_RHYMES FOR COUNTING OUT._
Petite fille de Paris,
Prête-moi tes souliers gris,
Pour aller en Paradis.
Nous irons un à un,
Dans le chemin des Saints;
Deux à deux,
Sur le chemin des cieux.
_French Counting Rhyme._
No. 149.
_Counting Rhymes._
There are various ways in which children decide who shall begin in a
game, or, as the phrase is, be "it."[117] When this position is an
advantage, it is often determined by the simple process of "speaking
first." So far as can be determined when all are shouting at once, the
first speaker is then entitled to the best place. Otherwise it is the
practice to draw straws, the shortest gaining; to "toss up" a coin,
"heads or tails;" or to choose between the two hands, one of which
holds a pebble.
The most interesting way of decision, however, is by employing the
rhymes for "counting out." A child tells off with his finger one word
of the rhyme for each of the group, and he on whom the last word falls
is "out."[118] This process of exclusion is continued until one only
is left, who has the usually unpleasant duty of leading in the sport.
All European nations possess such rhymes, and apply them in a like
manner. These have the common peculiarity of having very little sense,
being often mere jargons of unmeaning sounds. This does not prevent
them from being very ancient. People of advanced years often wonder to
find their grandchildren using the same formulas, without the change
of a word. The identity between American and English usage establishes
the currency of some such for three centuries, since they must have
been in common use at the time of the settlement of this country.
We may be tolerably sure that Shakespeare and Sidney directed their
childish sports by the very same rhymes which are still employed for
the purpose. Furthermore, German and other languages, while they rarely
exhibit the identical phrases, present us with types which resemble
our own, and obviously have a common origin. Such a relation implies a
very great antiquity; and it becomes a matter of no little curiosity to
determine the origin of a practice which must have been consecrated by
the childish usage of all the great names of modern history.
This origin is by no means clear; but we may make remarks which will at
least clear away misconceptions. We begin with that class of formulas
which we have marked from 1 to 13 inclusive.
Respecting these rhymes, we observe, in the first place, that they are
meaningless. We might suppose that they were originally otherwise;
for example, we might presume that the first of the formulas given
below had once been an imitation or parody of some list of saints, or
of some charm or prayer. A wider view, however, shows that the rhymes
are in fact a mere jargon of sound, and that such significance, where
it appears to exist, has been interpreted into the lines. We observe
further, that, in despite of the antiquity of some of these formulas,
their liability to variation is so great that phrases totally different
in sound and apparent sense may at any time be developed out of them.
These variations are effected chiefly in two ways--rhyme and
alliteration. A change in the termination of a sound has often involved
the introduction of a whole line to correspond; and in this manner
a fragment of nursery song may be inserted which totally alters the
character of the verse. Again, the desire for a quaint alliterative
effect has similarly changed the initial letters of the words of the
formulas, according as the whim of the moment suggested.
From the fact that neither rhyme nor alliteration is any guide to the
relations of these formulas, but seem arbitrarily introduced, we might
conclude that the original type had neither one nor the other of these
characteristics. This view is confirmed by European forms in which they
appear as mere lists of unconnected words, possessing some equality of
tone. Rhythm is a more permanent quality in them than termination or
initial. From these considerations it appears likely that the original
form of the rhymes of which we speak was that of a comparatively brief
list of dissyllabic or trisyllabic words.
Now, when we observe that the first word of all the rhymes of this
class is obviously a form of the number _one_; that the second word
appears to be _two_, or a euphonic modification of _two_, and that
numbers are perpetually introducing themselves into the series, it is
natural to suppose that these formulas may have arisen from simple
numeration.
This supposition is made more probable by a related and very
curious system of counting up to twenty (of which examples will be
found below), first brought into notice by Mr. Alexander J. Ellis,
vice-president of the Philological Society of Great Britain, and
called by him the "Anglo-Cymric Score." Dr. J. Hammond Trumbull, of
Hartford, Conn., noticing the correspondence of Mr. Ellis's score with
numerals attributed to a tribe of Indians in Maine (the Wawenocs),
was led to make inquiries, which have resulted in showing that the
method of counting in question was really employed by Indians in
dealing with the colonists, having been remembered in Rhode Island,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Ohio (where it passed
for genuine Indian numeration), and in this way handed down to the
present generation as a curiosity. Mr. Ellis has found this score
to be still in use in parts of England--principally in Cumberland,
Westmoreland, and Yorkshire, where it is employed by shepherds to count
their sheep, by old women to enumerate the stitches of their knitting,
by boys and girls for "counting out," or by nurses to amuse children.
It is, therefore, apparent that this singular method of numeration must
have been tolerably familiar in the mother-country in the seventeenth
century, since the Indians evidently learned it from the early settlers
of New England. It appears, indeed, that not only the score itself, but
also its chief variations, must have been established at that time.
Mr. Ellis, however, who has shown that the basis of these formulas
is Welsh, is disposed "to regard them as a comparatively recent
importation" into England. Be that as it may, we see that the elements
of change we have described, alliteration and rhyme, have been busy
with the series. While the score has preserved its identity as a list
of numerals, the successive pairs of numbers have been altered beyond
all recognition, and with perfect arbitrariness.
It is plain that our counting rhymes cannot have been formed from
the "Anglo-Cymric score," since the latter is only in use in parts
of England, while the former are common to many European nations.
Nothing, however, prevents the supposition that they owe their origin
to a similar root. All that can be said is, that no modern language
is responsible for the practice, which can hardly be supposed to have
originated within the last thousand years.
Turning now to other types of formulas for counting, we see that any
game-rhyme or nursery verse may do duty for such. Of lines used solely
for this purpose, we find forms which have analogies on the continent
of Europe. Some of the childish verses so used, like the French rhyme
we have set at the head of our chapter, contain allusions which stamp
them as ancient. On the other hand, it seems that, in our own country,
little American inventions of the sort, recommended by some attractive
quaintness, have gained currency, unwritten as of course they are, from
Canada to the Gulf.
It appears, from foreign usage, that it was formerly common for each
game to have its own especial formula for "counting out," a practice of
which we have an example in No. 107.
(1.) Onery, uery, hickory, Ann,
Fillison, follason, Nicholas John,
Queevy, quavy, Virgin Mary,
Singalum, sangalum, buck.
--_Philadelphia._
(2.) Onery, uery, ickory, Ann,
Filisy, folasy, Nicholas John,
Queevy, quavy, Irish Mary,
Stingalum, stangalum, buck.[119]
--_New England._
(3.) Onery, uery, ickory, Ann,
Fillison, follason, Nicholas John,
Queevy, quavy, English navy,
Stinkalum, stankalum, John Buck.
=B-u-c-k= spells buck.
--_Cincinnati_ (1880).
(4.) Onery, uery, ickory, a,
Hallibone, crackabone, ninery-lay,
Whisko, bango, poker my stick,
Mejoliky one leg!
--_Scituate, Mass._ (about 1800).
(5.) Onery, uery, hickory, able,
Hallowbone, crackabone, Timothy, ladle,
* * * * *
--_Salem, Mass._[120]
(6.) One's all, zuzall, titterall, tann,
Bobtailed vinegar, little Paul ran,
Harum scarum, merchant marum,
Nigger, turnpike, toll-house, out.
--_Salem, Mass._[121]
(7.) One-amy, uery, hickory, seven,
Hallibone, crackabone, ten and eleven,
Peep--O, it must be done,
Twiggle, twaggle, twenty-one.
--_Georgia._[122]
(8.) Onery, uery, ickery, see,
Huckabone, crackabone, tillibonee;
Ram pang, muski dan,
Striddledum, straddledum, twenty-one.[123]
--_Connecticut._
(9.) Eny, meny, mony, my,
Tusca, leina, bona, stry,
Kay bell, broken well,
We, wo, wack.[124]
--_Massachusetts._
(10.) Eny, meny, mony, mine,
Hasdy, pasky, daily, ine,
Agy, dagy, walk.
--_Connecticut._
(11.) Eny, meny, mony, mite,
Butter, lather, bony strike,
Hair cut, froth neck,
Halico balico,
We, wo, wack.
--_Philadelphia._
(12.) Ena, mena, mona, my,
Panalona, bona, stry,
Ee wee, fowl's neck,
Hallibone, crackabone, ten and eleven,
O-u-t spells out.
(13.) Intery, mintery, cutery corn,
Apple-seed and apple-thorn,
Wire, briar, limber lock,
Five mice in a flock;
Catch him Jack,
Hold him Tom,
Blow the bellows,
Old man out.
--_Massachusetts._
(14.) Ikkamy, dukkamy, alligar, mole,
Dick slew alligar slum,
Hukka pukka, Peter's gum,
Francis.
--_Massachusetts._
(15.) 1. ane.
2. tane.
3. tother.
4. feather.
5. fip.
6. sother.
7. lother.
8. co.
9. deffrey.
10. dick.
11. een dick.
12. teen dick.
13. tother dick.
14. feather dick.
15. bumfrey.
16. een bumfrey.
17. teen bumfrey.
18. tother bumfrey.
19. feather bumfrey.
20. gig it.
(16.) 1. een.
2. teen.
3. tuther.
4. futher.
5. fip.
6. sother.
7. lother.
8. porter.
9. dubber.
10. dick.
11. een dick.
12. teen dick.
13. tuther dick.
14. futher dick.
15. bumpit.
16. een bumpit.
17. teen bumpit.
18. tuther bumpit.
19. futher bumpit.
20. gig it.[125]
(17.) Stick, stock, stone dead,
Set him up,
Set him down,
Set him in the old man's crown.
--_Philadelphia._
(18.) Apples and oranges, two for a penny,
Takes a good scholar to count as many;
O-u-t, out goes she.
--_Philadelphia._
(19.) a, b, c, d, e, f, g,
h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p,
q, r, s, t,
u are out.
--_Cincinnati._
(20.) 1, 2, 3, 4,
Mary at the kitchen-door,
5, 6, 7, 8,
Mary at the garden-gate.
--_Massachusetts_ (1820).
(21.) 1, 2, 3, 4,
Lily at the kitchen-door,
Eating grapes off the plate,
5, 6, 7, 8.
--_Philadelphia_ (1880).
(22.) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
Mary sat at the garden-gate,
Eating plums off a plate,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
(23.) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
All good children go to heaven.
--_Massachusetts to Pennsylvania._
(24.) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
All bad children have to wait.
--_Massachusetts._
(25.) Monkey, monkey, bottle of beer,
How many monkeys are there here?
1, 2, 3,
You are he (she).
--_Massachusetts to Georgia._
(26.) Linnet, linnet,
Come this minute,
Here's a house with something in it;
This was built for me, I know.
--_Philadelphia._
(27.) School's up, school's down,
School's all around the town.
(28.) Three potatoes in a pot,
Take one out and leave it hot.
--_Philadelphia._
(29.) Mittie Mattie had a hen,
She laid eggs for gentlemen,
Sometimes nine and sometimes ten.
--_Georgia._
(30.) William a Trimbletoe,
He's a good fisherman,
Catch his hands, put them in pens,
Some fly East, some fly West,
Some fly over the cuckoo's nest--
O-u-t spells out and be gone.
--_Georgia._
(31.) Red, white, and blue,
All out but you.
--_Philadelphia._
(32.) Engine No. 9,
Out goes she.
--_Philadelphia._
(33.) As I went up the apple-tree,
All the apples fell on me;
Bake a pudding, bake a pie,
Did you ever tell a lie?
Yes, you did, you know you did,
You broke your mother's teapot-lid--
L-i-d, that spells lid.
--_Cincinnati._
(34.) Little man, driving cattle,
Don't you hear his money rattle?
One, two, three,
Out goes he (she).
--_Massachusetts._
(35.) Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is sour and sad,
Thursday's child is merry and glad,
Friday's child is full of sin,
Saturday's child is pure within;
The child that is born on the Sabbath day,
To heaven its steps shall tend alway.[126]
--_Georgia._