# Does anyone know this word repetition game? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042 "2002-06-20T12:18:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/1 "2002-06-20T12:18:25Z")
Back in my teen years, I was in a youth group. We played a word repetition game - the leader would say a phrase, and the chosen person would have to repeat it back. It started off with “one duck, two hens, three corpulant porpises.” Would anyone out there happen to remember the rest of this? ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/2 "2002-06-20T14:14:58Z")
I Googled and found several variations on this, including [this one](http://www.jerrylewiscomedy.com/announcer.htm), which claims to have been used as a reading test for radio announcers in the 1940’s. Apparently Jerry Lewis used it in his comedy act. It progresses from “one duck” to “Ten lyrical, spherical diabolical denizens of the deep who hall stall around the corner of the quo of the quay of the quivery, all at the same time.” ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/3 "2002-06-20T14:23:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by malden \* > \*\* It progresses from > > “one duck” > > … > \*\* Oops, I should have said “one hen.” Also, “corpulent porpoises” would be a great band name. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/4 "2002-06-20T17:09:03Z")
Malden, you’re great!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/5 "2002-06-20T18:24:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Knighted Vorpal Sword \* > \*\*Malden, you’re great!! 😃 \*\* Why, thanks. Ya know, this is the first time I’ve been the first responder to a GQ. I just wish I’d known this song when _I_ was at camp! ---
**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/6 "2002-06-20T21:44:38Z")
Here’s the version you’re thinking of (I think): One duck Two hens Three squawking geese Four corpulent porpoises Five brass monkeys from the ancient sacred crypts of Egypt Six Macedonians in full battle array Seven denizens of the deep who helter-skelter around the quirvy of the quay of the quo all at the same time Eight golden goblins who gesticulate around the golden embers of the evening fire Nine red cows Ten elegant elephants each eating enormous eggplants while fulfilling the essence of their dreams entirely And this is the version I’m most familiar with. It’s a drinking game (naturally, everyone gets toasted): One big duck Two cute chicks Three brown bears Four hairy running hares Five fat females sitting, sipping scotch and smoking cigarettes Six sheets slit by sam the shit slitter Seven siamese sailors sailing the seven seas Eight echoing egotists echoing egotistical ecstasies Nine naughty knocked up nuns navigating the Nigerian desert Ten fig pluckers plucking figs, I’m not a fig plucker or a fig plucker’s son but I’ll pluck figs until the fig plucking’s done! ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/7 "2002-06-20T23:13:09Z")
Huh. I’ll just add the fray with the version we sang at camp in Oregon. One fat hen And a couple of ducks Three baby brown bear Four rapid running hare Five fat fidgety felines Six simple Simon selling salt in Siam Seven slimy sailors sniffing snoose Eight elongated elephants elevating in and escalator Nine nasty nose Nimbryos nibbling on the noses of nine nasty nose Nimbyots Ten two-ton, two-tone, transcontinental trucks with trailers traveling from Tallahassee Tennesee to Tyler Texas on ten tanks of Texaco and twenty-two terrible tires! Yikes. And yet, I’ve forgotten most of algebra. Go figure. Justin ---
**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-this-word-repetition-game/115042/8 "2002-06-20T23:24:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Six sheets slit by sam the shit slitter Whoops! That should be “Six sheets slit by Sam the _sheet_ slitter” - see how fun these games can get?