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 TENNESSEE returned 5179 results.
IF YOU SNEEZE ONCE, YOU'LL HAVE HEALTH.
IF YOU SNEEZE TWICE, YOU'LL HAVE HEALTH AND WEALTH.
IF YOU SNEEZE THREE TIMES IN A ROW, YOU'LL HAVE HEALTH, WEALTH,
AND HAPPINESS.
Submitter comment: I ALWAYS SNEEZE TWICE AND AM RAPIDLY BECOMING SUPERSTITIOUS.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): PARALLELISM
Date learned: 00001960'S
IF YOU SEW ON SUNDAY, THEN AFTER YOU DIE, YOU'LL HAVE TO PICK
THE STITCHES OUT WITH YOUR EYELASHES IN HELL.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue BELIEF -- Home BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: 06-15-1970
IF A GIRL HAS A TUCK IN THE HEM OF HER DRESS, SHE'LL GET A
NEW ONE IF SHE CAN KISS THE TUCK BEFORE IT FALLS OUT.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): HEM OF DRESS TURNED UP
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Daily Life |
Date learned: 06-13-1970
IF AN INCH WORM IS CRAWLING ON YOUR DRESS OR SHIRT, HE'S MEASURING
YOU FOR A NEW ONE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Daily Life |
Date learned: 06-13-1970
IF YOU DON'T THROW SPILLED SALT OVER YOUR SHOULDER, YOU'LL
HAVE BAD LUCK.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Food Drink -- Flavoring BELIEF -- Mineral BELIEF -- Bad luck Food and drink |
WHEN TWO PEOPLE ARE WALKING TOGETHER AND COME UPON AN OBSTACLE
IN THEIR PATH (SUCH AS A CAR) WHICH CAUSES ONE TO GO ONE WAY
AND ONE THE OTHER WAY, THEY SHOULD SAY "BREAD AND BUTTER" TO
EACH OTHER. WHEN THEY MEET AFTER GOING AROUND THE OBJECT,
THEY SHOULD JOIN LITTLE FINGERS AND EACH MAKE A WISH. NOT A
WORD SHOULD BE SPOKEN UNTIL ONE OF THEM SAYS THE OTHER'S NAME
AND THEN THAT PERSON ANSWERS WITH THE NAME OF THE OTHER PERSON.
EXAMPLE: "JOHN?" "SUSAN?" THEN THEIR WISHES WILL COME TRUE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Prayer SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 06-24-1970
IF YOU GLANCE UP AT THE SKY AND SEE THE NEW MOON (THIN CRESCENT)
LOOK TO SEE IF YOU ARE HOLDING SOMETHING OR IF YOU HAVE YOUR
HAND ON SOMETHING. IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE HOLDING SOMETHING, YOU'LL
GET A NEW "WHATEVER IT IS" YOU'RE TOUCHING WHEN YOU GLANCE UP
AT THE NEW MOON.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. BELIEF -- Moon |
Date learned: 06-19-1970
BAD LUCK WILL NOT COME IF YOU GIVE SOMEONE A PENNY WHEN YOU
GIVE THEM A PIN TO WEAR.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of quality Medium of exchange BELIEF -- Bad luck Money BELIEF -- Bad luck Jewelry (gems, rings, etc.) BELIEF -- Bad luck Gifts BELIEF -- Bad luck Sharp objects BELIEF -- Conversions Gifts |
Date learned: 03-29-1972
WHEN YOU SEE A FALLING STAR, MAKE A WISH AND IT WILL COME TRUE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Star BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
IF YOU WISH ON THE FIRST STAR YOU SEE AT NIGHT, YOU WILL GET
YOUR WISH.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. BELIEF -- Star BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Date learned: 04-21-1972
MISFORTUNE COMES IN SERIES OF THREES.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 04-21-1972
FINDING A LADYBUG MEANS GOOD LUCK WILL COME.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Insect BELIEF -- Good luck Animals |
Date learned: 04-21-1972
IT'S BAD LUCK TO WATCH YOUR VISITORS OUT OF SIGHT.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Bad luck Leaving Entering Returning home Travel |
Date learned: 05-02-1972
IT IS BAD LUCK TO CUT A BABY'S FINGERNAILS.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Bad luck Body parts and functions |
Date learned: 04-03-1972
WHEN I WAS A (AN) UNDERGRADUATE AT MOREHEAD (KY.) STATE TEACHERS'
COLLEGE, NOW MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY, IN 1939 AND 1940,
GOLDFISH SWALLOWING BECAME A FAD AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. REPORTEDLY A BOY AT MOREHEAD SWALLOWED
TWENTY-FOUR LIVE GOLDFISH. HE WAS TOPPED BY A BOY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, WHICH WAS REFERRED TO LOCALLY AS THE
COUNTRY CLUB OF THE SOUTH, WHO SWALLOWED FORTY-TWO. I AM SURE
NEITHER OF THESE BOYS HELD THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. I DID
NOT WITNESS THE SWALLOWING, NOR DID ANYONE ELSE THAT I KNEW
TO BE TRUTHFUL. THE NEWSPAPERS REPORTED SWALLOWINGS THROUGH-
OUT THE COUNTRY. AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO GIRLS EVER COMPETED IN
THE GOLDFISH SWALLOWING CONTESTS.
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Fish PROSE NARRATIVE -- Man CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School BELIEF -- Custom |
DURING THE 1930'S THE FAD OF TREE SITTING SWEPT THE COUNTRY.
PRACTICALLY EVERY COMMUNITY HAD A TREE SITTER, AND THERE WAS
A CONTEST OF TRYING TO BREAK PREVIOUS RECORDS. IN ASHLAND,
KENTUCKY, WE HAD SEVERAL TREE SITTERS OVER A PERIOD OF TWO OR
THREE YEARS. THE ONE I REMEMBER MOST VIVIDLY ENDED IN TRAGEDY.
A BOY WHO HAD FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A
JOB DUE TO THE DEPRESSION, BUILT A PLATFORM ABOUT THIRTY FEET
FROM THE GROUND IN A LARGE TREE. HE MADE SOME PROVISION FOR
SHELTER AND HAD DEVISED A PULLEY BY WHICH HIS FAMILY SENT HIS
FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES UP IN A BUCKET. THE TOWN PEOPLE
WOULD DRIVE BY AND TALK TO HIM OR WALK UP AND SPEND AN HOUR
OR SO IN THE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. HE HAD BEEN
UP THE TREE FOR ABOUT FORTY DAYS AND A STORM CAME UP ONE
NIGHT. EVIDENTLY THE STORM FRIGHTENED HIM DURING THE NIGHT
AND HE FELL FROM THE PLATFORM. HIS FAMILY FOUND HIS
CRUMPLED BODY ON THE GROUND THE NEXT MORNING.
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; ASHLAND
Keyword(s): POLE SITTING
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being PROSE NARRATIVE -- Man |
Date learned: 00001930 CA.
HAINTS
SOME PEOPLE MET TWO PEOPLE IN A BUGGY ONE NIGHT. ONE OF THE
PEOPLE LOOKED LIKE A STIFF, YE MIGHT SAY, AND THEY KNEW IT
WAS A DEAD PERSON. ANYWAY, THEY GOT RIGHT EVEN WITH 'EM AND
THEY JUST VANISHED AWAY.
THIS WAS SAID TO HAVE HAPPENED, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER "HAINTS,"
AT A CERTAIN POINT OUTSIDE OF PLEASANT SHADE, AND ONE OF MY
GREAT UNCLE'S SONS LIVES THERE NOW.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): SPIRIT SPECTER
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 07-06-1973
HAINTS
A NEIGHBOR IN PLEASANT SHADE, RIDING HOME FROM COURTIN' ONE
NIGHT, WAS SURPRISED TO HAVE HIS HORSE STOP. HE COULDN'T GET
THE HORSE TO GO FORWARD AT ALL, AND THE HORSE NEVER WOULD GO
PAST THAT SPOT AGAIN.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): SPIRIT SPECTER
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 07-06-1973
THOMAS S. SPENCER
NOW, BACK TO THOMAS SHARPE SPENCER, HE WAS A HUGE PERSON, THEY
SAY, AN', UH, IT SEEMS THAT THE INDIANS SAW HIS FOOTPRINTS,
UH, AN' IT SCARED THEM AND THEY STAYED AWAY FROM HIM.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Secular hero |
Date learned: 07-06-1973
THOMAS S. SPENCER
HE HAD SUCH A LARGE PRINT THEY . . . JUST FELT IT WAS LIKE
A MONSTER OR SOMETHIN' OUT THERE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Secular hero |
Date learned: 07-06-1973