York-Adams Council
Northwest District August 1975 Roundtable

Pecos Bill - Yippy yi-i-ay
Coyotes or Varmints - Howl
Horse or Widowmaker - Whinny
Indians - War hoop
Gun - Bang-bang
Toad - Hop-hop
Painted Desert - Swish-swish

Pecos Bill fell out of a wagon while travelling westward with his family. He was found by a bunch of coyotes and it wasn't long before Pecos Bill became one of them varmints. One day a cowboy came by and told Pecos Bill that since he didn't have a tail like a coyote he figured that he was a human and that he should have a horse to ride. Now Pecos Bill had no idea how to get a horse. A few days later a little strange horse wandered into the valley and Pecos Bill was able to save the life of the little horse. From that day on, Pecos Bill and Widowmaker stuck together like warts on a toad. After a few years, Pecos Bill and Widowmaker became known as the toughest varmints west of the Alamo. Now once a tribe of painted Indians did a war dance. Pecos Bill took out his gun and started shooting up their game. Pecos Bill gave those Indians such a shakeup that they jumped out of their makeup and that's how the Painted Desert got its name.

How To Wash An Elephant
Indian Nations Council

Before introducing this stunt, choose three people to leave the room. They should not overhear the narrator. Narrator explains to audience that the stunt is called "How to Wash an Elephant", a classic example in communications. He tells the following story and pantomimes the motions as he goes.

Narrator: One morning, Farmer Friendly went out to the barn to begin his chores. (Pantomime walking). He threw open the barn door, and to his surprise, he found an elephant in his barn. (Pantomime throwing open door, surprise). The farmer didn't know what to do with the elephant so he decided that the first thing to do was to wash it. He led the elephant from the barn. (Pantomime picking up elephant's trunk and walking with it over your shoulder. (Open and close the barn door). He left the elephant near the pump got a bucket and scrub brush and pumped the bucket full of water. (Pantomime actions) Now he was ready to begin. First he scrubbed the right side. (Pantomime scrubbing. Lift up elephant's ear and wash them). Then he was ready for the stomach. (Lie on underside). Next, the right side. (Repeat the same actions as for the left side) then he scrubbed the elephant's face. (Pantomime scrubbing between eyes and down length of trunk). Almost done? (Walk to rear of elephant, gingerly lift up tail and quickly scrub there). There, that's done! (Pantomime throwing out rest of water, putting brush in bucket and setting bucket beside pump. Take the elephant by his truck and lead him back to the barn, open door, lead him in, go out and shut door behind).

Narrator tells audience he will call people back in, one by one, and pantomime the stunt, without benefit or narrative. The first person will pantomime what he remembers for the second, and so on. He will, of course, have no idea what the motions mean, so it can be very funny. And by the time the actions are pantomimed for the third person, it will be distorted and bear little resemblance to the original version.
After all three have tried their luck, narrator explains the story and tells them what they are doing.