Once upon a time, there were two retired vaudevillians -- Zippity and Doo-Dah, who been a song-and dance team on stage for many years. Zippity was the singer; Doo-Dah did the dancing.

They often passed their time fishing together until, one day, there was a terrible accident: their skiff overturned and one of them drowned. Try as he might, Zippity was unable to resuscitate his old friend and partner Doo-Dah.

The police came and took down all of the pertinent information. They asked where Doo-Dah lived and were prepared to go and notify his next of kin but Zippity insisted that he be allowed to break the dreadful news to the family.

Zippity stood on the porch, knocked on the door, and, when the son and daughter-in-law answered, he broke into song (to the tune of "Camptown Races"): "The boat tipped over and guess who died? ..."