Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes

Subject: Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes
From: The Singing Organ Grinder
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 05:40 AM

I've done a new translation of Dmitry Grigorovich's classic reportage on street entertainment in the 1840s, The Petersburg Organ-Grinders, and am now annotating the Pulcinella show at the end. The usual interpretation of Petrushka ("enigmatic and mythical personage, does not save Puchinella from the fatal denouement with his misplaced intervention, and merely excites bewilderment in the spectators") by the Slavists is that this is an appearance by an ur-Russian joker which doesn't chime with their theory and is best brushed over; by the Europeanists, that this is some localised commedia dell'arte Pierrot/Pedrolino/Pierolino, and God knows how he got there.

I wondered instead, & after reading Johannes Rabe's Kasper Putschenelle, whether this isn't St-Peter-at-the-Pearly-Gates shtick from puppetised southern German Passion repertoire (I reckon the Russian "Puchinella" was localised by an Upper German speaker).

So, does anyone know anything about the pre-C20th (European) history of these gags?

Subject: RE: Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 09:22 AM

Are vegans required to meat St Peter at the gates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes
From: The Singing Organ Grinder
Date: 15 Feb 18 - 09:45 AM

A Russian one that's an eenie-weenie bit more relevant: An old man walks up to St Peter and says, "I just want to see my son, can't remember his name, but he's got nails through his hands and feet..." St Peter hurries back through the gate in ecstasy, shouting, "Jesus, Jesus, God Your Father has returned!" Out runs Jesus and embraces the old man, who cries, "Pinocchio!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes
From: The Doctor
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 06:19 AM

St Peter is at his post when there is a hammering on the Gate. 'Who is it?' asks Peter. 'It is I', comes the reply. 'Oh God!' says Peter, 'Another bloody teacher.'

Subject: RE: Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes
From: The Singing Organ Grinder
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 08:05 AM

I will certainly ask him on arrival when people turned him into a literary sub-genere.

Subject: RE: Folklore: History of St. Peter jokes
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 Feb 18 - 09:15 AM


St Peter is at his post when there is a hammering on the Gate. 'Who is it?' asks Peter. 'It is I', comes the reply. 'Oh God!' says Peter, 'Another bloody teacher.'

It's I, it's I, it's I O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.
Sorry, it doesn't work.