Hooey Stick

This unique toy, also known as a Gee Haw Wimmy Diddle, is a traditional Appalachian folk toy that consists of a notched stick with a propeller on the end and a second stick to rub against the notches and make the propeller spin. Surprising to the uninitiated, the user is able to stop the propeller at will and cause it to change directions. Its Appalachian heritage is still celebrated at the Folk Art Center near Asheville, NC. The alternative name of Gee Haw Wimmy Diddle arises from the old animal-driving terminology in which “gee” meant turn right and “haw” meant turn left.

 
Unique to this puzzle is its combination of simplicity and seemingly mysterious behavior resulting from a combination of friction, vibration, and rotational motion.