Talk:softly, softly, catchee monkey

Earliest

In this form seems to be 1896, Baden Powell, citing it as a "West [African] Coast motto". Rich Farmbrough, 15:11, 14 November 2022 (UTC).

Possibly, but both softly, softly catch monkey and catchee as a supposed African version of catch are attested decades earlier. Perhaps it was commonly spoken before Baden-Powell included it in published work. Cnilep (talk) 03:59, 15 November 2022 (UTC)