Why a Duck?

Bridges and Falls, originally uploaded by futurballa.

Another one from Uvas Canyon.

Ok, it's not really a viaduct, but you get the point. And if there is anyone who is not familar with the classic Marx Brothers routine, a fair bit of Googling finally turned up a transcript.

Why a duck?

Hammer [Groucho Marx]: ... Now here is a little peninsula, and here is a viaduct leading over to the mainland.

Chico [Chico Marx]: Why a duck?

Hammer: I'm all right. How are you? I say here is a little peninsula, and here's a viaduct leading over to the mainland.

Chico: All right. Why a duck?

Hammer: I'm not playing Ask-Me-Another. I say, that's a viaduct.

Chico: All right. Why a duck? Why a-- why a duck? Why-a-no-chicken?

Hammer: Well, I don't know why-a-no-chicken. I'm a stranger here myself. All I know is that it's a viaduct. You try to cross over there on a chicken, and you'll find out why a duck.

Chico: I no go someplace, I just--

Hammer: It's deep water, that's why a duck. It's deep water.

Chico: That's-why-a-duck.

Hammer: Look, rube. Suppose you were out horseback riding and you came to that stream and wanted to ford over there, you couldn't make it. It's too deep.

Chico: But what do you want with a Ford when you got a horse?

Hammer: Well, I'm sorry the matter ever came up. All I know is that it's a viaduct.

Chico: Now look ... all righta ... I catcha on to why a horse, why a chicken, why a this, why a that. I no catch on to why a duck.

Hammer: Well, I was only fooling. I was only fooling. They're going to build a tunnel in the morning. Now, is that clear to you?

Chico: Yes, everything excepta why a duck.

--The Cocoanuts

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