Tennessee Three-Kick Rule

A NYC lawyer went duck hunting in the mountains of East Tennessee. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer’s field on the other side of the fence. As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing.

"I shot this duck, and it fell in this field, and now I’m going in to retrieve it."

"This is my property," the old farmer replied. "And you are not coming over here."

"I’m one of the best trial lawyers in New York," said the lawyer. "And if you don’t let me get that duck, I’ll sue you and take everything you own."

"Apparently, you don’t know how we do things in these parts of Tennessee," said the farmer. "We settle disagreements like this with the Tennessee three-kick rule."

"And just what is the Tennessee three-kick rule?"

"Well, first I kick you three times, and then you kick me three times, and so on, back and forth, until someone gives up."

The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old-timer. He agreed to the local custom. The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the city slicker.

• His first kick planted the steel toe of his heavy work boot in the lawyer’s shin. The man fell to his knees.

• His second kick nearly put a hole in the man’s stomach.

• The old man then quickly delivered the third kick to the side of the attorney’s head.

Slowly, the disoriented lawyer managed to get to his feet. "OK, you old coot," he said. "now it’s my turn."

The farmer smiled and said, "Naw, I give up. you can have the duck."….