A country girl had walked into town to do some shopping and was walking back when she encountered a farm hand who had done the same. As they were walking together and it was getting darker, she said, “I’m a bit concerned that you might try to take advantage of me.”
“What are you taking about?,” he replied, “I’m carrying a pitchfork and a chicken in one hand and a washtub in the other while leading a goat. How on earth could I take advantage of you?”
“Well,” she continued, “You could always stick the pitchfork in the ground, tie the goat to it, and put the chicken under the washtub…couldn’t you?”
Joke Poo: The Astronaut and the Robot Dog
An astronaut was returning to the space station after a spacewalk when his colleague, seeing him approach, expressed concern, “I’m a bit worried that you might try to vent me out the airlock!”
The astronaut scoffed, “What are you talking about? I’m holding a soil sample container and a broken comms panel in one hand, and tethering a malfunctioning robot dog with the other. How on Mars could I vent you out the airlock?”
“Well,” the colleague replied, “You could always attach the soil container to the robot dog’s back for extra weight, use the broken comms panel to jam the airlock controls, and then sic the malfunctioning robot dog on me…couldn’t you? I heard it bites!”
Okay, let’s break down this joke and then see what comedic seeds we can plant.
Joke Dissection:
- Core Setup: A naive-seeming country girl expresses apprehension about a farmhand’s potential advances.
- Farmhand’s Rebuttal: The humor stems from the farmhand’s literal interpretation of the situation. He presents a practical and (apparently) insurmountable obstacle: He’s simply too encumbered to be a threat.
- The Twist/Punchline: The girl subverts expectations. She’s not actually naive; she’s aware of the logistical possibilities, demonstrating a surprisingly practical (and somewhat blunt) knowledge of how the situation could be orchestrated. This contrast between her initial statement and her detailed plan is the comedic crux.
- Elements: The joke hinges on the stereotypical depiction of country folk, the contrast between perceived innocence and hidden knowledge, and the unexpected pragmatism of the punchline. We also have the specific farm elements: pitchfork, chicken, washtub, and goat.
Comedic Enrichment/Expansion:
Let’s focus on the goat for a moment, as it provides some potentially fertile comedic ground.
Did You Know? (Goat Edition – Leading to a New Joke)
- Goats were among the first animals domesticated by humans (around 10,000 years ago!).
- Goats have rectangular pupils, which give them a wider field of vision (320-340 degrees) than humans. This helps them spot predators.
- Goats can be trained! While sometimes stubborn, they are intelligent animals, capable of learning their name and coming when called.
- Goats do not eat tin cans, which is a popular misconception. They tend to be picky eaters.
New Joke Idea – Building on “Goats are Trainable”:
A city slicker visits a farm and is impressed by the farmhand’s obedient goat. “That’s amazing! You can get a goat to obey you so well?”
The farmhand shrugs. “It ain’t that hard. I just yell, ‘Come here, Debra!’ and she comes right over.”
The city slicker raises an eyebrow. “Debra? That’s an odd name for a goat.”
The farmhand replies, “Yeah, well, Debra is the name of my wife. And if I can get the goat to come when I call her, I’m sure as heck can get my wife’s attention!”
Why this works:
- Subverts expectations: The city slicker assumes the goat is trained with a specific command, but the punchline reveals the farmhand is actually using it to passively-aggressively call his wife.
- Twist on the original: The original joke was about perceived naivete. This new joke is about marital discord and the clever use of animal training.
- Farm element remains: The goat is still central to the humor, grounding it in the same thematic area as the original.
- Relatability: The joke touches on the familiar theme of marital communication struggles.