Goose
“A taylor’s goose; a smoothing iron used to press down the seams, for which purpose it must be heated: hence it is a jocular saying, that a taylor, be he ever so poor, is always sure to have a goose at his fire. He cannot say boh to a goose; a saying of a bashful or sheepish fellow.”
And Then She Kissed Him 
I’m familiar with the saying – ‘He wouldn’t say boo to a goose’ – meaning shy or nervous
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Me too–I think this is where that came from.
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