Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for ROCHESTER returned 118 results.
The Golden Arm
A long time ago a man had a wife named Elvira who had a
golden arm and had her husband promise her that if she
died that her golden arm would be buried with her. She
soon died and the she was buried with the golden arm but
he soon changed his mind and went back to his wife's
grave and dug it up to get the arm. On his way home it
started to rain and hale and became very cold but he made
it home all right and put the arm in the bed, for he had
no place else to hide it. Later in bed he heard a voice
cry out in the darkness,
"W-H-E-E-R-E'-S M-Y G-O-O-L-D-E-N A-A-A-R-M?"
The man hid under the covers but still heard the voice
on the road...
W-H-E-E-R-E'-S M-Y
on the porch...
G-O-O-L-D-E-N
at the door...
A-A-A-R-M?
as the winds howled at the door...
W-H-E-E-R-E'-S M-Y G-O-L-D-E-N A-A-R-M?
as the man peeked out from under the covers he saw it.
It was by the bed.
And-(a pause)- it pounced
YOU'VE GOT IT
Submitter comment:
At the point when the man peeks under the covers the
person telling the story will lunge at another person's
arm unexpectedly to scare him. This was told by Roy
at a Halloween party.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Formula tale |
Date learned: 00001980S
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 |
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 |
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
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
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
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
UKRAINIAN NATIONAL FLAG
THE TRADITIONAL FLAG IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS HORIZONTALLY
WITH THE TOP HALF BEING LIGHT BLUE AND THE BOTTOM YELLOW.
THE BLUE REFLECTS THE SKY AND THE YELLOW SIGNIFIES THE
GOLDEN WHEAT FIELDS OF UKRAINE. THE FLAG IS DISPLAYED IN
UKRAINIAN CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, AND HALLS.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Keyword(s): SYMBOL
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Finished Product BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 00001950S
BELIEF
"IF AN EMPTY ROCKING CHAIR IS ROCKING, SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE."
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S MOTHER USED TO GET REAL UPSET IF SOMEONE MADE THE
CHAIR ROCK DELIBERATELY.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Keyword(s): ROCKING CHAIR
| Subject headings: | Observation Favorites BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero |
Date learned: 00001965CA
TRADITION
"ON CHRISTMAS EVE MY FAMILY AND I GO TO MIDNIGHT MASS AND THEN
WE COME HOME AND HAVE ITALIAN SAUSAGE COOKED IN WINE."
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT HAS DONE THIS AS LONG AS SHE CAN REMEMBER. SHE SAID
SHE BELIEVES HER FATHER STARTED THIS SINCE HE IS ITALIAN.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Date learned: 00001965CA
"ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MARDI GRAS MY MOTHER MAKES FOSHNUTS
(WHICH IS A TYPE OF FRIED DOUGHNUT) FOR GOOD LUCK."
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT SAID THAT HER MOTHER WILL ONLY MAKE THEM ON THAT DAY.
SHE SAID THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY CRAVE AND WANT THEM, HER
MOTHER WILL NOT MAKE THEM.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Keyword(s): GOOD LUCK
| Subject headings: | 663 Mardi Gras BELIEF -- Good luck Time (year, season, week, hour, etc.) Occasion Event |
Date learned: 00001965CA
BELIEF
"IF A BRIDE'S VEIL GETS TORN, IT MEANS THAT THE MARRIAGE WILL BE
A HAPPY ONE."
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT'S MOTHER TOLD HER THIS STORY. HER MOTHER TOLD HER THAT SHE BORROWED A VEIL FOR HER WEDDING. WHEN SHE RETURNED THE VEIL
SHE FELT REAL BAD BECAUSE SHE HAD RIPPED THE VEIL; HOWEVER, THE
LADY SHE BORROWED IT FROM WAS REAL HAPPY BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT SHE
(INFORMANT'S MOTHER) WAS GOING TO HAVE A HAPPY MARRIAGE.
INFORMANT'S MOTHER SAID THAT SHE KNEW PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY RIPPED
THEIR VEIL ON PURPOSE SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A HAPPY MARRIAGE.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
| Subject headings: | Observation BELIEF -- Marriage |
Date learned: 00001965CA
"MY PARENTS WERE GIVEN AN ANNIVERSARY CHALICE ON THEIR WEDDING
DAY. EVERY YEAR ON THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY THE CHALICE IS FILLED
WITH WINE AND EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY DRINKS FROM IT."
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT ENJOYS THIS AND WANTS TO RECEIVE AN ANNIVERSARY CHALICE
FOR HER WEDDING TOO.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; ROCHESTER
Keyword(s): ANNIVERSARY CHALICE
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Private birthday or anniversary |
Date learned: 00001965CA