As thick as a duck pluckers wick

'as thick as a duck pluckers wick'..... an aylesbury saying originating from the trade in duck rearing that aylesbury was famous for. It refers to the thickness of a candlewick used to see when plucking ducks after dark, a poorly paid job that was rewarded depending on the amount of ducks killed, plucked, drawn and dressed!....... and isn't very complimentry saying, regarding a persons intellegence!

So, am I right in assuming that the duck pluckers wick is thicker than a normal wick? Pamela

At best, they're relentlessly plucky,
But unlucky, cause this job's so mucky,
But a duck-plucker's wick
Is regarded as thick,
Which, said with a wink, is just ducky.

Since I've never heard anything mentioned about the properties due to the thickness of a candle's wick, I would have assumed it was euphemistically about a duck _ucker's _ick. (^_^)

Aha! So a bit like the t shirts that say "Fuzzy duck - does he ever!" Pamela

And the traditional folk rhyme:
"I'm not a pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's son;
I'm only plucking pheasants
Till the pheasant plucker come."
(Yes, I know it doesn't rhyme - it's a *folk* rhyme.) Try saying it quickly. (VSD)