Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Arkansas returned 59 results.
IF A WOMAN COMES TO YOUR HOUSE BEFORE A MAN ON NEW YEAR'S DAY,
YOU'LL HAVE BAD LUCK WITH YOUR CHICKENS THAT YEAR.
Submitter comment: MRS. REAVES TOLD ME THIS AT OUR HOME JULY 19, 1968. WHEN
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
Date learned: 07-19-1968
IT IS BAD LUCK TO LAY A MAN'S HAT ON THE BED, UNLESS YOU
TURN THE CROWN DOWN.
Submitter comment: MRS. REAVES TOLD ME THIS SUPERSTITION ON JULY 21, 1968. IT IS
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck Furniture (bed, table, chair, etc.) BELIEF -- Bad luck Clothing (dress, hat, shoes, suit, etc.) BELIEF -- Conversions Clothing (dress, hat, shoes, suit, etc.) |
Date learned: 07-21-1968
IT IS BAD LUCK TO CROSS IN FRONT OF A FUNERAL.
Submitter comment: MRS. REAVES TOLD ME THIS ON JULY 21, 1968.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Bad luck Crucial moment of life |
Date learned: 07-21-1968
IF YOU DREAM ABOUT A WEDDING, IT IS A SIGN OF DEATH.
Submitter comment: WHEN I WAS A SMALL GIRL, I HEARD IT FROM MY MOTHER ;
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Dreams Foretelling a death |
Date learned: 07-30-1968
FOR A STY ON THE EYE, GO TO THE CROSSROADS, STAND IN THE
CENTER, AND REPEAT, "STY, STY, LEAVE MY EYE. GO TO THE
NEXT ONE PASSING BY."
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- P646 P646.750 |
Date learned: 07-20-1968
THERE WAS A LADY IN FORTH SMITH WHO LIVED AT 1313 13TH STREET,
AND HER HUSBAND STABBED HER WITH A BUTCHER KNIFE ON THE 13H
DAY OF THE MONTH. STRUCK HER SO HARD HE BROKE THE KNIFE OFF
IN HER RIB CAGE.
THIRTEEN WAS REALLY UNLUCKY FOR HER.
Where learned: Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
| Subject headings: | 686 Specific number by specific number being described BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
WHEN LEAVING A BUILDING, IT IS BAD LUCK TO GO OUT ANY
DOOR, EXCEPT THE ONE THROUGH WHICH YOU ENTERED.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: Arkansas ; RUSSELLVILLE
Keyword(s): Bad ; Door ; Enter ; Exit ; Leave ; LUCK
| 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: 10-07-1973
Sex of Child
If a pregnant woman "carries" her child "high" or close to her
breasts, she is expecting a girl; if she carries the child "low" or
closer to her pelvis, she is expecting a girl.
Submitter comment: She's about 95% accurate by my experience.
Where learned: Arkansas ; PINE BLUFF
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Birth |
Brooms
It is bad luck to walk over a broom. If you do, you should
step backwards over the broom to undo the damage.
Where learned: Arkansas ; PINE BLUFF
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bad luck BELIEF -- Conversions |
Gossiping
If someone is gossiping about you (sullying your good name),
put a penny in your shoe for a week and "walk" that person out of
your life.
Where learned: Arkansas ; PINE BLUFF
Child Rearing
If a child is slow to walk (over one year old), stand the child
behind any door in your home and sweep his/her feet with a straw
broom.
Submitter comment:
This really works!!! I tried it with my son, within three days
he was walking.
Where learned: Arkansas ; PINE BLUFF
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
GOOD LUCK OMEN (NEGRO)
WHEN MOVING, MOVE IN A BROOM FIRST.
Where learned: Grandmother ; Arkansas ; TOLD BY
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. |
Date learned: 10-00-1969
IF YOU DREAM OF A DEATH, WEDDING IN THE FAMILY;
IF YOU DREAM OF A WEDDING, DEATH IN THE FAMILY.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: Arkansas ; RUSSELLVILLE
Keyword(s): DEATH ; Dream ; FAMILY ; Meaning ; Opposite ; SIGN ; SYMBOL ; WEDDING
James Callow Keyword(s): CHIASMUS ; CONTRAST ; ITERATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Dreams Dreams about weddings, funerals, and other crucial moments of life |
Date learned: 10-20-1973
IF YOU KICK A CAT YOU'LL GET RHEUMATISM.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: Arkansas ; RUSSELLVILLE
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; Animal Cruelty ; CAT ; CRUELTY ; ILLNESS ; Kick ; OMEN ; PUNISHMENT ; Rheumatism
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
A CAT LOOKING OUT A WINDOW IS "LOOKING FOR RAIN."
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: Arkansas ; RUSSELLVILLE
Keyword(s): ANTHROPOMORPHISM ; CAT ; CAT ; Rain ; SIGN ; Window
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Cloud Fog Mist Rain Hail Ice Snow Frost Dew |
Home remedy
Place peachtree leaves in a cloth bag and place the bag up
against the body where fever is located to draw the fever out.
James Callow comment:
Cf. Puckett, Ohio, no. 9518: "To cure fever, bind peach
leaves tightly to the forehead."
Where learned: Camben ; Arkansas
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Plant |
Date learned: 00-00-1945
GHOSTS
ONE TIME, AT NIGHT, IN THE HILLS SURROUNDING CENTER
RIDGE, ARKANSAS, MY GRANDFATHER WAS OPOSSUM HUNTING.
HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A FRIEND AND HIS HUNTING DOG
WHEN HE SAW A WHITE FIGURE WALKING THROUGH THE BRUSH.
THE FIGURE WAS A GLOWING WHITE. THE DOG ALSO SAW
THE "GHOST" AND STARTED AFTER IT. MY GRANDFATHER'S
FRIEND DID NOT SEE THE GHOST SINCE HE WAS NOT LOOKING
IN THAT DIRECTION. THE FRIEND DID NOT BELIEVE THE
TALE. HOWEVER, MY GRANDFATHER LEARNED LATER THAT
HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE TO SEE THE GHOST. OTHERS
HAD SPOTTED THE FIGURE IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA
ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Arkansas ; CENTER RIDGE ; Mount Clemens
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 10-30-1968
GHOSTS
ONE TIME, AT NIGHT, IN THE HILLS SURROUNDING CENTER
RIDGE, ARKANSAS, MY GRANDFATHER WAS OPOSSUM HUNTING.
HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A FRIEND AND HIS HUNTING DOG
WHEN HE SAW A WHITE FIGURE WALKING THROUGH THE BRUSH.
THE FIGURE WAS A GLOWING WHITE. THE DOG ALSO SAW
THE "GHOST" AND STARTED AFTER IT. MY GRANDFATHER'S
FRIEND DID NOT SEE THE GHOST SINCE HE WAS NOT LOOKING
IN THAT DIRECTION. THE FRIEND DID NOT BELIEVE THE
TALE. HOWEVER, MY GRANDFATHER LEARNED LATER THAT
HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE TO SEE THE GHOST. OTHERS
HAD SPOTTED THE FIGURE IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA
ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Arkansas ; CENTER RIDGE ; Mount Clemens
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter |
Date learned: 10-30-1968
A LEGEND
IT WAS SAID THAT AT MIDNIGHT ON NEW YEAR'S EVE,
THE COWS ARE ON THEIR KNEES AND THE CHICKENS HANG
FROM THE ROOST BY THEIR CLAWS.
Submitter comment:
MRS. REAVES TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A LEGEND WHICH HER
GRANDMOTHER TOLD HER WHEN SHE WAS A GIRL IN FORT
SMITH, ARKANSAS.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; Arkansas ; FORT SMITH
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve BELIEF -- Animal |
Date learned: 08-13-1968