Thursday, October 27, 2005

Hoary humor

"Summer's over; winter drawers on." This is the saying appropriate to the season. And we thought it was so funny when we were kids. It comes down from one of my mother's grandfathers. I can't remember whether it's from Gramp T. or from Gramp C., both born in 1862. Other ancient wheezes that we thought were sidesplitting back then were, besides the song of the bulldog and the bullfrog ("mean old water fool"), (1) the story of the squirrel, the tree, and the corn crib; (2) "ABCD goldfish? LMNO goldfish. OSAR"; (3) the doggerel that ended "now drinkin' beer won't kill a man, but an old tomato can" (4) the joke with the punchline "It's a long way to tip a raree [Tipperary]"; (5) the talking dog in the bar ("What's over our head?" "Roof" Who's the greatest ballplayer?" "Ruth" and so on); and (6) "Brothers and sisters have I none, but this man's father is my father's son. Who is this man?"

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