Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for SOUTHFIELD returned 444 results.
THE REASON A WOMAN WEARS HER WEDDING RING ON THE FOURTH
FINGER OF HER LEFT HAND, IS TO SYMBOLIZE THE BRIDE'S
FAITHFULNESS AND STRONG TIE TO HER HUSBAND. THE RING
FINGER IS THE LEAST MOVEABLE OF ALL THE FINGERS, AND IT
IS THE HARDEST TO MANIPULATE; LIKEWISE THE BRIDE SHOULD BE
STEADFAST AND STATIONARY IN HER MARRIAGE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- PP43 PP43.21 |
Date learned: 11-00-1985 ; 00-00-1970
ONCE THERE WAS A SMALL VILLAGE IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE A VALLEY. IN
THE VILLAGE THERE LIVED A FAMILY WITH A SCHOOL-AGED CHILD NAMED
SANJAY. EACH DAY DURING CROP SEASON THE FAMILIES THAT LIVED IN THE
VILLAGE WOULD GO DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TO THE VALLEY TO WORK WITH THE
CROPS. SANJAY DIDN'T LIKE GETTING UP IN THE MORNING TO WORK THE
CROPS, SO HE WOULD WAIT UNTIL MOST OF THE FAMILIES WERE DOWN THE
MOUNTAIN. THEN HE WOULD YELL "FIRE! FIRE!" AND ALL THE FAMILIES
WOULD RUSH BACK TO THE VILLAGE AND THE DAY OF WORK WOULD BE LOST.
ONE DAY THERE WAS A REAL FIRE. WHEN SANJAY YELLED "FIRE! FIRE!"
NO ONE CAME UP THE MOUNTAIN. THE VILLAGE BURNED DOWN AND SANJAY
DIED IN THE FIRE.
Submitter comment:
STORY WAS LEARNED IN GRADE SCHOOL. THE NAME OF THE BOY COULD
BE CHANGED TO FIT THE CLASS IN SCHOOL.
James Callow comment: LIKE THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
IN THE JUNGLE OF ANIMALS THE LION IS KING. EACH DAY THE LION WOULD
GO AROUND THE JUNGLE AND ASK THE ANIMALS THAT LIVED IN THE JUNGLE
WHO WAS KING. IF THE ANIMAL DIDN'T ANSWER THAT THE LION WAS KING,
THE LION WOULD EAT HIM. ONE DAY A LITTLE RAT GOT FED UP WITH THE
LION. WHEN THE LION ASKED HIM WHO WAS KING, HE SAID THAT THERE WAS
SOMEONE ELSE WHO CLAIMED HE WAS KING. THE LION WAS OUTRAGED. THE
RAT SAID HE WOULD SHOW THE LION WHO SAID HE WAS KING. THE RAT LED
THE LION TO A DEEP WELL. HE TOLD THE LION THAT THE IMPOSTER WAS IN
THE WELL. WHEN THE LION YELLED INTO THE WELL THAT HE WAS KING, HIS
ECHO HOLLERED BACK, "I AM KING OF THE JUNGLE!" THIS MADE THE LION
SO MAD THAT HE JUMPED INTO THE WELL AND DROWNED.
Submitter comment: THIS STORY WAS LEARNED IN GRADE SCHOOL IN INDIA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal Tale |
Date learned: 00-00-1969
WHY WE DON'T EAT COWS IN INDIA
THERE WAS A GOD NAMED SHANKER. HE HAD A MESSENGER NAMED COW.
SHANKER WOULD PASS HIS ORDERS DOWN TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH COW.
ONE DAY SHANKER TOLD COW TO TELL THE PEOPLE TO TAKE 3 SHOWERS A
DAY AND EAT 2 MEALS A DAY. COW FORGOT SHANKER'S ORDERS AND TOLD
THE PEOPLE TO TAKE 1 SHOWER A DAY AND EAT 3 MEALS. SHANKER BECAME
SO OUTRAGED THAT HE TURNED COW INTO THE ANIMAL KNOWN AS THE COW.
THE PEOPLE STOPPED EATING COWS FOR FEAR THAT THEY WOULD BE EATING
THEIR MESSENGER OF THE GODS.
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HIS FAMILY. HE IS A HINDU. THIS IS A
BASIC HINDU STORY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Creation and Order of Animal Life PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal BELIEF -- Mammal |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
JAIN BUDDHISTS DON'T EAT MEALS AFTER SUNSET FOR FEAR THAT THEY
WILL EAT GERMS AND SIN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): JAIN IS A CLASS OF BUDDHISTS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222. |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
EACH STATE IN INDIA SPEAKS A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE
WERE BELIEVED TO BE SETTLERS AFTER THE TOWER OF BABEL DISASTER.
Submitter comment:
EACH STATE IN INDIA HAS A SEPARATE LANGUAGE BUT EACH SPEAKS
ENGLISH
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
TAKE A DIP IN THE GANGA RIVER AND YOU WILL WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS A HINDU RITUAL. THE RIVER IS FAST RUNNING AND VERY
POLLUTED. A DIP IN THIS RIVER COULD KILL YOU.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): GANGES? ; RITUAL BATHING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Running water Large current. |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
IN INDIA, POOR PEOPLE ARE CREMATED AND THEIR REMAINS ARE SET AFLOAT
ON THE GANGA RIVER IN A CLAY WATER URN.
Submitter comment: THIS IS A HINDU CUSTOM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): GANGES?
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
IN INDIA, RICH PEOPLE'S BODIES ARE SET AFLOAT IN A BOAT ON THE
GANGA RIVER WITH CLOTHING AND FOOD FOR A WEEK AS A BURIAL.
Submitter comment: THIS IS A HINDU CUSTOM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): GANGES?
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
IF A MALE OR FEMALE IS FOUND NOT TO BE A VIRGIN BEFORE MARRIAGE,
HE OR SHE BECOMES AN OUTCAST OF SOCIETY, NEVER TO MARRY.
Submitter comment: THIS IS A CUSTOM OF INDIA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00-00-1967
Wearing opals when you are not a Scorpio is only bad
luck if you are single; if you are married they won't
harm you.
Submitter comment:
Jane, a friend of Elinor's, states that wearing an opal if
you are not supposed to interferes in the finding of
a husband. She then told Elinor that she could wear
an opal if she wanted to, since she was married.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): horoscope, astrology, spinster, advice, reassurance, gems
James Callow Keyword(s): JEWELRY
Date learned: 00001987ca
When you see the Northern Lights at night, whistle
very loudly and the light will become brighter.
Submitter comment:
Elinor learned this belief from a student of her's who
identified herself as "full-blooded North American Indian."
This woman had lived in northern Canada for some time.
When the informant demonstrated the technique for
whistling, she placed both of her baby fingers in
her mouth to indicate that the whistle was to be
extremely loud.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): Aurora Borealis
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Weather sign or control BELIEF -- Lightning Thunder BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal |
If you ever make an ugly face and someone slaps you on the back
while you are making that face your face will become stuck like
that.
Submitter comment: Lisa saw this in a movie once.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): CURSE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00001990s
Don't ever laugh when a hearse goes by.
Or you may be the next to die.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): DEATH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 00001970S
Father's Day
Confussion is Father's Day in Harlem, because people don't
know who their father is.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
James Callow Keyword(s): Confusion?
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- June CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Summer |
Hully Gully
Hully Gully is the name of a game played many years ago.
Some people played for fun and others played it for money. You
put a rock in one hand behind your back, hold both fist out in
front of you and have your opponent try to guess which hand the
rock is in.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Guessing Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement |
Date learned: 02-12-1992
Cure
To help a open wound heal fast, one should put a piece of
salt pork and a penny on it. However, one should also put a
towel in his or her mouth before doing this because it will
burn.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 02-12-1992
If you are bitten by a snake, put snuff on it to draw the
poison out.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 02-12-1992
Entry filtered.
Nieman Marcus Cookie Recipe:
2 cups butter 1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder 2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. soda 4 eggs
24 oz. chocolate chips 2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour 3 cups chopped nuts
1-8 oz. Hershey bar, grated 2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal
Cream butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix
together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add
chocolate chips, Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls and
place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at
375. Makes 112 cookies (recipe may be halved). Measure oatmeal
and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
Submitter comment:
Story has it that a lady begged to buy the cookie recipe from
Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas and was refused. After several
attempts, she was told that the recipe would cost two fifty. The
lady said fine and requested the store put it on her charge
account. When the lady received her bill the next month, she was
shocked to see the total $250.00 for a cookie recipe on there.
When she questioned the store, she was told the recipe is a very
expensive one and the store would not refund her money. She was
also told that the recipe is a company secret and should not have
been sold. To get even, the lady is spreading the recipe all
over the country by mail, word of mouth, etc. She is the first
to admit she indeed learned an expensive lesson.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal Food Drink -- Pastry Sweet Dessert |