Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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KINDERGARTEN BABY,
WASH YOUR FACE IN GRAVY.
Where learned: LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
A GROUP OF CHILDREN SAY:
WHO STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR?
JOHNNY STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR.
JOHNNY ANSWERS: WHO, ME?
ALL: YES, YOU.
JOHNNY: COULDN'T BE.
ALL: THEN, WHO?
JOHNNY: SUSIE STOLE THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE JAR.
SUSIE: WHO, ME?
ALL: YES, YOU.
SUSIE: COULDN'T BE.
ALL: THEN, WHO?
ETC, ETC. ETC.
Where learned: LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
THE GIRLS IN FRANCE,
WEAR TISSUE PAPER PANTS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
WHEN YOU GET MARRIED
AND HAVE TWINS
DON'T COME TO ME
FOR SAFETY PINS.
James Callow comment: IS THIS FROM AN AUTOGRAPH BOOK? NO.
Where learned: LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
BEATITUDE
BLESSED ARE THEY WHO SIT ON A TACK,
FOR THEY SHALL RISE AGAIN!
Where learned: LIBRARY
James Callow Keyword(s): PARODY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Verse without Music C700.370 |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
YOUR HEART IS NOT A PLAYTHING,
YOUR HEART IS NOT A TOY,
IF YOU WANT IT BROKEN,
GIVE IT TO A BOY.
Submitter comment: LEARNED IT FROM CAROL ROGINSKI
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.320 |
RACING, CHASING GAME
DUM, DUM DODO, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN,
I CAN RUN FASTER THAN (INSERT A NAME) (CAN)
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse |
AUTOGRAPH BOOK (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)
WHEN A FEATHER WEIGHS A POUND,/ WHEN A FOX SHALL CHOOSE A HOUND,/
WHEN THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END,/ THEN WILL I CEASE TO BE
YOUR FRIEND?
Where learned: LIBRARY
Keyword(s): RHETORICAL QUESTION ; RHYME ANIMAL ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Friendship |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
I LOVE YOU LITTLE, I LOVE YOU BIG.
I LOVE YOU LIKE A LITTLE PIG.
Where learned: LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Humorous allusion to love |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
WHEN YOU GROW OLD AND UGLY,
AS OLD FOLKS ALWAYS DO,
REMEMBER THAT YOU'LL HAVE A FRIEND
WHO IS OLD AND UGLY TOO!
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Friendship |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
ROSES MAY FADE,
LEAVES MAY WITHER,
BUT OUR LOVE,
WILL LAST FOREVER.
Where learned: LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Tender sentiment |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
WHEN YOU GET OLD AND OUT OF SHAPE,
REMEMBER THAT GIRDLES ARE JUST $2.98.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Wisecracks, gags, silly stories, insults |
Date learned: 09-00-1967
SUPERSTITION
UNLUCKY AT CARDS, LUCKY IN LOVE.
Submitter comment: HEARD FROM FRIENDS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Custom |
Date learned: 10-09-1967
SLEEPING BEAR POINT
A MOTHER BEAR AND TWO CUBS, SEEKING LUSCIOUS BERRIES ON THE
OPPOSITE SHORE, ATTEMPTED THE LONG SWIM ACROSS THE LAKE.
AS THE MAINLAND CAME INTO VIEW, THE CUBS BECAME EXHAUSTED. THEIR
MOTHER COULD NOT HELP THEM AND THEY SANK. UPON THE LEELANAU
SHORE CRAWLED THE MOTHER BEAR, THERE TO WAIT FOR THE CUBS TO
REAPPEAR. THEY DID NOT RETURN AS SUCH, BUT THE GREAT SPIRIT,
TO REWARD HER FOR HER VIGIL, CAUSED THE CUBS TO COME OUT OF THE
DEEP IN THE FORM OF TWO BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS, AFTERWARD NAMED SOUTH
AND NORTH MANITOU. ON THE MAINLAND, WHITE SANDS COVERED THE
MOTHER BEAR AND A GREAT DUNE GREW WHERE SHE HAD WAITED.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS AN INDIAN LEGEND THAT EXPLAINS HOW SLEEPING BEAR POINT
IN LEELANAU COUNTY, MICHIGAN CAME INTO EXISTENCE. THE POINT
WAS NAMED FOR THIS LEGEND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; DETROIT ; DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
THE WHIFFENPOOF
THE 800-POUND WHIFFENPOOF WAS CAPABLE OF RUNNING BACKWARD. IT WAS
CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACE OF AN ELK, ANTLERS, SHARP HOOVES AND
HIND QUARTERS THAT SLOPED ABRUPTLY LIKE THOSE OF A GIRAFFE. THE
BULL WHIFFENPOOFS WERE EQUIPPED WITH TWO ADAM'S APPLES WHICH
CLICKED TOGETHER LIKE A PAIR OF DICE, AND PROVIDED A MEANS OF
CONVERSATION. THE COWS SCREAMED LIKE A SOPRANO SINGING WITH A
SORE THROAT.
THE WHIFFENPOOF UNDERWENT PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS WITH MODERNITY,
AND IN ITS MOST RECENT FORM, BORE RED AND GREEN LIGHTS AT THE
STERN. WHEN THE WHIFFENPOOF RAN FORWARD, IT SWITCHED ON ITS GREEN
LIGHT; AND WHEN IT RAN BACKWARD IT FLASHED THE RED LIGHT.
THEIR ENEMY WAS THE TIMBER WOLF.
THE WHIFFS AND THE TIMBER WOLVES WERE IN A CONTINUAL STATE OF WAR-
FARE. THE WHIFFS USUALLY OUTSMARTED THE WOLVES. THEY GOT THE
WOLVES TO CHASE THEM, AND THEN SUDDENLY RAN BACKWARD, TRAMPLING
THEIR ENEMIES INTO THE EARTH.
THE WARFARE BECAME VERY BITTER. WOLVES MOVED DOWN FROM MICHIGAN TO
EXTERMINATE THE WHIFFENPOOF AND THE BATTLE WAS TERRIFIC. THE
EARTH SHOOK FROM THE THUNDER OF THE WHIFFENPOOF HOOVES, AND
KNOCKED PICTURES FROM THE WALLS OF THE PIONEERS' HOMES. THE
WHIFFS HAD THEIR GREEN LIGHTS ON, AND THE NIGHT BECAME SO BRIGHT
THAT SCHOOL CHILDREN COULD READ THEIR PRIMERS WITHOUT THE AID
OF TALLOW DIP CANDLES.
THEY CHASED THE MICHIGAN WOLVES INTO LAKE ERIE; BUT A BIG DISPLAY
OF NORTHERN LIGHTS, OR AURORA BOREALIS, WAS ON, AND THE WHIFFS
BECAME CONFUSED. THEY THOUGHT THEIR COMRADES WERE FLASHING ON THE
GREEN LIGHTS FOR GUIDANCE, AND SWAM AROUND IN CIRCLES UNTIL THEY
WERE SO EXHAUSTED THAT THEY DROWNED. ONE WHIFFENPOOF SURVIVED.
HE SWAN TO A LAKE ERIE ISLAND OFF THE OHIO COAST AND LIVED THERE
FOR YEARS. HE WAS KNOWN AS "OLD OTTO."
BUT ONE DAY "OLD OTTO" ATE A PAIR OF OVERALLS FROM A FARMER'S
CLOTHESLINE, AND THE OVERALLS CLOGGED HIS THROAT. HIS TWO
ADAM'S APPLES WOULDN'T CLICK TOGETHER, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO TALK
TO HIMSELF. SO HE DIED OF LONELINESS.
Submitter comment:
THE WHIFFENPOOF WAS CREATED BY THE HESSIAN MERCENARIES WHO FOUGHT
FOR ENGLAND DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. AFTER THE WAR MANY
OF THEM SETTLED IN PENNSYLVANIA AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE PEOPLE
KNOWN AS THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; DETROIT ; DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Animal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Lie Tall tale |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
TURONIE
IN POLAND, THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE NEW YEAR AND THE BEGINNING
OF LENT IS CHARACTERIZED BY PARDIES AND MASQUERADE BALLS THAT
REACH THEIR HEIGHT ABOUT THE LAST PRE_LENTEN THURSDAY. THESE
ACTIVITIES DERIVE FROM THE OLD CUSTOM OF DRESSING IN ANIMAL AND
MONSTER COSTUMES TO FEND OFF EVIL SPIRITS FROM HOMES TO FIELDS
TO INSURE A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST. FOLK LEGEND ASCRIBED SUCH
MAGICAL PROPERTIES TO GOATS, STORKS, BEARS, WOLVES, AND THE
"AUROCKS" (AN EXTINCT WELD OX) AND THE CUSTOM IS KNOWN AS "TURONIE".
(NAMED AFTER THE WELD OX OR "TUR").
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): RELIGIOUS CUSTOM
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Winter CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Pre Lent |
Date learned: 10-11-1972
IF YOU STEP OVER A PERSON YOU SHOULD STEP BACK OVER THEM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; WARREN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank |
Date learned: 10-08-1965
WISHING
TAKE THE END OF A BANANA AND CUT IT
SLIGHTLY INTO A Y SHAPE WHICH STANDS FOR YES
AND YOUR WISH WILL COME THROUGH.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED THIS SUPERSTITION IN THAILAND.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; 4001 W MCNICHOLS ; TOLD AT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Prayer |
Date learned: 02-12-1971
CURSE
INFORMANT WAS TOLD IN THE SECOND GRADE THAT
IF YOU RECEIVED HOLY COMMUNION WITH A MORTAL SIN
ON YOUR SOUL, YOUR FACE WOULD TURN BLACK AND YOUR
TONGUE WOULD TURN TO STONE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Charm / Enchantment / Conjuration |
Date learned: 03-07-1970
FOOT ITCHES
IF YOUR FOOT ITCHES YOU WILL TAKE A TRIP.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT HAD KNOWN THIS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; LIBRARY ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Spirit / Mind / Body BELIEF -- Body part Senses |
Date learned: 10-28-1967