The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

OBEDIANCE

I HAD TWELVE BOTTLES OF WHISKEY IN MY CELLAR, AND MY WIFE
TOLD ME TO EMPTY THE CONTENTS DOWN THE SINK--OR ELSE.
SO I SAID I WOULD, AND PROCEEDED WITH THE UNPLEASANT
TASK.
I WITHDREW THE CORK FROM THE FIRST BOTTLE AND POURED THE
CONTENTS DOWN THE SINK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE
GLASS, WHICH I DRANK. I EXTRACTED THE CORK FROM THE
SECOND BOTTLE AND DID LIKEWISE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE
GLASS, WHICH I DRANK. THEN I WITHDREW THE CORK FROM THE
THIRD BOTTLE AND EMPTIED THE GOOD, OLD BOOZE DOWN THE
SINK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE GLASS, WHICH I DRANK.
I PULLED THE CORK FROM THE FOURTH SINK, AND POURED THE
BOTTLE IN THE GLASS WHICH I DRANK. I PULLED THE SINK
OUT OF THE GLASS AND POURED THE CORK DOWN THE BOTTLE.
I PULLED THE NEXT CORK OUT OF MY THROAT, AND POURED
THE SINK DOWN THE BOTTLE AND DRANK THE GLASS. THEN
I CORKED THE SINK WITH THE GLASS, BOTTLED THE DRINK,
AND DRANK THE POUR.
I NOW HAD EVERYTHING EMPTIED, SO I STEADIED THE
HOUSE WITH ONE HAND AND COUNTED THE BOTTLES CORKS AND
GLASSES WITH THE OTHER HAND, WHICH WERE 29. TO BE
SURE, I COUNTED THEM AGAIN WHEN THEY CAME BY, AND THIS
TIME I HAD 24. WHEN THE HOUSE CAME BY I COUNTED THEM
AGAIN THE THIRD TIME, AND FINALLY I HAD THE HOUSES,
BOTTLES, AND CORKS COUNTED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
ONE HOUSE, WHICH I DRANK.

Where learned: WHITEHEAD AND KALES ; MILL STREET PLANT

Date learned: 03-21-1967