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A rhyme sung by African-American children

Lou Lou had an engine
The engine had a bell
Lou Lou went to heaven
The engine went to hello
Operator
Give me number nine
If you don't connect me
I beat your big
Behind
The refrigerator
There was a piece of glass
Lou Lou slipped upon it and
Cut her little
Ask
Me no more questions
I'll tell you no more lies
Lou Lou told me all of this
Just before she died.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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A rhyme used to pick the next player of a game.

She never went to college
She never went to school
But when she came back
She was an educated fool.

Submitter comment: This game is used to pick the next person to be "it."
All players gather in a circle. One person is inside
the circle. This person covers their eyes with one hand and
points out a finger with the other hand as they spin around
in a circle. As the words to the above rhyme are sung a new
player is picked on the word "fool". Whoever the finger is
pointed at on the word "fool" takes the place of the person in
the center and becomes "it".

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1960

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A game played by African-American children

Look who's here Punchi-nella Punchi-nella
Look who's here Punchi-nella at the zoo
What can you do Punchi-nella, Punchi-nella
What can you do Punchi-nella at the zoo?
We can do it too Punchi-nella, Punchi-nella
We can do it too Punchi-nella at the zoo.

Submitter comment: This game is played in a circle and there are hand
claps that accompany the words to the song. One
player (Punchi-nella) is in the center of the circle.
When Punchi-nella is asked "what can you do?", the
player responds by doing his/her own unique dance
in the center of the circle. When the other players
respond, "we can do it too" they imitate the dance
that Punchi-nella performed in the center of the
circle.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00001960-61

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African-American children's jumping rope game

Dum Dee Dum Dee Doe Doe
catch me if you can
I can run faster than
(say the name of the person to chase you) can!
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 (jump out of the rope)

Submitter comment: This game is played jumping rope. Two people are
turning the rope, one on each end. The person to be
chased says the above rhyme, then jumps out. The person
to tag runs in afterwards. Each one can only jump one
time in the rope. This is a fast chase game.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00001960-61

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A ball game played by African-American Children

Hello, hello, hello sir
how are you today sir?
fine sir
yes sir

Submitter comment: This game is played by one or more players. The player(s)
bounces a ball to each word of the rhyme. When the word "sir"
is said the player must cross his/her leg over the ball.
Rhythm is very important in that the ball and the rhyme and
the leg crossing must all be together in timing. A missed
cross, or lost of control of the ball constitutes elimination
and turning the ball over to the next player.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

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Counting-out rhyme used by African American children

Bubble gum, bubble gum in the dish
how many bubble gums do you wish? Answer, any number.
One, two, three, four and you are out of this game.

Submitter comment: This game is done with each participating players putting
one foot in a circle with all toes touching together. The
caller says the above rhyme touching each person's shoe.
Each round of the rhyme eliminates a person until eventually
there is only one person left and that person is "it."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1961

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Counting-out rhyme used by African American children

My mama and your mama were hanging out the clothes.
My mama socked your mama right straight in the nose.
What color was the blood? Answer y/n
N O spells no and you are out of this game.

Submitter comment:

This games is done with each participating players putting
one foot in a circle with all toes touching together. The
callers says the above rhyme touching each person's shoe.
Each round of the rhyme eliminates a person until eventually
there is only one person left and that person is "it."

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Keyword(s): African American ; COUNTING ; GAME ; Playground ; RHYME ; Selection

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1961

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African-American Children's Game

Children gather in a circle swinging held-together hands as
this game is played. Hands are dropped at the point of "he
missed"; then it is a jumping game of crossing legs.
Ronald McDonald sitting on a fence
trying to make a quarter
out of eighty-five cents
He missed (jump and cross or do not cross legs)
He missed (jump and cross or do not cross legs)
He missed like this (jump and cross or do not cross legs)

Submitter comment: Who ever has his/her legs crossed on the call (he missed
like this) is out of the game.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics

Date learned: 00-00-1988

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African-American Children's hand clapping game

This game is played with a hand clap. The words to the game
must keep the beat of the clap. Rhythm is a very important
part in keeping the game going.
Hands up to eighty-five (clap clap)
gonna get (clap clap)
names of (clap clap)
(any fruit, color, city, state, people, anything selected.)
No hesitation (clap clap)
No demonstration (clap clap)
so let's go (clap clap)
starting with (say person's name). (clap clap)
ending with (say person's name) (clap clap)
So lets go! (clap clap)

Submitter comment: The children are in a circle when playing this game and the
chosen topic is shouted out by each child as their turn comes
in the circle. I've watched my daughter and her friends play
games for hours. The children often add foot movement and hip
movements as they keep time with the rhythm of the game. Any
person causing a break in the timing is out of the game.
Players cannot duplicate objects or subject matters already
called by any other player in the game. If there is a
hesitation or pause by a players, loss for words or a wrong
topic called, that player is eliminated from the game. The
winner is the last person left in the circle. Each time a
person is out the caller of the game has the option to select
a new topic or keep the old one. Children most often use
fruit, colors and cities as the topic for this game.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; other children in the community

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Athletic sport and exercise Gymnastics
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1989

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CHOOSING IT

EACH PLAYER PUTS HIS FOOT INTO A CIRCLE. THE CALLER
POINTS TO ONE FOOT PER WORD:
UM BUM BEENA,
SHUCK-A-LUCK-A-TEENA,
TICK-A-TACK-A-ILLY BILLY BUM

Submitter comment: WHOEVERS' FOOT HE IS POINTING AT ON THE LAST WORD,
THAT PERSON IS OUT AND CANNOT BE "IT." THE CALLER
CONTINUES UNTIL THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON LEFT. THAT
PERSON IS "IT."

Where learned: CHILDHOOD PLAYMATES

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse

Date learned: 00-00-1955

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IF I SPILT SALT, I SHOULD TOSS A PINCH OVER MY LEFT
SHOULDER TO WARD OFF MISFORTUNE.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; BLACK BOY: A RECORD OF CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH ; SIGNET BOOK ; NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY ; PAGE 82

James Callow Keyword(s): SPILLED

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Mineral
BELIEF -- Bad luck

Date learned: 00-00-1945

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CANNIBALS BELIEVE THAT THEY TAKE ON THE COURAGE OF THE
PEOPLE THEY EAT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; CHILDRENS HOSPITAL

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222.

Date learned: 02-19-1970

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IF YOU GO BY AN EMPTY ROCKING CHAIR AND PUSH ON ONE ARM
AND MAKE IT ROCK, IT MEANS THAT SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY
IS GOING TO DIE.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero

Date learned: 00001950S

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IF YOUR EAR BUZZES OR RINGS, SOMEONE IS TALKING ABOUT
YOU AT THAT MOMENT.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD

Subject headings: 842 Ringing ears / buzzing / hot, burning
Observation

Date learned: 00-00-1955

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SLEEP SAYING

DEAD TO THE WORLD.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD

Keyword(s): COSMOS

James Callow Keyword(s): ASLEEP

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Phrase

Date learned: 11-00-1968

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DOCTORS' PHILOSOPHY

DOCTORS ALWAYS BURY THEIR MISTAKES.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD

James Callow Keyword(s): INCOMPETENCY ; IRONY

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Blason Populaire

Date learned: 11-00-1968

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DOOR LOCKS ON INSIDE

THE DOOR LOCKS FROM THE INSIDE.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD

James Callow Keyword(s): PRECAUTION?

Subject headings: PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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PEAS PORRIDGE HOT, PEAS PORRIDGE COLD,
PEAS PORRIDGE IN THE POT, NINE DAYS OLD.
SOME LIKE IT HOT, SOME LIKE IT COLD.
SOME LIKE IT IN THE POT, NINE DAYS OLD.

SECOND VERSE--SUBSTITUTE "ONE DAY OLD" FOR "NINE DAYS OLD"

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse C730.522

Date learned: 00-00-1958

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PROVERBIAL APOTHEGM

NEVER EXPLAIN- YOUR FRIENDS DON'T NEED IT AND YOUR ENEMIES WON'T
BELIEVE IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; CHILDRENS HOSPITAL

Keyword(s): NEGATIVE INJUNCTION

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE: NEGATIVE ; OBSERVATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero
PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim

Date learned: 02-18-1970

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Butter

Someone picks a yellow dandelion flower and places it under
someone's chin. If their chin showed yellow, they liked butter; if
it did not, they did not like butter. After this was established,
the head of the dandelion was popped off into the person's face.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE ; Neighborhood children

James Callow Keyword(s): DIVINATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Plant
BELIEF -- Color

Date learned: 00001950S

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