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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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LIMERICK

Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.

A HANDSOME YOUNG BOY NAMED PAT,
WITH GIRLS WOULD ENJOY THIS AND THAT.
HE MEANT TO CUDDLE AND KISS,
WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT THIS,
JUST GUESS WHAT HE MEANT BY HIS THAT.

Submitter comment:

THESE LIMERICKS WERE LEARNED OF IN A SIXTH GRADE ENGLISH CLASS
AT SAINT HEDWIG GRADE SCHOOL. THE BOOK THEY WERE TAKED FROM
IS NOT KNOWN BY ME BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD BY THE TEACHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SEXUAL EUPHEMISM

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

Date learned: 00001960S

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LIMERICK

A LIVELY YOUNG FELLOW NAMED KELLY,
GOT AN AWFUL SAD ACHE IN HIS DIGESTION.
HIS WIFE IN HER HASTE,
HAD SERVED HIM UP PASTE
INSTEAD OF THE TOAST AND THE JELLY.

Submitter comment: THESE LIMERICKS WERE LEARNED OF IN A SIXTH GRADE ENGLISH CLASS
AT SAINT HEDWIG GRADE SCHOOL. THE BOOK THEY WERE TAKED FROM
IS NOT KNOWN BY ME BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD BY THE TEACHER.

James Callow Keyword(s): DISTORTION OF RHYME SCHEME ; EUPHEMISM: DIGESTION FOR BELLY

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

Date learned: 00001960S

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Entry filtered.

CHINKATEE CHUU CHUU PAN

ONCE THERE LIVED A CHINA MAN
HIS NAME WAS CHINKATEE CHUU CHUU PAN
HIS LEGS WERE LONG
HIS FEET WERE SHORT
POOR LITTLE CHINK COULD HARDLY WALK
AT LAST ONE DAY HE DID DIE
AND IN HIS COFFIN HE DID LIE
THEY SENT HIS BODY TO JAPAN
AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE CHINA MAN.
CHINKATEE, CHINKATEE CHUU CHUU PAN
ALA GA WAL A GA, STUN OF A LULA GA
AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE CHINA MAN.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HIS UNCLE IN NEW YORK MANY YEARS AGO.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): CONTRAST: LONG AND SHORT ; HUMOR ; MOCK EPIC ; NONSENSE REFRAIN ; RHYME: AABCDEEAAAFA

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

Date learned: 07-00-1964

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A CHANT

TARZAN THE MONKEY MAN
SWINGIN ON A RUBBER BAND
ALONG CAME SUPERMAN
AND KNOCKED HIM IN THE GARBAGE CAN.

Where learned: COLLECTED AT HOME

Keyword(s): HUMOR ; IMPERFECT RHYME ; MOVIE, TELEVISION, AND COMIC BOOK HEROES ; RHYME: AAAA ; RHYME: ABAA

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

Date learned: 10-13-1971

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LIMERICK

THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN FROM THE CITY,
WHO SAW A NICE BLACK AND WHITE KITTY
SAYING, "MICE LITTLE CAT,"
HE GAVE IT A PAT.
THEY BURIED HIS CLOTHES OUT OF PITY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; EUPHEMISM: CAT FOR SKUNK ; FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR ; INDIRECTION ; RHYME: AABBA ; SMELLY CLOTHERS

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.

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LIMERICK

THERE WAS A BELLE OF OLD NATCHEZ,
WHOSE GARMENTS WERE ALL SHREDS AND PATCHES.
WHEN COMMENT AROSE
ON THE STATE OF HER CLOTHES,
SHE DRAWLED, "WHEN AH ITCHES, AH SCRATCHES."

Where learned: DETROIT

Keyword(s): DIACLECT PRONUNCIATION ; FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR ; RHYME: AABBA

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.

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LIMERICK

ONE NIGHT A YOUNG AMOROUS SIOUX
HAD A DATE WITH A MAIDEN HE KNIOUX
THE CORONER LATER FOUND
THAT THE COUPLE HAD DROWNED
PADDLING A LEAKY CANIOUX

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ACCIDENT ; CACOGRAPHY ; CANOE ; DEATH ; FRENCH SPELLING ; RHYME: AABBA

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.

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LIMERICK

THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN OF SPOKANE
WHOSE VERSES WOULD NEVER SCAN.
WHEN TOLD THIS WAS SO,
HE SAID "YES, I KNOW,
BUT I ALWAYS TRY TO GET AS MANY WORDS IN THE LAST
LINE AS I CAN."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ALEXANDRINE FOR HUMOR ; POET ; PROSODY ; RHYME DICTATES PRONUNCIATION OF PLACE NAME ; RHYME: AABBA

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.

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BIRDIE, BIRDIE IN THE SKY,
DROP A WHITE WASH IN MY EYE,
ME NO WORRY,
ME NO CRY,
ME JUST HAPPY COWS DON'T FLY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD IN

Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; BABY TALK ; EUPHEMISM: WHITEWASH FOR BIRD DUNG ; RHYME: AABAA ; SUGGESTION COW DUNG

Subject headings: 730 Lyrical Verse
Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse

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RIDDLE

LITTLE WILLIE LIT A ROCKET
WHICH WAS IN HIS DADDY'S POCKET
THE NEXT DAY HE TOLD HIS COUSIN DAN
DADDY IS A TRAVELING MAN .

Where learned: DETROIT

Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; HUMOR ; RHYME: AABB

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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NONSENSE RHYME

THE OTHER NIGHT UPON THE STAIR,
I SAW A MAN WHO WASN'T THERE.
HE WASN'T THERE AGAIN TODAY.
GEE WHIZ, I WISH HE'D GO AWAY.

Where learned: ROYAL OAK

Keyword(s): HUMOR ; RHYME: AA

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

Date learned: 10-00-1967

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HELEN

HELEN HAD A STEAMBOAT
STEAMBOAT HAD A BELL
HELEN PULLED THE WRONG CORD
AND BLOW US ALL TO HELLO OPERATOR,
GIVE ME NUMBER NINE
IF IT DOES NOT ANSWER
GIVE ME BACK MY DIME

Submitter comment: SUNG TO A TUNE BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF EXPLAINING.
I CANNOT THINK OF A FAMOUS SONG WITH THIS TUNE.

Data entry tech comment: EUPHEMISM FOR HELL IN LINE FOUR

Where learned: FERNDALE ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): RHYME: ABA ; TELEPHONE

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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VERSE WITHOUT MUSIC "LUCY"

LUCY MET THE TRAIN
THE TRAIN MET LUCY
THE TRACK WAS JUICY
THE JUICE WAS LUCY

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): CHIASMUS ; EUPHEMISM ; FEMININE RHYME ; FINAL ITERATION ; INITIAL ITERATION ; RHYME: ABBC

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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VERSE FROM MURDER

LIZZY BORDON TOOK AN AX/
AND GAVE HER MOTHER FORTY WHACKS/
WHEN SHE SAW WHAT SHE HAD DONE/
SHE GAVE HER FATHER FORTY-ONE.

Submitter comment: THE FOLLOWING VERSE CAME ABOUT AFTER A FAMOUS MURDER TOOK PLACE.
I AM NOT SURE OF THE SPELLING OF THE NAME.

Data entry tech comment: SPELLING CORRECTED BY KETPUNCHER

Where learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): ANTICLIMAX ; NARRATIVE VERSE JUMP ROPE RHYME ; NONSEQUITUR ; RHYME: AABB ; SURPRISE ENDING

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

Date learned: 11-22-1968

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I HAD A GOOD JOB AND I QUIT

HIP HIP, HIP HIP
I HAD A GOOD JOB AND I QUIT
FIRST THEY FIRED ME,
THEN THEY FIRED ME,
THEN I GOT MAD AND I QUIT.

Submitter comment: HE HEARD IT IN HIGH SCHOOL

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; RICHMOND

Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; ITERATION ; NARRATIVE VERSE ; RHYME: ABBA

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

Date learned: 00-00-1929

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LIMERICK

THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY FROM LYNN
WHO WAS EXCEEDINGLY THIN.
THAT ONE DAY IN THE SHADE,
WHILE SIPPING LEMONADE,
SHE SLIPPED THROUGH THE STRAW AND FELL IN.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): RHYME: AABBA

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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LIMERICK

THERE ONCE WAS A GIRL FROM PISA,
WHO LOVED TO PLAY IN THE FREEZER.
ONE DAY SHE WAS LOCKED IN,
WHAT A TERRIBLE SIN,
NOW SHE'S A POWERFUL SNEEZER.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; IMPERFECT RHYME

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

I,LL TELL YOU A STORY
OF OLD HUNKY DORY
NOW MY STORY,S BEGUN.
I,LL TELL YOU ANOTHER
OF OLD HUNKY,S BROTHER
AND NOW MY STORY IS DONE.

Submitter comment: CHILDHOOD

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; NARRATIVE VERSE ; NUTSHELL NARRATIVE ; RHYME: AABCCB

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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JACK BEENORY

I,LL TELL YOU A STORY
OF JACK BEENORY,
AND NOW MY STORY,S BEGUN.
I,LL TELL YOU ANOTHER
OF JACK AND HIS BROTHER,
AND NOW MY STORY IS DONE.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; NARRATIVE VERSE ; RHYME: AABCCB

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

Date learned: 00-00-1953

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CATHERINE, CATHERINE, IN THE TUB
YOUR MOTHER FORGOT TO PULL THE PLUG
OH MY GOSH OH MY SOUL
THERE GOES CATHERINE DOWN THE HOLE.

Submitter comment: YOU CAN USE ANY NAME IN PLACE OF CATHERINE.

Data entry tech comment: LINES HAVE BEEN DIVIDED BY KEYPUNCHER

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK

Keyword(s): IMPERFECT RHYME ; NARRATIVE VERSE VOCABULARY GAME ; RHYME: AABB ; RHYME: ABCC

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

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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