Chinny chin chin?

Posted by ESC on September 28, 2000

In Reply to: By the hair of my chinny chin chin? posted by Calla on September 28, 2000

: Is there anyone who tells me the origin and meaning of the phrase? What does the phrase 'chiny chin chin' represent for?

As you probably know, in the children's story that is the three little pigs' response to the wolf's demand that they let him in. "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin." I am guessing that "chinny chin chin" is just a play on words. The question that comes to my mind is, what's the origin of the "not by the hair." I haven't had my coffee yet this morning, so my thinking is a little fuzzy. But isn't there an expression about swearing by one's beard?