Duck, Duck, Gray Duck?

After being around children most of the summer, I have discovered the game of choice for kindergarteners is one called Duck, Duck, Gray Duck. For those of you who grew up outside the Minnesota-Canada-Dakota region, that's Duck, Duck, Goose to you.

Why the difference? No one I've asked seems to know. When asked why it's Gray Duck, you'll get a wierd stare and a shrug. "That's just the way we've always done it."

Internet sources are no help either. Ever-changing Wikipedia has an entry under Duck, Duck, Goose that notes the name difference, but no explanation. Search for Duck, Duck, Grey Duck and you'll get some strongly worded arguments and opinions, but no reasoning. Someone somewhere down the line probably thought the poor goose was being singled out and unfairly discriminated against. Children everywhere grow up with a negative connotation of the Goose. So, they decided to remove the goose, and instead, pick on a duck merely because of the COLOR of its feathers. Hmm...

So, if we decide to have children in this area, we are pretty much guaranteed to be exposed to a familiar game with a slight name change which doesn't bother us.


But when it comes to other things Minnesota, I simply refuse to call a casserole a hot dish. You've got to draw the line somewhere.