Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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SPANISH PROVERB
TELL ME WITH WHOM YOU WALK, I'LL TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE.
DIME CON QUIEN ANDA TE DIRE QUIEN ERES. {LITERAL TRANSLATION}
Submitter comment: AMERICAN EQUIVALENT: BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 03-00-1968
SAYING
THE SWAN'S SON IS A SWIMMER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL BIRD WATER
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
SOME PEOPLE FEEL LUCKY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR
FIRST DOLLAR. THE LUCKY ARE THOSE WHO STILL
HAVE THEIR FIRST FRIEND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 11-01-1968
SLOWLY, SLOWLY, YOU'LL GO FAR.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
IT IS BETTER TO HAVE A BIRD IN YOUR HAND THAN 100 FLYING.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
IT IS SAID IN ITALY THAT IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE THE SAME
AMOUNT OF TIME TO KNOW EACH OTHER WELL AS IT DOES FOR
ONE TO EAT A TWENTY-FIVE POUND BAG OF SALT.
Submitter comment: (GRANDMOTHER)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | {NONE |
Date learned: 11-00-1967
I WON'T FATTEN FROG FOR SNAKE.
Submitter comment: (MEANING: I WON'T DRESS YOU UP SO OTHERS CAN ADMIRE YOU)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMALS
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |
Entry filtered.
HEADACHE
ONE TABLESPOON OF HONEY CURES A MIGRAINE HEADACHE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; COLLECTORS HOME
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 10-23-1968
APPLES AND BANANAS
THIS IS A SONG THAT I LEARNED IN CONFIRMATION CAMP. THERE IS ONLY
ONE VERSE, BUT IT IS CHANGED EACH TIME IT IS SUNG BY SUBSTITUTING
ONE VOWEL SOUND FOR ALL OF THE OTHERS. THE TEXT IS AS FOLLOWS:
I LIKE TO EAT,
I LIKE TO EAT,
I LIKE TO EAT,
APPLES AND BANANAS.
THE NEXT TIME IT IS SUNG A LONG "A" SOUND REPLACES ALL OF THE VOWELS.
IT SOUNDS AS FOLLOWS:
A LAKE TA ATE,
A LAKE TA ATE,
A LAKE TA ATE,
APPLES AND BANANAS.
AND SO ON TO:
E LEKE TE EAT,
E LEKE TE EAT,
E LEKE TE EAT,
EEPLES END BENENES. MM
I LIKE TO ITE,
I LIKE TO ITE,
I LIKE TO ITE,
IPPLES IND BININIS. MM
O LOKE TO OKE,
O LOKE TO OKE,
O LOKE TO OKE,
OPPLES AND BONONOS. MM
U LUTE TU UTE,
U LUTE TU UTE,
U LUTE TU UTE,
UPPLES UND BUNUNUS. MM
THE SONG IS USUALLY SUNG FAST, ATTEMPTING TO GO FASTER WITH EACH
VERSE. THE MUSIC ITSELF IS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD, THE VOWELS
DICTATE THE SOUNDS.
Submitter comment:
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT ALL OF THE VARIATIONS OF THE FIRST
VERSE CONTAIN ONLY LONG VOWELS. THE MEDIUM THAT I HAVE TO REPRESENT
THE SOUNDS DOES NOT SHOW THAT VERY WELL.
Where learned: NORTHERN MICHIGAN ; CAMP MICH-I-LU-CA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Good humor Jest |
Date learned: 07-00-1983
MILITARY SAYING
DO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD TO DO, WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO DO IT, AND THEN
GO SIT ON YOUR ASS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: POSITIVE ; CYNICISM
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Language
Tongue Twister:
Betty Botta bought some butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit o' better butter will but make my batter better." So she bought a bit o' butter, better than the bitter butter, made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botta bought a bit o' better butter.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Something similar (but shorter) already typed as prose.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; REDFORD
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Baking ; Batter ; Butter ; COOKING ; Dearborn Heights ; GAME ; Language ; MICHIGAN ; Prose ; PUZZLE ; Redford ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
James Callow Keyword(s): Prose ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
I WAS ALWAYS TOLD NOT TO WALK ON THE GRASS IN THE SPRINGTIME
OR ELSE DANDELIONS WOULD GROW IN THE SPOTS WHERE I WALKED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT IF YOU LIE ON THE GRAVE OF SOMEONE ON
HALLOWEEN NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT, YOU WILL BECOME POSSESSED BY THE
SPIRIT OF THAT PERSON. THE ONLY WAY TO RID YOURSELF OF THE
SPIRIT IS TO PERFORM THE SAME ACT ON THE NEXT HALLOWEEN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- October 31 Halloween BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour |
Date learned: 04-01-1990
ARABIAN MAXIM (TRANS.)
IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO GET TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS
Keyword(s): HUNTING
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 08-00-1967
THE STORY OF THE WEREWOLF
THE ORIGINAL WEREWOLVES WERE WOLVES, NOT PEOPLE. THEY WERE FROM
TRANSYLVANIA. WHEN THEY BIT PEOPLE, THEY TURNED THEM INTO WEREWOLVE
AND THE NEW WEREWOLVES COULD BITE OTHER PEOPLE AND TURN THEM INTO
WEREWOLVES. WHENEVER THE FULL MOON COMES OUT, THE WEREWOLVES SEARCH
AROUND FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO BITE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. THEY ALSO
COMMIT OTHER KINDS OF DASTARDLY ACTS, LIKE BURNING DOWN HOUSES
WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN BED. THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SAVE YOURSELF FROM A
WEREWOLF IS BY SHOOTING HIM WITH A SILVER BULLET.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Werewolf Vampire |
Date learned: 11-19-1968
FIRST FOOTING
MRS. SULLIVAN AND HER NEIGHBORS FIRMLY BELIEVE IN AN OLD
GERMAN AND SCOTTISH PRACTICE CALLED "FIRST FOOTING."
ACCORDING TO SUPERSTITION, THE FIRST-FOOTER, A TALL,
DARK MALE, WHO FIRST COMES TO THE HOUSE ON THE FIRST
DAY OF THE NEW YEAR MUST BRING WITH HIM A GIFT OF FOOD
AND DRINK FOR THE INHABITANTS, TO INSURE HEALTH AND
SUFFICIENT FOOD AND DRINK FOR THE ENSUING YEAR. IF
THE FIRST-FOOTER BRINGS NO SUCH GIFTS, HE WILL BRING
DISEASE AND HIS LACK OF GIFTS WILL MEAN FAMINE AND
THIRST FOR THE HOUSE'S OCCUPANTS DURING THE NEW YEAR.
MRS. SULLIVAN AND HER NEIGHBORS KEEP THEIR DOORS LOCKED
UNTIL THE HOUSE IS PROPERLY FIRST-FOOTED.
I HAVE NOTED THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PRACTICE AMONG SCOTCH
FAMILIES IN OTHER AREAS OF EAST DETROIT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRASER
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 |
Date learned: 12-31-1966
WHEN IN DOUBT - DON'T
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; DORMS
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
SHE WHO WASHES FACE MUST FIRST WASH NYLONS.
Submitter comment:
WHEN A GROUP OF GIRLS ARE LIVING TOGETHER - THERE ARE
ALWAYS DIRTY NYLONS IN THE SINK. SO YOU HAVE TO WASH
THE NYLONS BEFORE YOUR FACE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 03-04-1971