The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

KRAKOWIAK (POLISH DANCE)

LIKE THE AMERICAN SQUARE DANCE.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; NOT GIVEN ; HOME ; PENNSYLVANIA ; MICHIGAN ; LETTER ; OHIO ; NEW JERSEY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; GROSSE POINTE ; HARPER WOODS ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS ; WARREN ; JAPAN ; RUSSIA ; GRAND RAPIDS ; SHIPLE HALL ; GARDEN CITY ; ROYAL OAK ; TOLEDO ; TRENTON ; FARMINGTON ; KALAMAZOO ; CANADA ; ONTARIO ; MARYGROVE COLLEGE ; DETROIT ; MAIL ; INDIANA ; DETROIT, ASSUMED ; TOLD AT HOME ; FERNDALE ; SOUTHFIELD ; TENNESSEE ; MACKENZIE HIGH SCHOOL ; HAMTRAMCK ; DEARBORN ; MINNESOTA ; ILLINOIS ; NEW YORK ; FLORIDA ; KOREA ; WISCONSIN ; NEW HAMPSHIRE ; STUDENT UNION ; READING ; AUSTRALIA ; Sylvania ; Sterling Heights ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED ; GROSSE POINTE PARK ; OAK PARK ; SOUTHGATE ; STURGEON LAKE ; REDFORD ; TOORAK ; VICTORIA ; ROSEVILLE ; LINCOLN PARK ; TRAVERSE CITY ; HUNTINGTON WOODS ; PONTIAC ; TROY ; PORT CHESTER ; SOUTH AMERICA ; BROOKVILLE ; MONTREAL ; SEOUL ; NORTH OLMSTED ; EASTOWN THEATER ; ERIE ; University of Notre Dame ; FRANKLINVILLE ; TORONTO ; TOLD AT ; TOLD BY ; TOLD IN ; SCRANTON ; MONROE ; GLENVIEW ; MOSCOW ; GULLEY ; FINLAND ; HARBOR BEACH ; HOUGHTON LAKE ; Hudson Lake ; INDIANAPOLIS ; JONESBORO ; KANSASVILLE ; LEXINGTON ; MASSILLON ; MAUCH CHUNK ; MELVINDALE ; MILFORD ; NEW ROCHELLE ; NIAGARA FALLS ; PANAMA CITY ; PATAGONIA ; ARGENTINA ; RESIDENCE HALL ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES ; TOLD AT HONORS HOUSE ; AMERICAN HISTORY CLASS

View just this record

THREE WISE MEN OF GOTHAM, WENT TO SEA IN A BOWL; IF THE BO; HAD BEEN STRONGER,

Submitter comment: HEARD IN SCHOOL.

James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): ACCIDENT NONSENSE ; NUTSHELL NARRATIVE QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABCC ; RHYME: FEMININE, REPETITION ; SATIRE UNDERSTATEMENT EPITAPH LAMENT

View just this record

IF ALL THE SEAS WERE ONE SEA,
WHAT A GREAT SEA THAT WOULD BE!
AND IF ALL THE TREES WERE ONE TREE,
WHAT A GREAT TREE THAT WOULD BE!
AND IF ALL THE AXES WERE ONE AX,
WHAT A GREAT AX THAT WOULD BE!
AND IF ALL THE MEN WERE ONE MAN,
WHAT A GREAT MAN HE WOULD BE!
AND IF THE GREAT MAN TOOK THE GREAT AX,
AND CUT DOWN THE GREAT TREE,
AND LET IT FALL INTO THE GREAT SEA,
WHAT A SPLISH SPLASH THAT WOULD BE!

Submitter comment: I WAS TOLD THIS POEM BY A FIRST GRADER ON THE PLAYGROUND.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): CHAIN GREATNESS ; SURPRISE ENDING

Date learned: 00-00-1960

View just this record

WHO CARES? NOT I.

I KNOW HOW UGLY I ARE,
MY FACE IT AIN'T NO STAR,
BUT I DON'T MIND IT,
CAUSE I'M BEHIND IT,
IT'S THE FOLKS OUT FRONT GET THE JAR.

Submitter comment: FROM CHILDHOOD

Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON

Keyword(s): SELF-CRITICISM

Date learned: 00-00-1968

View just this record

LITTLE FLY UPON THE WALL,
HIM AIN'T GOT NO HOME AT ALL.
HIM AIN'T GOT NO MAMA TO COMB HIS HAIR,
HIM DON'T CARE!
HIM GOT NO HAIR.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM NEIGHBORHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BABY-TALK

View just this record

SPARKLE, STARKLE, LITTLE TWINK,
WHO THE TELL YOU ARE I HINK.
I'M NOT IMBRICATED,
I'M NOT AS DRUNK AS SOME TINKLE PEEP I AM.
I'VE ONLY HAD TEA MARTOONIES,
ANYWAY I'VE ALL DAY SOBER TO SUNDAY UP IN.
I FOOL SO FEELISH, I DON'T KNOW WHO IS ME YET,
BUT THE DRUNKER I STAND HERE,
THE LONGER I GET.

Submitter comment: LEARNED IN GRADE SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO

Keyword(s): CONTRADICTIONS MONOLOGUE HUMOR ; EUPHEMISM PARODY DRINKING ; NONSENSE WORDS METER TROCHEE ; TANGLETALK

Date learned: 00-00-1948

View just this record

GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT,
DON'T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE.

Submitter comment: TOLD THIS BY PARENTS WHEN SENT TO BED AS A CHILD.

Where learned: OHIO

Date learned: 00-00-1948

View just this record

VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC

MATHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN,
BLESS THE BED THAT I LIE ON!
ALL FOUR CORNERS ROUND ABOUT,
WHEN I GET IN, WHEN I GET OUT.
FOUR CORNERS TO MY BED,
FOUR ANGELS ROUND MY HEAD;
ONE TO WATCH AND ONE TO PRAY,
AND TWO TO BEAR MY SOUL AWAY.

Submitter comment: HEARD IN SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): DEATH PIOUS SLEEPING BIBLICAL ; PIOUS ; PRAYER ; RHYME: AABB

View just this record

VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC

THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL, WHO HAD A LITTLE CURL
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HER FOREHEAD.
WHEN SHE WAS GOOD, SHE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD,
BUT WHEN SHE WAS BAD, SHE WAS HORRID.

Submitter comment: MY MOTHER USED TO RECITE THIS WHEN I WAS BAD.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): NURSERY RHYME

View just this record

INCH ME STAYED UP AND WHO FELL DOWN?

Submitter comment: UPON THE APPROPRIATE ANSWER OF "PINCH ME," THE
QUESTIONER IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH A SHARP PINCH.
MY BROTHER, MIKE, USED TO ASK ME THIS WHEN I WAS
ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN. I FELL FOR IT EVERY TIME.

Where learned: OHIO ; CLEVELAND

Date learned: 10-02-1967

View just this record

RED SKY AT NIGHT, SAILORS DELIGHT.
RDED SKY AT DAWN, SAILORS FOREWARN.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM SAILING INSTRUCTOR IN GRUADE SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE

View just this record

ONE FOR THE MONEY,
TWO FOR THE SHOW,
THREE TO GET READY,
AND FOUR TO --GO!

Submitter comment: RHYME FOR A RACE

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

View just this record

LITTLE SALLY WATERS, SITTING IN THE SUN,
CRYING AND WEEPING FOR A YOUNG MAN.
RISE, SALLY, RISE, WIPE OFF YOUR EYES,
FLY TO THE EAST, FLY TO THE WEST,
FLY TO THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE BEST.

Submitter comment: WE PLAYED THIS AS CHILDREN.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

View just this record

MY MOTHER AND YOUR MOTHER WERE HANGING UP THE CLOTHES.
MY MOTHER PUNCHED YOUR MOTHER IN THE NOSE.
WHAT COLOR WAS THE BLOOD?
(PICK AND SPELL OUT COLOR)
R-E-D SPELLS RED AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE IT.
CONTINUE TILL LAST ONE LEFT IS IT.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM FRIENDS AT PLAY.

Where learned: OHIO ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE

Date learned: 10-07-1967

View just this record

COUNTING OUT RHYME

ENGINE, ENGINE NUMBER NINE,
GOING DOWN CHICAGO LINE,
IF THE TRAIN SHOULD JUMP THE TRACK,
DO YOU WANT YOUR MONEY BACK?
(SPELL OUT YES OR NO)
Y-E-S SPELLS YES AND MY MOTHER TOLD ME TO PICK THE
VERY BEST ONE. (EITHER FIRST ONE OR LAST ONE OUT IS IT)

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM FRIENDS AT SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE

Date learned: 10-07-1967

View just this record

COUNTING OUT RHYME

I STRUCK MATCH AND IT WENT OUT.
LAST PERSON IS IT.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM FRIENDS AT SCHOOL.

Where learned: OHIO ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE

Date learned: 10-07-1967

View just this record

COUNTING OUT RHYME

BUBBLE GUM, BUBBLE GUM IN A DISH
HOW MANY PIECES DO YOU WISH?
(SPELL OUT NUMBER OF PIECES)
S-E-V-E-N SPELLS SEVEN AND YOU'RE NOT IT.
LAST PERSON IS IT.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM FRIENDS AT SCHOOL

Where learned: OHIO ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE

Date learned: 10-07-1967

View just this record

COUNTING OUT

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
ALL GOOD CHILDREN GO TO HEAVEN;
SOME GO UP AND SOME GO DOWN,
AND SOME GO ALL AROUND THE TOWN.

Submitter comment: A COUNTING RHYME TOLD BY THIS WOMAN'S GRANDMOTHER
ABOUT 1937, IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Where learned: OHIO ; LIMA

View just this record

COUNTING OUT

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
THESE LITTLE CHILDREN WENT TO HEAVEN.
ONE FLEW EAST AND ONE FLEW WEST,
AND ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEXT.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A COUNTING RHYME, TOLD BY THIS WOMAN'S
GRANDMOTHER IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ABOUT 1937.

James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview

Where learned: OHIO ; ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO ; LIMA

Date learned: 00-00-1937

View just this record

COUNTING

1, 2 BUCKLE MY SHOE,
3, 4, SHUT THE DOOR.
5, 6, PICK UP STICKS,
7, 8, LAY THEM STRAIGHT.
9, 10, A BIG FAT HEN.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM HER MOTHER.

Where learned: OHIO ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE

Date learned: 12-04-1967

View just this record