The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THAI STORY

"A FALANG (WESTERNER) WAS ON A RIVERBOAT IN THAILAND AND SOMEHOW
SLIPPED OVERBOARD INTO THE RIVER. ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE GRABBED
A LADDER AND ATTEMPTED TO HELP HIM. HE SHOUTED TO THE MAN IN THE
WATER TO GRAB THE LADDER IN THAI LANGUAGE. 'GAW-GAH-DAI! GAW-
GAH-DAI!' HE SHOUTED. HEARING THIS THE FALANG SWAM EVEN FASTER
BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE MAN WAS SHOUTING 'CROCODILE! CROCODILE!'"

Submitter comment: "GAW-GAH-DAI" MEANS "GRAB THE LADDER" IN THAI LANGUAGE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Date learned: 04-00-1984