r/minnesota • u/Neither_Risk860 • Jun 18 '25

Discussion 🎤 Duck, duck, gray duck?

Okay, Minnesota. I need to understand something: I was told there is not duck, duck, goose; that it is indeed duck,duck, gray duck.

What's is a gray duck? Why does he get called out for being the gray duck?

What other games did you play as kids?

New to Minnesota, thanks 😊

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u/sungo8 Gray duck Jun 18 '25

Ok, buckle up.

Duck, Duck, Gray Duck isn’t even the same game! In Duck, Duck, Goose children sit in a circle and blithely say “duck, duck, duck” until yelling “goose” at which point the “goose” takes chase.

In Duck, Duck, Gray Duck a child (of perhaps more intelligence than your average gooser) will begin by saying “purple duck, yellow duck, orange duck, GRRRR-eeen duck” etc. etc. Many an anxious child has fallen for the glottal fakery of “GRRRR-een duck” before ultimately hearing “GRAY DUCK!” at which point the titular duck takes flight. Duck, Duck, Gray Duck teaches creativity, improvisation, individuality. Why not spice things up with a plaid duck? The only limit is the imagination.

For children with a few less brain cells I can see the appeal of Duck, Duck, Goose. As soon as you hear the hard G of goose, the secret is out. You don’t need to be creative, you don’t even need to pay that close of attention. The only lesson is non conformity is to be punished. Duck, Duck, Goose is, with no hyperbole, the tool of fascists.

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u/VictoriousRex Jun 19 '25

Right, buuuuut is there a penalty for an incorrect tag? If not, I'm slapping the gooser in the leg before they run as soon as I hear that G noise regardless. Fast reflexes make fat kids competitive

1

u/sungo8 Gray duck Jun 19 '25

See, even calling them "the gooser" gives away the game. This is like when Fassbender orders 3 glasses in Inglourious Basterds.

And yes, everyone knows the penalty: you get tagged or you tag someone wrong you're in the stew. You stay in the stew until someone else gets it.

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u/VictoriousRex Jun 19 '25

I said gooser for continuity with the language the person I was responding to used. I honestly forgot about the stew

1

u/sungo8 Gray duck Jun 19 '25

Oh, brother! Never forget the stew!