The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE CHILDREN MADE ALL THEIR OWN TOYS. A KITE WOULD BE
A GREAT EVENT IN THEIR LIVES. THEY WOULD FIND WOOD THAT
WOULD BEND EASILY, THEN GO TO MOTHER AND ASK FOR A
PIECE OF NEWSPAPER AND A LITTLE BIT OF FLOUR AND A CUP,
SHE NEVER REFUSED THEM. THEY WOULD PUT THE KITE TOGETHER
(IN KITE FASHION) AND CUT THE NEWSPAPER TO FIT THE FRAME
AND THEN MAKE A PASTE OUT OF THE FLOUR AND USE IT TO
GLUE ON THE NEWSPAPER. MAYBE IT WOULD TAKE A WHOLE WEEK
TO MAKE. WE WERE JEALOUS OF EACH OTHER AND WHO WAS
GOING TO MAKE THE BEST KITE. PARENTS BOUGHT THE STRING
AND THEY USED RAGS FOR THE TAIL. IF THE TAIL WAS TOO
HEAVY THE KITE WOULDN'T GO UP; IF IT WAS TOO LIGHT
THE KITE WOULD CRASH AND YOU HAD TO START ALL OVER AGAIN.
ONCE THE KITE WAS UP, WE WOULD CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER ON
WHOSE KITE WOULD GO UP THE HIGHEST.

Submitter comment: THIS IS REPORTED AS MR. VALKEN TOLD ME. I BELIEVE THE
WOOD THEY USED CAME FROM THE WEEPING WILLOW TREE,
THIS WOOD BENDS EASILY WITHOUT BREAKING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-20-1971