The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE FIRST RULE OF MARRIAGE

IRISHMAN BRINGING HOME HIS BRIDE ON MULE DRAWN BUGGY.
MULE STOPS, MAN GETS DOWN AND RUNS AROUND TO FRONT OF
MULE AND POINTS HIS FINGER TO MULE'S HEAD AND SAYS,
"THAT'S ONCE." MULE STOPS AGAIN, REPEAT., SAYING "THAT'S
TWICE." ON THIRD OCCASION ALMOST IN FRONT OF MAN'S
HOUSE MULE STOPS, MAN GETS OUT REACHES BEHIND THE WAGON
GETS HIS GUN AND SHOOTS THE MULE. HIW WIFE, FURIOUS,
BEATS ON HIS CHEST WITH HER FISTS WHILE HE PASSIVELY
WAITS THE END OF HER OUTBURST, THEN POINTS HIS FINGER
AT HER AND SAYS, "THAT'S ONCE!"

Submitter comment: TOLD AS A JOKE IN A MARRIAGE COURSE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-01-1968