Nursery Rhymes and Game-Songs from Georgia- Mellinger Henry 1934

Nursery Rhymes and Game-Songs from Georgia by  Mellinger E. Henry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 47, No. 186 (Oct. - Dec., 1934), pp. 334-340

NURSERY RHYMES AND GAME-SONGS FROM GEORGIA [1]
by MELLINGER E. HENRY

[1] Abbreviated references: Newell (Games and Songs of American Children, New York, 1903); JAFL (Journal of American Folk-Lore); Hudson (Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore).

SONG 1. Cf. the following bit of cradle-song with the Nursery Song in Joel Chandler Harris's "Uncle Remus and His Friends," Boston, 1920, p. 213.

Go to sleepy, little baby;
When you awake,
I'll give you ginger cake,
And a whole lot of little horses:
One will be red,
One will be blue,
One will be the color
Of your mammy's shoe. (Lithonia)

SONG 2. Bye-O! Bye-O!
Baby's in the cradle sleeping.
Tip toe, tip toe,
Soft and low, like pussy creeping,
Bye-O, Bye-O! (Lithonia)

SONG 3. The following was communicated as an "Old Slavery Song." However, it is a version of the nursery rhyme, "This Pig Went to the Barn." [2] This is a game to count baby's toes.

This little pig said, "He's gonna steal some corn."
This little pig said, "Where from ?"
This little pig said, "Out of massa's barn."
This little pig said, "If you do, I'll tell."
This little pig said, "Iwee, Iwee, Iwee,
I can't get over the door sill." (Lithonia)

2. This little pig ate all the corn.
3. This said he would tell.
4. This said he wasn't well.
5. This went week! week! week! over the door sill. (From Mother Goose's Book of Nursery Rhymes and Songs in "Everyman's Library," p. 108.)

[2] Cf. I. This little pig went to the barn.

SONG 4. The next song was included with the preceding as an "Old Slavery Song," but probably it was used to count baby's five fingers long before slavery days. See Nursery Rhymes, London, Ernest Nister, p. 116;
Mother Goose's Book of Nursery Rhymes and Songs in "Everyman's Library," p. Io6; Mother Goose, G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, I919, pp. 71, 132. The present version is quoted because it is slightly different
from any of those noted in the references.

This little pig went to market;
This little pig stayed at home;
This little pig had bread and butter;
This little pig had none;
This little pig cried, "Wee, Wee," all the way home. (Lithonia)

SONG 5 A. For slightly different versions see Newell, pp. 155-6, 216; JAFL, XL, 30-31; Hudson, p. 112.

Chickamy, chickamy crannie crow;
I went to the well to wash my toe.
When I got home my chillans were gone.
What time is it, ole witch?
(Witch answers) "One o'clock."
Repeat with witch answering two o'clock, etc.
At twelve o'clock the witch chases the children away. (Decatur)

SONG 5 B. One child is "witch." The "mother" comes up with all "children" behind her to ask the time. When the count gets to twelve o'clock the witch tries to catch the children and the mother tries to protect them.

Chick-e-mer, chick-e-mer, cranie crow;
Went to the well to wash my toe;
When I got back my chicken was gone;
What time is it, old witch?
(Ans.) "One o'clock" (and so on up to twelve o'clock). (Atlanta)

SONG 6. Cf. Newell, p. 62. This version differs slightly.

Many, many stars are in the skies
As old, as old as Adam;
Fall upon your knees
And kiss whom you please
Your humble servant, Madam. (Decatur)

SONG 7.
Winnie, Winnie,
Stix, stax, stinnie,
Dominecker, tinned toed,
Bowlegged Winnie. (Decatur)

SONG 8. Cf. R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, Jan. 8, 1928, p. II; JAFL, XXVI, 130.

Go tell Aunt Tabby,
Go tell Aunt Tabby,
Go tell Aunt Tabby,
The old gray goose is dead.

The one she's been saving,
The one she's been saving,
The one she's been saving,
To make a feather bed. (Atlanta)

SONG 9. All my toys are dear;
But my dollie, pretty Mollie,
Is the one I love best of all.
She's my dove, she's my darling child,
And I love her just as mother loves dear Tom and me.
Mothers always, don't you see? (Lithonia)

SONG 10. A little man bought him a big bass drum,
Boom, boom, boom!
"Who knows," said he, "when a war might come!"
Boom, boom, boom!
"I'm not all frightened, you understand;
But if I'm called on to fight for my native land,
I want to be ready to play in the band."
Boom, boom, boom! (Lithonia)

SONG 11. All policemen have big feet,
Specially on Decatur Street. (Lithonia)

SONG 12. Cf. Newell, p. 129, for a slightly different version from the New York streets; see also JAFL, XL, 25.

Farmer's in the dell, farmer's in the dell,
Heigh ho, may de re o, the farmer's in the dell. (Atlanta)

SONG 13. Cf. Newell, p. 203; Hudson, p. 113; JAFL, XXVI, 141.

William A. Trimbletoe, he's a good fisherman;
Catches hens, puts 'em in pens;
Some lay eggs, some lay none;
Wyer, bryer, limber lox;
Set and sing till twelve o'clock;
O-U-T spells out, and you must be gone. (Atlanta)

SONG 14. Cf. Newell, pp. 63, 243-4

A row of children marching to one person:
We're going to see Miss Susie Brown,
Miss Susie Brown, Miss Susie Brown;
We're going to see Miss Susie Brown.
How is she today?

One person: She is washing.
The row returning to first position:
We are very glad to hear it,
We are very glad to hear it.

Keep repeating until at home base;
then turn and advance to the one child:
We're going to see Miss Susie Brown,
Miss Susie Brown, Miss Susie Brown.
How is she today?

(Ans.) She is ironing.

Return saying: We're very glad to hear it, etc.

All is repeated getting answers: cooking, reading, visiting, etc., until the answer is, "She is sick." Then the row returns saying, "We're very sorry to hear it." The next is, "She is dead," when all must burst into weeping and the game is over. (Atlanta)

SONG 15. Cf. JAFL, XXVI, 140. The child, who is the frog, slips out and hides during the song.

Frog in the middle, and can't get out;
Frog in the middle, and can't get out;
Frog in the middle, and can't get out;
Where's little froggie ? (Atlanta)

SONG 16. Cf. Newell, p. 128; JAFL, XXVI, 138, XL, 26; Hudson, p. 119.

Go in and out the windows,
Go in and out the windows,
Go in and out the windows,
As I have done today.

Go stand before your lover,
Go stand before your lover,
Go stand before your lover,
As I have done today.

I measure my love before you,
I measure my love before you,
I measure my love before you,
As I have done today.

I kneel before my lover,
I kneel before my lover,
I kneel before my lover,
As I have done today. (Atlanta)

SONG 17. Here I stand on two little chips,
Come and kiss my sweet ruby lips. (Atlanta)

SONG 18. (This is to be said very last)

Oneco dayco asco Ico wasco standco inco myco millco doorco
Ico sawco someco thingco whiteco flyco oreco myco millco pondco.
Ico wouldco giveco allco myco monco inco myco purseco
Ifco myco wifeco wasco soco whiteco asco thatco thingco
Thatco flewco oreco myco millco pondco. (Atlanta)

SONG 19. Cf. Newell's Rhymes for counting-out, p. 197ff.

Eney, meny, dixey, deeny
Hit him a lick and Johnny Queeney.
Teine, teine mushy dime
Nineteen hundred and ninety-nine. (Atlanta)

SONG 20. Cf. JAFL, XXVI, 143.

Old Aunt Maria, she jumped into the fire.
The fire was so hot, she jumped into the pot.
The pot was so black, she jumped into the crack.
The crack was so narrow, she jumped into the marrow.
The marrow was so rotten, she jumped into the cotton.
The cotton was so white, she stayed there all night. (Atlanta)

SONG 21. A version of The Mulberry Bush identical with that in "The Everyday Song Book." It is slightly different from that in Newell, pp. 17, 86. (Decatur)

SONG 22. A version of London Bridge Is Falling Down identical with that in "The Everyday Song Book." It varies slightly from that in Newell, pp. 207-210. (Atlanta)

SONG 23. Cf. this fragment with Newell, pp. 47-51; see also JAFL, XL, 8.

There were three dukes a-riding,
A-riding, a-riding;
There were three dukes a-riding
With a ransy, tansy, tay. (Atlanta)

SONG 24. All the following nursery rhymes were obtained from Miss Julia Stokes, of Atlanta, who learned them there as a child.

(a) Some may come with fairie faces;
Some may say that I'm not true;
But remember, little darling,
No one loves you as I do.

(b) When you get old and cannot see,
Put on your glasses and think of me.

(c) Roses red, violets blue,
Sugar's sweet, and so are you.
340o ournal of American Folk-Lore.

(d) Here I stand crooked as a horn;
Ain't been kissed since I've been born.

(e) Here I stand black and dirty;
If you don't come and kiss me,
I'll run like a turkey.

(f) (insert name) is mad, and I am glad
And I know what to please him;
Give him to drink, a bottle of ink,
And sweetheart to squeeze him.

(g) Down by the brook there is a rock
On which is written, "forget-me-not."
 
(h) Sure as the vine grows 'round the pine,
I'll be yours, if you'll be mine.

(i) Sure as the vine grows 'round the stump,
You are my darling sugar lump.

(j) Remember well and bear in mind
A true friend is hard to find.

(k) When you get married
And hubby gets cross,
Pick up the broom
And show him who's boss.

(i) Brass shines, so does tin;
The way I love you is a sin.