Document text
640,
Folklore
FORM A
Cirpuestanep of Interview
Washington
J. J. Stauter
Seattle, Washington
December 19, 1958
"Rat Yarn"
1. Cleve Wbodley, Seattle
2. December 19, 1958
5. A. F. of L. Union Hall
4. None
5. None
6. None
r\
;Washington
FORM B
Folklore
Personal History of Informant
Washington
J. J. Stauter
Seattle, Washington
December 19, 1938
"Rat Yarn"
Cleve Woodley, Seattle, Washington
1.
2.
5.
etc. (Not obtained)
Folk Stuff
Stauter Dec. 19, 1958
A rat yarn, told by Cleve Woodley, retired sound skipper:
"Years ago I was shipping out of Port Townsend as a quartermaster. In
those days there was more rats on the boats than there is now, and the boys
used to brag about how big and tough the rata were on their particular ship.
"There was also a lady who run a seamen's boarding house who had a pet
white rat that was tame as a kitten. One time a couple of the boys got to
wondering what would happen if this white rat was turned loose on board ship
among the big Norwegian grey rats. They ended up by stealing the white rat
for the experiment.
"The ship was going to Australia and back, so there was plenty of time
to see what would happen.
"Well, the white rat bred with the gray rats, and before long the ship was
overrun vith the mixture. And the funny thing was, they was even bigger and
more ferocious than the pure greys. It seemed like they had no fear or respect
for a man at all. The boys in the fo'c'sle had a hard time keeping them out of
the way. But the worst thing was when they had to take one of the men up to the
skipper for treatment of bites and scratches all over his face and hands. It
seems he got some lemon stick candy from the slop —chest and hid it under his mattress,
and he hadn't even got sound asleep when two of these mongrel rats tried to get
at the candy. The first move he made they turned to on him, and would have just
about finished him if the other boys hadn't been nearby."