“Fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark…and brother, it’s startin’ to rain” is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. In the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, only two monkeys would have been accepted.
 
American humor columnist Arthur “Bugs” Baer (1886-1969) wrote about the “third monkey” in 1944. “You know that I thought that event occurred about the time Noah was pushing the third monkey off the Ark gangplank” was printed in The Idaho Sunday Statesman (Boise, ID) on September 24, 1944. “I’ve been attending to that infinitesimal detail ever since Noah shoved the third monkey off the gangplank of the Ark” was printed in the San Francisco (CA) Examiner on October 2, 1944. “If so, I’m sure they’ll fight him like the third monkey on the gangplank of Noah’s Ark” was posted on the newsgroup atl.arno on July 25, 2002.
 
“Sometimes you have to fight like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark” was posted on Twitter by Cory Stephens on October 1, 2009. “OH: Fight like you are the third monkey trying to get on Noah’s ark. #kravmaga” was posted on Twitter by Mike Ratliff on February 22, 2010. “#bumpersticker: ‘fight like the third monkey trying to get on the Ark’” was posted on Twitter by Carla.Weewax on January 17, 2012. “I saw a bumper sticker that said ‘fight like the third monkey trying to get on the ark’” was posted on Twitter by Doni on June 29, 2012.
 
The full meme appeared in 2013 and became popular with MMA fighters. “Tee shirt: ‘If you are going to fight, fight like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s ark and it is starting to rain’” was posted on Twitter by Dick Bowie on February 18, 2013. “Seen on a T-shirt:  If you’re gonna fight, fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s ark; and brother, it’s startin’ to rain” was posted on Twitter by 4GK Martial Arts on April 3, 2013.
   
“Never fight unless you have to. But if you do, fight like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark. And brother it’s starting to rain” was posted on Twitter by Christopher Woods on August 4, 2016. “He said, Boy, never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain. Christopher Woods, Rash’Tor’Ri (Soulguard #4)” was posted on Twitter by Bras-mentor on November 12, 2017. “Never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain” (also shown on an image) was posted on Twitter by Karani Mutonga on March 10, 2018.
       
     
Wikipedia: Noah’s Ark
Noah’s Ark (Hebrew: תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: Tevat Noaḥ) is the vessel in the Genesis flood narrative (Genesis chapters 6–9) through which God spares Noah, his family, and examples of all the world’s animals from a world-engulfing flood. The story in Genesis is repeated, with variations, in the Quran, where the Ark appears as Safinat Nūḥ (Arabic: سفينة نوح “Noah’s boat”) and al-fulk (Arabic: الفُلْك).
 
Know Your Meme
Fight Like You’re the Third Monkey on The Ramp to Noah’s Ark, and Brother It’s Startin’ to Rain Images
Fight Like You’re the Third Monkey on The Ramp to Noah’s Ark, and Brother It’s Startin’ to Rain is a memorable quote notably used in a 2016 Tweet by MMA fighter Tim Kennedy and appearing in the comedy novel Rash’Tor’Ri by Christopher Woods, published days later. The quote has since become a popular online catchphrase, appearing in numerous videos, image macros and often associated with ape imagery.
             
Newspapers.com
24 September 1944, The Idaho Sunday Statesman (Boise, ID), “One Word Led to Another” by Arthur “Bugs” Baer, pg. 4, col. 1:
You know that I thought that event occurred about the time Noah was pushing the third monkey off the Ark gangplank.
 
Newspapers.com
2 October 1944, San Francisco (CA) Examiner, “One Word Led to Another” by Arthur “Bugs” Baer, pg. 15, col. 4:
I’ve been attending to that infinitesimal detail ever since Noah shoved the third monkey off the gangplank of the Ark. There are some folks who wish the third monkey had been me. Sometimes I agree with them.
 
Google Groups: atl.arno
I wonder-
Wild Monkshood
Jul 25, 2002, 9:36:32 PM
If so, I’m sure they’ll fight him like the third monkey on the gangplank of Noah’s Ark.
 
Twitter
Cory Stephens
@corynstephens
Sometimes you have to fight like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark
4:40 PM · Oct 1, 2009·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Mike Ratliff
@mikeratliff
OH: Fight like you are the third monkey trying to get on Noah’s ark. #kravmaga
11:24 PM · Feb 22, 2010·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Taylor Mobley
@taylormobley
What i learned in the sermon tonight - “fight like that third monkey standing in line to get on the ark” yeah. ok. got it.
9:01 PM · Jun 1, 2010·Twitter SMS
   
Twitter
Bex Reiff
@bextrax
“You fight it (sin), you fight like that third monkey tryin to get on the ark!!” (Speaker at kairos, ha)
9:03 PM · Jun 1, 2010·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
topher1kenobe
@topher1kenobe
“I caught them fighting like the third monkey on the gangplank of Noah’s Ark”—Rosco P. Coltraine
6:11 PM · Oct 20, 2011·Twitterrific for iOS
 
Twitter
Carla.Weewax
@ShawnTreeATL
#bumpersticker: “fight like the third monkey trying to get on the Ark”
5:08 PM · Jan 17, 2012·TweetCaster for Android
 
Twitter
Doni
@MS_DHJLK
I saw a bumper sticker that said “fight like the third monkey trying to get on the ark”
7:14 PM · Jun 29, 2012·Twitter for BlackBerry®
 
Twitter
Jacqueline Thomas
@JacquelineMST
Bumper sticker: “Fight like the third monkey trying to get on the ark.”
I can dig it.
4:29 PM · Dec 7, 2012·Twitter for iPhone
       
Twitter
Dick Bowie
@DickDbowie
Tee shirt: “If you are going to fight, fight like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s ark and it is starting to rain.”
7:35 AM · Feb 18, 2013·Facebook
 
Twitter   
4GK Martial Arts
@FourGatesNY
Seen on a T-shirt:  If you’re gonna fight, fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s ark; and brother, it’s startin’ to rain.
9:10 AM · Apr 3, 2013·Facebook
   
Twitter
Sport Achievers
@SportAchievers
If you’re gonna fight, fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s ark; and brother, it’s startin’... http://fb.me/2Qr2XUkaY
6:17 AM · Apr 4, 2013·Facebook
 
Twitter 
Jeff Schertz
@_The4th_
If your going to fight, fight like your the third monkey at Noah’s Ark and brother…it’s starting to rain!
@GrissomHoops
10:09 AM · May 1, 2013·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Christopher Woods
@Soulguard0
Never fight unless you have to. But if you do, fight like the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark. And brother it’s starting to rain.
7:48 PM · Aug 4, 2016·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Bras-mentor
@Nissvik
Replying to @kameramannen @paragraf_13 and @postsjuan
He said, Boy, never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain.
Christopher Woods, Rash’Tor’Ri (Soulguard #4)
Den går på läslistan. Tack!
5:24 PM · Nov 12, 2017·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter
Naveen ಕೂಜುಗೋಡು
@naveenkoojugodu
“He said, ‘Boy, never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain’ .......”
- (by) #ChristopherWoods
#profound, #LifeLessons, #Awesomantra
4:57 PM · Mar 1, 2018·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter
Karani Mutonga
@Karanimutonga
Never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain.
(This is also shown on an image.—ed.)
6:09 AM · Mar 10, 2018·Twitter for Android
 
Google Books
A Shot in the Dark:
A Daily Dose of Inspiration for Your Soul
By Mark Corbin
Happie Face Publishing Company
2019
Pg. 66:
Day 55: It’s Starting to Rain
“If you’re gonna fight, fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s starting to rain.” – Unknown
 
Twitter
Conor Hughes
@ConorHughes67
“Never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain.”
Jon Rhattigan and 4 others
7:23 AM · Dec 14, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Bob Kostic
@causticbob
“Never fight until you have to. But when it’s time to fight, you fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark… and brother, it’s startin’ to rain.”
6:19 AM · Jun 3, 2022·Twitter Web App