Query About "Kicktales"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>I am not familiar with the word; has anyone else encountered it?

I haven't.

But since there haven't been many responses, I'll make a few observations,
of questionable relevance.

(1) "Kicktale" as usually encountered on the Web is an unusual variant --
likely just a spelling error, I think -- of "kicktail" which appears on
brief glance to be a part of a skateboard (I think a part which can be
kicked in performing various tricks).

(2) "Kicktail" appears as a perversion of "cocktail" in at least one
jocular context: "That last kicktail had a cock like a mule!"

(3) I've heard occasionally the expression "cock story" meaning "dirty
story": this usage I would associate with roughly the same dialects which
would have "get some cock" = "get some pussy", but I think "cock" here is
best approximated by "f*ck", i.e. "sex". The expression "cock tale" =
"dirty story" (with double-entendre) is expected although I don't recall
hearing it myself. Google search shows a number of instances of this "cock
tale", mixed with possible errors for "cocktail" etc. "Kick tale" could be
euphemistic for this (with another possible double-entendre, "kick-tail" =
"kick-ass" meaning "really impressive" or so) ... assuming that the jokes
in question are 'dirty' ones.

(4) The superficial interpretation of "kicktale" would seem to be "fun
story" (cf. "I got a kick out of that story") or perhaps "story with a kick
[i.e. with a striking punchline]".

I note that the book in question was not published in New York.

I speculate that "kicktale" = "joke" might reflect some combination of (3)
and (4) above.

-- Doug Wilson