Saturday, December 12, 2009

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet

One I learned in kindergarten:

Trick or treat, smell my feet
give me something good to eat
if you don't, I don't care
I'll pull down your underwear!

This is extremely widespread. Variations with and without the underwear references go back to at least the 1960s, and I'd guess they go back to at least the 1940s. Probably not much before that, as trick or treating really only goes back to about the 1930s (Yes, I know the stories about it going back to the druids, etc. There are plenty of OTHER holidays with "ritual begging" that are similar, but trick or treating got started in the states circa the 30s).

What did you hear?

There's a bit more about Halloween customs and their origin in the ebook, not to mention over on our sister site, HalloweenSpecials.net
at

45 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2010 at 8:40 AM

    Trick or treat, smell my feet,
    Give me something good to eat,
    Not too big, not to small,
    Just the size of Montreal!

    (Thunder Bay, northwestern Ontario, 1970s and 80s)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownOctober 30, 2014 at 3:34 PM

      Trick or treat
      smell our feet
      give us something good to eat
      If you don't
      we don't care
      we'll just put money in your underwear.

      Another version (Alone *ONLY YOU*)

      Trick or treat
      smell my feet
      give me something good to eat
      If you don't
      I don't care
      I'll just put money in your underwear.

      Delete
    2. UnknownOctober 30, 2015 at 7:44 PM

      Trick or treat
      Smell my feet
      Give me something good to eat
      If you don't I'd beware
      Their be TP everywhere

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJune 8, 2011 at 5:20 AM

    Trick or treat, smell my feet,
    Give me something good to eat,
    Not too big, not to small,
    Just the size of Montreal!

    (central Alberta, 1970s and 80s)

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 29, 2011 at 7:45 AM

    I remember hearing the version by those two commenters in the 90s as well when I grew up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 17, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    Trick or treat, smell my feet,
    Give me something good to eat!

    Michigan, USA (1969 and 1970s)

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 2:38 PM

    trick or treat smell my feet give me something good to eat no too big not too small just the size of montreal!!!:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 2:40 PM

    i see london i see france i see ghosties underpants

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousOctober 18, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    trick or treat pretty please something better than my feet

    ReplyDelete
  8. adamOctober 22, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    wow

    ReplyDelete
  9. tyanaOctober 22, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    perrfact

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousOctober 29, 2011 at 5:32 PM

    trick or treat smell my feet give me something good to eat if you don't i don't care i will wave your underpants everywere

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousNovember 3, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    trick or treat, smell my feet
    give me something good to eat
    if you don't just beware, i might show you my underwear.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousNovember 6, 2011 at 11:39 AM

    trick or treat smell my feet give me something good to eat if you don't i don't care i'll take a picture of your underware ps just beware (evily said)

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousNovember 11, 2011 at 9:17 PM

    trick or treat smell my toes... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousNovember 11, 2011 at 9:21 PM

    trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat, if you don't, I DON'T CARE, maybe i'll just pull your hair, maybe i'll take your underwear, everyone is gonna stare, at your, hair. Just tryna be fair!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousNovember 12, 2011 at 5:05 PM

    Trick or treat, smell my feet,
    Give me something good to eat,
    Not too big, not to small,
    Just the size of Montreal!

    (Toronto, early 2000s)

    I also heard another version:

    Trick or treat, smell my feet,
    Give me something good to eat,
    Not too big, not to small,
    Just the size of Fairview Mall!

    (Area around Fairview Mall, Toronto, early 2000s)

    but that's cuz I lived near Fairview Mall

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousNovember 15, 2011 at 12:46 PM

    Trick or treat
    smell my feet
    give me something good to eat
    If you don't
    I don't care
    I'll just chew my underwear.

    Phoenix, Arizona, late 60's

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousDecember 5, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    Trick or treat
    smell my feet
    give me something good to eat
    if you con't
    I don't care
    I'll put a bug in your underwear!

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousMay 25, 2012 at 1:45 AM

    Trick or treat
    Smell my feet
    Gimme something good to eat

    If you dare
    I don't care
    I'll just grief your underwear!

    By DrOvi. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnonymousMay 27, 2012 at 12:34 PM

    The line we used when our parents and teachers forbade the underwear one was "I'll throw candy everywhere".

    ReplyDelete
  20. best Long Island laser foot careJuly 16, 2012 at 9:58 PM

    I used to sing this when I was young and it felt very great. Thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousOctober 10, 2012 at 7:17 PM

    Trick or Treat smell my feet
    Give me something good to eat
    If you don't I don't care
    You can smell my underwear!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousOctober 10, 2012 at 7:17 PM

      HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

      Delete
    2. UnknownOctober 31, 2014 at 5:47 PM

      Funny!

      Delete
    3. UnknownOctober 7, 2015 at 10:56 PM

      This was what we said in the late 80's/early 90's in the Midwest. I had never heard the other versions.

      Delete
    4. UnknownOctober 7, 2015 at 10:58 PM

      This was what we said in the late 80's/early 90's in the Midwest. I had never heard the other versions.

      Delete
  22. AnanomousNovember 8, 2012 at 5:57 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  23. UnknownDecember 13, 2012 at 12:52 AM

    This is a great post ! it was very informative.

    best women underwear

    ReplyDelete
  24. Mohammad WongDecember 23, 2012 at 11:42 AM

    A few of us naughty kids would say:

    Trick or treat, smell my feet
    Beat your meat on the toilet seat

    Southern California, early 70's

    ReplyDelete
  25. UnknownJanuary 5, 2013 at 7:14 PM

    My Neice's Teacher taughter her:

    Trick or treat
    smell my feet
    give me something
    good to eat
    If you don't
    I don't Care
    I'll just make some toast instead

    (Palastine, Texas 2012)

    ReplyDelete
  26. B,T & LilyJune 6, 2013 at 5:43 PM

    Trick er treat
    Smell my feet
    Give me something good to eat
    If u don't I don't care ill pull down your underwear
    It's not red
    It's not blue
    It's just filled with pee & poo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. B,T & LilyJune 6, 2013 at 5:44 PM

      Oops... I don't know that was connected to the account w pic of my kids

      Delete
  27. UnknownOctober 11, 2013 at 2:54 AM

    I too have flat feet or fallen arches and no it is not considered a dissability! You need to get insoles in your shoes, you can buy these from most supermarkets and pharmacies. If it is giving you so much trouble go and speak to your Doctor!
    http://www.footcentersofnc.com/common-foot-problems/flat-feet.html

    ReplyDelete
  28. UnknownSeptember 28, 2014 at 7:27 PM

    DICK OR MEAT

    ReplyDelete
  29. UnknownSeptember 28, 2014 at 7:29 PM

    DICK MEAT

    ReplyDelete
  30. UnknownOctober 26, 2014 at 8:13 PM

    trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat, if you don't, I DON'T CARE i'll just cut your hair and put it in your underwear everyone Just trying be fair!!!

    Milwaukee Wisconsin mid 80s

    ReplyDelete
  31. UnknownJuly 8, 2015 at 11:28 PM

    Ours was easy:
    First the worst
    Second the best
    Third they all go down the drain
    Last's the best of all the game
    (Molteno, Eastern Cape, South Africa, 1990's)

    ReplyDelete
  32. zenbeerOctober 7, 2015 at 8:38 PM

    Trick or Treat,
    Smell my Feet,
    Give me something good to eat.
    If you won't
    I don't care
    I've got bulletproof underwear.

    Circa 1970s, northern N.J.

    ReplyDelete
  33. UnknownOctober 7, 2015 at 11:59 PM

    Trick or treat, smell my feet, if you die, you'll know why.

    Detroit, 1960s

    ReplyDelete
  34. UnknownOctober 11, 2015 at 11:42 PM

    Trick or treat
    Smell my feet
    Give me something good to eat
    If you don't
    I won't lie
    I will stab you in the eye

    Florida, early 2000s

    ReplyDelete
  35. AnonymousOctober 18, 2015 at 5:54 PM

    In Winnipeg in the 1990s, we used the same variation of the jingle as Paul and Anonymous said were used in Thunder Bay and central Alberta in the 1970s and 1980s:

    Trick or treat, smell my feet,
    Give me something good to eat,
    Not too big, not to small,
    Just the size of Montreal!

    ReplyDelete
  36. UnknownOctober 30, 2015 at 5:11 PM

    We always sang the underwear version but I've recently heard a different version that went

    Trick or Treat
    Smell my feet
    Give me something good to eat
    If you don't, I won't be sad
    I'll just make you wish you had.

    ReplyDelete
  37. UnknownOctober 30, 2015 at 6:28 PM

    The origins of the the rhyme comes from a series of childrens story books called "My Book House" It came with a parent teaching index for holidays, cultural customs, famous personages, etc. The true and actual original rhyme goes as follows: "Trick or Treat, can you please, give us something, good to eat. Or a trick, that's really quick, that I can do, licketysplit. Happy Halloween!" I've been trying to educate people to say it correctly for 50 years. I even have a decorative plaque with it inscribed on it i hang next to my front door every year. those who say it right get candy and money from me. those who don't get a magic trick.

    ReplyDelete
  38. UnknownOctober 31, 2015 at 3:23 PM

    Trick or treat, smell my feet
    give me something good to eat
    not an apple not a pear
    if you don't, I don't care
    I'll pull down your underwear!

    ReplyDelete

PLEASE tell us where and when you heard your version (ie, "Chicago, early 1950s). And please be aware that the information may end up in a book sooner or later. Comments are screened; too much spam.