keyword(s): GORE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery |
COUGH
HONEY, WHISKEY, AND LEMON IS BEST FOR A COUGH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN HEIGHTS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Date learned: 11-19-1968