The gingham dog and the calico cat

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The gingham dog and the calico cat

The gingham dog and the calico cat are nursery rhymes that originated from American popular culture in the 19th century. In both variants, the rhyme describes a man who sees a picture in the newspaper of a gingham dog and a calico cat, as illustrated below. He decides to take the dog to a farmhouse in a gingham dress, and the cat to a house with a calico door, and he finds both waiting for him at the destination. This is one of several variations of the dog and cat tale, sometimes called the gingham dog and calico cat story, the calico cat and gingham dog story, and the gingham and calico dog and cat story.

The first gingham dog story was published in the 1857 version of Child's Own Story Book, published by George F. Johnston of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who also published several editions of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. An 1896 copy of Child's Own Story Book, published by the Chicago firm of P. F. Vollmer, is the earliest record of the calico cat story.

The origins of the tale are unknown. However, a version was included in A Book of Nursery Rhymes from 1835. The first printed version of the calico cat story was published in 1897. It is not known if the original calico cat story, which was titled "The gingham dog and calico cat" was also published. The 1857 and 1896 versions of the story mention dogs and cats, but the 1837 version only mentions "A gingham dog and a calico cat".

Variants

In 1857

In "The gingham dog and calico cat" from Child's Own Story Book, the man sees a picture in the newspaper of a gingham dog and a calico cat. He decides to take the dog to a farmhouse in a gingham dress, to see if he can get the cats to follow him. The man arrives at the farmhouse. On the way the dog wears the gingham dress and becomes a "pretty picture" and the "cats follow him." When they get to the farmhouse, they get in the parlor and are surprised to see that the man is dressed in a gingham dress. The children see them and take the man's dog to show the man's wife, but he thinks it is just a dog and the women think it is just a gingham dress. The "man thinks he has done a pretty piece of business," but when the woman asks the dog if it was "calico", he answers that it is gingham. She says she has just sold her gingham dress and he says "I believe you have sold your calico" and the dog "pulls a calico cap over his head." After the woman finds out the men are gone, the dog pulls a gingham cap off his head and she asks if he "wants a calico dress." The dog "looks very sulky" and says "no, not any more, I have been calicoed."

Other uses

A calico print was originally a hand-printed, multicolored printed cotton fabric. The word "calico" comes from the Arabic for cotton. Today calico printing is usually done with a printing press and involves either multicolored print or the process of weaving. Calico fabric is produced in a multicolored pattern. It is a common textile on which to print patterns, including checks. There are many "calico prints" of cats, but there is no calico print or pattern depicting a "dog and calico cat".

Calico is also a form of camouflage that is used on garments to make them more camouflaged against black and brown hues. A calico print shirt with a black top hat will blend into the background of a dark wall. A calico print top will blend into an outdoor environment by making a black and white print a black and brown pattern. The camouflage pattern is so effective that it was included on the World War II version of the M1 Garand rifle, and on the M1 Carbine. The US Military used it for some of its camouflage uniforms until the 1980s, and the U.S. Marines continued to use it until the mid-1990s. Calico camouflage is also widely used to conceal the outline of a vehicle or a building. In camouflage clothing it has a double function as to blend in with its surroundings while at the same time keeping the wearer warmer. The combination of camouflage material and fur is also known as camoflage kolosko.

Calico and camoflage-colored cloth have been used to make cat-themed fashion, such as on clothing, and cat toys.