# Have You Memorized the "Hot Cockalorum" Fairy Tale? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350 "2020-07-25T23:13:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/1 "2020-07-25T23:13:29Z")
I believe it’s called Master of All Masters, where the master fills the new servant’s head with nonsense, just to find it repeated back, accurately, in an emergency. Do you “know” this one? Have you memorized the nonsense? Asking, partly because I’m curious and want to know, and partly because I want to try building a poll under the new system. BTW, no, I have not successfully memorized the tale. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/2 "2020-07-25T23:30:19Z")
My first reaction was WHF are you talking about? My second reaction was to go to goggle it and find a modestly odd story. My third reaction was to type out my thoughts. My fourth reaction is that it would be a waste…oh, right. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/3 "2020-07-25T23:41:11Z")
Bartender, I will have what he’s having ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/4 "2020-07-26T00:27:37Z")
its a very old lewis carroll type of kids tale where a moron gets what he deserves … but my question always has been this : if the girl knew the house was on fire why did she go back to bed ? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/5 "2020-07-26T00:41:52Z")
oh this should be in cafe society so ive asked a mod to move it there for ya 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/6 "2020-07-26T01:25:39Z")
Polling takes place here; can you open polls in CS? Mods, please do not move! ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/7 "2020-07-26T01:48:22Z")
Polls can be opened at any point in any thread.[poll type=regular results=always chartType=bar close=2020-08-01T02:00:00.000Z] - This thread should be moved to another forum. - This thread should stay here in this forum. - Shut up and pass the cheesecake! [/poll] . Read that story a long time ago, back in the middle of the last century. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/9 "2020-07-26T02:29:22Z")
Ok, other. I have vague memories of the story, but don’t it memorized. You needed another choice in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/10 "2020-07-26T03:05:26Z")
For those seeking enlightenment, [here is the story](https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/eft/eft43.htm) the OP is referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/11 "2020-07-26T06:27:59Z")
Well, that story reminds me of a favorite joke we passed around the schoolyard: Billy came in from playing outside and asked his mother, “Mom, what does bastard mean?” Billy’s mom, not wanting to tell Billy about illegitimate children said, “It means people,dear.” Billy came in the next day and asked, “Mom, what does shit mean?” Billy’s mom blanched, “Oh, um…It’s a kind of food, dear. It’s what food becomes, sort of…” Billy came in the next day and asked, “What does fucking mean Mom?” Billy’s mom thought quickly, “It means getting dressed, dear…sort of, like before getting dressed.” That Sunday evening, the in-laws came over for dinner. Billy swung wide the door and said, “Boy, you bastards are early. Anyway, shit’s on the table, and Mom and Dad are upstairs fucking.” ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/12 "2020-07-26T15:02:38Z")
No but I do remember most of winkin blinkin and nod. one night sailed off in a wooden shoe, sailed on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/13 "2020-07-26T19:05:00Z")
I’ve never even heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/14 "2020-07-26T19:11:02Z")
I remember reading it when I was a kid. It was in a compilation of old children’s stories that somehow wound up in our family’s collection of books. I’ve never come across any other reference to this story in the nearly 60 years since, until this thread. And I certainly never had any reason to memorize it. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/15 "2020-07-26T20:21:08Z")
Never even heard of it. Read it now. Looks more like a comedy skit than a tale. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/16 "2020-07-26T20:51:18Z")
**Locrian** : It would have been a good skit on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In! They did several skits that were somewhat similar! ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/17 "2020-07-27T00:47:18Z")
I’d never even heard of this story. Where, or from whom, did you first hear it? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/18 "2020-07-27T01:30:01Z")
No, but on a good night, I can recite “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout” from memory. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/19 "2020-07-27T01:31:36Z")
Never even heard of it, so I feel very stupid and out-of-touch. A’Googling I will go! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/20 "2020-07-27T01:33:09Z")
Ah, that’s my more houseproud twin. 😃 Isn’t Shel Silverstein utterly wonderful? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350/21 "2020-07-27T01:34:17Z")
**Scribble** - I couldn’t tell you where or when I first encountered this little treasure. Long ago! **Fear\_Itself** - that’s a very noble accomplishment too! **Celyn** - far from stupid! Just think how many pieces of doggerel there are in this world; it’d take Brainiac V to learn them all! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-memorized-the-hot-cockalorum-fairy-tale/916350.md?page=2)