hoodling
n.— «Dr. Wolf: “What is hoodling?” Mr. Ferrell: “That’s it, hoodling (demonstrates “Possum in a pawpaw patch, picking up pawpaws and putting them in his pocket.”).” Dr. Wolf: “That’s hoodling, is it?” Mr. Ferrell: “Yeah, that’s hoodling too, I guess. That’s hoodling too.”)» —“Hoodling Song” by James Clifton Ferrell in Memphis, Tennessee John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection (Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas) June 30, 1963. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
What kind of book do people ask for most often in prison? Romance novels? No. The Bible? No. The most requested books by far are … dictionaries! A number of volunteer organizations gather and distribute used dictionaries to help inmates with...
David says that when he was growing up in Akron, Ohio, his family referred to the grassy area between the sidewalk and street as the devil strip. He’s since moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he doesn’t hear that term. There are lots...
The word “hoodling” as an adjective comes in “Binker” a poem by AA Milne written (I guess) about 1925 … oddly (?) enough it is quoted in The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins .
What the word means in the context of the poem I have no idea at all .