SOME COUNTING-OUT RHYMES IN MICHIGAN. BY EMELYN E. GARDNER. IN the present brief paper on some counting-out rhymes which were collected from students in the Michigan State Normal College during the year 1914-15, the following collections are referred to by the names of their respective editors. Sources cited in those works are not repeated in this paper. Black, C. F.. . County Folklore. Vol. III, Orkney and Shetland Islands. London, 1901. Bolton, Henry Carrington. The Counting-out Rhymes of Children. Gutch, Mrs.. London, 1888. . County Folklore. Vol. VI, The East Riding of Yorkshire. London, 1911. Newell, William Wells. . .Games and Songs of American Children. New York, 1883. Northall, G. F. English Folk Rhymes. London, 1892. The rhymes are arranged according to the classification given by Bolton in the work listed above. Although the present collection of counting-out rhymes in Michigan is far from being exhaustive, it is offered for publication with the thought that it may facilitate the collection of other such rhymes. It may or may not be fair to assume that the rhymes of the present collection stand in approximately the same proportion to all such rhymes in Michigan at the present time as the English counting-out rhymes collected by Bolton in the United States stood to all such rhymes in this country at the time his work was published. At any rate, it is hoped that the brief comparison given below under each group heading is not altogether out of place. GROUP I. RHYMES BEGINNING WITH NUMBERS. Bolton's collection contains thirty-three versions. The present collection contains ten versions. I (Version 1). Compare Bolton, p. 92, Nos. 413, 414; Northall, p. 350, identical. One, two, three, Mother caught a flea; Flea died; mother cried; MARGARET STOLL, Escanaba. 2 (Version 2). One potato, two potato, three potato, four, 3 (Version 3). Compare Bolton, p. 93, No. 417. 4 (Version 4). p. 201, No. 20; p. One, two, three, The bumblebee. The rooster crows, And away she goes. FEROLIN BROOKS, Ypsilanti. Compare Bolton, p. 93, Nos. 422-423; Newell, 202, Nos. 21-22; Northall, p. 350. One, two, three, four, Nellie at the cottage door, Giving cherries to the poor. One, two, three, four. GERTRUDE JONES, Hancock. 5 (Version 5). Compare Bolton, p. 93, No. 427, identical with the exception of "hen." 6 (Version 6). One, two, three, four, five, I caught a hen alive; Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, I let her go again. RUTH VANDEVEER, Colona. Compare Bolton, p. 94, No. 440, almost identical; Newell, p. 202, No. 23, first two lines only. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, All good children go to Heaven; Penny on the water, Tuppence on the sea, Threepence on the railway; Out goes she. IRENE PRISK, Hubbell. 7 (Version 7). Compare Bolton, p. 94, No. 437, identical except the last line. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, Some go up, and some go down, And some go to the burying-ground. JEAN KINGSTON, Detroit. 8 (Version 8). Compare Bolton, p. 94, Nos. 434, 436, first two lines identical; Newell, p. 202, No. 23, the first two lines identical with first two below. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, All bad children suffer and die. That shall not be you or I. BERNIECE ELLIOTT, Ypsilanti. 9 (Version 9). For comparison, see references for No. 8. Obviously of recent invention - localized. IO (Version 10). For comparison see references for No. 8. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, All good children go to Heaven. When they get there, they will shout, O-u-t, and that spells out. LILLIAN GUSTAFSON, Lake Mine. GROUP II. "ONE-ERY, TWO-ERY, ICKERY ANN," AND VARIATIONS. Bolton's collection contains twenty-eight versions. The present collection contains seven versions. II (Version 1). Compare Bolton, p. 94, Nos. 443 et seq.; Newell, p. 197, Nos. I et seq.; Northall, p. 349. Erie, Irie, Ickery Ann, Phyllis, Phallus, Nicholas, John. Queever, quaver, English neighbor, CORNELIA KLOOSTER, Holland. 12 (Version 2). For comparison see references for No. II. One-ery, two-ery, ickery, Ann. JEAN KINGSTON, Detroit. 13 (Version 3). For comparison see references for No. II. Ury, Iry, Ichery, Jam, Phillisy, Phollosy, Nicholas John, Queby, Quoby, English Mary. Stickilum, Stackelum, Wee, Woe, Buck. HELEN MCKEON, Fenton. 14 (Version 4). Compare Bolton, p. 95, Nos. 449, 451 et seq.; Newell, p. 197, Nos. 1 et seq.; Northall, p. 349. One-ery, two-ery, ickery Ann, MARGIE CRANDALL, Ypsilanti. 15 (Version 5). Compare Bolton, p. 95, Nos. 449 et seq.; Newell, p. 197, Nos. 1 et seq. Sybil, Sybil, Fred and Don; EVELYN BOWEN, Howard City. 16 (Version 6). Compare Bolton, p. 95, Nos. 452 et seq.; Newell, p. 197, Nos. I et seq. One-ery, o-ery, ickery, Ann, Filson, folson, Nicholas John, Queevy, quavy, Injun Navy, Sticklum, stacklum, buck. One, two, three; out goes she. (he) GRACE GOWMAN, Detroit. 17 (Version 7). Compare Bolton, p. 95, Nos. 444-465 et seq.; Bolton's collection contains thirty-two versions. The present collection contains three versions. 18 (Version 1). Compare Bolton, p. 97, No. 474, identical; Newell, p. 198, Nos. 4-7; Northall, p. 345. Hickry, dickry, six and seven. Holla-bone, cracka-bone, ten and eleven. Mrs. GOBEL, Ypsilanti. 19 (Version 2). Compare Black, "County Folklore," 3: 262; Bolton, p. 97, Nos. 483 et seq.; Newell, p. 198, Nos. 7-8. One-ery, two-ery, tickery seven; Alibi, crackabi, ten and eleven; Tweedle-um, twaddle-um, twenty-one; Eerie, ourie; you are out. FEROLIN BROOKS, Northville. 20 (Version 3). Compare Bolton, p. 97, Nos. 474 et seq.; Newell, p. 198, Nos. 7-8. Gimmery, twaery, hickery, seven, Oucherie, doucherie, ten and eleven; Twael ran, musha dan; Tweedle-dum, twaddle-dum. Twenty-one schedoo! LOUISE GAMBER, Fayette, O. It is supposed that in the first place the rhymes of Group III contained twenty-one words, and that "musky dan," etc., are corruptions of "must be done." SECTION 2. "EENA, DEENA, DINA, DUST." Bolton's collection contains seven versions. contains none. The present collection GROUP IV. RHYMES FOR COUNTING TWENTY-NINE. Bolton's collection contains twenty-one versions. The present collection contains none. GROUP V. "ONE'S ALL, TWO'S ALL," ETC. Bolton's collection contains twenty-two versions. The present collection contains one version. 21. Compare Bolton, p. 100, Nos. 531 et seq.; Newell, p. 198, No. 6. Ramsey in the pot; One-sel, two-sel, zig-sel, zam; Bob tailed vinegar, tickeram, tam; [Name of informant lost.] GROUP VI. "HINTY, MINTY, CUTY, CORN," ETC. Bolton's collection contains fifteen versions. The present collection contains two versions. 22 (Version 1). Compare Bolton, p. 102, Nos. 553 et seq., a variant; Newell, p. 142, No. 87, a game, and p. 200, No. 13; Northall, p. 347. |