Like okra

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase 'roke like okra' - or - 'rope like okra'. I remember it from childhood. A typical sentence, "If you don't leave me alone I'll beat you til you roke/rope like okra."

You should try the search box at the top before asking a question. Here's my previous post on the topic: www.phrases.org.uk bulletin_board 43 messages 833.html