# Limerick **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118 "2002-05-09T16:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/1 "2002-05-09T16:54:41Z")
After looking at today’s Weird Earl’s a question came up. Whenever someone mention limerick (on TV, movies), someone always starts off’ “There once was a man form Nantucket” and stops. Is this a real limerick? How does it go? Is there more than one version? ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/2 "2002-05-09T17:06:31Z")
It’s a real limerick, though it’s rather bawdy, which is persumably why only the first line is mentioned on TV. I don’t know who originated it, and there probably are different verisions, but the one I’ve consistently heard is… There once was a man from Nantucket, Whose dick was so long he could suck it. He said with a grin, As he wiped his chin, “If my ear was a cunt, I’d fuck it.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/3 "2002-05-09T17:06:57Z")
There once was a man from Nantucket Took a pig in a thicket to fuck it. The pig said “I’m queer. If you’ll move from the rear, and come round to the front then I’ll suck it.” ---
**Author:** ![Catalina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Catalina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalina)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/4 "2002-05-09T18:21:00Z")
[http://www.yesterdaysisland.com/main\_pages/limerick.html](http://www.yesterdaysisland.com/main_pages/limerick.html) ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/5 "2002-05-09T19:51:19Z")
One of my favorite Simpsons episodes, Deep Space Homer, mentions this limerick. From [http://www.snpp.com/episodes/1F13.html](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/1F13.html) : > [@](#): > > The next day, Homer shows up for training eating a pink donut. (But not > wearing a pink shirt. Careful, he wets his – oh, never mind.) > > ``` > Homer: Well, here I am, right on time. I don't see Barney "Let's > crash the rocket into the White House and kill the President" > Gumble... > > ``` > > Assistant: Actually, he’s been here since sunrise. > [Barney works with a punching bag] > Barney: Hi Homer. Since they made me stop drinking, I’ve regained my > balance and diction! Observe: [does backflips] “I am the > very model of a modern major general, I’ve information > vegetable, animal, and mineral.” > Homer: Oh, that’s nothing. Watch this: [does cartwheels] “There > once was a man fron Nantucket, Whose --” [smashes into a > wall] ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/6 "2002-05-09T19:55:26Z")
Cecil’s column on the subject: [How does the limerick “There was an old man of Nantucket …” conclude?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_183.html). -Loopus ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/7 "2002-05-10T00:07:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BZ00000 \* > \*\*After looking at today’s Weird Earl’s a question came up. Whenever someone mention limerick (on TV, movies), someone always starts off’ “There once was a man form Nantucket” and stops. Is this a real limerick? How does it go? Is there more than one version? \*\* There once was a man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket, Then his daughter Nan ran away with a man And as for the bucket, Nantucket. He followed the pair to Pawtucket, Nan and the man and the bucket, Paw said to the man You can keep daughter Nan, But as for the bucket, Pawtucket. And there is a third one on the adventures of Nan, Paw, the man, the cash, and the bucket but all I can remember now is that the last line is: And as for the bucket, Manhasset. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limerick/108118/8 "2002-05-10T00:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\* > > There once was a man from Nantucket > Who kept all his cash in a bucket, > Then his daughter Nan ran away with a man > And as for the bucket, Nantucket. > > He followed the pair to Pawtucket, > Nan and the man and the bucket, > Paw said to the man > You can keep daughter Nan, > But as for the bucket, Pawtucket. > And there is a third one on the adventures of Nan, Paw, the man, the cash, and the bucket but all I can remember now is that the last line is: > > And as for the bucket, Manhasset. \*\* Someday … someday maybe I’ll remember to research first. This web page explores the well known “Nantucket Limerick” series in detail. [http://www.nantucket.net/YI/limerick/](http://www.nantucket.net/YI/limerick/) And there are other sites too.