Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for BAR returned 97 results.
This was an autograph in my mother's yearbook:
"Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Flush the toilet,
When you are through."
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse |
IN CANADA, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN SPIDER THAT MAKES A TICKING
SOUND, AND HE'S CALLED THE "TICKING SPIDER." THEY SAY THAT WHEN
YOU HEAR THIS SPIDER IN YOUR HOUSE, THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO
DIE. FUNNY THING, GRANDMA HEARD ONE, AND GRANDPA WELLS DIED.
Where learned: HOME ; BARRETT RD
Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 08-13-1968
LONGEVITY
ROCKERFELLER WENT TO A NATUREOPIDIST TO FIND OUT HOW TO LIVE LONGER -
TOLD HIM TO DRINK "MOTHER'S MILK". SO HE WENT TO ALL THE HOSPITALS
AND PAID $10.00 A QUART.
Where learned: DETROIT ; LAMAR BARBER COLLEGE ; WOODWARD AVE
Keyword(s): ROCKEFELLER
Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Secular hero BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 03-16-1965
KNOWLEDGE BUMP
AS THE BARBER WAS CUTTING MY HAIR HE NOTICED THAT I HAVE
A NATURAL BUMP ON THE LOWER BACK PART OF MY SKULL.
WHEN HE NOTICED THIS HE COMMENTED THAT I HAVE A "KNOWLEDGE BUMP".
Where learned: DETROIT, ASSUMED ; BARBER SHOP ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Head, physiognomy, face |
Date learned: 09-18-1969
NICKNAME
THE NUNS, BECAUSE OF THEIR HABITS AND TYPE OF WADDLING -
WALK, WERE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS "PENGUINS."
Where learned: SAINT BARBARA SCHOOL
Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN BY COLLECTOR
MY MOTHER, YOUR MOTHER
MY MOTHER YOUR MOTHER LIVES ACROSS THE STREET
1819 BROADWAY STREET
EVERYNIGHT THEY HAVE A FIGHT AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAY
ACKRA BACKRA SODA CRACKER, ACKRA, BACKRA BOO
ACKRA BACKRA SODA CRACKER OUT GOES YOU}
Submitter comment:
I WOULD USE THIS JUMP ROPE RHYME WHEN I TOLLD JUMP ROPE IN THE
1950'S9
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD IN ; NEIGHBORHOOD
Keyword(s): CHARACTER ; PLAIN-JUMP ; SPEED-JUMP
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: NOT RECORDED
SARCASTIC PROVERB ABOUT ACQUIRING MATERIAL GOODS
HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS.
Submitter comment: THIS PROVERB IS MEANT AS A JOKE ABOUT BECOMING WEALTHY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE ; OUT AT A BAR
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Curing Belief
Use leeches on a sick person to rid him of the illness. This takes out the diseased blood.
Submitter comment:
"Curing Belief" collected at informant's home.
Data entry tech comment:
Motif added by TRD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): "NATURAL" REMEDY ; Bloodletting ; CURE ; ILLNESS ; Leaching ; LEECHES ; REMEDY ; REMEDY
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Remedy |
Legend of Writing to Dead People for Lottery Numbers
When writing to dead people for numbers in the lottery, don't cross your t's or dot your i's. And don't use punctuation. At night, put it over a glass of water, under the bed, on top of silver three-pence. A number is to be provided somehow.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original Boggs Number [B420 429] crossed out and others added: P840, P429, P686
Where learned: DORM ROOM
Keyword(s): Clairvoyance ; Gamble ; GAMBLING ; GRAMMAR ; Lottery ; NUMBERS ; RITUAL ; Spell ; SPIRIT ; SUPERNATURAL
Subject headings: | Spirit / Mind / Body BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Number |
Maxim
Sun and Rain:
Happy is the bride the sun shines on;
Lucky is the corpse that rain falls on.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880, P45] crossed out/ replaced with current classifications.
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Bride ; BURIAL ; Corpse ; DEATH ; Funeral ; MARRIAGE ; Maxim ; OMEN ; SUPERSTITION ; WEDDING
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Ethnic: German
Prosperity Belief:
It is an old German belief that if you eat herring and shake coins in a tin box, you will not go hungry and will always have money.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P740, P880] crossed out/replaced with current classifications.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; COIN ; ETHNIC ; FOOD ; fortune ; GERMAN ; Herring ; LUCK ; MONEY ; PROSPERITY
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Fish BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance |
Custom/Belief
Belief - Baby/Motherhood:
After delivering a baby, a woman will eat the afterbirth of an animal, so that her afterbirth delivers well.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [F542] crossed out and replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Afterbirth ; BELIEF ; BIRTH ; Child Bearing ; CHILDBIRTH ; Consumption ; CUSTOM ; FOOD ; Placenta ; PREGNANCY ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth |
Ethnic: Russian
Wedding Custom:
When the bride is preparing for her wedding (getting dressed and ready to leave for church) a violin player and an accordian player play a special tune.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Written on bottom left of the card: [ Ethnic? Russian Orthodox, says collector.]
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Accordion ; Bride ; CUSTOM ; DRESS ; Fashion ; MARRIAGE ; MUSIC ; violin ; WEDDING
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Marriage |
Belief: Animal
Robin:
Make a wish on the first Robin you see in the spring.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P880] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Written on card and then crossed out: For Birds?
Keyword(s): BELIEF ; BIRD ; LUCK ; Robin ; SEASON ; Spring ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Bird |
Belief: Animal
Warding off Snake Belief:
If you see a snake, say "my back, my belly" ten times and it should go away.
Submitter comment:
Informaer has tried it several times and it worked
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [P752] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; BELIEF ; Serpent ; Snake ; SUPERSTITION
Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Animal |
Belief: Weather
Rain:
If it rains before seven, it will be clear before eleven.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V800, P8] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications
Dup. of WPP
Keyword(s): NATURE ; PREDICTION ; Rain ; Sky ; TIME ; WEATHER
Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb Proverb |
Proverb
Birds of a feather flock together
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects.
Keyword(s): BIRD ; BIRDS ; Feather ; Flock ; Maxim ; PROVERB ; VERSE
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
Time and tide wait for no man.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Keyword(s): PATIENCE ; PROCRASTINATION ; Tide ; TIME
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Proverb
Too many cooks spoil the broth
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
Located in pile marked Duplicates and Other Rejects
Keyword(s): Broth ; Chef ; Cooks ; FOOD ; METAPHOR ; Stew
Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |