“The Candlelight Fisherman”
Description
Singer, a fisherman, tells how his father taught him to test the wind at night by sticking a candle lantern outside: "Open the pane and pop out the flame/To see how the wind do blow". He tells how he does it, and advises listeners to do the same
Notes
The joke is that while one is testing the wind with the lantern, its light attracts fish. Doing this, of course, is against the law. - PJS
Kennedy adds another joke along the lines of the "Arkansas Traveller": If the wind blows out the candle, it's blowing too hard to go out; if the wind doesn't blow out the candle, there isn't enough wind to sail. - RBW
Recordings
- Phil Hammond, "The Candlelight Fisherman" (on FSB3)
- Bob Roberts, "The Candlelight Fisherman" (on BRoberts01, HiddenE)
References
- Kennedy 219, "The Candlelight Fisherman" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT, CANDLEBLO*
- Roud #1852
- BI, K219