# simple question - what is the correct name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675 "2004-03-27T03:07:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/1 "2004-03-27T03:07:15Z")
hi, i’ve been wanting to know what the proper name of this thingy is for years but i don’t even know where to begin searching - because i don’t know what to call it. so i apologize if this is a repeat. what is the proper name for the thingy that brer rabbit is holding? the stick with the cloth tied at the end holding his belongings? here is a picture for reference: [http://www.quigleysbooks.com/songsouth.jpg](http://www.quigleysbooks.com/songsouth.jpg) thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/2 "2004-03-27T03:12:17Z")
> [@river](#): > > hi, i’ve been wanting to know what the proper name of this thingy is for years but i don’t even know where to begin searching - because i don’t know what to call it. so i apologize if this is a repeat. > what is the proper name for the thingy that brer rabbit is holding? the stick with the cloth tied at the end holding his belongings? here is a picture for reference: [http://www.quigleysbooks.com/songsouth.jpg](http://www.quigleysbooks.com/songsouth.jpg) > thank you. I generally end up saying “cloth-on-a-stick-kids-use-to-‘run-away’”. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/3 "2004-03-27T03:15:59Z")
I’d call it a **bindle**. From the Shorter OED: > [@](#): > > bindle /"bInd(\)l/ n. N. Amer. slang.E20. [Prob. alt. of BUNDLE n.] > A bundle or package; esp. a tramp’s bundle of bedding etc. > > Comb.: bindle-stiff a tramp carrying a bundle of bedding etc. This is the comic version of a bindle, which was normally a true bundle, e.g. [http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont\_HS/mice/bindle.html](http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/mice/bindle.html) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/4 "2004-03-27T03:22:37Z")
In Australia you would get away with swag or shiralee. ---
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/5 "2004-03-27T04:12:40Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > I’d call it a **bindle**. > > From the Shorter OED: > > This is the comic version of a bindle, which was normally a true bundle, e.g. > [http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont\_HS/mice/bindle.html](http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/mice/bindle.html) question: does this include the stick? if not, any idea what the name for the bindle-on-a-stick would be? also, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/6 "2004-03-27T04:13:55Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > In Australia you would get away with swag or shiralee. yes, i tried ‘swag’ on [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) & it definitely came up with promising results. i was wondering, though, does ‘swag’ include the stick? and if not, what would it be called if it was a swag-on-a-stick? thanks! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/7 "2004-03-27T04:15:55Z")
Bindle stick - A walking stick, used by hobos, sometimes hand carved, and used to carry a bindle. The stick is also used to clear paths through dense brush or for protection. Oftentimes it is autographed as hobos meet one another during their travels. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/8 "2004-03-27T04:18:12Z")
Sorry, from [hoboing](http://www.yrrm.org/hobo_ac.htm) ---
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/9 "2004-03-27T04:33:54Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > Bindle stick - A walking stick, used by hobos, sometimes hand carved, and used to carry a bindle. The stick is also used to clear paths through dense brush or for protection. Oftentimes it is autographed as hobos meet one another during their travels. yaay! close enough! thank you! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/10 "2004-03-27T04:46:54Z")
I looked up _hobo_ in **don’t ask’s** link, and it seems to say the stick was often a hoe, in the early days. It certainly was in the Dust Bowl days of the Depression in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Dystopos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@Dystopos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dystopos)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/11 "2004-03-27T06:31:03Z")
That particular contraption is also often seen as an attribute of a pilgrim in religious artwork. I have seen it called a purse, scrip, or satchel - though those terms fail to specify the fact of having tied it onto the end of a staff. Perhaps the reason a noun is hard to find is because it is normally something you fabricate when needed rather than keeping it around at the ready. While you have it, it’s your stuff. When you’re not on the road, you don’t need to refer to it. ---
**Author:** ![river](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@river](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/river)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-what-is-the-correct-name/236675/12 "2004-03-27T12:49:27Z")
> [@Dystopos](#): > > That particular contraption is also often seen as an attribute of a pilgrim in religious artwork. I have seen it called a purse, scrip, or satchel - though those terms fail to specify the fact of having tied it onto the end of a staff. > > Perhaps the reason a noun is hard to find is because it is normally something you fabricate when needed rather than keeping it around at the ready. While you have it, it’s your stuff. When you’re not on the road, you don’t need to refer to it. well, they should come up with a (widely available, hee) noun for it then. see, when i want to describe it in a story it’s a bit um not-as-powerful if i were to say, “and there brer rabbit goes carrying his bindle tied to a bindle stick.” but thank you for the extra contributions - i’ll use 'em all. & thanks **AskNott** for the extra tidbit. i love extra tidbits.