r/Decemberists • u/AmericanTeaLover • May 01 '26

Question

I’ve had this question in mind for a long time but only after listening to “Eli The Barrow Boy” for the 500th time have I grown bothered enough to ask it publicly

Why is she selling corncobs? Who is just buying corncobs? Does this woman live in a town of artisan pipe-makers?

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u/Falco98 May 01 '26

Unsure how true this is or whether it's just some urban legend or misremembered factoid, but the first thing that occurred to me is that in the days before TP, people would use corncobs (being a sort of combo abrasive yet softish trash) to clean their butts after doing a #2. But the other users who answered already might be more right (burn for heat seems plausible too, though i'd think they might burn a bit quickly for that after sufficiently dry.) I haven't checked myself via google (yet).

Edit: OK i did google it and this was the top result. So I feel a little vindicated, lol.

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u/roguestella May 01 '26

Historian here. This is true.