The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CAPTAIN AHAB

FOR THIS GAME, THE PERSONS WHO DO NOT KNOW CAPTAIN
AHAB ARE BLINDFOLDED AND TAKEN INTO ANOTHER ROOM.
ONE BY ONE, THEY ARE TAKEN INTO THE MAIN ROOM.
STILL BLINDFOLDED, THEY ARE SEATED OPPOSITE
CAPTAIN AHAB. CAPTAIN AHAB IS ONE OF THE GUYS AT
THE PARTY WHO MERELY TAKES HIS ARM OUT OF THE SPORT
JACKET, AND SITS WITH ONE LEG UNDER HIM. THUS, THE
PERSON IS TOLD THAT CAPTAIN--A WAR VICTIM--HAS ONE
GOOD ARM, BUT LOST THE OTHER ONE AND ONE GOOD LEG
BUT THE OTHER WAS SHOT OFF AT THE KNEE. THE PERSON
FEELS THE GOOD ARM AND THE BAD ONE; THE GOOD LEG AND
THE BAD ONE. HE IS ALLOWED TO FEEL ONE EAR BUT NOT
THE OTHER, BECAUSE IT IS STILL SENSITIVE FROM THE
PAIN. ALL THIS TIME THERE IS A THIRD PERSON INTRO-
DUCING CAPTAIN AHAB AND HOLDING THE NEWCOMER'S HAND
TO GUIDE TO CAPTAIN AHAB'S DESIGNATED POINTS. FINALLY,
THE PERSON TOUCHES CAPT. AHAB'S GOOD EYE AND IS ABOUT
TO TOUCH HIS BAD EYE, GUIDED BY THE THIRD PERSON
WHO JAMS IT INTO A JAR OF VASELINE.

Submitter comment: I HAVE SEEN THIS GAME MANY TIMES, BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO
KNOW WHO STARTED IT.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED