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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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Your search for ROCHESTER HILLS returned 55 results.

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A certain young man named McGill
Who ran up and down every hill
When someone enquired
Did he ever get tired
He said NAAAAA!

Submitter comment: This was given to me by Roy during a New Year's Party
as a sort of joke, a parody to all the limericks.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

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

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On what planet can you throw a rock in such a way that it
goes a short distance, stops in midair, reverses direction
and travels back to you? No, it doesn't bounce off anything.
The answer is the earth for one. Just toss the rock straight
up.

Submitter comment: Roy gave us this at a party

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 00001980S

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An astronaut exploring the moon bet his pal that with his
eyes shut he could walk one kilometer. How did he do it?
The answer is he walked over a kilometer, at some point he
had walked a kilometer.

Submitter comment: Roy also gave us this at a party.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 00001980S

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Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
There can be various answers but you might think that
the egg that some refer to is not a chicken egg but
reptile eggs so reptile eggs came first.

Submitter comment: Roy also gave us this at a party.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- True Riddle

Date learned: 00001980S

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A lawyer was talking to a Italian about a contract,
explaining its details. The lawyer begins talking
about the sanity clause. The Italian starts laughing
and says, "You can't fool me, there is no such a thing
as Santity Clause (Santa Claus).

Submitter comment: Brian did this at a party to jibe Roy (an Italian).

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote
ITAL

Date learned: 00001980S

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A PERSON SHOULD NEVER CUT A THORN BUSH. IT
WOULD BRING BAD LUCK BECAUSE THEY ARE A
FAVORITE OF THE EVILS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Bad luck Plants

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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IT IS BAD LUCK TO SNEEZE MORE THAN THREE TIMES
WITHOUT SOMEONE BLESSING YOU.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple
BELIEF -- Sensations and involuntary actions Sneeze (also see P477)
BELIEF -- Conversions Body parts and functions

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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THERE WAS A HOUSE, BUILT IN 1756, WHICH HAD SECRET
STAIRWAYS AND PATHWAYS IN IT. MR. STABLER OWNED
AND LOVED THIS HOUSE MORE THAN ANYTHING. AFTER HE
DIED HIS GHOST COULD BE SEEN AFTER DARK WALKING
FROM THE BARN INTO THE HOUSE. NONE OF THE
COLORED PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THIS HOUSE AFTER DARK.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVED IN THIS HOUSE, RENTING IT FROM
MRS. STABLER AND HAS SEEN THE GHOST. THIS IS IN
MARYLAND. SHE LIVED THERE IN 1953.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MARYLAND ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal Product or Activity of Man or Animal
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal P477.13

Date learned: 00-00-1953

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THERE WAS THIS STONE HOUSE IN A POOR COLORED
SECTION OF MARYLAND. TWO BROTHERS LIVED IN THIS
HOUSE, AND THEY WERE ALWAYS FIGHTING. ONE DAY,
ONE BROTHER WENT OUT, AND WHEN HE CAME BACK, HE
FOUND HIS BROTHER AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS AND
HE SHOT AND KILLED HIM. FROM THAT TIME ON,
THE GHOST OF THE BROTHER CAN BE SEEN AT THE TOP
OF THE STAIRS AT MIDNIGHT.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LIVED ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM THIS HOUSE
AND ONCE MET THE LIVING BROTHER BEFORE THIS
HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED IN MARYLAND IN
1954-1955.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MARYLAND ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal P477.13

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YOU MUST GO OUT BEFORE DAWN AND CUT A PIECE FROM A FRESH-CUT STUMP.
RUB THE DEW FROM IT ON THE WART TO GET RID OF IT.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM A LADY IN WEST VIRGINIA.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WEST VIRGINIA ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Remedy

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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THE TOMBS

THE LOCATION OF THIS SIGHT IS SOMEWHERE IN A
GRAVEYARD ALONG 26 MILE ROAD IN ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN.
IT IS SUPPOSEDLY HAUNTED BY A BLIND GHOST WHO WALKS
WITH THE AID OF A CANE AND IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED
BY HIS "GHOST" DOG. MOREOVER, IF ANYONE KISSES
HIS TOMB, LOCATED IN THE CEMETERY, THREE TIMES, HE
WILL DIE. THREE PEOPLE HAVE MET THIS FATE ALREADY.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT GAVE VERY SKETCHY DETAILS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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THE TOMBS

THE LOCATION OF THIS SIGHT IS SOMEWHERE IN A
GRAVEYARD ALONG 26 MILE ROAD IN ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN.
IT IS SUPPOSEDLY HAUNTED BY A BLIND GHOST WHO WALKS
WITH THE AID OF A CANE AND IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED
BY HIS "GHOST" DOG. MOREOVER, IF ANYONE KISSES
HIS TOMB, LOCATED IN THE CEMETERY, THREE TIMES, HE
WILL DIE. THREE PEOPLE HAVE MET THIS FATE ALREADY.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT GAVE VERY SKETCHY DETAILS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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NICKNAME

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CUSTOMARY TO GIVE BABIES LONG NAMES
AND THEN ABBREVIATE THEM FOR EVERYDAY USE; THUS WILLIAM
WAS CALLED BILL AND JIM FOR JAMES... THESE WERE CALLED
"NURSE NAMES." AS THE CHILD GREW TO BE AN ADULT, THESE
NURSE NAMES STUCK, ALTHOUGH SOME RECEIVED A SPECIAL
NAME FOR SOME PROMINENT TRAIT AND WERE CALLED SOMETHING
ELSE INSTEAD, AS CURLY OR BALDY OR RED. THESE WERE
CALLED "EKE-NAMES" FROM THE SAXON FOR "ALSO."
SLURRED OVER IN COMMON SPEECH, THESE ALSO NAMES BECAME
NEKE NAMES, THEN TO NICKNAMES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS

Subject headings: Person / Nickname
SPEECH -- Folk etymology

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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HOW DID THE (ANY ETHNIC GROUP) BREAK HIS LEG RAKING LEAVES?
GIVE UP? HE FELL OUT OF THE TREE!!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS ; WHERE I HEARD THIS

James Callow Keyword(s): NUMSKULL

Subject headings: RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

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Entry filtered.

WHAT DID THE JEWISH SANTA SAY WHEN HE CAME DOWN THE CHIMNEY?
GIVE UP? WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO BUY SOME PRESENTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS ; WHERE I HEARD THIS

Subject headings: JEWI
RIDDLE -- Riddle Question

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