Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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KNOCK-KNOCK JOKE
KNOCK-KNOCK.
WHO'S THERE?
JO.
JOE WHO?
JO MAMA!
Submitter comment:
THIS JOKE WAS POPULAR WITH MY SON AND HIS FRIENDS.
JO MAMA STOOD FOR YOUR MAMA.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00-00-1981
EXPRESSIONS
HORSETURD!
OH BUG!
DON'T GET WISE, BEE-BEE EYES.
THAT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF IT.
ALRIGHTEE.
BUG-A-BUG.
I'M EMBARRASED.
BROTHER!
SUGAR
OH, YOU DEVIL!
GET OFF MY BACK.
THAT HELPS.
JEEZE-O-MAN.
YOU MOLE.
CRAZY-MAN-CRAZY.
STINKIE-SCHWINKIE, YOU'RE REAL GONE.
CRAZY-MAN, CRAZY.
YOU'RE BERSERK!
YOU'RE NUTS.
DUMB BUNNY.
OH FISH
WOW! WHAT A CAT.
HI, REPULSIVE.
KILL IT! DON'T LET IT LIVE.
CITY SLICKERS ARE SUCKERS.
MAN, IS THAT COOL!
GADZOOKS!
GET OUT
OH, PHOOEY.
WHAT SAY, HOOD?
DADGUM IT.
YOU CAN'T FIND OUT 'TIL YOU EXPERIMENT. MM
HE WHO WANTS THE NUT
MUST CRACK THE KERNEL
Submitter comment:
THIS LIST OF EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY USED BY THE STUDENTS WAS
PRINTED IN THE SALINA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL NINTH GRADE YEARBOOK
IN 1954. SALINA IS IN DEARBORN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
NICKNAMES
BOOTS
DODDLES
CURLY
BIRDLEGS
HOOD
DIMPLES
LIVERLIPS
THE CREEP
CROCK
FLAT TOP
CRISCO
TOOT-TOOT
PORKEY
MOUSEY
ICKY
DUCK
TEA BONES
CAT
Submitter comment:
THIS LIST OF STUDENTS' NICKNAMES WAS PRINTED IN THE SALINA
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL NINTH-GRADE YEARBOOK IN 1955. THE REAL NAMES
OF THE STUDENTS WERE LISTED NEXT TO THEIR NICKNAMES.
SALINA IS IN DEARBORN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00-00-1955
A MAN WENT TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF A COMPANY AND TOLD
THE SECRETARY HE WANTED TO APPLY FOR A JOB. THE SECRETARY WAS
EXPLAINING THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT HIRING WHEN THE BOSS CAME
WALKING IN.
"ANY MESSAGES?" HE ASKED.
"SIR," SAID THE MAN, "I WOULD LIKE A JOB WITH YOUR COMPANY."
"WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?" ASKED THE BOSS.
"YALE," SAID THE MAN.
"REALLY?" ASKED THE BOSS.
"YES, SIR," SAID THE MAN, "AND I LEARNED A LOT WHILE I WAS THERE."
"WELL, WE REALLY AREN'T HIRING JUST NOW, BUT WITH YOUR CREDENTIALS,
COME INTO MY OFFICE AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO."
THE MAN SAID, "I SURE APPRECIATE THIS, SIR."
"NOTHING TO APPRECIATE," SAID THE BOSS, "THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR
BRIGHT YOUNG MEN, BUT TELL ME MR. - UH - I DON'T BELIEVE I CAUGHT
YOUR NAME."
"YIM YONES, SIR," SAID THE MAN.
Submitter comment: I HEARD THIS JOKE IN 1981.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote |
Date learned: 00-00-1981
EVIL EYE
WHEN MY BROTHER WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD, OUR FAMILY WENT TO VISIT
SOME RELATIVES IN CANADA. WE STOPPED AT A SMALL GROCERY STORE
IN CANADA. THE OLD MAN IN THE STORE KEPT SAYING WHAT A
BEAUTIFUL BABY MY BROTHER WAS. MY FATHER HURRIED US ALONG.
WHEN WE GOT IN THE CAR, HE SAID HE DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY THE
MAN LOOKED AT MY BROTHER AND WAS WORRIED THAT THE MAN HAD
AN "EVIL EYE."
AFTER WE CAME HOME THAT NIGHT, BY BROTHER BECAME VERY ILL WITH
DIARRHEA. BY THE NEXT DAY, HE WAS DEHYDRATING AND HAD TO BE
HOSPITALIZED. HE ALMOST DIED. HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR
ALMOST A MONTH. MM
A FEW MONTHS LATER HE PICKED UP A BOTTLE OF LIQUID FURNITURE
POLISH WHILE MY SISTER WAS CLEANING HOUSE AND DRANK IT. HE
HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED AND HAVE HIS STOMACH PUMPED. MM
A FEW MONTHS LATER, MY BROTHER CAME DOWN WITH TONSILLITIS AND
WAS GIVEN A PRESCRIPTION FOR PENICILLIN. HE TURNED OUT TO BE
ALLERGIC TO THE PENICILLIN AND ENDED UP BEING RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AGAIN. MM
THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, MY FATHER SWORE THAT THE MAN IN THAT STORE
HAD GIVEN MY BROTHER THE "EVIL EYE" AND THAT THE ONLY THING THAT HAD
SAVED HIS LIFE WAS MY FATHER'S CONSTANT PRAYING. I DON'T BUY
THE EVIL-EYE THEORY, BUT I DID AT THE TIME.
Submitter comment:
MY FATHER WAS BORN IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA IN 1909 WHILE HIS
PARENTS WERE VISITING THE UNITED STATES. THEY ALL WENT BACK TO
LEBANON A YEAR LATER. HIS MOTHER AND THREE BROTHERS DIED IN AN
EPIDEMIC WHEN HE WAS 3 YEARS OLD, AND HE WAS RAISED BY HIS
GRANDMOTHER WHO WAS VERY SUPERSTITIOUS.
MY FATHER'S NAME WAS SHERIFF MAHSSNEY. HE DIED IN 1980.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Curse |
Date learned: 00-00-1954
TATTOO
MY FATHER, WHO GREW UP IN LEBANON, HAD A CLOVER-LIKE TATTOO ON EACH
OF HIS TEMPLES. HE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN HE WAS A CHILD, HE HAD VERY
POOR EYESIGHT AND WAS BELIEVED TO BE GOING BLIND. HIS GRANDMOTHER
TOOK HIM TO A MAN WHO GAVE HIM THE TATTOOS. HE SWORE HIS VISION WAS
RETURNED TO NORMAL. HE NEVER WORE GLASSES UNTIL HE WAS ABOUT
50 YEARS OLD.
Submitter comment:
MY FATHER WAS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT LIVED IN LEBANON
FROM THE TIME HE WAS A YEAR OLD UNTIL HE WAS TWENTY AND CAME TO THE
U.S. HE DIED IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN IN 1980.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Human or animal body Tattoo BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
THE EYES ARE MUCH REVERED IN LEBANESE CULTURE. PEOPLE OFTEN SWEAR
ON THEIR MOTHER'S EYES, THEIR BABY'S EYES, ETC., TO CONVINCE
PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH. MM
LEBANESE PEOPLE ALSO REFER TO THE EYES WHEN PROFESSING GREAT LOVE.
"I LOVE YOU MORE THAN MY EYES," IS A COMMONLY HEARD EXPRESSION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
James Callow Keyword(s): ASSERVATIONS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye SPEECH -- Formula PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison |
Date learned: 00001950S
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, MY FATHER USED TO TELL ME THAT I SHOULD
ALWAYS BE HONEST, DO GOOD THINGS, AND BE NICE TO PEOPLE. HE
SAID THAT GOD KNEW EVERYTHING WE DID. HE SAID THERE WAS A LITTLE
ANGEL SITTING ON EACH OF OUR SHOULDERS AND THAT EVERY TIME WE DID
SOMETHING GOOD, THE ANGEL ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER WOULD WRITE IT
DOWN. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN WE DID SOMETHING BAD, THE ANGEL ON THE
LEFT SHOULDER WOULD RECORD IT. HE SAID THAT WHEN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
CAME, GOD WOULD CHECK TO SEE WHICH LIST WAS LONGER. IT WASN'T
ENOUGH TO JUST TRY NOT TO BE BAD BECAUSE THE ANGEL ON THE RIGHT
SHOULDER ONLY WROTE DOWN GOOD DEEDS--NOT NO DEEDS AT ALL.
Submitter comment:
MY FATHER WAS RAISED IN LEBANON. HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES
IN 1929 WHEN HE WAS 20 YEARS OLD AND LIVED HERE UNTIL HIS DEATH
IN 1982.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
James Callow Keyword(s): LEFT ; RIGHT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Gods BELIEF -- Angel BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of quantity or weight |
Date learned: 00001950S
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, WE WERE TOLD THAT IF WE DROPPED A PIECE OF
BREAD OR OTHER SOLID-TYPE FOOD, WE SHOULD PICK IT UP QUICKLY,
KISS IT, AND PUT IT TO OUR FOREHEADS AND GOD WOULD BLESS IT AND MAKE
IT CLEAN FOR US TO EAT. (THIS WAS ONLY TRUE IN OUR OWN HOUSE.)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Gods BELIEF -- Body part Senses Forehead SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: 00001950S
PICKLE
YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST THREE PLAYERS FOR THIS GAME. TWO PEOPLE WITH
MITTS ARE CATCHERS. THEY THROW THE BALL BACK AND FORTH LIKE
THEY'RE PLAYING CATCH. WHILE THEY'RE THROWING IT, THE RUNNERS
TRY TO RUN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER BEFORE THE CATCHERS CAN
CATCH THE BALL AND TAG THEM. THE FIRST RUNNER TO TAG BASE THE
NUMBER OF TIMES DECIDED UPON AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME
(USUALLY 25 TO 35) GETS TO BE THE NEW CATCHER AND CHOOSE WHOMEVER HE
WANTS TO BE THE OTHER CATCHER. MM
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY RUNNERS THERE ARE. THEY CAN ALL RUN AT
THE SAME TIME, BUT THE MORE THERE ARE THE EASIER IT IS FOR THE
CATCHERS TO TAG SOMEONE. A RUNNER IS OUT WHEN HE HAS BEEN TAGGED
THREE TIMES. MM
THE GAME IS CALLED "PICKLE" BECAUSE RUNNERS OFTEN GET CAUGHT IN THE
MIDDLE AND MUST TRY RUNNING EACH WAY MANY TIMES UNTIL ONE OF THE
CATCHERS EITHER TAGS THEM OR MISSES THE BALL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS
THE RUNNER IS SAID TO BE IN A "PICKLE."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase |
Date learned: 11-00-1982
GRAFFITO
SOME BABIES ARE BORN TO BE GREAT,
OTHERS ARE BORN BOYS}
Submitter comment:
THIS MESSAGE WAS WRITTEN ON THE WALL OF A WOMEN'S RESTROOM AT
HENRY FORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
James Callow Keyword(s): SEXISM
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- C850- |
Date learned: 00-00-1982
It is extremely bad luck for a bride-to-be to sew
even one stitch in her own wedding dress.
Submitter comment:
Elaine first heard this warning as a young woman, when her
friend was sewing her own wedding gown. The bride's relatives
(Polish) warned her not to, as it would surely bring trouble.
They dismissed it as an "old-wives tale." Later, however,
her best friend died an unexpected and premature death.
She now believes this to be true.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): Superstition, advice, tabu
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Dress Overall body coverUpper body and arms BELIEF -- Bad luck Crucial moment of life |
Date learned: 00001950S
When a horse rolls on the ground, it means that a
bad storm is coming.
Submitter comment:
Elaine heard this from her maternal grandmother (who was
French - Canadian and lived near Escanaba, Michigan).
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): Prediction, rain, unnatural occurrences
Date learned: 00001972CA
To find water that is hidden below ground, hold two willow
branches (or two coat hangers which have been straightened
and then bent into an "L" shape) loosely in your hands. As
you pass over water, the sticks/wires will cross over one
another. When you move past the water, the sticks/wires will
uncross.
Submitter comment:
Elaine swears that her father has been able to discover
water by this method many times. She herself, being skeptical,
tried it and the procedure worked. Elaine has so much faith
in her father's ability, that she plans to have him locate a
new spot to drill a second well on her northern Michigan
property, since the well she has now is sluggish.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): DIVINATION ; dowsing ; PREDICTION ; WATER WITCHING
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Water BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00001972CA
For generations the Welty family has told the story of
how Levi Welty (1825-1902) had gone "Pikes Peak or bust
in a covered wagon." In the mid 1970's, an acquaintance
of the family familiar with these stories became injured
while skiing in Colorado. During her recuperative time
there, she came across a book recounting the history of
the area, and found a story about the naming of
Cripple Creek by a Levi Welty. The names of some of the sons
mentioned coincided with the family's genealogy, and it
is, therefore, quite likely that Terry's ancestor was
responsible for Cripple Creek's naming.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): pioneer
James Callow Keyword(s): Eudora Welty ; Pike's Peak
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- B439 PROSE NARRATIVE -- B479 BELIEF -- Explanation of a name |
Date learned: 00001977CA
When a new employee was hired at Ford Motor Co., it was
common for the older workers to leave a message on the new
person's desk which said, "Call Hank at (phone no.)" When
they did so they were embarrassed to find out that it was
Henry Ford II's office that they were calling.
Submitter comment:
This joke was played on Terry when he first started work
at the Body Engineering Division in 1974.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
Keyword(s): Prank, initiation, hazing
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
To get rid of hiccups, Rosemary holds a spoon sideways
in her mouth and drinks water. I can say myself that
this method for getting rid of hiccups really works
because I have tried it.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Method of Curing |
Date learned: 01-00-1974
Giving knives is bad luck unless you include
some money, usually a small amount.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth BELIEF -- Bad luck Gifts BELIEF -- Bad luck Sharp objects BELIEF -- Conversions |
Date learned: 00001960S
At my old job I use to always hear the guys say that preppy
girls like to be wined and dined while loose girls like to lay and
play.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
It has been a superstition in my family, that if you give
someone a gift that is sharp they should give to you a penny. You
also are expected to give the bearer of a sharp gift to you a
penny. Examples of sharp gifts are scissors, knife, or cookie
cutter. The meaning behind this superstition is that the sharp
gift could sever the friendship between the two people if the penny
is not given in return.
James Callow comment: See Hand, North Carolina I, no. 3577.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 03-00-1974