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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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CUSTOM

JAPANESE CUSTOM OF GREETING IS THE BOW. THE BOW IS NOT ONLY
A PHYSICAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GREETING, BUT ALSO THE
EXPRESSION OF VARYING DEGREES OF EMOTIONS. ONE BOWS
DIFFERENTLY TO PARENTS, FRIENDS, SERVANTS, OLDER SIBLINGS,
ETC. THE DIFFERENCE BEING THE DEPTH OF THE BOW, WHETHER
A NOD OF THE HEAD, TO THE WAIST, OR TO THE FLOOR. FOR
EXAMPLE, THE CHILD'S GOOD MORNING SALUTATION IS NOT JUST
THE VERBAL ONE OF "OHAYO GOZAIMASU" BUT ACCOMPANIED BY A
FORMAL BOW, WHICH MEANS KNEELING (BOTH FEET) ON THE FLOOR
WITH HEAD TOUCHING ONE'S HANDS WHICH ARE LAID PALMS DOWN
ON THE FLOOR AT BENDED KNEES.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THE ABOVE WHILE GROWING UP IN JAPAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; JAPAN

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Body parts involved
SPEECH -- Body parts involved S602.1
SPEECH -- Body parts involved S602.3
SPEECH -- Greetings Salutations
SPEECH -- Respect

Date learned: 08-01-1964

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IF YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR HEAD POINTED TO NORTH, A DEAD SPIRIT
COMES SO YOU MUST POINT IT TO SOUTH.

Where learned: JAPAN ; HIROSHIMA

James Callow Keyword(s): DIRECTIONS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Measure of time Sleeping

Date learned: 10-02-1977

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IF YOU MEET A DEAD PERSON IN YOUR DREAM, YOU MUST NEVER
ANSWER HIM IF YOU WERE ASKED SOMETHING. IN THE CASE
YOU ANSWER HIM, YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO THE COUNTRY OF THE
DEAD AND CAN NEVER COME BACK.

Where learned: JAPAN ; HIROSHIMA

Subject headings: 841 Dreams about the dead and sick
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Dreams Dreams about the dead and sick

Date learned: 10-02-1977

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THE BEST DAY FOR WEDDING:
DO WEDDING CEREMONY ON THE DAY OF "TAIAN" AND DO NOT HOLD
IT ON THE DAY OF "BUTSUMETSU."
"TAIAN"---THE DAY OF BUDDHA WAS BORN.
"BUTSUMETSU"---THE DAY OF BUDDHA DIED.

Where learned: JAPAN ; HIROSHIMA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Gods
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Measure of quality

Date learned: 10-02-1977

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A MORNING SPIDER BRINGS HAPPINESS SO KEEP IT ALIVE, BUT
AS A NIGHT SPIDER BRINGS UNHAPPINESS YOU MUST KILL IT.

Where learned: JAPAN ; HIROSHIMA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Insect

Date learned: 10-02-1977

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RIDDLE

Q: WHAT IS IT THAT SOMETIMES APPEARS WHEN EVERYTHING DISAPPEARS?
A: A (SOLD OUT) NOTICE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVES IN JAPAN AND (HE) LEARNED ABOVE FROM HIS CHILDREN.

Where learned: LETTER ; JAPAN

Keyword(s): COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATED MATTER (A) ; STATE OF BEING (Q)

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 07-28-1964

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RIDDLE

Q: WHAT IS IT THAT IS HARD WHEN IT ENTERS A BATH,
BUT IMMEDIATELY BECOMES SOFT?
A: INSTANT JAPANESE NOODLES.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVES IN JAPAN AND (HE) LEARNED ABOVE FROM HIS CHILDREN.

Where learned: LETTER ; JAPAN

Keyword(s): ANTITHETICAL ; EATABLES AND DRINKS (A) ; STATE OF BEING (Q)

James Callow Keyword(s): PRETENDED OBSCENE?

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 07-28-1964

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GESTURE

IN PARTING, WHEN A JAPANESE WAVES GOODBYE, HE USUALLY HOLDS THE ARM
ALOFT, WAVING THE HAND UP AND DOWN WITH THE PALM DOWNWARD. THIS SAME
MOTION OF THE HAND AND FINGERS WITH THE ARM OUTSTRETCHED HORIZONTALLY
USUALLY SIGNIFIES, "COME HERE". (IN THE WEST ONE BECKONS WITH ONE
FINGER, THE INDEX FINGER, WITH THE PALMS UPWARD).

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVES IN TOKYO, JAPAN.

Where learned: LETTER ; JAPAN

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Gesture

Date learned: 07-20-1964

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PROVERB

FALLING DROPS OF WATER WEAR AWAY A STONE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVES IN JAPAN.

Where learned: LETTER ; JAPAN

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: 07-28-1964

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IT IS SAID THAT ON THE DAY OF AUGUST 7th WHEN ATOMIC BOMB
WAS DROPPED IN HIROSHIMA, ALL SPIRITS OF THE DEAD BY BOMB
COME BACK TO THIS PLACE. IN ORDER FOR THESE SPIRITS TO
FIND THE WAY TO GO TO HEAVEN, PEOPLE FLOAT DEDICATORY
LANTERNS WITH EACH DEAD PERSON'S NAME ON IT ON THE WATER.
THIS CUSTOM IS ALSO HELD AT THE END OF THE BON SEASON FOR
THE ANCESTORS.

Where learned: JAPAN ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; HIROSHIMA CITY

Subject headings: Person / Nickname
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- August 7
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Death Funeral Burial
CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Typical Elements of a Festive Pattern
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Measure of time Season

Date learned: 09-20-1977

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CURE FOR CHRONIC LIVER SICKNESS:
PUT THE ROOTS OF CHRYSANTHEMUM INTO THE POT AND BOIL ON
LOW TEMPERATURE. IF YOU DRINK IT CONTINUOUSLY, THE CHRONIC
LIVER SICKNESS WILL BE RECOVERED. THIS HAS BEEN PRACTICED
BY MANY PEOPLE IN JAPAN AND MOST OF THEM WHO COULD NOT
GET WELL BY CHEMICS RECOVERED.

Where learned: JAPAN ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 09-25-1977

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CURE FOR KIDNEY TROUBLE:
IF YOU DRINK OIL FROM EGGS, LITTLE BY LITTLE YOU WILL GET WELL.
IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR A HEALTHY PERSON TO DRINK IT TO PREVENT
FROM THIS ILLNESS.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; JAPAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness
BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 09-25-1977

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CURE OF TOOTHACHE:
WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A TOOTHACHE THEY USUALLY BRUSH THEIR TEETH
WITH SALT AND IT SOFTENS THE ACHE.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; JAPAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue
BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 09-25-1977

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TO PREDICT WEATHER OF NEXT DAY, CHILDREN TOSS A SHOE
SINGING, "I WISH TOMORROW WILL BE FINE!" WHEN THE SHOE
FALL ON GROUND SHOWING THE FACE IT WILL BE FINE, BUT
WHEN SHOWING THE BACK IT WILL BE RAIN. IN THE CASE THAT
IT IS LAID ON ITS SIDE, IT WILL BE CLOUDY.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; JAPAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour
BELIEF -- Use of Object

Date learned: 09-25-1977

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LAY TWO MATCHES END TO END, LIGHT ONE END. IF IT STAY LIT
ALL THE WAY TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE OTHER MATCH, LOVE
WILL COME.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; JAPAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Marriage
BELIEF -- Use of Object

Date learned: 09-20-1977

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WHEN BAMBOOS HAVE WHITE FLOWERS, IT'S A SIGN OF DISASTER.
BAMBOOS HAVE WHITE FLOWERS ONCE EVERY SIXTY YEARS AND
WITHER ALL OF THEM ONCE EVERY THIRTY YEARS. FOUR YEARS AGO
(1973) ALL OF THE WHITE FLOWERS WITHERED AND AT THAT YEAR
WE HAD AN UNUSUAL TYPHOON SEASON. THIS YEAR (1977) IN SOME
PLACES BAMBOOS HAD FLOWERS AND IN SOME PLACES THEY WITHERED.
AT THE SAME TIME USE VOLCANO EXPLODED ON AUGUST 3rd AND THE
CITY NEAR THE VOLCANO WAS COMPLETELY RUINED. THE EXPLOSION
OF VOLCANOES HAPPEN PERIODICALLY ONCE EVERY THIRTY YEARS
AND IN EACH CASES BAMBOO TREES HAVE WHITE FLOWERS.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; JAPAN, ASSUMED

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Weather sign or control
BELIEF -- Wind Whirlwind Hurricane Cyclone Tornado
BELIEF -- Formation
BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Measure of time Year
BELIEF -- Number P686.1.30
BELIEF -- Number P686.1.60

Date learned: 10-10-1977

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COUNTING OUT

EENIE MEENIE, MINIE, MO,
CATCH A DONKEY BY THE TOE,
IF HE HOLLERS, LET HIM GO,
OUT GOES Y-O-U.

Where learned: JAPAN ; TOKYO

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1958

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COUNTING OUT

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO, THREE POTATO, FOUR,
FIVE POTATO, SIX POTATO, SEVEN POTATO, OR.
PROCEDURE: ONE PERSON DOES THE HAND HITTING. EACH
PLAYER PUTS BOTH HANDS IN FRONT OF HIM AND THE HAND
HITTER STARTS WITH THE PERSON ON HIS RIGHT, HITTING ONE
HAND FOR EACH COUNT. IF HE HITS ONE OF YOUR HANDS ON
"OR" THAT HAND IS PUT BEHIND YOUR BACK AND THE HITTER
BEGINS AGAIN WITH THE NEXT HAND. THE LAST PERSON TO
HAVE A HAND LEFT IN, IS "IT" FOR WHATEVER GAME THEY
PLAN TO PLAY.

Where learned: JAPAN ; TOKYO

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1959

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IN THE JAIL THEY GIVE YOU COFFEE,
IN THE JAIL THEY GIVE YOU TEA.
IN THE JAIL THEY GIVE YOU ANYTHING,
BUT THE "DOGGONE KEY"!

Where learned: JAPAN ; TOKYO

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Chimney corner wisdom, advice, humorous fortune

Date learned: 00-00-1959

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DON'T KISS HIM ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP,
DON'T KISS HIM ON THE LEVEL,
BUT WHEN YOU GET HIM IN THE DARK,
KISS HIM LIKE THE DEVIL.

Where learned: JAPAN ; TOKYO

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Chimney corner wisdom, advice, humorous fortune

Date learned: 00-00-1959

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