Spo-fans recall (or learning now) I’ve had a long time project since junior high school of creating a map consisting of every mythical legendary and imaginary person, place, or thing there is (or never was). I keep a running list handy so when I think of something I can jot it down for a later evaluation for entry into “The Timeless Lands of Erewhon”. “Uncle Wiggly” was recently brought to my attention, which got me thinking about this character and his cohorts. He was a rabbit (on crutches) in a series of books with many companions. I remember Uncle Wiggly not from books but from a board game.
As a young boy I was disturbed by the game for it gave me the heebie-jeebies. As a player you had to get by several nasty characters on your way to the goal of visiting Dr. Possum. One particular character evoked the most anxiety. He was a tall, dark, stick-like character like that of a crane. He had a long piercing beak and he seemed to have elements of a black widow spider– or so my memory goes. I haven’t thought of him in ages, but he remember he haunted me in my youth; he would sometimes show up in my dreams. I recall avoiding the game knowing I would have to see him and get past him to proceed on my journey. To a six year old this was major impediment.
Thanks to my recent research into Uncle Wiggly I came across a photo of the game board. You can see the demon is in the upper left hand corner of the board. Notice to you have to go into his mouth with its piercing sharp tongue and out his back-end. The Freudians would have a hay-day analyzing my six year old terror on the topic!
Thanks to Wikipedia I have learned it’s name: Skeezicks.*
Skeezicks! I have used this word all my life and still do. I thought it was a generic word but apparently it originates from the Uncle Wiggly books?I often call Harper ‘Skeezicks’ so she won’t prick up her ears at her name being said: “I am taking Skeezicks for a walk”. Imagine! All this time my inner demon has been lurking like a hidden squatter in my house and psyche (as subconscious complexes do) !
I plan on reading ‘The Uncle Wiggle’ books at least the books; I want to eject the nasty bird from my psyche. Last night I did NOT have bad dreams after all this insight. I take this as a good sign the fellow has been discovered and rendered harmless. There is nothing like exposing the complexes for the shams they are to make them innocuous (think of Dorothy et. al. when they realize there is a man behind the curtain). I feel good to have faced another childhood demon and come out well.
*This photo from the internet is marvelous from a Jungian point of view. Uncle Wiggly as Ego is having his house (Pscyhe) invaded by the Skeezicks the Shadow-Complex. Skeezicks looks powerful while Uncle W (with his rheumatism and candy cane crutches) looks too frail to fight. He is going to have to put up a pretty stiff battle to eject S from his household – or at least get him to behave. Happily Wiggly has a Friend complex with him to help him.
30 comments
March 6, 2018 at 2:11 AM
Mitchell Block
I was never a fan of Uncle Wiggly precisely because of Skeezix. However, do you remember the comic strip “Gasoline Alley”? Skeezix is the baby Walt Wallet found on his doorstep and adopted. (Skeezix is now in his 90s.)
March 6, 2018 at 7:29 AM
Urspo
I did not know this, thank you. Now I am fascinated by the history and origin of the fellow,. I will go have a look-see on line.
March 6, 2018 at 4:32 AM
anne marie in philly
I had that board game as a child.
“Notice you have to go into his mouth with its piercing sharp tongue and out his back-end.” – now THAT I never saw..til NOW! WTF??? analyze THAT!
March 6, 2018 at 7:29 AM
Urspo
Insight leads to growth!
March 6, 2018 at 5:33 AM
David
Bring the demons into the light of day, and they are not so scary. I did get over my fear of pastry.
March 6, 2018 at 7:29 AM
Urspo
Avoid pastries and curried snacks.
March 6, 2018 at 6:10 AM
vivianswift
And let’s not even start trying to talk about the Tar Baby.
March 6, 2018 at 7:30 AM
Urspo
I wrote a blog entry on the topic of touching a tar baby. I will look it up this weekend and reread it.
March 6, 2018 at 6:15 AM
RuralBeard
Ha! So that’s where that name comes from…from where that name originates (darned prepositions!). I too had read he uncle Wiggly books as a nipper; I had totally forgotten them, but not the name Skeezix, it still comes trippingly whenever I want to chastise someone I know. Hurry up Skeezix, times a’wastin’! Where on earth are these old time expressions stored?? I’m becoming my father!!
March 6, 2018 at 7:31 AM
Urspo
I am not yet certain if Skeezicks originates from Uncle Wiggly or the author of the books used the established word to create the character. It would be like me writing a novel with ‘The Doofus”. I want to research more the origin of the word.
March 6, 2018 at 6:32 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
So was Uncle Wiggly a kind of down-market Br’er Rabbit or what?
March 6, 2018 at 7:33 AM
Urspo
I don’t know, but it is a fascinating thought to research viz. which came first and are they related etc. There is are no lack of children stories with rabbits in them. Brer Rabbit (I think) is common folklore while Uncle Wiggly (and Peter Rabbit) are specific works of certain authors.
March 6, 2018 at 7:22 AM
truthspew
Oh me, I’m more into what used to be termed video games and is now known as pc gaming. Bioshock is my absolute favorite. Creepy enough too.
But then old school with Castlevania.
March 6, 2018 at 7:34 AM
Urspo
Do you know if “Wizardry” still exists? it was the only video game I played. By today’s standards it is very crude and simple, but I liked it. Oh, to play that again!
March 6, 2018 at 10:03 AM
truthspew
Yeah it does.
March 6, 2018 at 8:05 AM
Ravager619
Until today, I’ve never heard of Uncle Wiggily. I’m guessing Skeezicks was too creepy for my parents to ever buy this.
March 6, 2018 at 8:42 AM
Urspo
It was a game for youth just learning how to read. You picked a card that told you (in rhyme) how many steps to take forward (or backward). It was a game of pure chance/no skill. Cute concept other than the bad guys/impediments were rather frightening to youngsters like myself. I am now quite curious to read the books to find out for what age were they written and (by today’s standards) how quaint or frightening they were.
March 6, 2018 at 9:09 AM
Steven
I never heard of this game. I’m not sure what to say here, you didn’t happen to sample any medication did you? Are you saying this game damaged you as a child, a little like finding out most mother goose rhymes were morbid.
March 6, 2018 at 9:26 AM
Urspo
#1 – you have a nice sense of humor
#2 – mother goose rhymes are indeed morbid in their way.
March 6, 2018 at 10:36 AM
Old Lurker
If you don’t frighten children then how will they be obedient?
I think it is great you found this tidbit about a childhood horror. For years I had the theme song of a television show stuck in my head, and it wasn’t until Youtube/Wikipedia that I learned it was the theme to “Greatest American Hero”. That was a similar a-ha moment for me.
March 6, 2018 at 4:58 PM
Urspo
See Willym’s recommendation below.
March 6, 2018 at 11:09 AM
jefferyrn
Alas Timmy would zero in on the word walk and start dancing around ready to go.
March 6, 2018 at 4:58 PM
Urspo
lol would he now?
March 6, 2018 at 4:29 PM
Willym
I remember Uncle Wiggly but none of the other characters. Now if you want a real lesson in scaring children take a look at Der Struwwelpeter. Makes those sick bastards the Brothers Grimm read like Lucy Maud Montgomery.
March 6, 2018 at 4:57 PM
Urspo
I remember reading them in high school German class! Sick sick sick! But they were jolly good fun!
March 6, 2018 at 6:47 PM
Todd Gunther
Actually Mother Goose has been heavily edited down through the years. Try reading the full version of Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater. He wasn’t quite the male chauvinist pig we’ve been led to believe he appeared to be.
March 6, 2018 at 8:25 PM
Urspo
I shudder to think what the originals are like.
March 6, 2018 at 10:20 PM
Practical Parsimony
We played Uncle Wiggly as a child. But, I don’t think we ever finished a game because my little sister would flip the board because she was not winning. So, the game languished and she tore it up, old enough to know better. She must have been the skeezicks because even now, she likes to spoil anything she cannot control or have. I need to refer to her as that…lol.
March 7, 2018 at 7:40 AM
Urspo
Dear me, your sister sounds to have the high spirits, as my aunt used to say.
June 30, 2020 at 11:18 AM
linda tobin
skeezics was my favorite character from uncle wiggly. I’m pretty sure he’s supposed to be a crow – with his outfit I assumed he was supposed to be a scarecrow, further adding to his creepiness.. I’ve always thought that Freddie Krugars outfit from nightmare on elm street was Wes Cravens childhood nightmares of Skeezics coming out in his film. Am I crazy? or does anyone else see the similarity?